A Sweet Angel

I paddled out into the dark watery expanse,
adorned in only a jaded swimsuit,
in the bright sunshine of a hot afternoon.
I should have avoided this,
knowing of my proclivity for dangerous situations,
but nonetheless, we paddled out, my friend upon my back,
knowing not how to swim, I swam for the both of us.
Into the deep end we swam, avoiding all signs of danger.

I stepped off the ocean ledge and fell.
Frantically trying to stay above water,
my friend grabbed the rope and pushed my head under with all her strength.
Gasping for air, struggling madly to fill my lungs,
I fade out and fall into a dream of serenity.
I am suddenly lifted by a sweet angel,
pulling me towards a strange world
where strong emotions are absent,
war is a foreign concept,
time is virtually nonexistent.
Life is at a standstill.

My mind flutters back to reality.
My eyes remain closed as I sink into the warm sand and imagine the beautiful calm waters of the beach I lie on.
I open my eyes and see children playing in the water,
splashing about, enjoying themselves.
A far cry from my ideal.