2

The man had awoken to a beautiful day. As focus came to him, still rubbing his eyes, he was greeted with color as green tone glowed in the hazy warmth of sunshine breaching through the trees. He paused to take in the picture painted before him and then walked over to greet the River. Stripping himself bare of any clothing, the man proceeded into her waters, slowly putting one foot in front of the other to keep his balance. Once she was at his waist he turned toward the banks where his clothes lay in a pile, crouched on his knees, and the river received him as he began to float away with her. His skin began to tingle to the sensation of light shivers that ran through him and suddenly, he began to gradually feel her warmth as though she had responded to his slight discomfort. Even in times of such splendor, he could not help but also grieve momentarily for those who knew not of such freedom. The wind shared a gentle warm breeze and the branches overhead began to sway as birds sang to him. Suddenly, without warning, he could feel the water rising above him and he began to submerge.

 

 

His body felt numb as he opened his eyes to see the trees and sky with golden rays of light looking down at him as he faded deeper into the clear, and farther away from the leaf and bush.

There was nothing.

No thoughts, no feeling. He did not panic- fear and pain were strangers to him. He watched his arms spread peacefully stretched out at his sides with no agenda, and then he felt something.

Touch

He felt something touch him, but saw nothing there. His hand began to tug forward and he appeared to be flying on his back through the water with one arm stretched out in front of him. Hair floated over his eyes and the bridge of his nose, dancing in front of him from side to side with the current as he continued on.

Thoughts

His mind began wandering in an endless procession of thought. He contemplated life, people, good and bad, love and hate. Everything flooded his mind as though the gates of suppression had burst open with every thought passing through in haste. He began to feel drowsy when a flash of light seemed to rupture in his head. Now, he could feel.

Pain

His chest began to feel heavy and his throat clenched. Every memory of sadness appeared before him now and it was more than even the hardest of souls could bear. He felt so overwhelmed, and was beginning to feel suffocated. How desperately he wanted to cry out and relieve himself of the heavy weight in his chest, but the pain had crippled him of any possible self remedy.

Fear

He struggled to break free of the grasp that had carried him away, twirling and flailing hopelessly like a fish that was being reeled in by its captor. The worst of feelings was about to make its presence, and he suddenly came to the horrifying realization that he could not breathe.

Panic

Again, he struggled and instinctively tried to push his way up when at last he felt the release on his hand. His eyes fixed themselves on the surface, and encompassed by all the chaos he knew in the back of his mind that it was too far. He could feel his lungs tighten up, and pressure began to build in his head. A familiar feeling came to him around the waist, and again he was at the mercy of this unknown force as he began to ascend with his eyes still fixed on the surface- waiting to be reunited with the world above.

His face broke the seal between the elements with an enormous splash as he gasped for air and reached out in every attempt to stay afloat. He fell back into the river but noticed something out of place; he was sitting. The river was only up to his chest sitting down, and as he wiped the water and hair from his eyes he began to see something that completely astonished him.

Reviews

[APM]

I really enjoyed reading the chapters you have so far. Very well written, and I easily related to the man, and I could sense what he was feeling. I love how you personified the river as he got in. Great job!