SANDCASTLES
by Kamila Stopyra

1

Dry air from the nearby desert touched Alan’s delicate face. The 13-year-old nodded politely to an old man speaking to him. Yet, the boy was too focused on desperately trying to stop the tears coming to his eyes; he was not listening at all.

The man noticed a familiar face in the posh crowd and excused himself. The boy adjusted the cuff of his shirt, wondering why they all had to wear elegant yet impractical clothes amid Dubai’s heat wave.

One of the waiters approached straight away, a young Arab with a perfectly white smile.

‘Would you like some wine, Sir Fletherty Junior?’

Alan smiled, sadly.

‘I’m only thirteen, thank you.’

Still, the waiter did not move.

‘Your father expressed a wish that I give it to you, Sir.’

‘Dad doesn’t always know what’s best for me. And my name’s Alan.’

The waiter bowed politely.

‘As you please, Sir Fletherty Junior.’

He disappeared into the crowd. Alan looked in the direction of the beach. He would love to sit there now, building a sandcastle with someone he likes…

But the brutal truth was, Alan had no friends at the moment and it was by no means the result of him being unlikeable or anti-social. Rather, such is the life of a person living at a busy five-star hotel. People come and go, not paying too much attention to how they behaved or what they said during their stay. But for Alan, memories remained, becoming more painful every time he was alone again in his luxurious apartment.

‘Enjoying the party?’

Alan, up to this point lost in his thoughts, shrugged his shoulders. His father Raphael touched the boy’s face and looked him in the eyes.

‘Is something wrong with your mother?’

Alan turned his face away.

‘You should know if it is. She was your wife, after all.’

Raphael Fletherty narrowed his eyes.

‘Some situations are not as black-and-white as one thinks they are. You’re a smart boy, I’m sure you’ll understand one day.’

The father mussed up Alan’s shiny hair and left as quickly as he came. Seeing him gone, Alan readjusted his hair and asked for a lychee juice at the nearby stand. He glanced at the Oasis hotel they were at the balcony of, wondering if he will ever be able to call this impersonal place a home. Suddenly, he heard a familiar laugh. Alan turned to see Raphael touching a hip of a much younger girl, smiling at her, slightly drunk.

Alan pursed his lips and disappeared behind the curtain of the hotel entrance.

2

Alan passed through the reception on his way to a lift, thinking he truly had enough and it was time to sleep. But then, he heard a soft voice.

‘Are there any excursions to the city I could take?’

Alan blinked a few times, recognising the London accent. He took a discreet look over his shoulder to see an astonishingly beautiful girl in her early twenties, whose full rose lips were slightly open as she awaited the receptionist’s answer.

‘Of course, Madam.’

Alan, now fully engaged, watched the girl’s big grey eyes sadden as she heard the price.  

‘Thank you. I’ll make up my mind and let you know soon.’

But it was already obvious from her tone that she will not be able to pay for the excursion. Yet if so, how come she had enough money to come to the five-star Oasis?

The girl with a room card in her hand passed next to Alan and entered the lift.

Before the boy realised, the door started closing; desperate, Alan jumped inside and, fortunately, the doors opened.

The floor she chose was 18th, so there was plenty of time to think of the right tactics. If only he could gather his thoughts…

‘I overheard you wanted to see Dubai…’ started Alan timidly, drops of sweat slowly appearing on his forehead.

The girl faced him for the first time, her suitcase the only thing in between them.

‘Sure. Don’t all people come here to do it?’

Alan knew he was already in love with this voice, somehow reminding him of his mother’s accent. She used to speak like that when he was very little and they still lived in London…

‘I can show it to you tomorrow.’ proposed Alan.

He furtively glanced at the tag attached to her suitcase, proudly stating ‘Maddie Khan’.

The girl gazed at him critically.

‘Do you know it well enough?’

‘I’ve lived here a year, Maddie.’

She smiled for the first time, putting her name tag on the blank side. They were passing by the tenth floor.

‘I bet you do.’ she said, meticulously analysing his tanned complexion.

Their eyes met for a second in the lift’s mirror.

‘Incredible,’ started Maddie yet again. ‘Not only have you got a London accent like me, we’ve even got the same colour eyes.’

Alan peered at their reflections. Maddie was indeed right.

‘Will you trust me now? I can fetch the taxi at 9.30 am if that suits you.’

‘Fetch a taxi?’ she seemed to lovingly enjoy the moment. ‘You’re already quite someone, that for sure’.

The lift stopped, having reached the 18th floor. Alan blinked again, just as Maddie left with her suitcase.

‘See you at the reception,’ she said as the doors closed.

Alan leaned on the lift door, his heart pounding heavily. Only after a few moments was he able to press the button taking him to floor 24th, the last one, to go to his private apartment.

3

Alan had been sitting in the armchair for a long time, nervously squeezing the arm rest. He glanced at the nearby clock: 9.28am. Would Maddie actually come? Or was his proposition regarded as inappropriate?

But there she was, sweeter than ever before, leaving the lift with an analogue camera hanging on a thin strap, hypnotically dancing around her body.

‘Ready to explore, Prince Charming?’ she winked at him, no trace of irony in her voice.

Alan gulped loudly, suddenly feeling his mouth got dry. He stood up mechanically, next to her naturalness feeling more like a robot than a human being.

‘I’m Alan, actually,’ he mentioned timidly, leading her to the front of the hotel, where a black Ferrari limousine waited.

‘A taxi, you said?’ asked Maddie joyfully, not entirely believing that the vehicle she was looking at had been waiting for them.

Alan opened the back door and she got in, amazed.

But Maddie became even more astonished seeing the astounding architecture they were passing by.

Despite the wonderful views behind the car windows, Alan kept gazing only at Maddie, feeling pleased by each of her smiles, patiently answering the questions she had and enjoying the moment of connection that he experienced so rarely.

‘Do you often travel on your own?’, asked the boy.

Maddie’s phone rang, making her look down for a second, her smile suddenly fading. She rejected the call.

‘It’s my first time, actually.’

‘So why Dubai?’

She shrugged her shoulders and continued staring at the Burj Khalifa.

‘It’s like a city of mirage, isn’t it? It’s a desert in fact, but then all of these buildings… they’re a bit like sandcastles, aren’t they?’

Alan nodded, thinking.

4

‘Are you sure?’, asked Maddie.

Alan and she stood in front of a till in an opulent perfume shop at The Dubai Mall, a bottle of expensive liquid shining in front of them.

‘I am.’ Alan smiled politely. ‘Put it on Sir Fletherty’s Junior account,’ he addressed the man at the till.

Maddie blinked twice, trying to put things together.

‘Who are you, Alan, an Arab Sheikh?’

Alan gave her a wonderfully packed bottle, looking straight into her eyes.

‘When I am one day, I’ll buy you an island on Palm Jumeirah.’

Maddie laughed, amused by the seriousness of his tone.

‘Will I be one of the Sheikh’s many wives?’ she mocked him further.

‘No, you will be the one and only’, responded Alan, to make things clear.

‘I already love you, Sheikh Alan.’ Maddie said, taking his hand.

Alan thought he was about to faint but bravely managed to hold himself together as they walked out of the store.

5

‘Thank you, it was a wonderful experience,’ said Maddie to Alan at the reception.

‘If you like to, we can…’

But what Alan just wanted to say was suddenly interrupted by another call on Maddie’s phone. Again, she suddenly turned very upset about it.

‘Excuse me.’ Maddie said, answering the call.

Alan kept staring at her while she listened to the person on the other side of the line, her smile disappearing with each word she just heard.

‘I’m an adult, alright? I know what I’m doing.’ Maddie’s voice seemed changed, suddenly it lost all of its delicacy and joy, replaced by decisiveness and pain.

Alan listened to her voice breaking and gently touched Maddie’s shoulder just as she fully began to cry.

‘Yes, always the same; able to destroy the best day of my life!’

Even if it was not addressed at him, Alan noted in his mind the nicest compliment he has ever received.

‘I’m actually enjoying this, you know? Being far away from you two, telling me what to do with my life!’

Maddie hung up suddenly, unable to bear it any longer. She hid her face in her hands, attempting to stop the tears.

‘I’m sorry, Alan,’ she said. ‘My dad… he can be cruel, sometimes.’

‘Don’t worry, mine’s the same. I guess dads just are that way.’

He smiled at her faintly and she did the same through tears.

‘You’ll never be like that, would you?’

Alan shook his head. Maddie stood up.

‘See you tomorrow, hopefully.’

It was all that Alan heard before Maddie disappeared behind the lift’s doors.

6

‘Seven stars? And what’s the actual difference between five and seven?’ asked Maddie, observing the Burj Al Arab hotel, shining proudly in a distance.

Alan smiled, seeing Maddie’s perturbation.

‘Prestige, I guess.’

They were sitting on a deserted beach, a one with a perfect view on the famous yacht-shaped building.

‘Prestige,’ said Maddie with an obvious contempt. ‘That’s exactly the word I hear much too often.’

‘Is it something about your dad?’

‘It’s about all of them, really,’ Maddie looked away at the horizon. ‘They never realise prestige isn’t the most important thing in the world.’

Alan nodded, unsure if he had understood properly.

‘I’m sorry to hear that. But… if you’re not after prestige, then why are you staying at our hotel?’

Maddie opened her beautiful lips and closed them abruptly.

‘You’re right. It just doesn’t make sense.’

She hugged her knees, suddenly lost in her thoughts.

‘Yes, that’s the trap I got caught in; to prove something to my parents, I started using their values. And I hate myself because of that.’

Alan looked at the Burj Al Arab for a moment.

‘I don’t know, maybe… I often find it impossible to disconnect from the world my dad imposed on me. You know, hotel, Ferraris, cocktail parties or luxurious apartments. That’s the life I’ve lived, I’m not sure I could suddenly function out of this context.’

Maddie looked at him, amazed.

‘Well… I wouldn’t worry if I were you. Your perception and maturity are something unique as for your age. And they do work out of context.’

Alan blushed, shyly contemplating the pleasure another of Maddie’s compliments gave him.

‘But with me… you see, my parents wanted me to become like them, with a secure well-paying job. Yet my dream always has been becoming an actress… whatever it takes.’

‘You’re an actress?’ he asked excitedly.

Maddie smiled, charmingly.

‘You see, Alan, with this kind of things, you actually rarely ‘are’. In most cases, you’re ‘becoming’ or ‘on your way to be’. Although I had a pretty nice breakthrough, recently. That’s why I came here, with my own money, to show them I can do make it, after all.’

She was spectacular; Alan missed such a pure honesty in the world of lies he had been surrounded by since his early childhood.

‘I’ve always wanted to be a photographer,’ he admitted after a short moment of silence. ‘But I doubt my dad will approve.’

Maddie shrugged her shoulders as if it did not matter at all.

‘It’s your life, Alan. Your choices. And maybe… you know, parents. They don’t approve at first but then, when you eventually succeed, it’s like I’ve always known he’ll make it. Just do what you want, the best way you can do it.’

Maddie smiled and Alan did the same.

‘Can we build a sandcastle?’ a wild idea suddenly came to his mind.

Instead of replying, Maddie drew a huge square in the sand and then proceeded with digging in and shaping the first pieces of the imagined building.

Alan willingly joined her, glad to reclaim something that he seemed to have lost a long time ago.

7

‘That was exhausting, wasn’t it?’ asked Maddie, laying her body down on the edge of the sea and the land.

Alan did not reply, fascinated by their achievement; the sandcastle was indeed impressive. Not only was it nearly Alan’s height, but it had a certain style that none of them has encountered before. Mixing the Arabic architecture Alan was so used to and Maddie’s quite loose take on London modern buildings gave an astounding effect.

‘That’s where we’re going to live when you’ll be my wife?’ asked Alan, lying next to Maddie.

They looked at each other lovingly, forgetting about the huge age gap between them.

‘I thought it’s only a project… for something bigger’ she laughed.

Alan just loved the way she did it and could not resist coming closer.

‘Of course, it is.’ he said.

Before the boy had a chance to think twice, he impulsively kissed Maddie on the lips.

The high tide that just came touched their bodies but neither of them paid any attention to it.

8

Alan kept waiting at the reception, exactly at the same spot where he and Maddie had always met. But she was not there and nothing seemed like he would see her again. Maybe it was too much, the kiss. Maybe it was not exactly what she meant when they used to tell each other the little stories about their future.

The clock mercilessly showed that the time that has passed was clearly beyond casually running late; Maddie simply did not want to see him anymore.

Alan, disheartened, started wondering how to apologise. He remembered the times when his father was not yet as arrogant and when he had done something wrong, he used to bring flowers to Alan’s mother.

Alan took the newest version of iPhone from his pocket and started googling the most amazing flower bouquets; when he finally found what he wanted, he ran to the receptionist.

‘Could you please send these flowers to Maddie Khan’s room?’ he asked, showing the picture to him. ‘And please include a dinner invitation’.

The receptionist smiled politely.

‘I will do what I can, Sir Fletherty Junior.’ he replied, taking up the phone.

9

Alan, dressed in a tuxedo, kept impatiently sitting at a romantically set up table in the poshest part of the restaurant, dedicated only to the VIPs. If this was not enough for Maddie, what will be?

Fortunately, after what felt like an eternity, he spotted her entering in a dusty rose dress, showing her invitation at the door and coming to Alan’s table.

Alan stood up and went towards her. Maddie smiled, seeing him.

‘I’m sorry if I insulted you yesterday’ he said, moving back a chair for her.

‘It’s alright, I’m not innocent either,’ she winked, continuing to be the playful, exciting and lovable Maddie.

Alan breathed a sigh of relief and took his place.

‘How was your day?’

‘Quite sad, I must say,’ she admitted. ‘Actually, just when I noticed how terribly I had been missing you, the flowers arrived. That’s so kind of you.’

Alan’s cheeks slowly turned into the colour of Maddie’s dress. He took a sip of water to cool himself down.

‘But apart from that short incident, my time here has been full of pleasure. I’d love it to last forever… if only not the fact that I have to go back to London soon.’

Alan froze as if he has forgotten that it was a hotel rather than a large house.

‘If you want to, you can stay for longer,’ he said quickly. ‘In case you don’t have enough money, I can ask my dad if…’

‘That’s not necessary, Alan,’ Maddie smiled at him sadly. ‘I’m an adult girl, you know. It’s high time to start taking responsibility for my life choices and other things I do so carelessly.’

The last part she said with a kind of self-contempt as if she hated herself for something. Was it, again, about the kiss the day before?

Alan wanted to say something but stopped himself before he uttered a word.

‘When do you have to leave, then?’

‘The day after tomorrow is my last one’ Maddie replied, playing with the end of the knife.

Alan froze.

‘But I thought… people usually stay for the whole two weeks.’

‘When they can afford it, yes.’

Alan gathered himself.

‘I really mean it when I say we can make you stay for longer.’

‘Would you like me to?’ asked Maddie, looking into Alan’s eyes.

‘It would mean the world to me, Maddie,’ he heard his own voice speaking before he actually thought over what he wanted to say.

Maddie smiled at him and went straight to studying the menu.

‘You’re not hungry?’

‘I know it by heart.’ said Alan.

Maddie smirked at him.

‘You’re often inviting girls for dates here, Sir Fletherty Junior?’

Alan looked at Maddie, not liking the sudden change of her tone.

‘Actually, it’s the first time I had a chance to.’ he said honestly and looked down at his empty plate.

‘I’m sorry,’ Maddie instinctively took his hand. ‘I was just thinking… maybe I’m not the best choice for you.’

‘How come?’

‘Maybe I just remind you of your mum or… anyway, forget it. It’s not very nice of me, either.’

Alan waited for it to sink in.

‘Whereabouts do you live in London?’

‘Marylebone.’ she said with a smile.

‘We used to live in Chelsea.’

‘Wow. I thought my family was posh…’

Alan shrugged his shoulders.

‘I don’t think money brings happiness. I’m not happy here, to be honest.’

Maddie glanced at him briefly from above the menu.

‘But I know it helps some people to be financially reassured,’ he continued. ‘I know people like that. Many of them come to this hotel to prove themselves they can afford it, even if it’s not the case.’

‘What do you mean, Alan? Are you suggesting that I am here to prove something?’

‘I’m only saying, we should use these lucky circumstances that we’ve found ourselves in. Dad has other hotels, in Oman, Bahrain, Qatar… we could go there. Together. And neither of us will have to prove anything.’

Maddie smiled, visibly touched by the sweetness and naivety of Alan’s words.

‘You really think there are no things to prove to each other in a relationship?’ she asked and laughed.

Alan blushed, confused.

10

The candlelit dinner continued; despite the earlier ambiguous elements, it seemed to Alan that everything was getting better rather than worse.

‘So, you’ve been to all of these places?’

Alan nodded.

‘Yes, we moved here from Doha around a year ago.’ replied Alan, slowly eating his spaghetti Frutti di Mare.

Maddie took a sip of her wine. She glanced at Alan’s lychee juice.

‘Why don’t you want to try some wine if they keep proposing it to you?’ she asked, genuinely interested.

Alan shrugged.

‘I guess it’s something between me and dad. It’s him who wants me to do it and I know it’s wrong.’

‘Powerplay then, inspiring,’ said Maddie, observing Alan intensely. ‘So the two of you don’t have a lot in common?’

Alan looked down.

‘Only a few memories. When mum and dad were still married.’

Tears slowly appeared in Alan’s eyes and he rubbed them off, angrily.

‘But that doesn’t matter any longer, does it?’ he said, his voice changed, more mature.

Maddie gave him a quick reassuring smile.

‘It does, Alan, obviously it does. You can’t just throw your memories and feelings away, you have to deal with them the best way you can.’

‘I’m sorry, Maddie,’ said Alan, standing up. ‘I’m just going to pop into the loo, I won’t be long.’

‘You okay?’ she asked, caring.

‘Yeah’ Alan nodded, although his swollen eyes expressed the exact opposite.

He turned away and headed in the toilet’s direction.

11

Alan slapped his own face, trying to piece himself together. He felt absolutely ashamed of being such a crybaby in front of Maddie.

On the other hand, he just loved the way she cared. But did he not actually provoke her to behave in such way?

Alan left the bathroom, ready to apologise for his sloppy behaviour. He headed to the table, only to notice his father sitting next to Maddie.

Alan stopped mid-step, shocked. He glanced at Maddie, laughing at something Alan’s father just said.

Alan gathered himself and approached the table.

‘Oh, Alan, there you are!’ said Raphael Fletherty, giving his son a fake charming smile.

Maddie looked at Raphael and then at Alan, considering.

‘Maddie and I were just eating a supper’ replied Alan, seemingly casually.

‘A nice friend you have, she’s a wonderful girl,’ Raphael smiled at Maddie and she did the same. ‘But don’t you think it’s a bit late, Alan? You’re usually asleep by this time, aren’t you?’

Alan felt that he was boiling inside.

‘Not at all. We actually had some plans…’

‘Oh, Alan, tomorrow’s another day,’ Raphael winked at Maddie. ‘You will have enough time to play with Maddie. But now it’s time to go to sleep, son.’

Alan’s fists clenched, but he felt helpless.

‘Your dad’s right, I’m afraid,’ Maddie suggested gently. ‘It’s almost midnight, isn’t it?’

Alan, defeated, dragged himself out of the restaurant. The boy turned just once again to see his father embracing Maddie and pouring some more wine into her glass.

12

Next morning, Alan approached the reception counter.

‘I need to know Maddie Khan’s room number.’ he said.

The receptionist looked at him.

‘I don’t think I’m allowed to share this kind of information, Sir Fletherty Junior.’

Alan sighed.

‘Please, call me Alan. And, in regards to Maddie, it’s important. I can’t find her anywhere.’

The receptionist looked at the screen, considering.

‘If you can’t tell me, would you please call her room and let me speak to her?’ begged Alan.

The receptionist nodded and took the phone.

‘That I can do.’

He typed the number and waited for a short while on the phone, only to put it down.

‘I’m afraid she’s not picking up, Alan…’ said the receptionist, apologetically. ‘Is it a girl from London, with big grey eyes, very beautiful, around ten years older than you are?’ 

Alan nodded straight away.

‘I think I saw her going in the swimming pool’s direction,’ he whispered.

‘Was she alone?’

‘I think so.’

13

Alan, now redressed in shorts and with a towel in his hand, exited the Oasis hotel. He hid behind his Oakley sunglasses and started to explore the surroundings.

Rich people of various age and coming from different parts of the world rested in the shadow of palm trees. Many of them decided to cool themselves down in a packed tear-shaped swimming pool; others enjoyed cocktails at a nearby bar. But where among this crowd was Maddie?

Alan spotted familiar hair; the person was sitting back to him. Being certain it must be Maddie, he approached, only to see a guy coming to her and giving her a Piña colada; the girl showed her profile. It definitely was not Maddie.

Alan continued his quest, avoiding inflatable dinghies, children running around and waiters collecting used glasses. After three rounds without spotting Maddie, the boy sat on the edge of the swimming pool and put his legs into the water, moving them purposelessly.

Suddenly, he noticed Maddie on a deckchair on the opposite edge of the pool. Impulsively, Alan jumped into the water and started swimming in Maddie’s direction.

If Alan ever cared about how fast he swims, he would have definitely set his record on that day, reaching another side in almost no time.

He put himself up and sat on an empty deckchair next to Maddie lost in her book.

‘What are you reading?’ Alan tried to make a conversation.

Maddie looked up from the book, noticing his presence for the very first time.

‘Oh, Alan, you’re all wet, do you want my towel?’

Before he answered, Maddie gave it to him.

‘I was looking for you.’

Maddie shrugged.

‘You could have simply come to my room, couldn’t you?’

‘That’s the thing, Maddie. I didn’t know the number.’

Maddie reached her bag.

‘Here it is. You can have the second card.’

‘You’re sure?’ Alan, surprised, looked at the 1803 room card.

Maddie nodded.

‘Definitely.’

Her voice had changed a lot since the day before; she seemed more confident, mature as if she undertook a decision that cannot be changed.

‘You okay?’

She nodded, clearly thinking about something else.

‘I just need a bit of time for myself to figure things out, that’s all.’

‘What kind of things, Maddie?’

‘I got a proposition,’ she uttered quietly. ‘I’m just wondering if I should take it.’

‘Is it an acting proposition?’

‘Kind of.’ she replied and looked away.

‘Is it better than what I asked you to do?’

‘It’s just different.’

Alan nodded, not making anything out of it.

‘Maybe we can go to the beach, build another sandcastle and talk?’

‘Honestly, Alan, I think I just want to be alone at this stage.’ said Maddie, going back to reading her book.

Alan looked at the cover. It read: Handbook of Acting Techniques.

14

Despite it being the middle of the night, Alan could not fall asleep. He turned impatiently to his other side and looked around his luxurious en-suite, wondering how it is possible to have everything one could ever dream of and yet be so dissatisfied and helpless.

He closed his eyes, only to open them and look at the bedside table. The card to room 1803 lay there, tempting Alan in the moonlight.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Alan reached for it and stood up; if Maddie was to leave tomorrow, it was his last chance, anyway.

Alan left his apartment quietly and went straight to the lift. He took a deep breath and pushed the button taking him to the eighteenth floor.

15

At this point of the night, floor eighteen was very quiet. Alan made a few cautious steps towards Maddie’s room and stopped in front of it.

The door was soundproofed well; he could not hear any kind of movement inside. Alan gathered courage and knocked on the door delicately.

No answer. The corridor seemed just as dead as the moment ago.

‘Maddie, it’s me.’ whispered Alan, putting his lips close to the door.

Again, no response.

Alan automatically touched the card to Maddie’s room, up to this point lying safely in his pocket. He tried knocking once again; and then, before he thought about doing it twice, the card already touched the magnet and the door to room 1803 opened.

Alan entered, following the discrete beam of the bedside lamp.

‘Maddie?’

The boy instinctively felt someone’s presence inside the room; he walked towards the quiet breathing he heard. But instead of Maddie on her own, he saw two people, both naked and embracing each other in an intimate way.

Alan blinked a few times, seeing his father on top of Maddie. No matter how much pain it caused, the boy was simply unable to stop looking, until Maddie’s eyes opened and recognised his face.

‘Alan,’ she whispered, still in a moany way, unable to switch so quickly to her casual voice.

She pushed Raphael away, but Alan could not see that; he was already running away, his eyes full of tears, only his broken heart capable of making him move outside of the hotel, in the direction of the beach.

16

Alan kept speed walking along the beach, the sound of night waves mixing with the conversations inside his head.

The moment when they met at the reception.

When he showed her Dubai for the first time.

The joyful dinner together.

And…

Building the sandcastle.

Alan stopped abruptly, looking around. It should be somewhere over there, but…

The only shape he could differentiate in the darkness was something which used to be a beautiful sandcastle, but now the waves made a ruin out of it.

‘I thought it’s only a project… for something bigger’ Alan heard Maddie’s words in his head.

He himself thought so, too. But now all he wanted to do was just lie alone on the deserted beach, a broken soul next to the destroyed sandcastle.  

About the Author:

Kamila Stopyra

Kamila Stopyra is MA Screenwriting alumni of The London Film School. Her screenplays were highly acclaimed at festivals and contests in the UK, Israel, Mexico, Canada and the US, including the prestigious Creative World Awards (Finalist) and Finish Line Script Competition. Kamila specialises in character-driven family dramas that resonate with the viewer and convey meaningful, universal truths. You can find more information on her website: http://kamilastopyra.wixsite.com/writer