Lend Me Your
Heart
Forty-Two
The day before Christmas Eve, Zach and I went ice-skating on the
lake near our house.
There were a few other kids skating on it, so we assumed it was
safe.
Zach used Michael’s skates because they were the same shoe
size, and I used my own.
We walked there in our snow boots and changed once we got to the
shore.
Luckily, Zach already knew how to ice skate.
He was pretty good at it, too.
I incorporated a few dance tricks while I was sliding around,
making people gasp and point fingers.
I tried to teach Zach a few things, but it didn’t work out
very well.
“I’d rather have a race than learn how to
spin,” Zach gasped, nearly out of breath as he rested with
his hands on his knees.
“Challenge accepted,” I said with a competitive grin,
even though I knew he was going to win.
Zach drew a line in front of us with the end of his blade.
“That’s the starting line,” he said,
“Ready to get your butt kicked?”
“Oh, don’t be so sure of yourself,” I
laughed.
“Ready. Set. Go!” he yelled before taking off at the
speed of lightening, his legs moving with the grace of a
gazelle.
I was much further behind him, hoping to catch up sooner or later
even if I was already out of breath.
Suddenly, he turned past a few bushes that stretched out into the
lake and headed towards the bay, where the boats came in when the
water isn’t frozen.
The current was usually stronger there, so I knew the ice
wouldn’t be as thick.
It could easily be broken.
“Zach!” I called as he disappeared from my sight.
My heart sped up in my chest when he didn’t respond and I
tried desperately to skate faster.
“Zach! Stop!” I yelled again, my eyes watering with
fear.
I was far enough from shore now that there were no other people
near me.
If something happened, who would be there to help?
Then, when I’d finally picked up enough speed and turned
the corner behind the bushes, I saw Zach, skating along the
bay.
I sighed in relief once I saw he was still safe, but started to
panic again when I realized the ice could still break.
“Wait up!” I called. “Please!”
He could fall in at any second now.
The current underneath must be too strong to-
Suddenly, a cracking noise interrupted my thoughts.
My first thought was: This is it. He’s going to fall
in. I don’t know how I’ll save him. I’m no
lifeguard but I’ll have to find a way.
But, to my surprise, Zach wasn’t the one falling in.
The ice underneath me nearly cracked into a perfect circle, and
as I tried to push myself off with the heel of my skate, the ice
cracked further, causing a gigantic hole to appear beneath me as
I plunged below the icy surface.
I knew how to swim, of course, but when you’re panicking
and your clothes make your body feel a thousand times heavier and
help isn’t coming fast enough and your mittens keep sliding
of the edge of the ice, everything seems hopeless.
Suddenly, before I could even take a final breath, a wave of
water splashed over my head and I was under water again.
My body was numb.
The sensation was like something I’d never felt before and
something I never planned on feeling again.
But, as I swam back up towards the surface, my head hit something
hard.
Ice.
I put my hands above my head, searching for the hole in the icy
surface above me, but it was all solid.
Where was I?
Where was I supposed to swim if I ever wanted to breath
again?
There was a ringing in my ears from holding my breath for so
long.
I panicked more, but my heartbeats were slower and less common
now.
What was beneath me?
What was above me?
I had no idea.
I didn’t know where to go or what to do, but I knew I
couldn’t give up.
I kept trying for the sake of Zach and my family.
I couldn’t just die on them.
So, despite the fact that I had very little mobility left because
of my lack of air, energy, and overall feeling throughout my
body, I opened my eyes under water and started towards a bright
light that appeared beneath the surface.
It had to be the opening.
When I finally reached it, I felt something, a hand, grasp my arm
before I could even try to pull myself up out of the water.
I didn’t know if it was Zach or someone else, but I was
grateful for whoever it was.
And then, I was above the surface, free to cough and take in as
many ragged breaths as I pleased because I knew I was
safe.
3 Comments for Zach's
POV!!
0
reply
monkey563486 · 1 decade ago
0
reply
Oh my gosh. I bet Zack is going to blame himself for this. But ZACHS POV. (: