A waddling baby approaches the edge of overlapping waves. Holding her mother’s hand, she hops, skips, and jumps as the tides tickle her ankles into laughter.
Her mother holds tight, despite the baby’s attempt to tug away, occasionally clinging to her mother’s calve.
A surge of water passes, as a blue surgical mask with a smudge of red lipstick drifts against a nearby wooden pole.
The baby pulls away. Her mother motions to grab her, but it is too late.
Fishy, the baby shouts, stuffing the mask into her mouth, leaving the crimson smear straps hanging over her lips.
Above reads a sign – “Do Not Litter”.
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Eric Persaud is an Indo-Guyanese American living in New York City. He is currently working on his doctoral dissertation in Public Health and writing stuff in his free time.
Scariest thing I’ve read or heard in this week.