Waves

• Lily Stewart, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2017

The waves remind me of my past. The waves wash over my body chilling me. Pulling me closer, making me remember more. More of the memories I dread and hope to forget. Water is a cause of great pain in my life. Not just me though, many others have suffered at the hands of water. I dread the day it chooses me. Chooses to kill me. Drown me, to pull me under. I feel like a rock, sinking to the bottom. But what happens when I get there. After the bottom is there another level? After death is there another life? I don’t know the answers to any of these questions. That's why I’m asking. I need to know. I must know.

Surely someone knows, don’t they?

If no-one knows I’ll find out myself, I thought as I took a step into the salt-water canal. The water was ice cold and I could feel the goose bumps rise on my legs. This was supposed to be my special day, the wedding ring I was given from my husband glistened in the sunlight. I shoved the note I had scribbled at last second and the wedding ring into a paper envelope then I sealed it. A tear formed in my eye as I lay the note down on the sand. I hope someone finds it I thought. They need to know the truth about everything. The true story. I took another step and then I stopped, should I do it? I thought. I live a great life, but I will have no-one to share it with thanks to the water. Why did it have to flood today, why not tomorrow today was special but now it’s not. I should have known that I will never find true love, because when I do the waves will take him away. At least if I die too we’ll be together, won’t we?

I hope this works I thought as I stepped neck deep into the water, ripples spiraled all around me as I took one more step. Then I disappeared from view. The water swirled around me and I let the waves pull me under. Deeper and deeper, the further down I went the more I thought it would never end. I felt absolutely absurd. I can’t die I thought I must live. Kicking my legs, I swam up and up until I could feel a cool wind whip my face. I felt as though the waves were pushing me up helping me get to the top. I crawled up the beach and lay back in the sand.

I might not have heard him but he was there. I could feel his presence. Justin, I know you’re still alive, you’re still with me and I still love you I thought. He was there he was in the water helping me. He may be part of the ocean but he’s still there. He’s a wave, and we all will be one day. I will visit him every day, some people may think I’m crazy but everyone is different, and no-one is the same.