The sea..

A Story by Vassena

The tunes of the clear sea feel like electricity to my ears. I feel sparks as each wave crashes into the bridge. My heart pounds with every collision. I feel vibrations under my feet as I stand at the edge, almost falling. My whole body is connecting to the flow of the water. I am becoming one with the surroundings. The breeze tingling on my bare-naked skin.

The cold splashes come off the bridge and leave drops running down my body. I close my eyes and think of a warm cabin, a hot shower, followed by a lit fireplace. I open my eyes and do not feel icy anymore. My body floats in warmth. Not one shiver.

I jump, my feet leave the edge and I am flying. My toes hit the water first and my body slowly and gradually sink down, through the waves. For the first time I feel pure relief. My head disappears under and I feel like a dizzy spell is about to hit me. Like a hit from a drug. I feel like a sea creature, a mermaid perhaps, or some sort of new undiscovered type. I am not sure what is real anymore.

I am holding my breath, barely swimming, aiming for the bridge. I keep my head under, raise my hand above and search for the edge. My hand lands where my feet first jumped. I pull myself up. The dizziness leaves my body and I have never seen more clearly in my entire life. I am reborn. New. Fresh.

I can never forget the sea. Though I will not survive under water, I must live two lives.