Nine.

1 0 0
                                    

My eyes are open when I go under, but it's so dark that I can't see a thing, and the lights from the house don't penetrate far enough into the water for me to see whatever's grasping my ankle. My immediate reaction is to scream, to try and breath, but I know better.

My brain is muddled, and my reaction is slowed, but somewhere deep in my head I know I need to get out of the lake, so I do want any same person would.

I kick.

For the first few kicks, nothing seems to happen, but by the 5th whatever's holding me grasp begins to loosen. Eventually, I feel it slide off my foot in a manner to similar to fingers for my liking. I kick more and burst out above the water, only then noticing my lungs aching for a breath. I swim slowly to shore, exhausted, and flop down, purposefully pulling my feet away from where the small waves were cascading with the sand.

Laying in the gritty sand, hair plastered on my face.

Misconceptions (may change, this is new)Where stories live. Discover now