It pulled her down.
Rapidly.
Clothes dragging in the current—
blue, black, gold light,
then black again.
So this was it.
She had dreamed these dreams many times.
Why the surprise?
She was prepared for the darkness,
but not the cold.
The dreams were never like this.
Her skin puckered,
white in cold defeat,
then grey and lifeless,
as the moon sprayed her
with its cold stare.
Above, the blades of her boat spun past—
a strange drone in her ears,
becoming distant now,
briefly captivating,
then horrifying,
then gone.
Alone.
So alone.
Now, peace.
And they were right—
all those stories about your life
flashing before your eyes.
But this was no brief flash.
It was a saga of pain and gloom,
interspersed with loving smiles,
sunny days,
and violent winds
conspiring to blow her away.
Those faces smiling now.
Happy for her newfound peace,
or happy she was gone?
She should know, shouldn’t she?
After all, she was so much closer
to the other side.
Didn’t you get to speak to angels,
to unlock the secrets of the cosmos?
Alas, these secrets still eluded her,
and the mystery remained.
Perhaps that was for the best.
But it was her best friend’s face
that upset her the most.
She too was smiling—
and that seemed so wrong.
How could she smile at this,
at this indignity?
Perhaps it was because
she was the one
who pushed her over the rail.
Betrayed by her closest friend.
Sad—
but isn’t that how these stories
always go?
You are always the last to know
what was really happening
behind that smile.
And slowly now,
you sink.
You watch the tiny bubbles
from your nose,
from air trapped
in your billowing dress.