34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE

The surf is forever.

We could be archaeologists together, together all the time, digging in the sand for ancient relics.

34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE
Jan 01, 2026
∙ Paid

STARTING AGAIN BY LINDSAY SMITH 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 136

Aster pulls the bedsheet up, knuckles touching her chin. Darling?

Harry falls onto the bed and pulls at the sheet. I look like a ghost in the mirror.

Aster turns over and talks into a pillow. Oh yeah, the neon in the bathroom. We can get it changed.

I look like a ghost. Why do they even put a neon in the bathroom?

Darling, you can’t expect everything to be perfect, from the start.

The surf booms a rock beat.

Listen to the surf.

Yeah, Aster says. Like rock and roll.

Harry throws an arm over Aster. I could lie here like this, like this, with you Aster, forever.

Such a romantic, ha ha. Things change. There’s no forever.

But the surf is forever. Aster?

//

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