From The Start

36

Candice

It felt so exhilarating, the way the water hit my skin, the way I managed to stay balanced on the board. The way I caught Nathan look at me every time we turned.

Just then, I felt a heavy pull and I was losing control of my board, I tried to call to Nathan but I couldn't see him with all the water surrounding me. I turned the board the best way that I could but another heavy forced pulled me and I toppled over into the wave.

I screamed as loud as I could, but I was already consumed by this large substance as it pulled me under. I tried my best to remember what Nathan instructed me do once I fell in, but I was so deep in shock and panic that I couldn't think straight. It was so hard to stay on top. I took many deep breaths once I went to the surface and then lost control when I went under again.

My board was still floating and attached to my ankle but I could quite free my self fast enough to swim back.

I was slowly becoming exhausted and overwhelmed that I was losing oxygen.
I was determined not to drown but it was so difficult to concentrate, when all I could think about was dying. I had one more kick left in me and I swam up to the top with what energy I had left. I held onto my board still fighting the rough waves.

I grabbed onto it quickly, while my body shivered, tired and cold. My nose and throat burned so much after I swallowed some of the water. My eyes were irritating me and my body felt like one big noodle. I was filled with so much fear that hot tears burnt my eyes and ran down my cheek. After several seconds, I felt no change and there was still a large force pulling me back into the water, it was as if that force was beckoning me to come back. All the water rushed back up my nose and mouth and it fought the never-ending urge to breath.

My body was past its limits and I was done kicking and paddling, I was ready to let the force take me. I sunk deeper and deeper and it felt bloated as water filled my lungs and all I wanted was to breath. For a while it was dark and there was complete silence... no waves or birds or voices... Just a deafening silence. I felt the release and the alas, the breath came.

Was I dead?

I felt fear come over me. Were you supposed to feel fear when you were dead? It was so unusual. I wanted to scream, cry, curse or kick but I was barricaded by a void.

I felt my body shake a few times, but I didn't know how to respond.

"Candy." Was it God?

More drowned out noise and shaking.
Suddenly the sounds muted and I felt alone. I yearned for that voice again no matter how much I couldn't decipher the words. There was this feeling like a shock of some sort and it was at my face. There was a pressure and I felt the nausea.

I heard the voices again, this time more distinct. I felt water fly up my esophagus and into my mouth, I chocked and cackled, but my eyes still couldn't open. I tried to speak but no words could form...

I felt myself in a wet, warm, embrace, strong and firm. A heartbeat detected,
I heard something that I'm sure was all in my head.

"I'm falling for you."

My eyes opened the best way I could but I see why they never did, they burnt like crazy, so I squinted and my blurred vision could only make out a dark figment... a head.

I spoke as well as my voice would allow.

"Huh," was all I could get, but it probably translated to groans and garbles.

The head disappeared and it was bright and still blurry, then it reappeared, this time rushing to my face, I almost panicked but then I felt soft lips against mine and it was like a miracle. I felt soft air on my cheek and those lips still lingered there, kissing me roughly and passionately as if it would never leave again. I kissed back weakly and my lips fought to keep up but, I didn't want to stop...

Not long after, I could feel the lips pull back. Feeling the traces of them on my lips, I wanted them more than ever.

My eyes were still squinted, I felt the burning subside. I was cold and utterly drained. My body gave in to the exhaustion and my eyes shut. I couldn't tell if my death had finally occurred but it felt good to not feel the pain...

I was sure if it was a dream, but I was running through a maze. I traveled around the course, unsure of a way out. Nathan however, was there. His arms outstretched to me. A welcoming smile on his lips but his eyes were red and scary. There were sinister laughs all around me and the sky splayed in a clear, cloudless blue. Nothing here looked normal.

My eyes sprung open and this time, no burn. They opened all the way, a bright light the first thing to hit it. I looked through a foggy vision at my surroundings to find everything familiar.

Where am I?

I quickly turned my head to the right and realized I was in my room and Nathan sat in a chair, his head against the wall and his eyes closed. I jumped up but a pain shot through my abdominal and legs. I fell back into bed with no notion of anything that led me up to this point... It was as if my memory had been wiped clean.