0 In All My Dreams I Drown

As soon as I turn off the light

As soon as I close my eyes

I can feel the ocean mist on my face

The cold and gentle breeze runs its hands around me

I am caught.

I can feel the sand around my feet

The water sits at my ankles begging me to join it

The water crawls its way up my legs tugging at me

Sea shells whisper salty lies

We can run from it for now

The water does not want us to play with the sand

The water wants us for itself but it waits

Quietly but surly slowing encroaching upon us

The water steals us.

I am gasping for breath and I hold her hand

I am kicking my feet and waving my arms

The water does not want to give us back, it will take us away

The water rises over our heads and pulls us further away

I can’t hold on anymore.

I can feel her fingers slipping away

I push and kick trying to get to her

I can feel arms around me and I think it is the ocean finally taking its prize

The water continues to pull for me but soon I see familiar faces

Soon I feel real warmth

Soon I see black

I wake up, the sheets tangled around me

Gasping for breath I know I have.

I made it

The ocean wanted one of us

It took her

Because I got away, the ocean placed a curse on me

In all my dreams I drown.

--Jessica G., 21