The pine trees shuddered as a hot breeze coursed its way across their boughs. Beyond them, fields of tall grass trembled as if to protest against the salt-heavy air—and beyond even that, was the sprawling eastern beaches that wrapped their way around the island. The tide had withdrawn, licking its way across the sand and tugging detritus with it. However, it didn't take everything.
Beyond the saturated band of limp seaweed that followed a similar band of smooth rocks, there sat a large rock. It was more of a boulder really, and had gotten wedged in to the sand—it's girth descending in to the wet soil and, presumably, expanding in size the deeper it went. What wasn't covered in sand was peppered with barnacles. Beneath the sun it baked dry, while below its low-cast shadow, a great wet lump had been deposited.
A seagull coasted on the hot summer currents, watching the ocean for a few moments before diving towards the sea; but it drifted off of its course when it caught sight of the lump. Curious and hungry, the bird landed on the top of the large boulder and let out a shrieking call.