Fears

• Ella Gorringe, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2013

Standing on the edge of the ocean, I wasn’t sure if I could force myself to complete the simple task. Christmas day on Leighton Beach was a tradition and playing cricket was a certain. Normally the ocean would be like a glass of water but today it was no more than an antique cup of coffee. There was seaweed everywhere and I was fielding on the water’s edge. Somehow, I had ended up here. Before I knew it, my dad had thumped the ball right out in the water behind me. Not just because it was a good shot, but because he wanted me to conquer my fear of seaweed. I was handling the whole situation well until a slimy snake-like piece of seaweed threw me to the floor. As I grasped onto the grainy sand, I felt myself being pulled into the body of water so I panicked. My legs were frozen and I couldn’t stand up so I frantically crawled away from the water.
The seaweed had won. I was defeated.

“So, why couldn’t you do it? You knew your dad was going to rub it in your face if he beat you,” my best friend Mai asked.
“I just .. couldn’t.”
We were discussing the event that happened on Christmas as we walked along the empty beach. There had been a storm last night but somehow the water had calmed down to a motionless picture. The salt infected my nose as we dodged the piles of weed.
“Please tell me! Why couldn’t you?”
Knowing Mai was my best friend, I couldn’t deny an answer.
“ You have to swear you won’t tell anyone.”


“About 4 years ago, I loved to swim. I was addicted to the cool splash of water against my body. I can’t explain it, even on stormy days, swimming made me feel so, free. One day, it was stormy but I still wanted to be at the beach. The seaweed has caused the water to turn rich brown in colour. That didn’t matter to me because in my head, the ocean was always blue. My brother and I were the only ones there. I was ready before him and I raced to the water’s edge. Before I knew it, I was 30 metres out into the water where I couldn’t stand. My brother was just about to enter the water when I duck dived to the bottom. The seaweed against my skin and the cool sensation as I got closer and closer to the bottom, allowed me to relax as I swam around scooping up the sand and watching it seemingly evaporate. When I was getting short of breath, I waved goodbye to my secret wonderland and swam up out of the water again, only I could feel myself swimming slower than usual. I tried to speed up suddenly only there was something holding me back. I looked down but I could only see brown murk through my fuzzy eyes. I tried again but I was trapped. Trapped in my wonderland. Slowly I was losing consciousness and getting rocked back and forth by the waves. It was like a mother rocking her baby to sleep. I was the baby and I fell asleep.”

“So you died?!”
I think Mai wanted to cheer me up.
“No Mai. I am here now aren’t I? My brother rescued me and then called an ambulance so I survived.”
“Aw Jas. Why don’t you come swimming now? Swim with me.”
“Look Mai, I would love too but I just don’t think I can. You go. I’ll watch you.”
As Mai slowly waded out into the ocean, I couldn’t help but bear a feeling of guilt. She had always been there for me and I couldn’t do something as simple as go swimming with her.

I could see a sand bank from the shoreline and I knew there would be a big drop after it.
“Mai, watch the drop!”
Mai continued to walk backwards but answered, “What?”
She hadn’t even realised what happened until it was too late. The unstable sand crumbled into a cloud of dust in the water. The body of water reached out and wrapped her in its cool hands like she had been persuaded and was under their command. I screamed and ran to the shore but I was forced back by fear. Memories flooded back and I was beginning to feel nauseous. There was no one on the beach so who was going to save her? The ocean not only had control over her but over me too. But Mai was my best friend and I had to do something. I couldn’t be defeated again. Before I knew it, the cool sensation of the water was brushing against my skin as I split the ocean in two. What was head of me was unknown but I was comforted when I felt the soft touch of a hand.