Another Truth or Fiction

Hello readers. So last weeks story was all about love and flirting. I should have had that story this week for Valentine’s Day. Ah well, I don’t celebrate this particular day anyway.

It seems I had everyone but Bill fooled with this one. It was FALSE. Yup, just a figment of my imagination. Thanks to all who answered with a guess and all who visited to just read the story. All is appreciated.

Let’s move on to today’s story. Like always, you tell me if you think it’s truth or fiction.

 

 

 

Evil in the Water

 

Her thin pale body seemed even paler against the blue of the lake’s water. Her body floated and bobbed with each small wave. A tiny bit of humanity set against the vastness of the great lake. In the distance, she heard the grown-ups laughing and talking. It was faint with a few louder belly laughs intruding on her peace. She knew it was her uncle Ron as he was always the jolliest at these family get-togethers and she could always count on hearing his loud laughter.

Several times during summer the family would come together at the lake with a cook-out, tended by the beer drinking grown-ups with the various siblings and cousins splashing around in the lake, not far from the keen-eyed Aunts and Uncles. There would be the inevitable squabble amongst both children and adults. The family was large and loud and she hated these times of supposed camaraderie amongst them all.

She preferred solitude. Even at the tender age of eight, she would much rather be in her bedroom at home with a good book. She was a quiet and unassuming child who tried not to draw attention to herself.

Her bluish-grey eyes opened slightly to see how far she had drifted from the others. Her white blond hair fanned out in the water like a small halo. She gave a rare smile to see that she was far enough away from the others to enjoy her peace yet close enough that her father could still keep an eye on her without yelling for her to come closer. Perfect.

Closing her eyes against the glare of the midday sun she drifted a bit further and let the quiet surround her. As she daydreamed about the latest Nancy Drew novel she wasn’t aware of the danger that drew closer to her. Until it was too late.

Seconds before she was pulled under the water she felt something or someone grab her right ankle. She was pulled under so fast she didn’t have time to scream much less take a deep breath. She tried desperately to shake the hand off her ankle but it was relentless. Terrified she opened her eyes and her heart stopped for a second as she recognized the face with the evil grin as her nemesis, her tormentor, her abuser for most of her short life. The dark water distorted his face and made it even more terrifying to the small child.

If she didn’t kick free she would drown. She knew that was his intention, she knew it in her heart as her lungs screamed for air and her soul screamed for help.

Finally, with one last pull down he let go of her. Her thin arms and legs kicked at the water to reach the top. Gasping for precious air she felt another hand grab her arm to keep her from sinking once more into the cold water. Fighting against the hand whom she thought belonged to her enemy, her ears heard her older brother yelling at her to stop fighting him. She opened her eyes to see the annoyance in her brother and relaxed. That’s why her abuser let her go because he had seen the shadow of her brother above them.

Giving her a small shake her brother told her Dad wanted her to come out of the water and eat. She was never so glad to leave the water behind as instead of the peacefulness she felt earlier it just held terror for her now.

The rest of the day she refused to go back into the water and sat with the adults until it was time to leave for home. It took many years for that little girl to love the water again but she knew if she didn’t overcome her fear, her abuser would win in the end. That would never happen. Never.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, everyone. Is this one truth or fiction? Do you love water and swimming? Let me know!