The Book Thief 》Hemmings A.U

5.00

     I didn't know why I thought I stood a chance against that wave. I should have listened to what Luke told me; lie down and ride it out. But of course, I did the exact opposite. Luke disappeared when the wave came, and I panicked. I spread my arms and buckled my knees and shut my eyes tightly as the wave engulfed me. I didn't skim the edge, I didn't ride it out. I locked my knees together like I wasn't supposed to, spread my arms so far out that my balance was completely screwed up, and hoped that maybe if I closed my eyes the wave would magically stop tumbling towards me. It didn't.

      I hear the roar of the water and at the last second I open my eyes and all I see is darkness. The wave flips me over and I can't help it, I let out a high pitched scream that I'm sure destroys the ears of everyone in our vicinity. And then the salted water is filling my lungs and I remember once that Lucy told me if you swallow too much, you can become dehydrated and die. So I panic even more. Then I take in a big gulp of air and my head sinks and then I'm flailing in the ice cold water, hoping that I can grab onto the board, a piece of wood, Luke, anything. But I can't see him, I can't see anything. All I see is darkness and all I feel is ice threading in and out of my skin, feeling like flames lapping up every inch of my body. It feels like I'm down there for hours, just thrashing and trying to get somewhere. I just sink lower instead of calming down and trying to float. But how can anyone be calm when they're drowning? It didn't make any sense.

        I could swim, I could. Except...it wasn't so easy in the ocean, where doggy paddling will get you nowhere or the water feels like you're under an ice skating rink and you unexpectedly got taken by a wave and you're in too deep to see anything. Because here, the water isn't clear. There could be something lurking right beside you and you wouldn't even know it. So when I feel something wrap around my ankle and latch on tight, I start screaming and then there's water going in my mouth again and I am so sick of this-of feeling like my lungs are on fire from holding my breath and gasping for any bit of oxygen I can get.

        But then it stops, because the thing grabbing my ankle isn't a thing at all, it's a person, it's Luke. He grabs onto my calf and he tugs my body upwards, kicking his feet around quickly. Then we're at the surface and I'm bobbing my head and gasping for air.

       "I thought you said you could swim," He spits out, breathing heavily and rubbing at his eyes.

       "I can," I croak out, coughing and clutching onto my stomach as water drips down out of my mouth.

       "Obviously not very fucking well, Kendall." 

       "I didn't even want to come, Luke! And you disappeared and left me by myself and I got scared, okay?" And then I can breathe again and all the anger is rushing back and I'm pushing my hair away from my face and trudging in the water until I get to the coastline. There's an old man sitting in his beach chair, gut hanging out and covered in sunscreen, and he's staring at me as if I am insane, and I guess I am to have gone surfing when I wasn't exactly the best swimmer and had zero experience when it came to riding waves. I stumble because I'm walking too fast and the sand is too wet so I fall, my hands digging into the billions of seashells scattered around. I curse quietly and bring my hands up to my chest, rubbing them against one another until they chafe. And then I hear it. Luke laughing. He's laughing.

      "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But you're just so mad, I just-" He snorts and shakes his head, putting his hands out in front of him as he nears me. "I'm sorry, I am. But I didn't disappear, I was just surfing, Kendall, and I went under. It's called swimming. But I'm sorry for scaring you. So sorry." I turn around and Luke is staring at me, mouth in a hard line. I uncross my arms and then the line turns into a smirk and then a laugh escapes his lips.