Under Water

• Evie Briese, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2020

As I fall into the crystal lit waters, everything feels like a dream. As I look up, I realise I am getting closer to the coral below me. As I sink, fish are swimming over me. My breath bubbles are floating up, like they are jelly fish to the surface, with the last one floating up and popping into little balls. My eyes slowly close and everything around me is black. I have hit the bottom.

Only seconds ago, I was on a boat. Suddenly, something grabs a hold of me and I start to panic. My eyes start to open but I can’ t seem to see anything. The surface seems so close but I am so far away. My eyes close again and I feel another grab. I struggle to breathe and then realise I have hit something hard. Someone has dropped me and there are strange voices I don’t understand with strange shadows blocking the sun. What has happened to me? Where are they taking me? My world goes black again.

We’d saved all the coins from our money tin for a whole year, so when we arrived in the Caribbean, it was even better than I expected and I couldn’t believe my eyes. This place was magic, with water like I had never seen before.

As the boat started to move, I was so excited and my heart pumped so much it nearly fell out. Dolphins swam at the front of the boat and I felt like they were going to jump up and touch my feet, which dangled off the side. We snorkelled with turtles and the most colourful fish I have ever seen. We spent hours cannon balling off the boat. We took it in turns with the other boats to water ski. It was the best day ever.

All of a sudden, I see someone fall off a nearby boat. I keep watching and realise that they haven’t come up. I yell to our driver for help and he speeds over to see. I immediately dive into the water and I see a girl on the bottom not moving. I reach out and grab her arm and she’s like a heavy limp doll. I’ve run out of breath and I have to let her go. I go back down, grab her again and bring her up to the surface. My Dad helps me get her in to the boat.

She’s opened her eyes only for a second. She doesn’t seem to understand anything we are saying. My dad gently taps her on the cheek, trying to wake her. Suddenly she coughs up half the ocean. We look around and see people screaming and waving at us and realise she must be with that boat.

Our boats link up and we take her onboard. Her family hug us and say thank you in English. If only we’d realised she wasn’t French! I will never forget this day. She was going to be okay.