RePLing

Hopeless

Alfred was getting closer to the source of the light.
He was completely exhausted by his long arduous journey.
Far behind the light, the echoes of booms and bangs sounded.
Out of the corner of his eye, Alfred saw an elongated black shape moving underneath him.
He opened his mouth and hissed.
The long shape suddenly turned and darted upwards, spearing Alfred and launching him into the air.
Alfred spiralled through the air and landed back in the water with a splash.
The tip of the black shape smashed into him again, propelling him through the water.
As the creature prepared to attack again, Alfred quickly darted towards it and wrapped himself around it.
The thing thing went into a frenzy, bucking, jolting and jumping in and out of the water.
Alfred clung on for dear life, not daring to relax his body even a little bit in fear of falling off.
Without a warning the creature opened its wide jaws and snapped at Alfred, causing the terrified snake to fall off.
The creature swam downwards, disappearing beneath the deep, dark waters.
The disoriented snake shook his head vigorously and looked around.
He noticed that he was closer to the blinking light than when the thing, whatever it was, attacked him.
Without a second thought, Alfred headed for the light, which for now was the only place he could for sure be safe.
He didn't want to find out what else lived underneath the water, at least not now.
Alfred gathered all the energy he had in left in his body and started swimming again.
The bangs and booms were getting closer and closer, but he guessed that the light was not the source of the loud sounds, because it was too close for the booms to be this faint.
Alfred estimated the distance between himself and the light to be around a couple hundred feet.
He hoped that for the last remaining distance between him and the light no scary black shapes would ambush him again.

After a long swim, Alfred arrived at the mysterious light. It turned out to be at the top of a bright red buoy.
Alfred slithered out of the water and onto the small surface of the buoy.
He coiled up, closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep that he felt he deserved after this demanding day.