The Day I almost Drowned
“I’ll catch you,” he said;
blond hair curling around his ears.
So, I swung out over the water;
all my friends waiting and watching.
“Come on,” they yelled;
as I swung back to the shore, one foot reaching to catch the land.
“Give someone else a chance,” shouted Melanie from the
opposite shore.
“Chicken!”
“I’ll catch you!”
“Just jump!”
“Come on!”
So I did.
I pushed out hard
away from the ground which held the tree,
grasping the rough rope which hung from it.
Down below, ripples on the surface of dark water.
Dark from being the deepest spot in the creek and
from rotting leaves and because the sun had begun to set.
Instant:
splash
cold
confusion
panic
I couldn’t see.
Arms digging, legs kicking, searching for the light of up.
Pressure under both arms pulling me fast.
Cool breeze on my face as I opened my eyes and
gasped for air, coughing up water.
“You said you’d catch me,” I said, when my feet
finally touched the creek bed.
“Come on, let’s go,” he said, following everyone back to the
road where the pickup was parked.
© 2010, Lorna Nakell