And with that talent of swimming, came the ocean. It all started when she turned 12. Her parents would bring her to the nearby beach every single weekend, and send her off to have fun. They would watch from afar as she drifted up and down in the tide, gliding and propelling forward so smoothly, one would think she was a seal.
Each time they went, they noticed the girl would swim farther and farther away from the sand. Farther and farther, each time, a few 20 or so meters, 40 or so more meters. They would smile fondly and murmur, born for the water she was. The audience on the beach would whisper among themselves about the rising star of a swimmer, a girl born for greatness, a daring young girl who was brave and strong enough to swim so far into the sea.
What they never seemed to notice was that afterwards, each time, it would get harder and harder for the girl to swim back. She would gasp for air, choke of the salty water, her muscles straining, her will fading. She would beg the skies above for someone, anyone, to give her a hand, to reach out. But her cries fell to deaf ears and shallow minds.
Eventually, the ocean, so tempting, so beautiful, and so mysterious for most, dragged the girl deep into it's embrace, which, sadly, was too deep. No one noticed. They all thought that she had simply swam farther, much farther, than usual, so it was taking a longer time.
About 2 hours after she had long been sedated by the lovely azure sea, they began to fret. They thought, maybe she had already returned, and was off somewhere resting. Or maybe, she never went into the waters at all. Maybe someone took her away. Either way, they looked everywhere on land. They never once thought of the waters once they turned their empty heads.
3 days after the incident, the ocean gently rolled her out again, out on to warm, golden sand, as if a tiny child rolling a snowman's body around. They found her 30 minutes later.
2 weeks after she had been found, they had a funeral for her. On her gravestone, they generously wrote,
A Talented Lady Destined for the Stars
The Waves were Just too Strong for her That Day
May She Swim in the Heavens Forever
Elsewhere, that young girl was floating, laughing at their stupidity. Yes, because it had all been the waves' fault, hadn't it. Always the waves, never the eyes that slid right over her. A satirical grin twisted onto her face. A swimmer huh. More like a drown-er. Yes. She was definitely never, ever, ever, a swimmer. She had just been unlucky enough to have the waters help her float.
She laughed again, and left them to be. They'd never figure it out anyways. They never do.
R.I.P.
Our Loving Amabel
Drowned at Sea
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This short piece represents life and the hardships of life. The girl, Amabel, represents those who act strong, but really, are drowning in life, those who desperately need a hand, but are ignored. The other people, such as the adults, represent everyone who sees "strong" people as strong people who don't need help. And of course, the ocean and waves represents the many obstacles in and life itself.
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