Warm days meant nothing when there was a soothing body of water close
by. They went swimming all the time, Helena and Donny. Post-pubescent kids
who weren't as much into looking at each other in bathing suits as they
were into just finding some sort of exciting activity in small town
America.
Helena often times had epiphanies while lying on her back, staring at the sky. Most of the time it was blue with fluffy white clouds. She wasn't opposed to go out during a rainstorm though, surrounded by water, being pelted with water. Small wonder she was born a Pisces.
This particular day was the first day it was warm enough to go swimming. A lack of common sense made them not realize that the lake floor had shifted over the winter, and what was once shallow enough to swim safely in, was no longer so safe.
And Donny never could swim very strongly. He never felt the need to develop a strong technique. They were quite content to just wade or float all day long. Helena found and marked the infernal spot which would be Donny's undoing, and they never ventured there.
This particular day, Helena was counting off her lofty ideas, her goals that could never be accomplished, her dreams that didn't really make any sense. All because Donny would listen. He took pride in the fact and thought that someone would confide in him. He cherished the feeling of belonging, of being important.
"I know I'll somehow change the world!" Helena exclaimed.
Donny nodded. "I know you will," he assured, probably just humoring her, yet also trying to be supportive. He felt he could not just simply listen, he had to give something back.
Helena, still on her back. The ways of the world were a beautiful thing. She felt extremely lucky to be able to lay there, almost infantile, it what seemed to be a never ending cycle of being rocked back and forth by waves created from passing boats. Helena supposed she should have been feeling angry at something, but it was impossible. Not on days like these. Why waste your life on such thoughts, she figured. She just could not foresee sacrificing the joy of pure and utter happiness.
A tired cliché: all good things must come to an end.
Helena marked the spot that Donny was never to go. That was last summer. This summer, the drop off point was further inland.
Donny had ventured there. The first thing Helena heard was a slight, very slight, splash of water. Donny had gone under. Just playing? That's what she thought, until she saw him flailing, gasping for breath. Then she realized what exactly had happened.
Helena froze in her spot. Why couldn't she just move?
Finally, she did. She got to Donny, his eyes wide with terror. She was there in time, she thought, she could save him. "It's ok," She said aloud. But could Donny really here her?
Helena grabbed him, forgetting she wasn't a very strong woman, and she would have a hard time carrying Donny in her arms when there was no ground to stand on. They both became submerged. The water wasn't so friendly anymore. Despite the summer warmth, it was icy. Perhaps it was simply the feeling that death was near. Helena struggled to bring herself and her friend to the surface. Water rushed into her mouth.
Inside her mind, she cried out. She had to get to the surface. Not for her, for her friend. Donny was so innocent. He didn't deserve this. He wasn't going to die from a simple mistake, he would die old and satisfied with his life. He would eventually come to remember this day and feel fortunate that he had lived.
Helena's own life flashed before her. She had hopes for the sake of Donny, and she could only hope the same for herself.
An hour later, the companions were not celebrating their triumph. Donny was not giving thanks for being saved. Helena was at the hospital, and she had just received word that Donny would not survive.
Helena often times had epiphanies while lying on her back, staring at the sky. Most of the time it was blue with fluffy white clouds. She wasn't opposed to go out during a rainstorm though, surrounded by water, being pelted with water. Small wonder she was born a Pisces.
This particular day was the first day it was warm enough to go swimming. A lack of common sense made them not realize that the lake floor had shifted over the winter, and what was once shallow enough to swim safely in, was no longer so safe.
And Donny never could swim very strongly. He never felt the need to develop a strong technique. They were quite content to just wade or float all day long. Helena found and marked the infernal spot which would be Donny's undoing, and they never ventured there.
This particular day, Helena was counting off her lofty ideas, her goals that could never be accomplished, her dreams that didn't really make any sense. All because Donny would listen. He took pride in the fact and thought that someone would confide in him. He cherished the feeling of belonging, of being important.
"I know I'll somehow change the world!" Helena exclaimed.
Donny nodded. "I know you will," he assured, probably just humoring her, yet also trying to be supportive. He felt he could not just simply listen, he had to give something back.
Helena, still on her back. The ways of the world were a beautiful thing. She felt extremely lucky to be able to lay there, almost infantile, it what seemed to be a never ending cycle of being rocked back and forth by waves created from passing boats. Helena supposed she should have been feeling angry at something, but it was impossible. Not on days like these. Why waste your life on such thoughts, she figured. She just could not foresee sacrificing the joy of pure and utter happiness.
A tired cliché: all good things must come to an end.
Helena marked the spot that Donny was never to go. That was last summer. This summer, the drop off point was further inland.
Donny had ventured there. The first thing Helena heard was a slight, very slight, splash of water. Donny had gone under. Just playing? That's what she thought, until she saw him flailing, gasping for breath. Then she realized what exactly had happened.
Helena froze in her spot. Why couldn't she just move?
Finally, she did. She got to Donny, his eyes wide with terror. She was there in time, she thought, she could save him. "It's ok," She said aloud. But could Donny really here her?
Helena grabbed him, forgetting she wasn't a very strong woman, and she would have a hard time carrying Donny in her arms when there was no ground to stand on. They both became submerged. The water wasn't so friendly anymore. Despite the summer warmth, it was icy. Perhaps it was simply the feeling that death was near. Helena struggled to bring herself and her friend to the surface. Water rushed into her mouth.
Inside her mind, she cried out. She had to get to the surface. Not for her, for her friend. Donny was so innocent. He didn't deserve this. He wasn't going to die from a simple mistake, he would die old and satisfied with his life. He would eventually come to remember this day and feel fortunate that he had lived.
Helena's own life flashed before her. She had hopes for the sake of Donny, and she could only hope the same for herself.
An hour later, the companions were not celebrating their triumph. Donny was not giving thanks for being saved. Helena was at the hospital, and she had just received word that Donny would not survive.