She Pushed Me

The sound of bare feet against wet leaves and tree branches being swatted aside as I ran - ran from life - could scarcely be made out through the pounding of the rain. I was cold, I was soaked through with ice cold water and I wanted very much for it to be over.

As the trees finally thinned out and the lake came into view, I slowed my pace down until I was standing still, teeth chattering violently in my mouth, and squeezed my eyes shut.

This was it; it was now or never. If I ever wanted a chance at freedom - freedom by my standards - than now was the time to take it. The air gave a gust of wind, sending my nightdress and hair into a heated frenzy. It seemed to urge me on, push me toward the numbing pool of ice that would ultimately choose my fate.

Opening my eyes, I took a step forward. So close, yet still so far away. Just then, ere minutes before my time was up, doubt reared its ugly head. What if I could be something better, do something better? What if this was not how things were supposed to be, like I so often told myself? What if I was meant to live?

Heaving a breathy cry, I shut my eyes again and spun around. What happened after that was all so fast it was as if things were moving in slow motion, one after the other, much like a movie. My eyes opened and instantly recognized a human - an unfamiliar human - in front of me. Her hands came up, out toward me. My mouth opened to object, but nothing came out. So instead, I shut my eyes and waited.

The sound came on again. It was like everything had been muted, but was now at full blast. Heavy rain hitting the ground could be heard and softly, if you listened hard, you could also hear the sound of something plunging into the water. Hard.

Me.

She pushed me.

My mind didn't understand what was going on. Everything around me was blurry and ice cold. I couldn't swim, I never learned. It was deep. I tried to call for help, but when I opened my mouth the water just gushed in.

I knew what was happening even before my body did; I was drowning, soon to be dead. I wondered what life after death was like. I wondered if there was such a thing as heaven or hell. I wondered what the people in my city would think, when they would find me, if that girl would get in trouble.

And as my thoughts slowly came to a halt and my vision went black, I looked up to see if she was still there, and she was smiling.