Lanterns at tonight's vigil. Photo / Mark Mitchell
This time last week, young children would have climbed the slope at the south end of the Waitarere Domain and slid down the giant slide without a care in the world.
They might have played on the skate ramp or run over the hard ground with the optimism of youth and the vigour brought on by the approach to summer.
Waitarere Beach was little known, except perhaps as a beautiful little holiday-home destination for Wellingtonians.
That has now changed.
Tonight, the domain again hummed with children.
This time they were there not to while away the school holidays, but to remember 10-year-old Alex Fisher, the Levin boy whose disappearance late on Monday night sparked a huge search and whose death has shocked a nation and rattled the coastal village of Waitarere Beach.
As they played, the evening before Alex's class returns to school tomorrow, television news reporters crossed live to their six o'clock bulletins and later a drone hovered overhead to take photos.
Earlier in the afternoon, media gathered to hear Detective Senior Sergeant Neil Forlong reveal that a burglary in the town was "of interest".
"We are working to establish what connection this burglary may have to our inquiries," he said.
Meanwhile in the domain sat a simple word, spelled out with candle-lit paper bags that reminded everyone why they were there.
With the permission of Alex's family, organisers of tonight's vigil had spelled out "Alex".
The bags were covered in messages of support, tribute and grief as well as pictures of the beach, rainbows and angels.
"A precious soul gone too soon," Amber Waho wrote on her bag.
As night fell the candles remained flickering in the cool sea breeze as the hundreds of people who turned up to remember Alex returned home, still wondering how something so tragic could happen here.
Local Senol Elmaz brought his six children down. They didn't know Alex, but wanted to honour him as best they could.
"It's quite a shock - not the sort of thing that happens in a tiny community," he said.
That refrain was repeated by many.
"I've been in Levin 20-something years and this is something you see on the news, but this time it's come to town. It's on our doorstep," said Alison Waghorn.
Leigh Dalley, who has lived in Waitarere Beach for eight years, said there was an "empty" feeling around town - one of "devastation".
"We're just paying tribute to a poor little soul," she said of her reason for attending the vigil.
"We know that he's in a good place and he's here with us - he's here looking down. I believe that in my heart."
Jules Darwin, from Levin, had a special reason to think of Alex.
"We lost a member of our family earlier this year. He was only 18 years' old. This is the smallest thing we can do to help [Alex's] family."
Members of the family were at the domain and family friend Brenda Lineham thanked the community, police, search and rescue and everyone who had given support and donations.
"Alex was such a loveable young man with a heart of gold. He had a cheeky grin and he loved nothing more than hanging with his family and his friends and riding his beloved motorbike."
The family's focus was on remembering him in a way he deserved, Mrs Lineham said.
The wider Waitarere family was also given words of encouragement, as the official speakers asked the village to stay strong.
"What an awful time to have to stand in front of my community and observe a tragedy that has impacted upon us all," said Horowhenua major Brendan Duffy.
That impact was last week written large over the face of Manawatu are commander Inspector Sarah Stewart when she announced Alex's body had been found.
Tonight she reiterated no information suggested there was any risk to others.
"It's important for you to continue with your day-to-day lives without fear in what has always been a safe and welcoming community."
Those words might provide a skerrick of comfort.
"This is a perfect little community out here, it really is," said Elaine Covell.
"Everyone looks after everyone else."
She hoped that wouldn't change.
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