Wednesday, November 2, 2005

   Heaven
For my class we had to write short stories based on the novel 'The Awakening' by Kate Chopin. Mine is entiled Heaven and its pretty short. Please tell em what you think.

¡§Where are you going so late?¡¨ Robert looked up from his book and brushed his golden blonde hair out of his eyes. They were intense and beautiful, but distorted by his bifocals.
¡§I feel like a swim¡¨
¡§Now?¡¨
¡§Yes. I feel free. Without Leonce and the children here I can do whatever I want, and I intend to. I like night swims. It gives me a chance to be alone with myself.¡¨
¡§Should I come down with you? To sit on the beach and make sure you¡¦re okay?¡¨
¡§No. I should be fine. I¡¦ll be back¡K.¡¨
¡§Yes?¡¨
¡§I¡¦ll be back.¡¨
Edna felt well. It was as if a huge burden was lifted off her back ever since the children and Leonce left. Where did they go? The whole memory was murky and it was almost as if a fog was over her memories. She was just glad to be with her paramour, Robert. He understood her better than anyone ever had.
Before the ocean was visible, she could smell it in the breeze. It was salty and crisp. The scent seemed to wrap around her like a warm blanket and her whole body grew tense. The breeze passes and her muscles relaxed. Everything grew to a dull hum. The houses around her were all lit up and she could hear talking and the sounds of music, but she seemed perfectly alone.
Heaven. She was in heaven and her heart beat so that she could hardly speak. The cares that hung about her through the week, seemed to vanish like a gamblers lucky streak. She loved to catch the waves, to float on the highest peak but it didn¡¦t thrill her half as much as being free to speak. She wanted to dance, to feel Robert¡¦s charms about her, his arms about her.ƒx
Thoughts such as these drifted in and out of her head as she walked towards the shore. The beach was flawless and smooth. Sand sifted through her bare toes and she felt as if she was walking on clouds. It was so cool, yet soft. It felt surreal.
Edna dipped her toe in the dark water. The sky was dark and all the stars had been laid in a beautiful celestial display. A cool breeze brushed along her back and she shivered, but whatever happened she was not going back to her home without practicing her laps.
She waded in up to her knees and scanned the shore. Empty. The ocean was spread out in front of her like a dark velvet curtain rippling in the wind. She wanted to jump in and swim away. Away from her husband, her children and into Roberts arms, but she knew that wasn¡¦t possible. She was up to her thighs when she decided to jump in.
She pulled away from its murky depths and gasped as if she hadn¡¦t breathed once in a thousand years. The iciness had shocked her and it seemed to tingle all the way down to her toes. At the same time it was incredibly cool and refreshing. It reminded her of removing her many layers of clothing after being in the hot sun. When Robert and the children were living with her (she still had not remembered where they had gone) she wouldn¡¦t have been able to strip. She wouldn¡¦t have been able to swim. She wouldn¡¦t be able to love whom she wanted and pursue her dreams of becoming an artist.
She swam back and forth easily and smoothly for several minutes until she heard a great rushing. She looked back to the shore. Her heart pounded as she realized she was so far out the houses appeared as just dots of light. How could she have swum so far? How could she have swum that far without noticing? A steady panic filled her chest and seemed to suffocate her. Her eyes grew wide with terror. She was exhausted, how could she make her way back to shore? It was so far.
She blinked away tears. She would¡¦ve screamed, but she was so far away she doubted anyone would¡¦ve noticed. She grew less and less scared and more and more frustrated at herself. What had she been thinking?
¡§Aruughhhhh!¡¨ She beat the water with her fists and kicked very swiftly.
¡§Hello?¡¨ A voice pierced the darkness. She could faintly see an outline of a boat slowly bobbing towards her.
¡§Yes! Over here! Please help me, I seem to have swum out to far, and I need some help getting back to shore¡¨
There was no answer, but the boat was drawing closer. It was small, maybe a rowboat and there seemed to be some children and one or two men. It was very hard to tell. Who would take children out so late? It seemed odd. She didn¡¦t have much time to ponder it before the boat was upon her. It was Leonce and the children.
¡§Leonce, thank goodness you¡¦re here! I swam out much too far. I need your help.¡¨ She reached up to grab the side of the boat but it was slippery and she couldn¡¦t get a good hold of it. Leonce said nothing. He seemed to be looking straight through her, as did the children.
Her body jerked down as if something had a hold of her ankle, her head disappeared but she pulled it back up.
¡§Le-,¡¨ Another tug came and she was completely submerged. She saw the oar hit the water and the boat slowly started sliding towards shore. She fought to get up out of the water. She let out a scream, but it was silent and the only sign she had done anything was a stream of bubbles. The water around her grew darker and darker and she felt herself slowly sinking. Her vision blurred and her chest felt as if it would explode.


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