Cassie

Creative writing The cool sounds of the gentle ripples on the surface are a familiar song toying with my ears. The soft rise and fall of the salty splendour whispers a sweet symphony. The vibrant colours below me dance an exquisite ballet. The slow and peaceful moves calm me. The warm water moves around me as I gently wade my way further and further from the hot white sand. My flippers pound a heavy bass as they beat through the salty water. The water is a tropical blue. The floor of the tropical paradise is splashed with colour. The brightly coloured coral tempts me to touch it, but I know better. The pink anemone so soft and lustrous will burn so deep. I look at the life that is surrounding me. The brightly coloured fish with their unusual shapes and sizes dart between the coral, their eyes never leaving me, as I invade their tranquil reef. The beauty stuns me. As I pull my now water-wrinkled hand through the water I stare at the world below me. The vibrant blue starfish laying so statue like on the coral, the seemingly pointless sea cucumbers rolling around on the soft white sand, the tiny orange and white clownfish darting in and out of the corals, the vegetarian reef shark which brushes up against me as a float to close to its eggs, and the ample fish in every shape and colour swarming at almost invisible particles of food in the water. The rays of sun create an incandescent light through the water, almost appearing holy or sacred. As I hit the surface the burning sun beats furiously against my pale and now burnt skin. I dive back down to the haven hidden by the reflective surface. As I reach the depths of the reef something has changed. It is not as it was the few moments before. There are no fish. Everything seems frozen, stuck, suspended. I feel my heart begin to pound harder within my chest. My instincts are shouting SWIM! And then I saw it. My body freezes as every muscle tightens. Its yellow and black scaled skin shines as it wriggles through the clear blue straight towards me. My reflexes kick in and I swim my legs pounding the water, destroying the tranquillity of the environment. I force my body through the water as fast as I know how. the hot white sand now looks appealing as opposed to the monstrosity following me. As I hit the shallows of the beach my body falls limp and relaxed, exhausted from the sprint to shore. My heart still pounds in my chest as I try to catch my breath. I begin to question, how can something so beautiful, so tranquil be so dangerous? How can the place where I feel safe, calm and at home be so uninviting and threatening?