Darkness

Last night I swam myself into exhaustion. Agitated to the brink of insanity, I refused to put in my contacts and devoured the darkness around me in a blur of total blindness. It was a heated pool, much to my dismay, as I ached to feel the ice cold water all around my skin. But it did not deter me. At that point, nothing could.

Ive not been swimming in years.

As a child, Id often take advantage of the night. It was so quiet then. With a house full of rotating siblings, silence was my golden apple. Id sneak out to stroll the streets, or take a dip in our frigid pool. My poor brother caught me one night skinny dipping when Id thought the whole house was asleep. My splashing had awoken him. After that, however, my nighttime swims were undisturbed. Unlike my brother.

I swam so fast and so hard my ears began to hurt. I wouldn't stop until my body refused to go any further. In time, it did. Much sooner than i would of liked. and so I floated on my back until I could force my body to go again.

Other people had appeared while i was under water, and I think they were talking to me. But I could hear nothing but a throbbing in my head and the fierce splashing of my arms and legs hitting the unnaturally warm water.

I could only assume that while I swam sightless, they would move out of my way were I to head for them in my erratic path.

When my arms and legs finally refused to go on any further, I got out. But frustration is not dispelled so easily, and it soon lured me back in for one more lap.

Once home, I could not move. My whole body was as lead, unfamiliar now to the trials such water thrashing will do to under exercised muscles. My arms alone were untouched. heavy still, but without stress or pain.

I thank my pull-ups for that.

The beating in my ears did not stop until my mother poured vinegar in them. I asked nervously if it was red wine vinegar, as i didn't feel my ears needed a dressing.

Exhausted, I fell asleep at far too early an hour, and awoke this morning wanting more. I wait for my nighttime to return to me, so that i can return to it.