Part 1: As I ran down the beach I could feel the sun burning slightly on the bright pink splotches of sun burn on my back, but everywhere else it perfectly warmed. The sand moved under my feet devouring them with every step I took. A few more strides and my feet started landing on slightly wet, harder sand. Then the shock of the freezing water. I ran faster to become covered by the water, to escape the hot sun. When I swam, it was like I escaped my life and joined a different one. A better one.

Once I was deep enough I dove under the water. The water was so beautiful today. Not too cold but cold enough to refresh me from the hot summer sun. The water was clear and I could see all the different shells. It was so nice I decided to swim out a little farther.
As I swimming I saw something purplish in the water, so I swam farther to reach it. When I got there I dove down to see what it was .The closer I got the more confused I got. I reached down to touch it and picked it up. Turns out, it was a net. Before I knew it I was trapped in the net. The water was everywhere. All around me, no matter how hard I tried to get away from it. I tried to scream but the made the water take over the inside of me too. Things became unclear. What’s up? What’s down? Should I let go? Give up? Yes. What’s that noise? Sounds like feet kicking, and someone yelling. Where they yelling my name? Whose hands are these? Up! Their pulling me up! I feel dizzy like I’m going to….

Part 2: My eyelids felt like steel blocks and it hurt to open them. Every part of me was sore. What had happened to make me feel like this? Then suddenly I remembered. The water. The water everywhere. I heard footsteps and saw the doorknob shake. My sister walked in. When she saw me awake she threw her arms up and a huge smile light her face. She dropped the water she was holding and it splashed over me.

“NOOOOOOOO!” I screeched remembering my too close encounter with death .

I stood up as fast as I could, ignoring the pain in my muscles. I ran to the bathroom and wiped off the water as fast as I could. Scrubbing my arms until they were raw, red, and throbbing. Then I leaned over the sink and started to cry. I positioned myself carefully so that my tears fell into the sink. I tried to focus on the cold ivory of the sink rather then the fact that I had a problem. A really serious problem.

Part 3: Today I was going home. I had barely talked during the week I had to stay at the hospital. I had avoided water and had even been skeptical to drink it. But the fire in my throat was worse then my fear of water, so I gave into that one thing. My sister would not stop pestering me about my fear. By the look on her face I could tell she was about to start again “so…. Are you going to try the water again?”

“ No, okay! I’m not!” I snapped.

“ Listen to me. You cannot be scared for the rest of your life. Don’t let this ruin it. Don’t let it take away one of your favorite things ever. You love to swim! You always told me about how free you felt, how you felt like you entered a different world. Don’t let this ruin your life!”

Even though my sister said this same speech almost everyday I was starting to think maybe, just maybe she was right.

That night I woke up from a terrible nightmare covered in sweat. My first instinct was to wipe it off fast. But I stopped myself. It took all myself control not to hyperventilate but I survived it. I would try swimming again.


Part 4: This time I didn’t run to the ocean. I walked, slowly. Trying to remember. Focusing on the hot sand and the bright blue sky. I was suddenly aware that in a few steps the water would reach the tips of my toes.

Just then a felt another hand grab mine. I turned quickly to see my sister standing beside me.

“ Let’s go!” she said in a confident vice. Then she picked me up like she used to when I was little. She ran right into the water laughing the whole time. I was paralyzed with fear. Was she trying to kill me?!?! The freezing cold water burned my skin. But then I was hit by a hard realization. I wasn’t dying! Suddenly I started to laugh and couldn’t stop. I was happy again, not afraid of water, not wanting it, enjoying it.