All Alone

• Ashmetha Prabhaharan, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2022

Wet, splashes of liquid touched my cheeks. My eyes fluttered open. I felt cold and my fingertips were pale and wrinkled like a dried prune. My stomach growled in annoyance, so I looked down and was greeted with a large body of water. I was floating there, helpless, finding myself staring at the vast expanse of water around me. As much as I should be panicking, I take in a few breaths and appreciate the sight I have been given. The waves were small and relaxed, pulling me into an embrace. It felt as if someone was there by my side, assuring me that everything would be okay. Occasionally, I could make out the famished seagulls’ chirping, desperately trying to find fish in the murky waters. Tears trickled down my face quickly, soon turning into sobs of fear and pain. There was nothing I could do. The land was so far; if I tried swimming there, I know I wouldn’t have the energy. Floating and whimpering was the only thing keeping me distracted from the fact that I was stranded, alone, in miles of water. My hands became numb as the skin on my fingertips peeled. I cried in agony as my flesh exposed itself to the salt-infested water. It was torture. A disfigured trail of crimson worked its way through the sea. I felt abrupt movements below me. Strong impacts of force pushed my back. I change positions and submerge my head underwater to see the cause of such force. I sight a long dark shadow. There were fins on either side of the shadow. It was following the trail of blood I left. My eyes widen in horror as the creature makes a sudden turn in the opposite direction. It swims up and I manage to get a glint of its appearance. Serrated, stained teeth. Obsidian, black eyes. A face that wishes nothing more than pain and sorrow. It swims in my direction and I begin to swim away from it. I speed up my pace as I see its shadow right beneath me. My legs and arms work in coordination and splash the water maniacally. I feel my heartbeat accelerate and so do I. The creature is beneath me and I’m close to losing energy. My legs start cramping and my arms start to feel numb. I feel its presence right behind me. I urge my body to keep on moving until a whirlwind of pain stabs me in my Achilles. I turn my head to look at my foot and see the creature gnawing at it like some dog toy! Its teeth sink deeper and deeper into my skin. I try and shake my foot from its grasp until my knee feels the exact same pain. The creature is swallowing me whole! My entire leg! I can’t move any of my legs. A pool of blood surrounds my lifeless body. My entire body is enveloped with my blood. I guess I wasn’t alone after all.