Echo

Prologue

--------------------------------------------AUTHORS NOTE---------------------------------

Hey guys, first story :) I'm not sure whether to continue this, so your comments and views are really important to me.

Please, fan/comment/vote/critique, thanks you.

Ellie x

P.S The banner on the page before was done by the incredible carpe-di3m, please check out her amazeballs graphics! :)

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Drowning.

It was a common form of death. On average, it takes up to four thousand lives a year, three hundred souls a month, and ten people a day; it drags even the best swimmer down.

I, unfortunately, had witnessed it twice. One time it pulled me down, and the second time happened moments later.

I'm often asked how, how did you drown twice in a consecutive row?

But I ask you, seriously, have you ever really drowned?

Have you ever stared into the face of havoc, the crystal waves as they took you in their harsh tides?

The way they grab you, wrap their fingers from your hands to your toes, tightening their grip around your throat, never allowing air to your lungs.

It burns.

Breathing under water is impossible, water will invade you; it will march its way into your body and cloud your thoughts until you begin to struggle for the light which shines above you.

Not once will it stop, it will bash and bash and bash until you won't care anymore, until you give up.

Word of advice, don't.

You can break free; break that layer of water which lies between you and sweet, oxygenised, victory.

I did.

The consequence, I live with the laugh, the laugh of the tide which ultimately tied me down.

You'll ask questions, I know, just know that five is my unlucky number; five was the age which brought the unbroken nightmares, the ones which inevitably broke me.

Five was the age I experienced the true meaning of insanity.

June 18th 2000

Climbing higher upon the jagged rocks, I followed the grey trail towards the sky. The echo of laughter from mothers and fathers could be heard as they watched their children run along the white sand beneath me. My petite hands shook slightly as they ran up the rock face, searching for the next dip to hold on to.

"Be careful." My mother freaked from below, worry laced in her tone. Rolling my blue eyes I already knew she was waving her hands up in frustration.

"It's okay mummy, see the other children are doing it." I shouted back, turning my head to look into the ocean, the waves crashing violently against the shore. Children of all ages were swimming and splashing each other, giggling whilst doing so. A loud shriek echoes off the rock face as yet another boy jumped off.

Cliff diving. Or bombing it seems, the splash that boy just made was enough to create a small tidal wave to knock another small boy over. Laughter erupted below.

Stifling a giggle myself I continued my climb, so close to the top, to that rush of flying.

So close.