Jaye Marie and Anita Dawes

Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie

I had fallen into a strange rabbit hole
It is dark blue and very wet, fish surround me
Someone has plunged a staircase into the water
It is rusty, making the water around it look pink
Inviting me to step on, come on up
Should I, shouldn’t I, bang around in my head
What is up there?
Is it safe, should I turn back the way I came?
I was swimming with friends, they should be somewhere
I am too close to the stairs; I touch the bottom tread.
I hear the muffled sound of voices
“I wonder where she has gone
One minute she was behind us,
the next gone like a puff of smoke.
”Are they talking about me?
Forgetting, I am under water, I shout “I’m here.”
The water would not let me ascend the stairs
I could see my skin changing colour
I am turning a beautiful shade of blue
Not scales exactly. I no longer need my oxygen mask
I open my eyes on the beach
“She’s back!” Jack’s voice
“Massive bump on her head, but she’s back!”
Part of me felt sad, for I was looking forward
to being a mermaid…

© Anita Dawes 2021