Depth

Breathe in, breathe out

The sea rolls on the wetted sand

Froth spilling onto my feet, trickling between my toes

It withdraws again, perhaps frightened

I usher it back, coaxing it with open hands

And a smile

The tide meets me again as I wade in.

I skim the water with my fingers, breaking the crystal surface in four rows

To fill back whole again

The dusty floor dips, I submerge

My eyes adjust as I continue

Breathe in, breathe out

The water feels nice, cool and languid

A fish skirts quickly over my head, I glance up,

Too late.

I sigh, the waves rolling far above

Crabs scuttle around my feet

The sand rising up in puffs

Breathe in, breathe out

I wander the sea floor

Bent Rays of sun filtering down

A shadow passes over

I gasp

A spotted giant lazily drifts overhead

The whale shark seems unworried,

The light dancing off its skin

Breathe in, breathe out

As the depth increases, it gets harder to

Breathe.

The cold murkiness gives me unease

A bioluminescent fish emerges from the depths

Pale, lifeless eyes searching the darkness

Mouth gaping

Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in

A knot coils in my throat

Suffocating

The inky blackness seemingly hungry

I shouldn't go any farther

But I must

Breathe in, breathe out, in, out, in

Flashing towards me, a wide maw stretches, teeth glistening

Frantically, I break stride

Reality pushing down.

I begin to feel water gushing into mouth my vision fading

I claw the water

Breathe in, more water

Gasping, I flail, only to wake up

with my pillow over my head.