A World of Colors

Chapter 3

 I recognize the water around me. I love the scaly neon amethyst, the blanched algae coral, the luscious pale sapphires. A world with color is a world with hope.

I see the flash of my orange hair against the teal-tinted sand inches from my fingertips. A brilliant blue engulfs me. Reds, oranges, and teals float in the water below me. My flippers flash silver in the bright yellow I begin to imagine the outside world was all these colors, filling the entire emission spectrum of visible light. If the world is this pure, this perfect; what could I do to make it last?

The water below seems to sparkle in the light, like trillions of the world's most beautiful diamonds. I imagine the hues around me flooding the triangularly shaped water-prisms. I swear that every color in the world is visible in my ocean.

As I drag my hands through the living paradise in front of me, a disturbance runs through the picture. What is it? I reach down and brush my hand against the unknown object. I feel an electric jolt pulse through my skin. My hand jerks away, unable to maintain contact much longer.

And my surroundings change. I'm on a deck. A ship's deck. I am at sea, in a spotless white cruise ship. I am on the Crystal. My mother now owns a share of the cruise line, and I am on her top deck that branches off of her luxury apartment.

There is no one but me. I hear no chatter of people below me. I am on the top deck. The serving staff is out of their positions, where they should be waiting to cover my mother's bottomless needs. I am alone.

I feel a wispy substance brush against my legs. That's weird. I was just in the ocean. I must have been wearing one of my colorful bikini bathing suits.

I look down to survey my mystery outfit and gasp out loud. I recognize this dress, the silky, breezy white fabric. Simple, yet stunning.

My feet were barefoot on the soft deck floor of the yacht. When had I changed? I was no longer obnoxiously wet, but unnaturally dry. The dress moved beneath me as if an invisible wind was running through the folds.

Where is the wind? I don't feel any breeze. I tap the tip of my index finger to my tongue and hold it in front of me to find the invisible disturbance.

Looking beyond the yacht, I see it. The world is a magnificent piece of art, all laid out for my enjoyment.

The sunset, glowing against the horizon.

The water below me is a glistening, glittering, perfect sheen like someone had attacked a canvas with every shade of blue imaginable and smoothed it over with their perfectionist tools.

I can't breathe; it is caught in my throat. The clouds and the sky. The sun disappearing beneath the world. Even the ocean, in all it's pristine perfection could compete with the colors above me.

The sky above was the epitome of beauty. It sang every color of the visible light spectrum into existence. It took me over- I wanted to touch it, and twist the cotton-candy pink clouds with my bare hands, to stroke the pure canvas above me.

Still searching for the ocean breeze, I spin around to survey the area behind me.

Whereas a beautiful paisley sky stretches behind me, a spanse of threatening clouds darkens the ocean in front of me.

I've found the disturbance.

And the boat is moving right into it.

I am paralyzed, unable to move a molecule from its place. Pure panic. A humongous storm covers the ocean. The life seems to be sucked out of this world, as the sky turns from paisley and light to disgustingly dark. Soon, the clouds block out the sun.

I finally find the 'calm' to move. Running across the deck, I pry open the doors to the apartment and run for the door. There is a storm outside. We won't live if we enter it.

I'm the only member on the ship. I won't live if I enter it.

Sprinting down the deserted hallways and clear decks, I look out the window and see no light outside. I have been sucked into an abyss of darkness with no escape.

The ship's lighting is considerably darker when I sprint down countless flights of stairs.

I run faster, across the main floor set with shops and restaurants for the guests. Barging through doors and ramming into the stairwell on the opposite side of the ship, hard, I finally find the stairway that leads to the captain's quarters. I jiggle the handle of the door, trying to force my way through the bolted lock.

And the ship tilts.

I didn't even realize I was screaming until I am gasping for air. I am lying on one of the ship's walls, and I can feel myself getting closer and closer to the darkened wave crests below. It's the Titanic all over again. Except the only one to die will be me, the girl who didn't fight back as the ship breaks apart beneath her.

Waves crash and froth on the hull outside. I can hear it.

Storm clouds rumble. I can feel the electricity in the air.

A trickling noise surrounds me. That must be the black muck hunting me down

I open my eyes, and I see myself in a mirror across the hallway. I see myself, tears dripping down my cheeks, mascara lining my eyes, dress in tatters, no shoes. I see no hope.

The trickling noise increases.

Is it getting harder to breathe?

I must be locked in. The water has closed off all possible places to escape.

I look at my reflection one more time as the trickling accelerates to a roar. I take a deep breath.

My head can't break the surface. I can't breathe. My lungs seize up.

Land. Must reach land.

I can't breathe. I feel the water around me sucking the oxygen from my lungs. The black around me encloses me, a liquid prison, a perfect tomb.

Can't breathe. Must, but can't. Need air! Now!

There are no colors. Nothing to live for.

I can't breathe.

Losing breath. Throat seizing up. Spasms.

Whereas once I could feel every painful detail, thrashing, and choking, I no longer feel anything. It feels.....

Almost pleasant. I am free.