original collage + a short story

Find my latest story here or sign up to get them sent directly to you.

Last Call

(to hear me read this piece aloud, about 3.5 minutes, go here)

My eyes burn. I can barely keep them open.

Under water, everything is blurry now.

It wasn’t always this way, though. 

I used to live on dry land. The sun used to shine on my face. On all our faces. But we stopped looking up at the sky. I’m not even sure the sun shines anymore.

It didn’t happen all at once; living under water like this. I only dipped a toe in at first, after a friend told me about a place they started to go to regularly. 

“Come join me! It’s so fun. We can be friends here,” they called out to me.  

“Aren’t we already friends?” I asked, confused.

“Yes, of course,” they laughed. “But it’s really fun here. We can talk more. Share more. You know, really connect with each other!”

I was curious. 

“Plus, there’s a lot more people here, too!” they continued. “Some you probably haven’t seen in ages. Others you’re gonna to be so excited to meet. Come with me. Please? Be my friend!” 

What an intriguing invitation. 

I followed my friend into the water. 

Again, at first, I just dipped a toe. I started making friends. I started sharing.

Then both feet went in. I made more friends. Started really connecting.

Next thing I knew, I was waist deep. My friend was right. The water was welcoming. So warm. This place was truly fun. Addictively so.

The promises, they were all true. It was intoxicating.

Everyone was sharing. Everyone was connecting. I became fully immersed.

I met more and more people. I even invited people to join me, too. So many followed me into the water. Look at me and all my friends! I didn’t have these connections on dry land. Oh no, I only had a handful up there. Down here, I felt like a star. Like a god. 

More joining. More sharing. More connecting.

Then, slowly things began to change.

In these crowded waters, people got louder. They shared recklessly. 

They put themselves in front of me, screaming for my attention. 

Though it felt more shallow than ever, deeper and deeper I went, making so many more friends along the way. 

It got darker. It got colder.

Many of us want to leave, but we can’t see a way out.

I’ve started to hear things. Some people do find a way out, but only to dive into different waters. Welcoming and warm at first, too, they all turn dark and cold. 

Then there are the others. The ones who make it out completely. It’s like they never existed. A memory about them surfaces now and then. For a brief moment, I consider calling out to them, but I’d have to go back up to dry land to do that. That’s way too much work, so I don’t bother.

My eyes. They’re completely on fire now. 

Maybe a friend can help me? I call out to them, but they don’t answer. They have so many other friends; they don’t hear me. 

I have to find more friends. More. More. More. Someone will see me. I know they will. 

I can’t breathe. I need to get out of this water. I’m drowning.

I can’t see anything. It’s so cold. I’m numb.

I close my eyes. 

I can’t feel anything anymore. 

Everything is just…dark.