let go of the line

Waves were slapping up against the boat. The white caps of the angry waves seemed to be getting even bigger. Water was coming in, and I felt anxiety rising in my chest. I'm sinking. I'm sinking and I can't reach him. 

Hand over hand I grabbed the line, pulling it into the boat. I grabbed hold of the lifebuoy and threw it, as hard as I could. I tried yelling to him to grab onto it so I could pull him in. 

He couldn't hear me. 

I watched as the lifebuoy bobbed up and down right beside him. 

GRAB THE BUOY! GRAB IT!

I pulled it back in to the boat, again. 

I had this thought that if I used it like a lasso, he wouldn't have to do a thing. I could do it for him. I could get it around him, and pull him in. 

I threw it back out. 

Nothing. 

The wind and rain raged on, pelting me. I couldn't see. The boat was rocking and more than once I feared that I would be thrown into the sea myself. 

Panicking, screaming, terrified, I threw the buoy in again. 

And again.

And again.

Just grab it. JUST GRAB IT. 

I know you can, I know it, I know you can...

I didn't understand. 

I don't understand. 

Why isn't this working? IT'S RIGHT THERE. 

"Let go of the line"... 

I stared into the stormy night. I saw a second figure. 

Looking at me he said "Let go of the line."

"I'm here. I've got him. I won't leave."

"I'll stay right here with him."

"Let go. You are not the one who saves him. I am."

Terrified I dropped the line, and watched as it drifted away. The water around the boat calmed, but the storm still raged. I wasn't in the storm at all. 

My boat drifted from the black skies. 

I watched from a distance. 

Two figures in the dark water. Side by side. 

The second figured locked His eyes with mine. 

"Kristin, don't worry. This isn't my first storm."

xo