Crash

Drowning

Penelope dreamt that she was floating on an endless body of water, lounging on a raft as the sun beamed down on her. The location wasn't clear, but it was warm and peaceful, the water almost as blue as the sky. She was wearing the swimsuit she'd bought last month, a two-piece that was red and flattering, exposing enough skin to make Charles drool. 

Idly, she let her fingers fall into the water, her eyes trained on the sky overhead. A bird flew past, carrying a twig though she couldn't see where from. The water was cool to the touch but not uncomfortable, refreshing against the heat of the day. Penelope figured that if she was ever going to find peace, this would be what it looked like. 

Just as she was about to close her eyes and let herself drift, she felt a tug on her fingers. At first it seemed like nothing, perhaps seaweed caught around her hand or a passing fish. There was a second of stillness where all seemed well, but it didn't last. This time, the pull was stronger, yanking her arm under the water as she gripped the raft, trying to stay afloat. Using force, she was able to pull herself free, scrambling to the other side of the raft, pulling her legs to her chest and making sure she was as far from the water as she could get. 

Penelope's breathing was erratic as she tried to calm down, her eyes scanning the water for any sign of movement. She was alone out here, completely isolated, no land in sight. She could try to swim for the shore, but there wasn't anywhere to swim to. There was no ore or boat, just this floating raft of bamboo she was sitting on, helpless. 

As far as she could tell, the coast seemed to be clear. The water was so clean that she could see several metres down, and around her all that existed was blue. She couldn't see a reflection or anything swimming past, not even the ripple of a wave to disturb the surface. It must have been an isolated incident, some freak of nature or a figment of her imagination. 

Penelope didn't even have time to scream before her head went under the water. 

Something grabbed her from behind, strong enough to pull her backwards and drag ger underneath the surface. The water was cold now, almost freezing, knocking the air from her lungs as she struggled to remember how to swim amongst the shock. Whatever was holding her didn't feel like hands or teeth, just sheer mass, tugging her downwards while she was vulnerable. 

It wasn't until she was several metres down that her fight-or-flight suddenly set in. She remembered how to move, putting all her energy into kicking her way to the surface, fighting with everything she had. Her lungs felt like they were burning from the inside out, her limbs ached and it was painful to move, but she kept going. Eventually, her head broke the surface, gulping in great breaths of air as she tried to recover, but as she looked around her to get her bearings, she realised everything has changed. 

The sky was no longer blue. Instead, it was cloudy and grey, like a storm was about to set in. Great, freezing droplets of rain hailed from the sky, making it hard to see. The water around her was now churning, furious waves crashing into her and almost pushing her under again. The raft was gone, probably destroyed by the waves, leaving her without shelter. Penelope tried to scream for help, but the sound was drowned out by the thunder above. 

Stop fighting, something whispered from the depths, like a thousand voices talking at one, each of them familiar yet foreign at the same time. There is no one left to save you. 

Penelope thought she must be going crazy. She ignored the voices, trying to swim but failing. Something thick and heavy wrapped around her arms, plunging her under again. 

Look around you. You're alone. Don't fight. Let yourself sink. 

Penelope kicked again, but this time she hesitated. She was alone. What was the point of breaking the surface? She had no where to go, no one to help her. Maybe it would be easier to just give in.