Submerged

Gone for a Swim

The sun shone brightly through my tiny window, heating up the loft like an oven. It was always early rising at camp to beat the heat. I threw on a clean pair of shorts and a blue tank top with a small tare at the bottom. I yanked a brush through my brown hair and let it fall to the middle of my back, my curls tickling my shoulders. I didn't even care if my hair looked wild, I was going for a swim.

I skipped down the stairs to the family room to find a note on the table. I picked it up, kicking up a little dust. Scratched on it was my mother's handwriting, simply stating 'went for a walk, be back after lunch'. I sighed. "Figures mom. Camping to celebrate my graduation and you are out celebrating your divorce with Andrew the banker." I crumpled up the note and tossed it back onto the table, turning for the door.

My hair lifted off my back and flowed in the morning breeze as I skipped down the path to the water. I took my shoes off and left them on the banking and stepped onto the dock. I slipped my tank top and shorts off revealing my miss matched bathing suit. Getting a running start I bolted down the wooden planks, my feet thudding loudly on the dock, and when I reached the end of the boards I launched myself off into the air. I put my arms over my head and pointed my toes as i broke the surface of the water and felt the cool liquid engulf me.

The water thundered in my ears.

My skin tingled with the chilled lake water rushing around my arms and legs as I pumped my way back to the top. I made it out and took a large breath, moving my arms and legs harmoniously to keep my head above the water. then I tipped my head back and pushed my legs upward, laying flat on the water like a surfboard. Only moving my arms slowly to stay afloat, I stayed like that for a few minutes, just looking up at the new morning sky and breathing deeply. I could feel my hair floating around my shoulders and my back and swirling around the sides of my face. It slithered around my ears and down to my arms, and around my thighs-

Around my thighs?

My hair isn't long enough to reach my thighs.

I stopped moving, my breathing coming to a halt, and my heart thudding loudly in my ears.

I felt it slide down the back of my thigh and to the back of my knee, down my calf and my heal, stopping at my feet. I wanted to scream out, yell for help and thrash my arms and legs to alert somebody, anybody that I was here. Let someone know that there was something under me. A fish? I snapping turtle? An eel?

I took a ragged breath and let out a high pitched yelp that I didn't even know was hiding in me. I tucked my legs back under me and flipped onto my stomach, frantically kicking to get back to shore as fast as I could. I kicked something, something soft but firm, and I screamed again.

A giant man-eating fish!?

A monster!?

I kicked and flapped my arms, making way too much noise and splashing more than I was actually moving, then I kicked it again, my foot smacking into something hard and large. I tried to move but I was just thrashing in one spot, and it seemed like there was a lot of splashing going on for it to be just me! I made an attempt to scream again and that's when my head went under.

I took in a huge gulp of water, it stung my lungs like fire and I wanted to get to the surface and cough it up. I swung under the water and kicked as hard as I could, but there was nothing within reach.

I stretched my neck upward, hoping to catch some air, but I drew in more water and I felt like I was choking on a cold drink, but there was no relief of gasping sweet oxygen, just more cold, bitter water.

Why could I not get to the surface?

It was probably just a little fish and I am going to die!

I kicked and pumped some more, throwing my arms and legs in every direction in the darkness, bubbles immersing my bare skin and tickling my lips and nose. I screamed any oxygen I had left into the lakes cool, murderous water, sending thick bubbles to the surface. My vision started to blur and I felt my heart slow to a dull, rhythmic thud.

I was drowning.

And there was nobody around to save me.

Then everything was gone. I felt nothing but the pound of my heart slowing to nothing, and the pressure of the lake gathering on top of my body.

And then hands.

~~~~~~~

I awoke to a loud pounding above my head, from the shore side of the dock all the way to the edge, then a dark shadow crossed above the water, and a loud splash sent waves rocking my roof. I saw bubbles, arms and legs land in the water right in front of the dock. They pushed the water and bubbles around for a moment and then moved to the surface. I recognized the feet. My beauty from yesterday had returned to the lake. She was swimming.

I kept a safe distance, staying five or six feet below her as she floated effortlessly on the warm lid of the lakes ripples. She waved her arms slowly, back and forth, further and further out, and her hair was like loos weeds, caressing her bare skin. I reached up and let a strand wrap around my finger. It was soft in the water, and when it escaped from my grasp, it floated down to her shoulder and back out. I stretched my hand to her skin. Just below her butt I touched her thigh with my finger tips. I could feel her warmth through the cool water. I moved my fingers down her thigh, to the back of her knee. That's when I heard her stop breathing, and her arms were no longer moving. Does she feel me?

I kept going down her leg, down her calf to her ankle, so much smoother than mine and without fins or scales. I reached her feet and pulled my hand away. I was pretty sure she wasn't breathing anymore, and I think it's a fact that humans have to breath. I backed away just in time for her to start thrashing around like a mad man! she was kicking and throwing her arms in every direction, and her foot caught my abdomen. I let out a groan and pushed away a little more, watching her toss and flip in the water. Suddenly her head was under.

Can humans breath water like me?

She screamed loud, like a curdled cry from a wolf. I reached out to her, and she struck me again, this time her foot smacked into my shoulder.

I pushed away from her and watched as she slowly sunk down to the bottom of the lake.

When she stopped moving, I reached for her, pulled her by her arms, and swam towards the caves.

~~~~~~~

Please comment and tell me what you think, this is my first attempt at a story.