How I Love to Swim

The water was always so clear and felt right to me. It seemed as if I swam the same amount of time everyday not realizing it for the time went by so fast. Like a drug, I looked forward to swimming and how it made my body feel so weightless, so light. My arms just drifted away from my sides and slowly took the forms that pleased them coming in and out of various expressionless shapes. My head would lull in different patterns like swaying to the sound of opera music and being tranced by its beautiful rhythms. My legs would remain still as if they were one and boasted a slick black tail only known to mermaids in story tales. Oh, how I felt so good and enjoyed swimming.

There were never harsh noises or the sounds of daily life as there were living amongst the land dwellers. There wasn’t the smell of filth and grime in the air that congested your nostrils and dried out your eyes. There was no trash that pricked at the very conscience of those who were clean and cared for a decent long lasting Earth. Yes, there was none of that, just peace and tranquility below the brilliant blue waters of the deep.

In the waters, the lights were always so bright and no matter how close I swam to them, just to reach out and touch them with my soft milky white hands, they dashed away from me as if I shouldn’t be there or shouldn’t be able to caress their yellow and red hues. This always bewildered me why this happened especially in a place of such peace. No one was out to hurt or disturb anything but just to explore and swim with inquisitiveness. Some days I tried to swim to them quickly but no matter how fast or how hard I tried, they would always seem to dodge me. Regardless, there I was looking beyond the light, still swimming, still moving about gently in the soothing waters of time.

Some of these lights came in different colors and took on different shapes. Some were even brighter than others as they all danced their way through the water. How I remembered them sending waves of coloration toward my blue eyes like a lure. This was part of the attraction and made me move toward them. Even though most were silent, there were few that did produce strange noises like the beating of drums and the passing of heavy winds in a rainstorm. I’m not sure really how I could hear this but as I swam longer and longer it became more and more noticeable to me. Even so, I sought after these lights as if a game with the marvelous fireflies of the night. I tried to cup them in my hands and reached out many times to pull them back to my smiling face hoping I’ve caught one. Regardless of how I tried, every time I opened my hands there was nothing dancing away shedding light, simply blackness.

Suddenly, my eyes looked distantly and noticed a particular light that was coming at me as if finally I could befriend such a wonder. It smiled and danced toward me like someone riding a horse and carrying a lantern to greet their guests in the days of old. My lips and mouth formed a wonderful smile as I swam toward the invitation to show courtesy and meet the messenger half way. As I drew closer I imagined what an occasion this was going to be. Finally to meet this wondrous light that swam with me like a partner many times. To be able to introduce myself and perhaps even enjoy the evening getting to know one another like relatives who yearned to see each other. For the evening was one to remember as the moon shown its shimmering brilliance across the waters. Yes, to finally tell them my name. With a wide smile I opened my pink fragranced lips to speak. Hi, I’m…

Oddly, as we drew closer to each other, the noise wasn’t the same and the lights surely transformed into something different, something hideous! I jerked back and my eyes quickly batted open only having enough time to see the pelting rain pattering my windshield as the light in the form of circles was upon me. The last thing I heard was the awful sound of tires screeching across the wet pavement and the bursting of glass as it sprayed and ripped its way across the front seat riddling me with fragmented tears in my once powdered and peach face. I was sent into a spin and then lifted. My body felt the same as if I was swimming again. Everything seemed to stop as my arms became free and my body felt the breeze of air all around. I remember thinking soon I’d be back swimming again. Oh, how I looked forward to it as my heart slowed in beat and my shaken lips turned once more into a smile. Then, the light went dark and suddenly there was silence.

[Word count: 852]