Eastbourne seafront

Dark skies, full of towering cloud, pressed down upon the sea - waves the colour of lead crashed upon the shore - dark tarred wooden groynes were almost buried by drifts of shingle - when I opened the door of the red car, I had to be careful to stop the wind wrenching it from my grasp - salty air stung my face - I felt that it would soon rain -

Behind me, I saw a row of tall Victorian buildings, with balconies and bay windows, five stories high - they were hotels, with their dining rooms facing the sea - I could see old people finishing their breakfasts, staring out at the sea -

To my right, I could see the distant pier - the structures on the pier, from where I stood, looked like a temple - I imagined strange celebrants, wearing golden crowns, processing over the beach -

The esplanade, however, in this reality was almost deserted - only one hardy couple was braving the cold - I turned, crossing the road, to explore the town -