Sound and the Fury: NOT by William Faulkner
It was still raining. The sounds from the next room had stopped a few minutes ago. I was lying on the bed, covered with a single thin sheet. My erection was starting to fade now. The room was dark, except for a bright spot on the wall above my head, cast by the lamp on the terrace below. It must be after midnight, I guessed. I had removed my watch, along with my clothing, when I came in.
Four full days of continuous rain. What bad luck. I was scheduled to leave in two days and the forecast showed no sign of change. The weather was unusual for this time of year, or so the staff at the reception desk had indicated. The mood at the resort was somber, lots of disappointed tourists with too little to do.
I had come here for a business meeting and a welcome holiday; six days to myself, relaxing on the beach, swimming, reading. I had been looking forward to it, even though I would have preferred to have my wife with me. The hotel was probably less than half full, at best. It was the off-season. The room across the hallway was empty, as was the one opposite my bathroom. Only the room next to my sleeping area was occupied. A young couple on their honeymoon, Anna and Justin, had been staying there since my arrival. The three of us had spoken briefly on the shuttle bus from the airport.
I decided to get up and have a beer, maybe sit out on the balcony, watch the palm trees whip in the wind, and drink a toast to Anna and Justin. They had been a great source of pleasure during the past few days. Not that they new it. "To the couple next door," I said to the wind and rain, raising my glass. "Thanks for the fantasy."
On Tuesday I had braved the storm and gone for a swim in the ocean. I had needed to get out of my room. The beach was deserted. I had waded into the warm water and floated for a while, riding the waves. It was one activity that couldn't be dampened by the weather.
After drifting out about a hundred feet, I had turned to swim in a little closer to the shore. As I did, I noticed Anna and Justin wading in the shallow waves further up the beach, their backs facing me. There were both very good looking. Lucky couple, I thought, especially him. Anna was stunningly beautiful.