River River (short story)

I teased the water with pointed toes, dipping in out, in out. It teased back, glistening and glittering under the sun- inviting me in. I couldn't resist. I edged closer; mesmerised by the beauty of the river. I looked at my reflection, wavering in the ripples. A face I barely recognised stared back at me, analysing my face. I was almost sure that she wasn't my reflection, but a girl all of her own. There was such sadness in her eyes. A sadness that showed she so desperately wanted to breathe. To throw her head back, stretch her arms up wide, expand her lungs. And. Just. Breathe.

But in the same instance that she threw her head back it was caught in a tight grasp. She felt five rough fingertips caress her scalp. Her outstretched arms clasped in another hand. More rough fingertips. Her lungs compressed, imprisoned by her ribcage once again, as she felt herself pulled upwards into a tight embrace from behind. Suffocation. A suffocation she welcomed, but suffocation none the less.

The grip on her arms loosened, the fingers slipped down to her hand and intertwined with hers, spun her round and back into a tight embrace. She allowed his arms to slip round her back and nestled her face into his solid chest.

Back to reality. I could breathe some other time.