Masterpiece

Regret

I stood there, frozen from my darkest fears coming true right before my eyes. I stared at the empty boat, then the rippled water below me. Clementine's head shot out of the water, her hands were hitting the water over and over, trying to be released from its grip. She screamed, but her words were drowning with her as her head would sink under and slowly come back up to the surface.

"Arlo hel..." She gargled. I looked into the water one last time, trying to make my feet move. I was scared. I was scared of the water that had swallowed my father, but I was more scared of losing Clementine. She meant everything to me. I looked back at Clementine, to see she was under again and this time her head didn't come back up. I could hear the advice Clementine gave me, when she wanted a boat, quietly whisper to me.

"Arlo, a boat is a boat. Water is water. They are things that can be scary, but you will never learn how to not be afraid if you don't face your fears."

Face your  fears, face your fears. It echoed in my mind like a broken record. Soon, I closed my eyes, inhaled the heavy air, and jumped into the water. Quickly, I swam over to the boat and dove under . My heart began to break as I saw Clementine slowly sinking to the bottom, unconscious. Trying to catch Clem, I began to lose air as I tried to follow her down. I struggled to get to the surface, the adrenaline gave me a push to the top. I began to panic, but soon I could see the sun through the water and then my head surfaced as I inhaled a larger amount of air. I quickly dove back under, hoping this time I would save her, hoping it wasn't to late. Finally, I felt the cloth from her dress. I grabbed her by the waist and hauled her to the surface. I gasped for air as I felt the awful surrounding caress my face. I swam, as fast as I could, trying to keep Clementine alive.

Soon, I felt the mud and rocks hit my feet. I ran with Clem in my arms, still unconscious. The water continued to grip my legs as I trudged trough the water. As I reached the shore, I carefully laid Clem on the sand and soon after I collapsed in exhaustion.

I turned to her. Her face was pale and deathly like. I shot up with realization. She wasn't breathing.

"No." I looked at the body. I shook her, trying to cast aside the awful thoughts in my head.

"Come Clem wake up. It's time to go home. I'll pull you in your wagon, just please, wake up." I softly said as my lip began to quiver.

"Mom! Help! It's Clem!" I yelled with urgency.

I opened her mouth and put mine to hers. I exhaled into her lungs. Then I begun to pulse my hands on her chest. I repeated over and over, praying it would work.

"Mom! Please! Come out here!" I screamed again. I placed my head on Clem's chest. I heard nothing. No heart beat. She was gone. I looked up and down her body, lying still, as if she were sleeping, trying to tell myself that it wasn't true.

I took Clem in my arms hugging her. I rocked back and forth holding her head agains my chest, comforting her cold, lifeless body. I pet her wet hair, whispering sweet words, that she could no longer hear.

"I'm so sorry Clem. I could have jumped in sooner. I could have saved you. I'm so sorry. I love you so much, you were such a good girl. You were such a good girl, such a good girl." I calmly said with a fake smile as tears rolled down my face. Then, my eyes broke. I screamed and cried as tears flowed from my dull eyes.

"Arlo what's going on!" My mother yelled as she ran to me. I turned to her, tears stained on my face. She immediately stopped in her tracks as she saw Clem's still, wet body. I looked up at her with regret in my eyes.

"I couldn't save her. Mom, I could save her. It's my fault. She gone mom. She gone with father now."