Thursday, April 29, 2010

Magpie 12 - Death

Yes, it is time once again for Magpie Tales . . that unmerciful excercise which Willow has willed upon us - to write something based on her photographic prompt. Well, so it is. Mine follows but if you wish to read more go to this place. You will find tales and poems of an exemplary detail. But now . . the game is on - to the prompt:



Arrrrrgggghhhhh!!!/p>

I was swimming in the clear blue water off the Turks and Caicos islands, in the Caribbean. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining golden in the sky. The water was turquoise blue. The fish gliding by me were radiant in their color . . red, orange, green, gold, purple . . blazing in the light. It was amazing.

I swam through the water as through oil, just oozing through the sea, through the light, through the schools of fish. I was happy, ecstatic even.

And then.

Something grabbed my ankle. I tried kicking it free but the grip intensified. I looked down and saw the tentacles wrapping around my lower leg. I panicked. I kicked and thrashed in the water. As I did, my breathing intensified. My head moved violently in the water and as it did, my mask came off. As I fought the grasp on my leg, I gasped and water flowed into my mouth and my throat and my lungs. I tried to cough and this only made it worse as my mouth opened and the salty sea water entered my body.

And then.

I slowly began to feel relief as my mind scattered and I became calm.

My hands clutched at the light in the sky.

And it was over.

36 comments:

  1. That is something that terrifies me. My mask coming off under water!

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  2. i didnt actually see a direct connection to the prompt, but the write up came very spine chilling!! a primitive fear !!

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  3. Dramatic piece in a few words Cat. I have been freaked by near drowning moments. I have managed to avoid the final stage. I have heard that it is a peaceful exit.

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  4. Very dramatic yet quite serene in the end.

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  5. That moment of ultimate resignation to what is - I'm not ready for it to happen yet!

    Nicely Magpied!

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  6. A nice short. The red in the tanks makes me think of a pair of hands reaching up.

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  7. Catalyst: How visual! Masterful Horror genre story, thoroughly enjoyable. An excellent read!

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  8. I gave you one of my weekly Goddess Awards ~ hope you can stop by to collect it real soon!

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  9. You have both guts and talent. To weekly take up the Magpie challenge means that you enjoy the test...and passing admirably.

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  10. enjoyed your magpie but i'm not ashamed to tell you that i could give in so much easier to drowning if it were chocolate and not water ;) very nice contribution!

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  11. I have a terrible fear of drowning and your very vivid description didn't help! I gotta say though... I was very impressed with your death... great job!

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  12. wow! where did that come from!!
    loved it
    very good description of letting go
    but oh I'm never going into deep water again

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  13. I am afraid of water ... can swim just a bit ... could never save myself if I had to ... But in spite of that I loved your Magpie!

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  14. A deep look at the last minutes, interesting piece!

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  15. Well that scared the heck out of me -- first I thought oh what a lovely vacation swimming in paradise -- then wham you did a scene from the movie "Jaws"

    Yikes, good though I love a good scare now and then.

    Joanny

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  16. Oooh - scary! Very well described!

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  17. Cree-peeee!! I used to have a recurring nightmare as a child about being grabbed by a giant octopus. This gave me the willies!

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  18. But not really over!! The voice from beyond still speaks..good!!

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  19. whew. you got my blood pumping with that magpie! the adventure of the dep out weighs my fear, usually, until i read something like this. smiles.

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  20. I've been slow on my feet this week so I'll just say "Thank You!" to all the commenters. You make it worthwhile.

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  21. oh my, this is really nightmarish, but I love "my hands clutched at the light in the sky." Can I steal it????
    thank you for dropping by my magpie today, Catalyst. Have you had your birthday yet, being a Taurus? Or is that a sore subject, as it is for my Taurus mate?

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  22. Lordy, I don't know why you would want to steal anything from me but you're welcome to it.

    As for my birthday, check back in my blog for April 24th. The whole sordid story is there.

    Incidentally, SWMBO is also a Taurean, which has made for some legendary head-butting over the years!

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  23. fantastic magpie,
    I am no good swimmer,
    but it is cool to swim with you in your tale, right?

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  24. very eerie!! Suits the picture so well.

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  25. I found myself right there with you. Looking up from under the surface of the water at the light that can not be reached. Surrender. That is what you just described, surrender.

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  26. Catalyst,
    perfect magpie tugging at the heart of death and described so accurately, I think?
    well done!
    rel

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  27. Yesterday I was swimming and as I sat on a rock to put on my shoes on again, I saw a ladybird. I tried to pick it up, but only succeeded in letting it fall into the ocean. I tried to reach for it, but the tide swirled it away. I saw movement in the water below it, small shadows that flitted. Fish. Tiny minnows perhaps. They circled the ladybird then moved in. The ladybird floated away being devoured from beneath...I don't know if it was dead when I let it fall, or alive. But this reminds me of that, how it must have felt.

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  28. This is one reason, though I know there is much beauty under the sea - and I've traveled all over the world to some incredible exotic destinations -, I don't like snorkeling or being in the water with creatures. I don't like them slithering around my legs or taking little nips at me. I'm happier seeing them in an aquarium or sitting by the wonderful ocean and sipping my umbrella drink!

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  29. I continue to be amazed at all of your generous comments and I thank you all sincerely!

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  30. http://jingleyanqiu.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/magpie-tale-the-list-of-magpie-tale-participants/

    mine is up,
    thank you for the feedback!

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  31. Crikey! This is the first magpie tale I've had a chance to visit today and you set the creepy bar Cat! I still think of monsters under the water...

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  32. Must have had something to do with my childhood!

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  33. I held my breath from the moment the tentacles wrapped around the leg... Very scary and very interesting.

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  34. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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