Writing Prompt

The thoughts of incoming doom pressure me down more than the actual threat.

The scenery unfolds so simply yet harshly.

I jump.

The water engulfs me.

I’m alone.

I feel pain.

I die.

It’s like I can feel the events happening, even on the dry comfort of shore.

My heart knows it’s cue.

My brain tells my body what to do.

It argues.

It argues like an unhappy couple. Bickering back and forth, telling my body to choose a side.

All it can do is shake.

Like a child hiding in the closet to block out the arguing.

My heart pumps warm fluid. Like it’s trying to hug me.

Trying to save me.

But sometimes your body, your heart, even your brain don’t get to choose what happens.

They have to choose what to do when it does happen.

The hands on my back are cold, like a krakens tentacles crawling up my neck.

I stumble forwards and try to regain my footing.

No luck.

The water engulfs me.

I thrash.

My lungs fill with water.

It’s cold. Like being frozen in an iceberg. I’m tossed down the oceans mighty throat. Like a used toy in the donations box. I might as well just sit on the sandy bottom and wait for death.

But the pain protests, forcing me to climb the hopeless walls of the water.

I can see it.

Yet it’s so far.

Air.

Light.

Noise.

My brain scrambles to answer all of its own questions. To find solutions on what’s already happened. To find conclusions.

I came to one.

I’m safe.

Standing on the beach of safety, the water almost seems to lash out in irritation, urging me either forward or backward. I step away. The sand squishes below my feet, it’s soft texture comforting me. I breathe in the salty air, and it burns my nose. I filter out the voices and movements of other beach-goers, their laughing and yelling lost in the thick, heavy worry of my mind. Trembling slightly, I reach one foot out to touch the water’s surface. It’s shocking cold makes me audibly gasp, and I have to reassure myself I can do this.

I can do this. I can do this. I can do thi-nope, I stared too long at the water. It roars menacingly back at me. Oh, WHY did I make a bet with my friends? I can’t swim! I’ll drown!

I do need the money though. Twenty whole dollars! You can do this, Aria, just step-one foot, then the other.

As much as I try, I can’t will myself to move. It’s as if some invisible barrier is between me and the sea. Maybe my friends’ tactic was the correct one- I just have to jump in.

Well, THATS terrifying.

Okay, one, two, three-

God, this water is COLD!

(Didn’t have much time but wanted to grow my streak, I might edit this later).

“I don’t know why I let you talk me into this,” Hanna whined as she looked over the cliffs edge. The height alone made her stomach flip, but it wasn’t the height that had her palms shaking. It was the water.

The monstrous waves beat against the cliff face with a ferocity that paralyzed Hanna, but her friends hadn’t seemed to notice. In fact, out of all the teens, none seemed to have the same reservations as her.

Anthony had assured her time and time again on the drive over how safe it was. He’d explained that this was the place everyone jumped at. Even going as far as to say no one had ever been hurt before, but was that true?

Surely it couldn’t be, not with the violence in which the waves slammed into the rock below. A hand pushed her shoulder, startling her from her thoughts, and Hanna released a blood curdling scream as she swayed, nearly falling over the edge. She whipped around incredulously and glowered at Jacob who stood right behind her with a cheeky grin on his face.

“Don’t do that, asshole!” Hanna hissed, shoving a finger in his face. Jacob mumbled an apology but she caught the way he rolled his eyes as he stepped back, giving her space. In fact, as she looked around her group of friends she noticed they all wore similar looks to Jacob. She was the last one to go, after all. Jacob’s messy blonde hair was already dripping water down his cheek and his bare feet were still dirty from his hike up the cliff after. She glanced at the rest of their friends and saw they all looked wet and tired of waiting for her to find her courage.

Hanna locked eyes with her twin and her twin glanced at her boyfriend Lyle before giving her a pleading look.

Lyle, like Anthony and unlike the twins, were seniors at their school and the scared girl’s cheeks grew hot as another emotion over took her. Embarrassment. She sighed before turning her attention back to the cliff’s edge.

It was always like this.

Anna was the brave one of the pair. She made the friends, got the boyfriend, joined the cheerleading team, and Hanna just followed along. This was not the first time Hanna had embarrassed her sister but as Hanna looked over the edge and remembered all the times she’d failed her, she found she had to jump.

Memories of Hanna getting her sister in trouble and embarrassing her played in her mind as she took a tentative step towards the edge. As she peered over she saw, not a thirty foot drop, but Anna as she cried locked in their room, unable to go to Prom because her mother didn’t want Hanna to feel left out.

Hanna swallowed the emotion in her throat as for the first time she truly realized what a hinderance she was in her sister’s life.

‘Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if the waves swallowed me whole,’ Hanna thought. A male laugh, who she immediately recognized as Anthony’s, solidified her feelings and Hanna didn’t think. Didn’t even breathe.

She just jumped.

The fall into the sea was unlike anything Hanna had ever experienced. Her long dark hair tangled in the wind but she hardly noticed it. Hardly noticed anything beyond the pounding of her own heart that seemed to travel into her ears.

She hit the water with a jarring splash that knocked the breath she’d so carefully held right out of her. Hanna kicked to the surface with all her might but thanks to the harsh landing she couldn’t tell if she was swimming up or down anymore.

Waves crashed into her, throwing her body around, and panic became a living breathing beast deep inside her chest. Hanna’s lungs began to burn. She needed air more than she needed the blood in her body, but the world seemed to be fresh out of it and breathing in now would be certain death.

She clawed to the surface, thinking she might even see the light, but her body was growing tired and her lungs were begging for her to draw in a breath.

Suddenly, slender fingers wrapped tightly around her arms and she was being dragged up towards the surface. Hanna broke the surface spluttering and coughing up water that she hadn’t realized she’d swallowed. She turned to her rescuer, expecting to see a cocky Anthony, but found herself coming up short when she looked into the eyes that were so much like her own.

“Anna,” she whispered as a mixture of emotions bubbled in her chest. Anna smiled at her sister as she wiped long brown curls from Hanna’s face. Before Anna could reply, a splash sounded from their right. Both girls turned to find Lyle swimming towards them and Hanna found a small smile play at her lips. Another splash sounded and Anthony resurfaced a few yards away. He swam to them easily and then looked up the cliff side.

The twins looked up as one just in time to see their other friend, Delilah jump. She squealed with glee as she fell to the water and quickly swam to the group where they treaded water.

“I’m sorry, Anna,” Hanna mumbled sheepishly, realizing she’d once again ruined her better half’s fun.

“For what?” Anna asked seriously as she cocked a brow at her sister. A tear slid down Hanna’s cheek unbidden and her sister gently wiped it away. “Listen, I’ll always be here to pull you up. That’s my role. I’m the buoy and you’re the anchor. You keep me steady, I keep you afloat.”

Hanna stared dumbly at her twin, her bottom lip trembling. “Really?” She asked.

“Of course, you’re the strongest person I know.” Anna said smiling at her sister with all of the sincerity in the world.

Tears of joy streamed down Hanna’s face because for the first time in forever she felt that way.

Strong.

“Adira, come on!” Hawken shouted up to her as the waves crashed against the boat. Moments earlier he had sliced the ropes that held the rowboat to the side of the larger vessel Adira was standing on. He had then jumped into the waves and hauled himself into the small rowboat.

“Is now a bad time to tell you that I’m deathly afraid of the ocean?” Adira called down to her partner. She could see him slap his forehead and drag his fingers down his face.

“You’re Adira Sae, otherwise known as the shadow, greatest assassin on the entire continent. You fear no man and laugh in the face of death. You’ve gone head to head with the deadliest of people, AND YET YOU’RE SCARED OF WATER,” Hawken demanded, his voice almost drowned out by the wind that ripped her hair out of its braid and blew it into her face. She pulled her hair back again, using her spare elastic to put it in a ponytail.

The sound of shouting was getting louder, which meant the men they had knocked out were waking up, and wouldn’t be happy to see their boss dead, his head separated from his shoulders.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“ADIRA JUST JUMP, I PROMISE I’LL PULL YOU UP THE MOMENT YOU HIT THE GODS DAMNED WATER, JUST JUMP,” Hawken pleaded. The rowboat rocked on the waves that were getting almost as tall as Hawken. He was knocked to his knees and had to grab hold of the side to keep from falling out.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

It was either jump and probably get eaten by some deep sea monster, or suffer a long and painful death at the hands of ten angry men who were much larger than her. The odds were never in her favor, it seamed. Adira took a few steps back, forcing herself to breath, to think happy thoughts. The banging was even louder now. They were going to break through the door at any minute. So, she ran to the edge and jumped, squeezing her eyes shut. Moments later, ice cold water swallowed her. Before she could think of swimming to the surface, Hawken’s strong arms were hooked under hers and hauling her up and over the side.

“I am never going to shut up about this. I’ll joke about it for the rest of time,” he grinned. Adira responded with a quick punch to the gut. He made a surprised sound but recovered quickly, chuckling to himself.

The crash of the waves made my heart stop. It was the sound of my death. Mother had always laughed when I told her that. If only she knew I was telling the truth. I stared into the water, all the shades of blue. It looked like a perfectly happy place. But I knew it better than anyone. I raised my arms above my head, just like I had learned all those years ago when the water was my only friend. My only hope. My other life. Now as I raise my hands, my heart beating out of my chest. “This is for you, Lynnie.” I shut my eyes, it would be easier that way. Everything’s easier that way. I suck in a deep breath of the salty air. It taste just as bitter as the day I learned the water wasn’t my friend. Only my enemy. “You did all the wrong things but for the right reasons. Well Lynnie now it’s my turn. I’m jumping into the water. Just like I said I would. I remember telling myself that if I was going to die it would be the water to feel my last breath, and to see my last moves. To hold my screams and muffle them into nothing.” I edged closer to the water, the cool breeze telling me to move forward. I did, letting my heart beat increase. I jumped, letting the wind slash at my cheeks. I kept my eyes shut hearing Lynnie’s voice in my head. “Amy. Don’t do this. It was my mistake. Learn from it. I died here, I made you hate what you’ve always loved. And I’m sorry.” I shook her voice away, “Lynnie you did make me hate the water. But you made me realize that I was never really in love with it. My fear for it was what was always true. Not my love”. Before Lynnie could answer I was drowning at the bottom of the ocean. And there she was. Lynnie. Her blonde hair floating up with the water. Her blue eyes, white with fear. I felt her grab me, I felt her pull me up. Then I felt the pain in my chest. The urge to want air, I’ve never wanted something so bad. I kicked my legs, trying to fight, Lynnie was still next to me, her grip so tight I knew she had to be real. I felt my body shaking as I ran out of air, I stopped moving. I stopped fighting. It was my time, like I said I’m doing all the wrong things but for the right reasons. Whatever that means.

Standing on the rocky cliff above the sea, I looked down to see where I would land. Staring back at me was the ocean, a vast expanse of cold darkness. I’m afraid of water, not drinking water, but swimming pools, lakes and especially the sea.

I’ve been diagnosed with Thalassophobia, the fear of large open bodies of water. The ocean is the epitome of this fear.

Looking at the ocean from so high up, you can see the waves crashing into the side of the cliff, the white horses charging at the rocks. The ocean is a mesmerising murderer, it entices you in with beautiful waves, glistening water and abundant sea life, only to swallow you up in a current and pull you under to your doom.

Standing here twiddling my thumbs and time wasting seems like the best way to avoid diving in, I want to overcome my fear but the big blue monster is waiting for me, the endless abyss of crushing water.

Getting ready to jump, I hear to wind pick up speed and the waves increase their ferocity, the ocean is getting ready to grab me. The seagulls are getting louder as if taunting me, and the ocean crashes against the cliff as if trying to drown them out.

I’m the first one in my friends group to try this, I know I must set an example, but as my feet leave the cliff and my body becomes one with the air, I realise I’ve made a grave mistake.

It is a summer afternoon, and the sun hangs high in the cloudless sky, casting its golden rays over the glistening expanse of the sea. Lyla and Maddison, twin sisters and friends of mine decided to come out here for some cliff diving and asked me to come with them because they wanted me to overcome my fear, I said yes.

I stood hesitantly near the edge of this cliff, my heart pounding against my chest as if it were trying to break free. The crashing waves below roared with an intimidating force, adding to the mounting anxiety building up inside me. The briny scent mixed with fresh breeze wafts over me. The sea stretching out as far as the eye could see seemed like an endless abyss of unknown depths and hidden terrors.

I have always been afraid of water, it has been a suffocating presence, challenging me at every step in life. At this moment, making that terrifying leap could either liberate or consume me. The salty breeze playfully tugged at my loose strands of hair, mirroring the turmoil I feel inside and the rhythmic crashing of the waves drowns out all thoughts in my head. I clench the towel wrapped around my body finding solace in the texture. My mind starts conjuring images of chilling tales of creatures that lurk below the surface.

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and remind myself that fear cannot dictate my every move and I will not live my life in fear. The prospect of overcoming my fear of water stirs a flicker of determination in me. I open my eyes and with renewed resolve, I step closer to the edge of the cliff.

My heart races and each heartbeat resonates in my ears. The cool mist hitting my face, I take another step toward the edge of the cliff. Adrenaline courses through my veins and it was at this moment that I realize this is the point of no return, where I can either let my fear consume my life or overcome it.

I remove the towel that’s wrapped around my body, take a leap of faith and dive into the water. When I come up for air, I hear clapping and turn around to see the twins looking at me with wide grins on their faces and squealing.

Lyla: That was awesome! You overcame your fear, so proud of you. Maddison: You did it!! You’re so brave for doing that. I’m so glad we were here to witness it. Me: Thank you both for encouraging me to do this.

The fear that gripped me before, has been replaced with awe and wonder. I am grateful for the strength to overcome this fear.

Mama, do we all die someday? I've seen it in movies, but words betray, Is it true that when you leave, you fly away?

Mama, I heard a baby cry, It brought back memories, that time I was five, Lying in bed, with you by my side, That night still lingers, the day you died.

You ran me a bath, kissed my cheek, The water was cold, and the day was bleak, Truth is, you’d been dead for weeks, Rotting in the house, playing hide ‘n seek.

Mama, where do we go? Once believed in God, yet days grew slow, Time stood frozen, I reached an all time low, I want to live but the view looks better From down below.

Mama, I’m truly sorry. Sorry to those who’ll find my body, lying still in the depths of the quarry, And though it seems scary, the fear will fade, An end to my pain, a happy escapade.

I’m not afraid, I’m sure I’ll fly, And once my feet touch the water, I’ll be just fine.

I promise to see you soon, Head towards the light.

It’s just water, they all shout.

It’s going to be fun, they all laugh.

You’re being silly, they all snarl.

They’re going about their day, getting undressed into costumes and preparing to jump into the depths of the unknown. All of them were careless, running wild across the cliff tops and launch themselves into the pit of darkness that roared beneath.

As I watched the last of them stumble up to the edge, my breath hitched in my throat. I couldn’t fathom my next move, but everything within me was screaming against it. My body temperature may have been standard, but I was deathly cold inside.

The world went dark and cold, the screeching of waves erupted in the distance. My body froze and every limb went numb. I couldn’t face it yet I couldn’t run away.

I could hear the whispers from the clashing of waves; ‘we won’t hurt you’ it sings, licking the cliffs, ‘we want to have fun!’

The voice is haunting me, dancing around me whilst it chants for me to enter its body. I don’t have time to think or fight against its begging, it’s a constant ache in my brain that never gives up.

I begin to snap back into reality, looking around frantically in hope that everyone had passed the need to swim. I heard laughter from the bottom, everyones clothes still pilled up on the side of the cliff.

“You alright, Danny?” Leah pats my back, followed by Imogen. They were smiling innocently, unaffected by the dangerous war below. “Come on, jump with us!”

They beckoned me forward, stripping from the clothing to reveal bikinis. Bare skin exposed, ready to brace themselves against the clash with the water. They seemed so carefree, as if their brain hadn’t registered the absolute danger which was about to swallow them whole.

Imogen was talking about something with Leah, but I couldn’t focus. All that ran round my head was what would happen once I go into the water. Before I could come back to the present, Imogen had helped me remove my top. I was bare and defenceless from the world below.

Each of them held my hands, one on each side. This was it, my life was ending. I was about to plummet to the end of my world and never come back up. Every worry was at the front of my head, every story of kids drowning and disappearing from these cliffs.

It was all about to be over, every happy memory. Sweat drenched my forehead, dripping from my chin to my chest.

“Let’s go.” Imogen shouted, laughing.

We were a few steps from the cliffs edge, both of them ready to run. I couldn’t breathe properly, panic submerged my whole body.

Leah smiled at me one last time, beginning her jog to the cliff. She screams the words ‘summer’ and jumps from the edge. Imogen follows and, reluctantly, so do I.

It’s over.

I look into the depths, collecting myself. I will be fine. Fine. Fine fine fine fine fine.

Who am I kidding? This is NOT fine This is the opposite of fine actually This is the furthest from fine anything could possibly be.

I take a few deep breaths trying to calm my frenetic heart. Ok I can do this. It’s just a little bit of water. It can’t hurt me… But it can. And it has. I can’t do this.

I can’t do this? Since when am I so afraid of something that I won’t do it? This is pathetic. I’m pathetic.

Come on just jump in. You can’t stop your self if your already jumping. I’ve jumped off moving planes before this should be easy. Yep really easy. Then why aren’t I moving?

Jump.

Jump.

Jump.

Jump.

Jump. Jump. Jump. Jump. Jump.

JUMP.

Wow this was an awful idea