The Price of Forgiveness
By: Ruse
See Chapter 1 for summary and disclaimer
Chapter 3: Tears That Angels Weep
As a child, Ephram's mother forced him into swimming lessons, bent on making him a proficient swimmer. And he was. He could pull off laps of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, even butterfly, without faltering, and once had even considered joining the swim team.
None of that was helping him now.
The lake water, even in the spring, was freezing, thanks in part to the surrounding mountains and their run-off of melting snow. At first, the icy cold had stabbed into his body, making it difficult to move and breathe, but the numb feeling that replaced the pain was, in a way, much worse. No matter how hard he pumped his arms and legs, the shore remained tantalizingly out of reach, and, not for the first time, Ephram doubted his decision to abandon the boat.
"What if I don't make it?" thought Ephram idly, his mind oddly calm and detached for someone contemplating death. "I wonder what'll happen to Dad and Delia.they'll probably move again.maybe to somewhere warmer, like L.A. Hard to freeze to death in L.A."
At this point all technique was forsaken, his arms and legs dragging like lead weights, each movement a chore. Above him, the first faint stars were appearing in the crystalline twilight.
"He'll blame himself, of course, though it wasn't his fault. It was mine. It was always mine. If mom hadn't.Mom. Maybe I'll get to see her again, if I get to heaven. She always did say my playing was like angels dancing on the keys."
It was getting harder to concentrate, his thoughts blending and fading away as quickly as they came, and it was becoming impossible to keep his eyes open.
Ephram jerked awake as his knee scraped against something hard, inhaling a mouthful of lake water in the process. It took him a second to process what had happened, and even longer to realize what it meant.
"Oh thank God," he choked out, scrambling to get on shore. But his body refused to cooperate as he clawed desperately at the bank, the silt slipping from under his stiff fingers, his numb feet gaining no purchase on the rocks. A wild sob rose in his throat-he'd come too far to be denied now.
"Help me! Please!" Ephram rasped, using every last bit of energy to scream for help, knowing that he couldn't save himself.
He stopped struggling. It was hopeless. There was no way anyone was within hearing distance, and he just couldn't get his body to move. His eyelids were growing heavy again, and this time he let himself succumb to the exhaustion.
A clear thought pierced his mind as he sank back into the water.
"All because you wouldn't listen, had to be a rebel. You can't blame this on anyone but yourself."
A familiar voice filtered through the haze of Ephram's mind, but he couldn't hold on any longer. He let go, and the darkness rolled in.
***Author's Note***
::duh duh duh:: Cue Music of Drama
Yeah, seems a bit rushed, doesn't it? Honestly, I'm not sure I'm even going to continue the fic, unless there is some wild demand for it. So tell me what you think. Thanks again to my reviewers, especially to rofro05 (told you I'd post it today!).
By: Ruse
See Chapter 1 for summary and disclaimer
Chapter 3: Tears That Angels Weep
As a child, Ephram's mother forced him into swimming lessons, bent on making him a proficient swimmer. And he was. He could pull off laps of freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, even butterfly, without faltering, and once had even considered joining the swim team.
None of that was helping him now.
The lake water, even in the spring, was freezing, thanks in part to the surrounding mountains and their run-off of melting snow. At first, the icy cold had stabbed into his body, making it difficult to move and breathe, but the numb feeling that replaced the pain was, in a way, much worse. No matter how hard he pumped his arms and legs, the shore remained tantalizingly out of reach, and, not for the first time, Ephram doubted his decision to abandon the boat.
"What if I don't make it?" thought Ephram idly, his mind oddly calm and detached for someone contemplating death. "I wonder what'll happen to Dad and Delia.they'll probably move again.maybe to somewhere warmer, like L.A. Hard to freeze to death in L.A."
At this point all technique was forsaken, his arms and legs dragging like lead weights, each movement a chore. Above him, the first faint stars were appearing in the crystalline twilight.
"He'll blame himself, of course, though it wasn't his fault. It was mine. It was always mine. If mom hadn't.Mom. Maybe I'll get to see her again, if I get to heaven. She always did say my playing was like angels dancing on the keys."
It was getting harder to concentrate, his thoughts blending and fading away as quickly as they came, and it was becoming impossible to keep his eyes open.
Ephram jerked awake as his knee scraped against something hard, inhaling a mouthful of lake water in the process. It took him a second to process what had happened, and even longer to realize what it meant.
"Oh thank God," he choked out, scrambling to get on shore. But his body refused to cooperate as he clawed desperately at the bank, the silt slipping from under his stiff fingers, his numb feet gaining no purchase on the rocks. A wild sob rose in his throat-he'd come too far to be denied now.
"Help me! Please!" Ephram rasped, using every last bit of energy to scream for help, knowing that he couldn't save himself.
He stopped struggling. It was hopeless. There was no way anyone was within hearing distance, and he just couldn't get his body to move. His eyelids were growing heavy again, and this time he let himself succumb to the exhaustion.
A clear thought pierced his mind as he sank back into the water.
"All because you wouldn't listen, had to be a rebel. You can't blame this on anyone but yourself."
A familiar voice filtered through the haze of Ephram's mind, but he couldn't hold on any longer. He let go, and the darkness rolled in.
***Author's Note***
::duh duh duh:: Cue Music of Drama
Yeah, seems a bit rushed, doesn't it? Honestly, I'm not sure I'm even going to continue the fic, unless there is some wild demand for it. So tell me what you think. Thanks again to my reviewers, especially to rofro05 (told you I'd post it today!).