Young Writers Society

The chill of the air seeped through my skin and into my bones so that every inch of my body was freezing. The ice cold water of the swamp was smooth as glass, and when I stuck my oar in to row, it seemed that I had shattered a forbidden window. A feeling of mystery hovered over me as I scanned the edge of murky land for any human life. There was no sign of human inhabitants; there never had been. My eyes were again averted to the foggy water I floated above, and a wonder of what lie beneath settled in my mind. What one didn't know couldn't hurt. That's what I muttered to myself as I lifted my paddle to move on.

My boat was a small made of nothing but greatly crafted wood, but over the long years I had used it, a green moss had started to cover the bottom. Only 'atherb" was visible of it's name, "Weatherbug", once painted in bright red paint. It was simple but served its purpose to an old man living the last of his days in a swamp.

As I heaved the oar out of the water yet another time, a call of an unknown creature rang through the misty air. I knew better than to not be afraid, for all the years of living in this mash land had shown me that I truly knew nothing. The exact moment I thought I knew the danger would be the exact moment my existence would be over. I knew not what lurked around me-only that it left alone as long as I wasn't a disturbance. Gently, I let the paddle submerge into the water.

My breath, as little as I tried to make it, made a rhythm of its own, and I contemplated just to stop inhaling all together. I could not get excited but stay in a state of pure tranquility to maintain my very own sanity.

The mysterious call again sounded, and I had to work to stop my worry from rising. Frequently I heard one strange call, but very rarely did I hear it twice in the same hour. That meant its despair had not been ended immediately. One of two things was now made possible. Either the hunter had become weak, or the prey had grown to be stronger. No matter what, I knew the way of the swamp was changing. Whether or not it was to my benefit was yet to be determined.

My boat moved forward to its nonexistent destination, and at that moment, it felt like the whole world had reversed. it was as if I'd crossed a threshold that took me to an alter universe. I lifted the oar, but the water had now the consistency of slime. It pulled the paddle back into the water, and I struggled to keep my callused hands on the handle. It was slipping away ever so slightly to the bottom of the murky substance below me. In a desperate attempt to regain it, I tossed the paddle into the air a little bit and tried to catch it. It was just my luck that it slipped right through my grip and plopped into the water.

Now immobile, I looked at the swamp and grew newly aware of the danger I lived in. A state of such confusion that I had never experienced before washed over me in tidal waves. I knew not what to do, so my nerves were in shambles. As if I had not enough to worry about, the strange call made itself clear again-now louder.

I stood up in disturbance and with that, rocked my boat to and fro. Waves were produced upon the surface of the water, creating the most movement I had seen in the swamp during my whole lifetime. It was then that my sanity was obliterated.

In circles I turned until my surroundings became a constant blur in my eyes. Dizziness overtook me like whirlwind, and as if I were weightless, I was swept off my feet and into the waters of the swamp.

My body submerged into the water, and the feeling you get in your throat when you drink much coated my entire body. I methodically stroked my arms back and forth in an attempt to stay afloat, but my muscles were not enough. My aged body was failing me. Ever so slowly, I felt myself sink down farther...and farther. With my head now being the only body part above water, my eyes darted crazily trying to soak in the last moments of my life. The swamp had beaten me by stealing my life from me. With that final though, I opened my mouth to inhale one last time before the water engulfed me completely.

The strange call sounded yet another time.