[Dart]

This was written for Blue’s Fear thread, but ended up too long for there: http://www.jabcomix....?num=1146525360 I’ve always had a fear of . . .

Drowning

   He was just going fishing. He knew he should have broken in the new boots he was wearing, but the mouth-watering taste of broiled bass with Dijon and peppercorn sauce spurred him on. Now he was cautiously making his way along the icy boards of the long old dock
    Nearing the end, something distracted him, a splash in the water behind him. They were biting close to shore today. As he turned to see the source of the sound, he lost his footing and slipped. It felt like he was falling in slow motion, rod and reel going one way and the tackle box with its carrying strap another.
    He broke an arm and two ribs as he slammed against the edge of the dock, but that wasn’t what he felt when he found himself in the water. Instead, he was gripped by the stabbing pain of the icy cold as he sank. Somehow the strap of the heavy tackle box had cinched itself on one of his new boots and was rapidly pulling him towards the bottom of the deep, mountain lake.
    He tried to reach to free the strap, but his body could not bend and his arm would not respond. His sodden winter clothes made movement impossible. Deeper and deeper he sank as his lungs screamed for air. He held his breath as long as he could before he exhaled, trying to buy time to free himself. Then his lungs started to burn for oxygen.
    He desperately fought the urge to inhale. He knew that there was none to be found, but the instinct to breathe was too strong and panic was quickly taking over. He clawed for the surface, but this only made the instinct stronger as his throat tightened in his last grasp at hope.
    At last, his lungs won the battle and he gasped for air, but found only water. He coughed and wretched, trying to expel the foreign intrusion, then gasped and wretched again and again, each weaker than the last. Terror set in as he strained against his tether, kicking and shaking to free himself, but it was in vain.
    His vision narrowed as he desperately looked to the surface, so far away now, in the hope of rescue, but knew none was coming. A strange calm fell upon him, and he thought of his wife and children, now grown. With his last twitch of life, he heard his father say, “Let go, son,” then felt himself surrounded by comforting voices as darkness settled over him and he floated free.

Dart
05/02/06

[jaded_blue]

Very beautiful Dart....I could believe I was there.

Blue

[piaz]

verry nice dart. :-* :-* :-*




pi

[bdtiger]

Horrible way to go, but a great story. Very visceral. Nicely done!!!

[_Scribbleskillz_]

powerful... well done, my friend.

Scribs