Twelve
Sophia
The sun is hot and the skin on my shoulders sizzles. A soft sticky breeze blows across the water, but there isn’t a single ripple. No noise. Just stillness. Everything frozen except the breeze making my hair dance around my face, tickling my nose. My chin rests on my hands, my elbows on the rickety old dock.
Stillness all around me. But inside me it feels like fingernails being raked up my throat with each scream that tears silently through me. My mind vibrates with fear, but outside my eyes calmly scan the horizon. My feet sway in the air as I lie on my stomach and peer out over the water. It’s like a glass plate, a barrier.
Under the flat surface of the water is a face. His face is calm. The sunbeams dance through the water and cast shadows across his smooth features. Familiar, beautiful. Small air bubbles form around his nose and mouth, coming to the surface but they never break. His pale eyes watch me as the acidic fear slowly eats away my insides. On the outside everything is perfect.
My brain screams his name, but my lips smile at the sight of him. My beautiful Lance. He looks so peaceful, so serene. My smile widens, and he smiles back as my hair tangles across my face, obstructing my vision. The faint smell of algae envelops my senses and the frantic ripping inside me gets stronger.
I barely notice as a shadow passes across my body, but I feel a cold stab on my shoulder blade as a water droplet slides down my back. The shadow moves over me, and suddenly I’m cold. Another droplet hits the dock. The sound is deafening and I clasp my hands over my ears, never taking my eyes off Lance. My brain screams for him. The ripping of my throat finally lets loose just as a water drop hits the surface of the lake.
My mouth opens.
Lance’s face twists. Pain. Fear. Anger. Panic.
I hear him scream. Or is it me? I can’t tell as my lungs burn. My ears ring.
I plunge my hand in the water to grab him, but the further my hand goes in, the further down he’s pulled. The weeds grab at his arms and legs pulling him. Down. Further.
I have to get him. I have to reach him. I have to save him.
I have to.
I have to.
I have to.
xxx
A ragged breath causes me to sit straight up in bed. It’s dark and cold. My throat feels raw, my eyes wet. I press my hand against my chest as it heaves and my heart thunders through my limbs. I massage my neck and wish I had water on my nightstand. Between my night terror and my medication, I feel like I’ve never drank water in my life.
Flipping the covers off my body I swing my legs over the edge of the bed. My muscles scream with tension making me fight my way to standing. I just need water. That’s my only thought as I head downstairs.
In the kitchen, the lights are on, and I can hear something clanging. A sound like stirring in a cup with a metal spoon. When I make it around the corner, Tobie is standing in the middle of the room in nothing but her underwear, wearing a scowl on her face, blowing on a steaming cup. She doesn’t flinch when I come in. I am guessing my screaming woke her.
“Tobie, what’s wrong?” I ask and her scowl deepens.
“Goddamn pregnancy. I would kill someone for a good, strong cup of coffee. You know that? But no, I have to drink this hot water shit, weak ass tea.” She grunts and puts the cup on the counter rather forcefully.
She finally looks up at me, and her face instantly softens. “Oh, sweetie, are you alright?”
I’m about to ask what she’s talking about when she reaches out and touches my neck. A sharp sting makes me jump back and cup my hand over the pain.
“I must have scratched myself in my sleep.” I shrug because it wouldn’t be the first time. “I’ll be alright.” I move around Tobie to get a glass of water and smile half-heartedly on my way back to my room. Suddenly I remember her words at the barbecue last weekend. About trusting her, confiding in her. She looked so alone standing in the kitchen; she
Sophia
The sun is hot and the skin on my shoulders sizzles. A soft sticky breeze blows across the water, but there isn’t a single ripple. No noise. Just stillness. Everything frozen except the breeze making my hair dance around my face, tickling my nose. My chin rests on my hands, my elbows on the rickety old dock.
Stillness all around me. But inside me it feels like fingernails being raked up my throat with each scream that tears silently through me. My mind vibrates with fear, but outside my eyes calmly scan the horizon. My feet sway in the air as I lie on my stomach and peer out over the water. It’s like a glass plate, a barrier.
Under the flat surface of the water is a face. His face is calm. The sunbeams dance through the water and cast shadows across his smooth features. Familiar, beautiful. Small air bubbles form around his nose and mouth, coming to the surface but they never break. His pale eyes watch me as the acidic fear slowly eats away my insides. On the outside everything is perfect.
My brain screams his name, but my lips smile at the sight of him. My beautiful Lance. He looks so peaceful, so serene. My smile widens, and he smiles back as my hair tangles across my face, obstructing my vision. The faint smell of algae envelops my senses and the frantic ripping inside me gets stronger.
I barely notice as a shadow passes across my body, but I feel a cold stab on my shoulder blade as a water droplet slides down my back. The shadow moves over me, and suddenly I’m cold. Another droplet hits the dock. The sound is deafening and I clasp my hands over my ears, never taking my eyes off Lance. My brain screams for him. The ripping of my throat finally lets loose just as a water drop hits the surface of the lake.
My mouth opens.
Lance’s face twists. Pain. Fear. Anger. Panic.
I hear him scream. Or is it me? I can’t tell as my lungs burn. My ears ring.
I plunge my hand in the water to grab him, but the further my hand goes in, the further down he’s pulled. The weeds grab at his arms and legs pulling him. Down. Further.
I have to get him. I have to reach him. I have to save him.
I have to.
I have to.
I have to.
xxx
A ragged breath causes me to sit straight up in bed. It’s dark and cold. My throat feels raw, my eyes wet. I press my hand against my chest as it heaves and my heart thunders through my limbs. I massage my neck and wish I had water on my nightstand. Between my night terror and my medication, I feel like I’ve never drank water in my life.
Flipping the covers off my body I swing my legs over the edge of the bed. My muscles scream with tension making me fight my way to standing. I just need water. That’s my only thought as I head downstairs.
In the kitchen, the lights are on, and I can hear something clanging. A sound like stirring in a cup with a metal spoon. When I make it around the corner, Tobie is standing in the middle of the room in nothing but her underwear, wearing a scowl on her face, blowing on a steaming cup. She doesn’t flinch when I come in. I am guessing my screaming woke her.
“Tobie, what’s wrong?” I ask and her scowl deepens.
“Goddamn pregnancy. I would kill someone for a good, strong cup of coffee. You know that? But no, I have to drink this hot water shit, weak ass tea.” She grunts and puts the cup on the counter rather forcefully.
She finally looks up at me, and her face instantly softens. “Oh, sweetie, are you alright?”
I’m about to ask what she’s talking about when she reaches out and touches my neck. A sharp sting makes me jump back and cup my hand over the pain.
“I must have scratched myself in my sleep.” I shrug because it wouldn’t be the first time. “I’ll be alright.” I move around Tobie to get a glass of water and smile half-heartedly on my way back to my room. Suddenly I remember her words at the barbecue last weekend. About trusting her, confiding in her. She looked so alone standing in the kitchen; she
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