Dabbling in Danger

Warped

Adeen

My neck constricts.

My lungs pull for air that's not there, collapsing inward on itself. Sharp pains stab all over as my inaudible screams bubble out.

Mouth wide open, fluid floods in. My bloodshot eyes and bulging ears pulsate.

My skin tingles and the weight of my body feels like I'm sinking into a deep darkness.

Let me out! I want to yell.

Further I drift, deeper I drop.

Over my head, just out of reach is a hand dipped under the water.

I flounder around, kick my legs furiously desperate to grab hold, but no matter how much I try I can't grasp.

Burning sensations creep over my entire body and a dark haze creeps over my vision.

I am weak but still, I fight.

Flapping my arms down once then twice I try to stay at a rhythmic pace while simultaneously kicking.

Stay calm and maintain movement.

Ignore the burn and just reach.

The harder I kick, the more my arms flail I feel like I'm scrambling in one spot.

It'd be easier to let my body go limp than strain, but just as I'm about to give up the arm above me dunks deeper into the water and grabs me by the wrist.

Water rushes over my ears and the sound of boats and rocky water splashing fill as I break through the surface of water.

My vision is all a blur. Everything within me radiates intensely and I can't control the groans and grunts erupting from my chest.

Abruptly the hand that pulled me out grabs my face. The palm is wet and caloused, rougher than expected.

Blinking feircely my vision finally clears, I can finally lay eye on my savior.

There they stand, at first only a dark blotch of a figure, but finally my eyes adjust and I buckle to my knees.

Before me a man, wild eyes and slowly his lips spread. My throat swells shut, my hands fly to my neck as if I were to pull at my skin that it would stretch out my airways.

"N- n-"

His face looks as if it could split in two as his smile spreads wider and wider.

"N- no!" I finally push, the only word I can muster.

Each step he takes toward me is a loud clomp against the boardwalk.

"No!"

I want to say something more, anything to make this thing go away.

One more step and he lowers to his own knees, eye level with me.

No longer can I bellow out that single word. Stricken with debilitating fear, my liquid filled lungs suddenly weighing me toward me.

Toward me?

My heart racing, my organs spasming with every breath I soon realize that the sweaty, smiling face now pressed against mine is my own.