Caught In The Undertow

393 3 3
                                    

“When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me', you just scream.”

- John Lennon.

Introduction

Have you ever felt like you’re drowning? Being pulled under by an invisible current? A current so strong, that you just don’t think you can come up for air once more. That you just want to stay under, and never come back up again.

Never live again.

October 17th, 1999. The day everything changed.

It was our fifth birthday, me and my twin brother. I remember the smile on his face when he woke me up at midnight, his front teeth both missing.

“Lissa, wake-up!” His voice was a soft whisper in my ear. “We hafta go outside!”

A new tradition of ours since last year was to go out to the beach and splash in the waves with each other, then watch the stars. At that age we thought we were being dangerous and risky- we started the so-called dangerous tradition after we watched a James Dean movie. Donavon, or Donnie as I called him, was convinced that he was James Dean and being dangerous was what James Dean represented.

We quietly snuck out of our winterized cottage, where we spent the weekends and summers, giggling quietly to each other at our skills. I was convinced that I was going to be a spy when I grew up and sneaking out was definitely my forte.

We pulled on our thick winter jackets because it was quite cold around this time of year, especially how far up north we were, and scurried out of the back door of the cottage. We were barefoot, running through the cool sand, laughing and smiling at each other.

“Lissa, we’re five!” Donnie shouted at me, a large grin practically splitting his face in two. I laughed and smiled in agreement before chasing after Donnie down the beach.

To this day, I remember everything about this night. Every last moment down to every last detail.

The shine to his eyes, his pale skin that almost glowed in the moonlight, his rosy cheeks and Rudolph nose from the cold, even down to the thick black coat that had a green paint stain on the sleeve.

I hit his arm and yelled, “Tag, you’re it!” before running into the water and out onto the beach.

Donnie’s laugh when we ran into the water, his heavy breathing as he chased after me down the beach, the patter of his footsteps behind my own.

We were both in fits of giggles, running down the beach.

I wanted to get him off my trail so I took a quick left into a batch of pine trees. I giggled my way through them before quieting myself. My five year old thighs were crushed up against the tall pine tree beside me and I leant away from the tree and poked my little head around the corner. The beach was covered though and I couldn’t see the beach. But I also couldn’t hear any giggles coming from Donnie anymore. Maybe he had gone back to the cottage, but he wouldn’t have gone without me.

So I ran back onto the beach, expecting him to jump out at me and tag me but he wasn’t there.

I swivelled my head to both sides of the beach, checking them both for Donnie.

But he wasn’t there.

And there was no trace of him anywhere.

Donnie had disappeared into the night.

Twelve years ago today my brother went missing. Twelve years he’s been gone without a trace.

You never realize how much you need something until it’s gone. Without Donnie, my family fell apart. He was like the glue holding us all together.

They held a memorial service for him a year after his disappearance, after the police told our family that he was probably dead. My mother cried, my father sobbed, Donnie had always been his favourite, but I held strong.

I stayed strong for my brother.

*****

yes, another new story. I'm going to write a few chapters of this and pick between this one and blog worthy of which I want to write. And you get to put in your vote too! haha. Just let me know which you would prefer to see a whole story written out for and I'll take it into a consideration.

hope you liked the beginning to this story. It is going to be a mystery, but mixed with romance. I'm actually pretty excited to step outside my comfort zone of humour/romances with this one :) the plot I have figured out is actually pretty good in my head, so hopefully I can get it down on paper. :D

vote/comment/fan pleaseee ? (:

-natalie ♥

Recycling Bin :)Where stories live. Discover now