Bad Swim

Tao eyes fluttered open once again as he treaded salty ocean water. His arms ached, his legs numb, muscles prickling with uncomfort. The clouds overhead had rolled in without him noticing. The winds howling and now the seas became rough. He had been pulled out far, far from the coast in his leisurely evening swim. Maybe he should have checked the weather but he couldn’t have predicted such a sunny and warm day would change so soon.

Tao took a large gulp of air before diving down under a wave and popping back on the other side. His body was laden with a deep warm sense of sleep. He thought for a second, maybe he should be scared, but instead of fear he only felt a growing numbness. It started at his toes and slowly crept up his body, like liquid filling a container.

He made the decision that swimming towards the coast would be his best course of action to avoid disaster and he sized up the wave getting ready to climb for a better view. The increasing height made it hard to see where he wanted to head and he paddled along the crest searching for land. But this was a bad move and as suddenly as it appeared the wave rushed down in a torrent, collapsing upon Tao’s body and pushed him down, down, down under and into the blue.

He coughed, the water stung the back of his throat as he was forced to swallow it in a sharp inhale. Everything was dark and black and to top it off he was disoriented momentarily before turning his body around. His fingers swiped to grab something nonexistent as he attempted to reorient himself to swim towards the surface. Panic began setting in as he realize he didn’t know how far he was pushed under and his lungs burned but in a moment filled with relief he felt his paw breach the waters edge turning him topside again.

The sea was angry now, rain poured and Tao yelled. He was hoping perhaps someone out there could hear him but the wind howled right back to drown out his voice. He sucked up air desperately, hacking up seawater. His muscles felt on fire as he forced himself to paddle. His tail worked like a rudder swooshing from side to side. He chased down the coast, desperate to escape the oceans grip. He was so close but the water was stronger.

Tao looked back over his shoulder and his stomach sunk. The tallest wave yet emerged from the rough horizon. Dark and ornery, mouth lines with foam like a rabid animal. It swept him up and cradled him it it’s jaws and he gave into it accepting it. His body limply traveled up before he took a breath and sank under the water. It crashed with such a ferocity. His limp body spun and was knocked along the sandy floor and he covered his head with his hands balling up hoping not to sustain any real damage. When he hit the ground he dug his limps into the sand and let it slip past him, he’d need to breath soon but not now and he tried to stay put waiting out for the next wave to crash and carry him ashore. And when Tao felt the water around him push he left the ocean floor and was tumbled until he felt himself wash ashore.

The rain pelted him like little needles and he let out a desperate grasp before heaving himself further up. He wanted to be out of reach of his oppressor which hungrily raced up to meet his feet before sulking back away. Once he felt safe he collapsed to regain his strength and smiled. He felt impeccably stupid. Next time he’d check the weather forecast.