My heart nearly beat out of my chest. I sped down the road, pulling off at the beachfront. Not caring I was parked across three spots, I jumped out and ran up to the beach. I saw the empty pier, and one person walking down it. Her blueberry blue hair billowing in the wind, I saw the lightning strike off on the horizon. The ocean was restless, waves bigger than I had ever seen in my life. Running to the pier, I climbed a steps and ran down the slick, wooden planks. She was nearing the edge of the pier, the end where people would fish. I watched her pause a moment at the mouth of the small roofed section before the railing, she turned halfheartedly waving to me. Desperately, I screamed, but I could barely hear myself over the roaring water around me. A crowd suddenly formed on the beach, but I didn’t care. I continued to run, sliding and nearly slipping the whole way I went. But she continued to venture to the railing. I heard people yelling to get out of there, to come back in but I didn’t listen. I had to save her. I saw her climb on top of the railing, she nearly slipped climbing up. My heart pounded, my breath escaped me. I ran faster and faster, slipping as I went. I made it to the end and she screamed out three words that haunted me.
“I love you,” and she was knocked into the ocean. Without a second of hesitation or thought, I jumped in after her.
Plummeting into the raging waters, I caught her wrist and fought to the surface. Hell crashed over us, but I held her on my shoulder, her head well above the water. If one of us was to die, it was going to be me over her. I saw a flashing light, a boat speeding towards us. A large wave knocked me down under the water. I still held her by her hips above the abyss I was drowning in. I felt her weight being picked up onto the boat. I attempted to get to the surface but a current knocked me farther down into the water. Water flooded my lungs, and all that was around me turned dark. My body felt heavier than ever, and my arms tingled. Squeezing my eyes closed, I remembered her eyes, her face, her smile, every reason I fell in love with her. I wanted my final thoughts to be about the reason I was dying. To save her. Everything suddenly closed in, and all that ran through my mind was where she was.
I opened my eyes to bright lights. My first thought was that I was dead. But I felt a sharp pain in my arm and realized I was still alive. My chest throbbed and I felt as if I couldn’t get enough air to breath. A mask was over my mouth and nose, an IV was lodged in my arm and braces were strapped to my legs. I shivered and saw my shirt was gone. I was in a pair of shorts and my hair was dry. I tried to speak, but I only got a cough out. I turned my head to the left, and saw beside me – curled up on a hospital chair quite close to my bed. Her chest rose and fell gently, strands of blue falling to cover her face. I reached a hand over, brushing the hair from her face. In a flash of sepia, her eyes caught mine. Trying to speak, I coughed a couple times.
“I love you. I’m sorry.” she said softly. I opened my mouth but a pain rippled through my chest. I gasped in pain, the rims of my vision turned red and spotty.
“I love more. Just promise…” I said, I felt the world turn black and her voice grew far away.
“Yes?” she said, I swear it was barely a whisper.
“You won’t let go of my hand.” I rasped out. I felt her soft hands wrap around my own. I heard her say “I never will”. I felt my heart freeze. Black overtook my senses, I desperately fought for a breath. But it was too late.