Dat da da DAAa, Short Story Friday!
A Dangerous Beauty
by Madi
It was the second day, second day since the storm. The storm was strong, causing the sea to douse the shores in an onslaught of waves. The first day I swam, I swam with my sister and dad, he warned me to be careful. Even the best swimmers can drown…
I had it all timed perfectly, I knew the pattern of the waves, so I wait for the last possible moment, as the thundering white waves near me I hear the sound of a hundred horses stampeding across a valley, it grows louder the nearer the waves get. They are inches away, I hold in as much air as I can, and dive. The menacing white rapids roll harmlessly above my head, looking up I see a white blur as it storms by me, I watch the undertow, it spins around creating little funnels, I wish I had a camera with me. I am almost out of air, and struggle to the surface. The seas top is covered in bubbly sea foam. I marvel at the beauty of the coming waves, each one dazzling me with sprays of warm salt water. I relax for a moment, and that's all it took. I didn't notice the mammoth of a wave that came at me, I have barely enough time to gulp my last breath of air before I was thrown under, my body slammed and pummeled by the waves. They are so strong that my mask is glued to my face; I could feel it sucking at my skin. My fins ripped off, mercilessly, I spun deeper and deeper into this wave. I grappled for the surface; before I could reach it another wave spun me farther down. I was losing air rapidly. I could feel my body beginning to panic. My head surfaces and I take in as much sweet air as I can. My eyes are stinging and I can't make out the shore. All around me tall waves hide everything but the sky from view. I try to swim forward but I am being sucked back, I am at that dangerous point, where the sea reclaims its gift to the shore. My one flipper flops uselessly, the water isn't so warm and beautiful anymore; it’s cold, icy, and deadly. I try and put myself back together, taking deep breaths and swimming for all its worth. The water is a dangerous place, I was learning this in ways I never imagined I would. The minutes slowly ticked by as I swam for the shore; sometimes I didn’t seem to be getting anywhere. I could see the shore now; a few people pointed and stared. I was floundering, constantly looking over my shoulder, watchful of the waves. A wave five feet tall came rushing towards me, I ducked under. Felt its power as it surged forward; surfacing my burning eyes spotted something blue floating on the foam before me. My goggles were full of salt water. I quickly emptied them to see that it was my flipper. Grasping for it I took it gratefully, shoving it back on my foot. What seemed like a lifetime later, I made it to the shore.
I wasn’t as strong as I thought I was.
I could have died.
He warned me.
But I didn’t stay focused.
Beauty is a dangerous thing.
pictures all taken in Sardinia, Italy. The day after a huge storm
the waves were crazy big man.
I climbed into the top of that tower
watch tower, it was pretty neatI walked from way down there on the shore, far right side of the picture. Every morning I walked up to this point.
The spray could go as high as 3 floors! and that's whats seen in this picture, it was another 3 floors down to the water.
Pretty beautiful huh?
See the spray coming up on the side of the rock?
my footprints heh heh
I would love to go back....
First day when we all went out.
I don't know if you can see us, but we are wayyyy out there.
Reducto! He looks like such a potter head :p
smaller waves near the shore.
Brooke, our model heh.
Thanks for reading!
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