Blurred Reality

Chap. 34

Caught in an Undertow

"Criss, what's wrong with you tonight? You look depressed or something?" Amelia questioned as we both walked hand in hand down the beaches sandy board walk and back towards the hotel.

I shrugged, trying to ignore the guilty feeling that was still eating away in the back of my mind. "I'm fine, I'm sorry. I was just thinking."

"Thinking about?" She pried with a grin smeared on her face, "It better not be about that cab driver who nearly ran us off the road earlier… he was an ass."

I laughed lightly. "No, not him. Just thinking about some bullshit really."

Earlier that evening I had attempted to make up for our interrupted date the other night by taking her out on a romantic dinner and a walk on the beach together but so far, my mind was still doing flips over what happened with Melissa.

"Hey, what time is it?" Amelia asked curiously glancing back towards the empty beach.

"Hold on, let me check…" I fumbled through my pockets for my cell phone and came up empty handed.

Shit… Had I really left it laying in the sand?

"Damn it! I think I left my phone back on the beach where we were sitting." I cussed.

Amelia shook her head rather apologetically. "Oh no! Come on, I'll help you go look for it."

"This day has been crazy, first insane cab drivers and then this, I'm sorry." I rambled as we both briskly turned around and headed back towards the water front.

"It's okay, shit happens." She giggled lightly. "Do you remember how far we were down on the beach front, because I really don't remember where we sat down?"

I shrugged. "I haven't no idea. If it wasn't for all of the numbers that I need in the phone, it really wouldn't be that big of a deal. I think we were more West." I pointed to my right and she followed my lead.

After fifteen minutes of starring down at nothing but random rocks, sand and sea shells I was about to call it quiets when she offered, "Hey, what if I call your phone from my cell?"

"Oh, yeah! That's a good idea!" I smiled.

Why in the hell didn't I think of that myself?

Amelia pulled out her cell phone and I told her the number. It took her nearly 9 redials until we finally saw a tiny blue flash blinking off in the sand about 12 feet ahead.

"I think we found it!" She hung up her phone as I picked mine off and dusted it off against my shorts.

"Whew! It's not even wet. Thanks for thinking of that." I replied.

"Sure thing… you really are out of it tonight aren't you?" She shot me a raised eyebrow and added, "the Criss I know is WAY more creative than I am."

I chuckled, "Yeah, well… we all have our off days, right?"

Amelia took a step closer to me and placed her hands on my chest. "I know exactly what you need right now."

My heart stalled for a moment, not too sure what her next move was going to be. "W-what's that?"

Her hand reached downward for my phone and tossed it back onto the sandy beach along with hers. "Come on, I dare you to jump in the ocean with me."

"Right now? You're kidding? It's probably freezing!" I exclaimed as felt her tug on my bicep.

"It'll get your mind off of whatever is bothering you…" She insisted. "Are you scared?"

"Well, no… I'm not scared. To be honest with you Amelia, I really hate water." I replied hesitantly as she dragged me to edge of the shore.

Her face distorted into a confused glance, the moonlight exaggerating her facial features. "What?! YOU hate water? Seriously, now you're pulling my leg! If I'm not mistaken you're the same Criss Angel who locks himself underwater in steel boxes and handcuffs, correct?"

With a slow nod I replied, "Yes… I mean well, that's work. I do a lot of shit at work that I'm really not fond of. I've nearly drown so many times Amelia, I couldn't count… so when it doesn't have to do with a stunt practice or just chillin' on a boat or in a pool, I really like to steer clear. Odd logic I know."

Amelia sighed and clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. "Well, don't you always also say that you need to face your fears?"

"Okay, okay… I'll go in with you… but if it's cold as hell, I'm getting straight out!" I quickly picked her up and ran as fast I could into the dark ocean. The moment the water leveled above my waist it took my breath away. I was right it was just as icy cold as I had expected. Amelia screamed, clinging onto my back and I hoped in the back of mind that she wouldn't let go since the heat of her body was protecting my upper half from the frigid waves.

"Holy shit!" Amelia giggled as I dunked her down lower into the water. "Okay, I admit it! I was wrong! You were right!"

"I can't hear you my ears are frozen!" I joked as we both held onto one another tighter.

"It's not THAT bad!" She pushed down on my shoulders causing me to dunk lower down towards the bottom of the ocean floor. My foot took a step backward, trying to search for shallow sand but to my surprise it dropped off down beneath me about 4 feet. Instantly my mind clicking alerting me of all the stories I had heard about undertows. A large wave crashed down between us and Amelia peel off of me. Through watery eyes I saw Amelia sink down underwater and that's when I began to panic.

"Amelia!" I shouted, my voice choppy from the waves ridding against my chest. "Come on, that's not even funny right now!"

About a minute elapsed and I found myself frantically scanning the water around me. "Amelia?!"

I knew that I could hold my breath for a long duration of time but even surpassing a minute was more than what most average people could do.

I dove down underneath the blue-black ocean and concentrated on trying to feel my way around rather than focus my eyesight. There was no use of even trying to see, everything was completely hazy and the salt water stung my eyes shut anyway. I had no idea how long I was searching blindly through water, possibly 30 seconds, maybe 3 minutes, who knows but however long it was it seemed like an eternity before I felt a large mass of hair brush against my finger tips. I swam closer, my arms wide open in front of me, wishing for once that it was me drowning again, that it was my hair someone else was reaching for and my arms they were pulling out from the stubborn undertow…

Amelia's body laid flat on the sandy beach, her arms limply sprawled out at her sides. Her skin was just as Melissa had once described it, a horrible shade of grayish-blue. The color someone gets when they are completely lacking oxygen. My heart was pounding so hard I wasn't even sure I myself was alive anymore.

"Come on Amelia! Hang in there honey!" I cried as I pounded on her chest for the 7th time in a row.

I hadn't done CPR since high school, shit, I really hoped to God I was doing this right.

Lord, Jesus if you can hear me now…

I breathed deeply into her mouth again as I rapped on her chest.

I swear to you, if you wake this girl up… please, God.

Amelia coughed against my lips and I pulled away with an loud sigh of relief.

"Amelia! Oh thank God! AMELIA!" I exclaimed as I helped her sit her up.

"Mar-" She began to speak but was cut off by her our lungs wheezing up water.

"It's okay, you're okay…" I gently rubbed her back and kissed her forehead.

Her eyes widely scanned through mine. "M-Marsha." She muttered weakly. "Marsha…"

My eyebrow raised slightly, "What?"

"She tried to kill me."

Marsha? Why did that name sound so familiar?

"You need to rest Amelia… it's going to be okay." I assured her as I pulled her against my chest. My eyes scanned the over the ocean, a small shiver running down my spine as I remembered the ironic name of Melissa's deceased best friend.

Oh my God… this couldn't be happening.