Caldwell Beach
Returning to Caldwell Beach was supposed to be about conquering my fear of water, a fear born from a childhood accident that still haunts my nightmares. But as I step back onto the sand, greeted by familiar faces and unsettling changes, I realize my hometown holds more secrets than I ever imagined. The ocean whispers of forgotten truths, and the cliffs hold a darkness that goes beyond tragic accidents. Facing my past might just reveal a present I never saw coming.
The familiar sight of the sea peeked over the trees through the rental sedan window. A mirage distorted the view beyond the hood of the car, making it impossible to tell where the asphalt ended and the ocean began.
Sun-bleached pines grew farther apart as we reached the coast. We’d been driving for over seven hours—past the granite mountains, through the dense forests of Maine.
All this time to prepare, but I still didn’t know how to feel. Caldwell might be where I was born, but it didn’t feel like I was returning home, not the way I had hoped. I was nervous.
I sank in the backseat as the weather-torn sign appeared: Caldwell Beach, Population 3,089.
