The Essence of Water

OLD VERSION Chapter 2

I stumble onto the shore, my bare feet slip on the smooth rocks until I reach where the waves have not reached or spit. The cold air kisses my wet skin and I shiver. The water had felt warm, but now that I'm out in the open air the cold is seeping into my bones. My teeth won't stop chattering.

                "I'm going to kill you Rag. I swear. I'm going to throttle you." I pick my way along the shore, trying to step where there is sand built up between the rocks. From here I can see the cliffs, I've got about a half a mile and it's going to be a long walk back.

                "Oh don't worry Adie" I mock and mutter, "everything will be fine. Fine my ass, if everything was fine you would have jumped and I wouldn't have drowned."

                My arms tighten around my chest in a desperate attempt to hold onto my body heat and I slow to a stop. It definitely wasn't this cold when I left the house. I look down at my shorts and t-shirt, the water must have been colder than we realized.

I look back to the place where I pulled myself to the shore then I look out into the sea. Not a moment ago it was choppy and vicious. But looking out now, its calm, there is nothing to hint of strong currents and undertows. Clouds are splattered across the sky, sending rays of light and darkness over the ocean like some modern art mosaic.

                I don't understand what's going on. I want to know if this is a dream, or maybe a hallucination. Maybe I just passed out and woke up on shore. Maybe my brain made all of this up and I'm actually in some coma in a hospital. I swallow, the taste of salt is still suck to the back of my throat and I feel it burning in my lungs. It wasn't a dream or a hallucination or a coma, something happened in that water today. I close my eyes. Searching for what I found in the darkness and the depths. But nothing responds. Nothing is there.

                "That's because you're crazy." I'm not convinced that I am.

              

               

                 

                By the time I reach the trail that goes up to the cliffs I'm barely on my feet. The wind has picked up and I'm freezing. I can't feel my fingers or toes, which is a good thing, I've slipped so many times that there are cuts along the bottom of my feet, leaving a small trail of blood behind me. My lips are cold too; I pucker them to see if they are blue...I think they might be.

                "Adie!" Someone shouts my name and I look up, startled. Rag is running down the dirt path, jumping over the uneven roots. "Adie, oh my God you're alright!" He runs up and hugs me, Trish is closely behind him. "We thought you were a goner!" He steps back and I shove him with shaking arms. It's a weak shove, I have no strength left but he still looks shocked.

                "You pushed me!" I accuse, "You fucking pushed me off a cliff Rag!" I shout but my words stumble clumsily over my cold lips.

                "Only because I knew you wouldn't jump." He says like it will make it OK.

                "I could have died!" I shout again but I don't shove him, he's stepped back too far. Trish pushes past him.

                "Come on, you're freezing. I called an ambulance earlier. We were just running down so we could meet them." She puts an arm around me and walks me down. I put some of my weight against her. I can feel her body heat, but even so it not enough to help. I'm still shivering.