Thank You...

• Shaylee Maynard-Matthews, Grade 8, Blakes Crossing Christian College
• Short Story
• 2020

Excellence Award in the 'The Inside Story 2020' competition

“Wow.” I sighed, taking in the ice blue water ripples like glassy pearls mirroring the sky as I observed the aesthetic sunrise ahead.
I saw the breathtaking gradient that faded from the deepest shade of ocean blue to the most delicate of tangerine yellows. There were beautiful plush clouds that spread across the horizon, they had airy sky-blue highlights that glided gracefully around their elegant figure.
“Sometimes I wish I were a cloud, soft, fragile, empty, emotionless, weightless. Slowly fading away, to the farthest depths of the ocean without a care in the world. Free…”
my eyes shut slowly as I sharply inhaled, the salty sea breeze wafting by. I tilted her head up, soaking in every minute of freedom I could get. She opened her eyes and looked at the ocean below, fierce strong waves crashed down breaking through the sharp rocks. And then, I jumped. I exhaled slowly as I flew below multiple stories of my hotel from my ocean-view balcony, after what felt like an eternity, I finally hit the water, I felt like a beautiful siren as I sank slowly and gracefully to the freezing depths, my amber hair flowing around. my white chiffon dress mimicked a blossoming tulip as it moved with the current of the water.
There were fish and sea creatures all around me. It was an out of body experience. As I sank down deeper and deeper, I exhaled my last breath. It felt as though I had been holding it my whole life. Then the flashbacks began.
I saw my earliest memory, I was about 5 or six, and I was wearing an old pink tutu, I was prancing around with my best friend Lylah, we were matching, although her tutu was blue.
Then I saw my first day of high school, I went to Sylvester college, I remember being so scared as I waled up the steps, I don’t think I could have survived without Lylah.
Then I saw so many memories, some stupid and goofy, some important milestone but they all had one thing in common, my best friend. As I sank even lower, I thought about what she would do, would she hate me? Would she miss me? I began to feel selfish and self-conscious. until I could take it anymore.
I swam quickly to the ocean line and then the shore, because I remembered that no matter what, I am loved, I remembered that there are people that I would hurt if I left them behind, like Lylah. I finally reached the sandy shore, puffing and panting, when I was met with a familiar face, she ran up to me and hugged me tighter than ever, “Please don’t leave.” She whispered,
“I won’t, thank you.” “Thank you?” she said slightly confused.
“Thank you for caring, thank you for being there but most importantly, thank you for the happiest years of my life.”