Her Thirties Part 73 Death By Water

My brow still burns from the kiss of the queen;
I have dreamed in the grotto where the siren swims
― Gérard de Nerval

I heard a far away voice calling. We fell in slow motion, careening outwards and downwards through a void until we hit the water and were walloped and winded by waves.

Inky depths swallowed us—the shock of ice water cramping limbs.

I couldn’t swim—never learned—and went down. But my descent slowed, and gradually, I felt myself rising again.

When my head broke the surface I gasped and sputtered. A wave slapped me full in the face.

I coughed water, seized by sheer terror—convinced I’d die. Suddenly, a rough hand grabbed my collar and began pulling me backwards toward the pier.

What happened next was unclear, but somehow I was dragged to the shallows. Then my rescuer left, and swam to Marilyn, who was floundering several yards away, in the lake.

He got her to lie back and floated her, flutter kicking until they reached the shallows. He dragged her, coughing and sputtering, until she lay beside me.

I looked closely at the man—his sleek black hair soaked, covering his eyes. Then I saw them crinkle—Abe!

“We have to get you guys out of this water or you’ll go into shock.”

He grabbed me under my armpits and fairly lifted me to my feet. He pushed me toward the beach. Then, he bent down, scooped up Marilyn, and carried her like a limp rag doll after me.

We clambered to the top of the bank, where paramedics met us and wrapped us in thermal blankets and hurried us into waiting ambulances.

“Take good care of them boys,” he called out, as the vehicles spun out of the sandy beach, emergency lights flashing and sirens wailing.

Two hours later, I recovered sufficiently to be discharged.

Marilyn was already out, sitting with Abe in the Waiting Room. When she saw me, she ran to me and threw her arms around me.

She was my Siren. My silvery, slippery fish.

“My God Joey—we almost died.”

“Again?” I quipped.

Her eyes widened and then she burst out laughing. I did too.

We stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, holding onto each other and laughing uncontrollably.

We laughed, until we could laugh no more.

Abe was sitting, smiling broadly, bemused by it all.

“It’s a good thing,’ he said, eyes crinkling. “Laughter’s a release. You guys are golden.”

“Nope—silver,” I said.

At that, we began giggling hysterically again. Abe joined in—who knows? Maybe it was a release for him too.

Then, it hit me—What about him—how was he doing?

As if reading my thoughts, he put up a hand to stop me. “I know what you’re thinking—but I’m trained to do this. Besides, I pack a bit more beef than both you guys. They still made me come by ambulance and spend an hour in observation before they’d let me go.”

“I don’t know how to thank you, Abe—hell, I don’t even know how you got there.”

“Simple, Pal—I followed you. I called Cindy and Erin for backup—and good thing I did. They were the ones who called the medics as soon as they saw you both go in.”

“Did you catch the guy?”

His face fell. “Naw—he got away. Erin was contacting Emergency services, and Cindy—well, she came down to assist me.”

He could see my disappointment. “Don’t worry, Pal—we’ll get this guy—trust me.”

I patted his shoulder. I knew he did his best.

“Well, let’s get Marilyn home,” I told him.

He dropped us at the bookshop, figuring I was too rattled to drive—and I suppose he was right.

I walked Marilyn to the door while Abe waited in the car. “Do you want me to come in?” I asked.

“No,” she whispered.

My heart sank.

“I want you to stay the night.”

“You do?” I said, shocked.

“But, you must promise to sleep on the couch,” she said firmly.

“Alright, at least I’ll know you’re safe.”

She opened the door and went in, and I turned and smiled at Abe, giving him a half-wave.

His smile almost lit up the street.

© 2018, John J Geddes. All rights reserved

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