Those Who Choose to Drown

Rings

The sun shone through my cracked window as the birds sang their endless song. "Stupid birds", I muttered to myself as I sat up in my bed. Each morning they picked a new song to sing in hopes of aiding to a worse day than I expected. My feet hit the floor instantly, so I can slam my window closed. Each time I do this the birds fly away in fear I'll one day attempt to catch and make some type of soup out of them. The thought has crossed my mind just a few times. Something about waking up with no birds singing in your ear makes bird stew all the more desirable.

The window closes and I gather my clothes to get ready for another day. My plans for today consisted of more cliff jumping. Maybe, this time will be enough of an adrenaline rush to satisfy my curiosity, of just how far you can force yourself to enjoy the water, before it becomes too much. I clasp my necklace in the back just beneath my hair. Moments before I walked out my house for the last time I took my mom and dads rings. If they can't be together here, then their rings might as well be. My moms ring had a beautiful green crystal at the peak of its design, surrounding this glittering gem was a gold band to protect and keep it in place. My dad always had the best taste in jewelry regarding my mother. My fathers ring however only consisted of a gold band, he never felt it necessary for his love to be flashy, only something they held between the two of them.

I never appreciated what they had until I realized I wouldn't have enough time to recreate it.

I open the door to my shack only to catch a traced line through the dirt. The tire marks created were skinny and could only be imagined as a bike. Instantly the brown haired girl from yesterday came to mind. The bike she rode came from within the forest. What could be with her time beyond these trees? I must say curiosity can overcome any man. With this I started following the grooved pattern of her silly bike through the trees.

I finally found what she knew if that was part of my knowledge. A beautiful lake sat in front of me with a bridge partially covered in the glistening water. The sun reflected off the ripples giving it a glittering look. Nothing could make me more amazed. I had grown an appreciation for the water after I started swimming but that was all. This was what being loved looked like and anyone viewing it could recognize that. The way the gras kissed the water in their meeting place, the way the bridge gave itself away to the water as the water in return supported it up. The trees gave shadow to a small grass area the bike marks lead to. So, she must watch the water too?

Setting my tuff down in the shaded area I instantly ran for the water. Nothing could hold me back from a memory like this. The water filled the gaps around me as I let myself sink deeper and deeper into the beautiful lake I was once staring at. It felt as perfect as it looked. The thoughts dissolved away as my body melted into the water giving itself away.

I held myself there for some time until I heard ringing. My peace was momentarily interrupted as I heard the ring of a bike nearby. For only a few seconds I wondered what could be approaching , but then I remembered the brown haired girl knew of this place before I did. With slight excitement in my stomach I propelled myself up and through the water. My head peaked out the surface as I watched her confusion. She was staring at my bg probably wondering who had come to disturb her haven. "Hey, don't touch that", I shouted as she picked up my necklace. Jumping from the water I went to snatch it from her hands. She was shy, anyone could tell from the look in her eye. In the sweetest honey-like tone she spoke to me, "sorry I was just admiring. I didn't know anyone else came out here. I can just go". She turned to leave and had it been any other moment or person I would have let them go gladly, but something stopped me that day. "Stop, don't go. I don't see any reason we can share this spot". She turned back towards me but didn't say a word. Something about her not gracing with her voice made my stomach drop.

What was happening to me? Why should I care if this girl speaks to me? Yet, she finally placed her hand to my arm and said a soft "thank you", as she laid her bike down to sit in the grass.

I went back to the water just dipping my feet in, this time, in fear I might scare her off with my quick movements.