One summers evening, I found myself on a beach.

People were playing ball and sun-bathing and the sea was full of surfing and splashing. 

The sound of laughter and faint sweet music murmured in the distance, and the smell and taste of warm salty sea air surrounded me and filled my lungs.

I saw a man walk towards me; he was tall, skin golden against the sun.  He came up close to me; my whole being was transfixed by him. 
He gently picked me up and placed me down on the warm sand. 
He sat down next to me without a word and started playing with the sand; his salty blonde hair falling forward, covering his eyes.
I thought it funny to see such a man sit like such a boy, and I let out a soft giggle. 
He stopped playing with the sand and looked at me.
We stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, as the tide rippled and moved away and the people faded and the sun hung a little lower and I noticed that the gentle humming of the music had stopped.
I didn’t want to break the silence; it felt so precious; but I was desperate to know where I was. 
He knew my thoughts and replied ‘A different place, somewhere unknown to the rest of the world.’
‘Will I be here long? I asked.
‘However long it takes’ he answered, as he took a deep breath and pulled me down so we were lying on our backs.  
‘Look at the vast dome hanging over us’ he said as he gestured to the heavens.
We both looked up at the sky and I marvelled at the little punches of light coming through, thinking how it reminded me of a big black balloon which had been pin pricked.
‘There is such radiance shining through, enabling the stars to dance and glisten above us.’ The man said. 
Do you realise that there is so much out there, past the shadows and darkness?’  He looked into me. 
‘There is so much beauty and grace beyond what you can see or even begin to understand.'

And upon his last words, his arms stretched open as he pulled me up from the sand and held me close. 

He stretched me out and ran his hand over the whole of me.  He folded me up tightly, creasing me and running his fingers firmly over the folds. 

He then picked my delicate frame up from the sand, held me between his thumb and index finger, stretched his arm back past his head and threw me flying home to bed.