Together Fallen [#Wattys2015]

2) Part Two

Note: updates will be frequent but I will try to make each update as best to my ability as possible so they might not be daily.

2) Part Two

It was raining heavily as I entered my bedroom wrapped in a towel. Brushing my wet hair thoroughly, I listened to the sound of the droplets pattering against the glass, and tried not to think of the hours ahead.

The nightmare I usually had would no doubt have me thrashing and screaming throughout the entire night as always. I wondered what my aunt would think once she heard my screams and pleas.

That I was recovering really well, no doubt, I thought sarcastically.

When I finally settled into bed it was already well into the early hours of the morning. The rain had steadily increased until it was now thundering against the glass; blowing in a cold breeze that had me shivering under my sheets.

Finally switching off the light, I climbed underneath the covers and squeezed my eyes shut. The tell-tale flashes of vicious waves flickered behind my eyelids, for the moment being just out of reach. My nightmare would be alive and active when I slept, that was for sure.

Wanting to distract myself, I listened to the wind as it increased in speed; noticing the way it whistled loudly; disturbing the rain outside. A sudden bolt of lightening flashed through the night sky, causing me to jump and hide under the covers like a small child.

What had my life come to? I thought bitterly. Never had the dark frightened me before the day of the incident. Now I was afraid of the shadows.

Another flash of lightening disturbed me from my thoughts, jostling me again. Feeling suddenly overwhelmed with nostalgia, I closed my eyes again - this time letting the darkness take over completely before I drove myself mad.

***

I was floating.

The dream had begun the same way with me falling headfirst into the water, but from there it had differed. Instead of drowning and being clawed at by the swirling water, I was floating just above the surface, merely a few inches away from the calm waves.

On the wall opposite, the sound of the ticking clock mixed with the air conditioning, was incessant. Despite this, the atmosphere was relaxed - feeling like the calm before the storm. Except as far as I could tell there would be no storm.

Looking at the large clock again - I noticed how the plastic face reflected the sunlight that streamed in from the windows. All of a sudden the hands froze, stuck in place. The air conditioning also stopped, leaving me in a cold; loud silence.

The clock hands began to go backwards, reversing the time until it landed on exactly on the point at which I'd stood on the diving board - 5:40 am.

The clock resumed along with the sound of the air conditioning, and I found myself able to move; watching in bewilderment as another version of myself straightened themselves up on top of the diving board. Freezing in horror, I gaped open-mouthed as the other version of myself did slow stretches whilst looking around the room in preparation.

When she stretched her arms above my head I began to panic, knowing how it would turn out.
I willed her not to jump - going so far as to scream my name over and over, but she didn't seem to hear. Butterflies knotted in my stomach as I saw her lean forward, standing close to the edge, and then she jumped.

The arch of her body for the first fraction of a second was perfect - no one could've guessed that I was to go so horribly wrong - but then it went downhill from there. Without warning, her body was flung backwards as she somersaulted, causing her body to clash with the side of the pool underneath the diving board with a sickening 'crack.'

Seconds after she fell into the pool, the lifeguard who'd gone out for a break came dashing back in, screaming obscenities. Just like a watercolour painting, the edges of the scene began to blur - reminding me of watered ink, and suddenly I was falling.

I awoke just as another flash of lightning almost stuck the ground outside. The thunder rumbled loudly, matching the frantic beat of my heart. Teeth chattering, I switched on the bedside light feeling nothing but pure terror, just as the power went off. I'd seen it.

I'd seen just exactly what had pushed me.

Vote. Comment. Share of you like this!