Escaping Death [Watty Awards]

Chapter 49-Letting Go: Part 2

Chapter 49-Letting Go: Part 2

I swim to the shore and watch as Gwen peers over the edge of the cliff several times.  She’s scared and I can’t blame her.  I was also scared the first time that I jumped when I was twelve.  It was exhilarating.  Everything just disappears into the background and it’s just you being suspended in that moment, falling and finally plunging into the water.

“Gwen!”  I shout.  I stand up and wave my hands in the air, hoping that she hears me.  “Gwen!  There’s a storm approaching.  Better hurry so we can get back to the cabin!”

I see the gray clouds rolling in from the north, slowly creeping over us and turning the entire sky gray.  The sun is gone and a light breeze picks up, making small waves on the once calm still lake which tosses and turns as they crash into the shore.     

“Okay!”  She responds but doesn’t look at me.

Her hair whips around her as the light breeze picks it up and she wraps her arms around herself for warmth.  She’s looking out towards her right and I assume that she’s looking at the mass of apple blossom trees that cover the far side of the lake.  I meant it when I said that she was as beautiful as this place.  This place was unique in its own way just like Gwen is.  I’ve been to many places around the world over the years and I’ve never seen awe-inspiring beauty as I’m seeing now.  There was just something about this place.

Maybe it was because I spent every summer here since I was five and this was home in a way.  This place holds so many memories; many of them are of me and Gwen when we were younger.  She was always independent and I’ve always admired that strong will of hers.  That’s why I didn’t stop her from going up there alone.  She wasn’t the kind of person to take orders lightly.  She needed to know that they were for good reasons and maybe that’s why she wasn’t mad at me for keeping her ‘locked up’-as she put it-for two days.

 “Jump out!”  I call out.

She doesn’t turn at the sound of my voice.  I don’t think she heard me.   Finally, I see Gwen jump out like I told her to; gravity pulls her down and in a matter of seconds she submerges under water.

She did it!  She actually did it!  I am elated and I jump back into the water swimming to the spot where I left her.  I wanted to swim towards the cliff but thought it was better to meet her half way.  The waves crash around me and I wait to see the pure elation on her face once she comes up from the waters depth.  I wait and wait to see her break the surface but she never does. 

A terrible sinking feeling starts in my chest and I swim towards the cliff as fast as I can.  Adrenaline courses through my veins and I search wildly looking for her.  “Gwen!”  I call.  “Gwen!  Where are you?!”

Something is wrong.  Something is terribly wrong. 

Thunder and lightning roar overhead as panic sets in.  “Gwen!”  I dive into the water and kick towards the bottom but I don’t see anything.  There is just the bottomless pit of darkness.  I swim towards the surface and I swim closer to the area where I’m sure Gwen jumped from.  Thoughts start to run through my head.  What if she’s hurt?  What if she’s de…

“No, I can’t think like that.”

I take a long deep breath and plunge into the water again, this time going farther down.  There is nothing but darkness until I see a hand…Gwen?  I kick and hold my breath for as long as I can and as I come closer I see that it is her.  She’s just floating there as if something has her held in place.  I wrap my hand around her wrist and pull her towards me but she slips from my grasp.