Out Of Darkness

Prologue

The icy water shocked my system when I plunged beneath the surface of the water. My heart raced and my chest tightened as the icy fist of understanding squeezed the breath out of me. The lit surface above mocks me. I kicked my legs as fast as I could and parted the water with tremendous strokes of arms, which brought me nowhere.

There was this fear; the pressing down of my lungs that suddenly needed to breathe more than ever before, the confusion, the disorientation of that shattered light through the water that’s usually murky and filled with floating specks. I could see, I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t know which way was up and which way was down. The vision of the edges of my sight seemed to turn into black flecks, then pulsed reddish white. My lungs and chest felt like it was being compressed by a giant fist, and pulled apart at the same time. There was a sense of nausea, and my entire body felt tingly and rigid. My neck felt tense, as if there were fingers pressing against my esophagus wanting to strangle me. I could hear my heart and the last few pulses.

It was cold, but I was also numb and tingly. The state of my worn-out limbs reveals their thoughts on my peril. With no control left, my limbs became dead and heavy burdens. My vision had gone black, but there were brief flashes of sparks as my eyes moved, trying to find light. My fingers felt like they were going to burst open, as if I had a tourniquet around my wrist and all the blood was pooling in my hand, swelling until they wanted to explode. I was being bashed around by the undercurrent, and I imagined that this would be even more prevalent while drowning in the ocean. 

Then I saw her. She was reaching. Trying to get to me. She was an angel. Trying to fight for me. 

Her hair streamed behind her as she pushed herself further and further to reach me.

I grabbed onto her hand, her fingers interwoven with mine. I couldn’t let go. We were both coughing and gasping, but she kept on pulling me up, dragging me to the surface of the ocean.

She looked beautiful. Beautiful and afraid.

Her arms stretched forward, keeping a hold of me. A tear slipped off one eye and ran across her cheek. And just then, the world exploded again as a gigantic wave crashed upon us.

Her long hair blowing across her shoulders as she swam faster, trying harder, determined to save my life. But she wasn’t strong enough. And I knew this.

“No,” I whispered. “No! Don’t do this!” I struggled again to break free, but the current had been too much.

Everything went silent and black. I couldn’t hold my breath any longer and I inhaled. Instead of air, I got water. The frigid finger of realization pokes its way through my fear and makes me realize the truth. I was about to die.