Threatening waves crash over me,

they pound the life out of me.

 

I hear what seems to be

screams in the distance,

 

But it’s me.

My voice crying out for help.

 

A deep abyss hovers beneath my feet,

drawing me to its awaiting embrace.

 

I am enclosed in a watery jail,

devoid of air.

 

My body convulses,

choking on nothing,

 

My tongue thrusts forward;

finding nothing.

 

My chest is being crushed

making it a struggle to breathe.

 

My lungs plead for air,

but receive none.

 

Bitterness fills my mouth,

salty water flows over my tongue.

 

My limbs are here,

but the arctic water has numbed them.

 

My body frantically battles the waves,

attempting to stay afloat.

 

My heart pounds against my chest,

crying for safety, for rest.

 

I struggle,

trying to rise above the current.

 

My mind is in overdrive,

I am reminded of the life I once lived.

 

The fingers of the deep wrap around my legs,

pulling me into a deathly grasp.

 

Glancing around, I see nothing,

a murky darkness envelops me.

 

I desperately reach upwards,

this is it.

 

All is lost.

My family will never know what happened to me.

 

I wish I had been better.

I wish I told them... I love them.

 

My hand connects with something wooden,

something tangible, something solid.

 

My heart lifts, I have found a saving grace,

a lifeline, a safe house.

 

I grapple to grab onto it,

at last; my prayers are answered.

 

One final effort,

I pull myself out of the never ending waves.

 

My lungs forcibly

remove all of the ocean.

 

I am released from the watery cage,

the watery grave.

 

I have never known how precious air is

until now.

 

Each breath is worth more than gold,

each breath is a soothing massage to my aching body.

 

I am safe,

I am alive.

 

I will see my family again.

I can make all my wrongs right.

 

I stare up at the stars, little pinholes into heaven,

they shine a light to guide the way for lost wanderers.

 

The moon shines,

the man hidden in it grins devilishly at me.

 

Eyes tell me I’m not out of hell yet,

his plastered smile looks down upon me.

 

Crashing waves and labored breathing.

I drift into a land of unconsciousness.

 

Throughout the endless night,

black fades to grey and back to black again.

 

I am awakened abruptly.

a cold dose of reality splashes my face.

 

The golden sun floats upon the horizon,

as if trying to decide its course for the day.

 

Off in the distance a lone wave grows,

coming fast.

 

Foam surrounds me,

it fills my nostrils, it flings me end over end.

 

My safe house flips on its side;

I am once again submerged into the unknown depths.

 

A shiver ripples over me

quickly invading me.

 

I frantically swim upwards,

reliving the horrors of the night before.

 

A tug on my leg,

beckoning to me, calling my name.

 

I am curious,

I am compelled.

 

What could be so inviting,

so wonderful in the murky abyss?

 

A voice enchants me,

drawing me near.

 

I don’t look back,

I don’t dare hold back.

 

I panic as I try to draw a breath.

My lungs fill with water.  I choke.

 

Unable to breathe,

my grip on life is sliding.

 

I look up and from the deep I see a shadow,

one promising hope.

 

I call out, I scream,

a gurgled cry escapes my lips.

 

Bubbles rise as I begin to slowly fall,

sinking into a bottomless chasm.

 

A slim form dives into the water,

black fills the corners of my vision.

 

Hand stretched out reaching

in desperation.

 

Please save me,

save me, save me...

 

Holding me close,

embracing my lifeless body.

 

The strength assures me,

I am ever-present in your sufferings.

 

I open my eyes.

I see Saving Grace.

 

His brown eyes

bear the weight of the world,

 

With a love

deeper than the ocean of my despair.

 

I fall into a deep sleep,

dreaming of nothing.

 

Immeasurable time passes,

my sense of time dissipates.

 

Waking slowly,

the crystalline blue sky floats above me.

 

The air leaves

a sweet film upon my lips.

 

I breathe deep,

my lungs are filled.

 

I snuggle into my blankets

as I exhale.

 

I am home.

I am free.