Into The Abyss

A stomach in knots reminds him that this is not normal experience for the average Jay. The abyss beneath is intimidating and with tears in his eyes, he willingly places himself in harm's way.

The styrofoam encased in fiberglass becomes thinner and the bend in the board causes him to dig his toes deeper into the gritty sandpaper the closer he gets to the end. Looking down at the water is not the hard part. The hard part is looking around, for no horizon can be seen -- nor is there any support for the board. No pillar on an island with a diving board attached.

Just a board.
In the air.
Hovering high over the water.
In the middle of Nowhere.

He knows there is Somewhere. But to get there means abandoning the board, and to abandon the board means to embrace the abyss. The abyss is dark and scary, and God only knows what is in there waiting to consume him. He assumes he will swim to safety, even though it seems that safety is a figment of his imagination. But to stay on the board is not only to be in the middle of Nowhere, but to go Nowhere. And that is an alternative that is unacceptable.

And so he bends his knees, the board flexes under him and flings him high into the air. At the pinnacle of his extension, just before gravity proves its tenacity, he thinks he just may fly away and escape the abyss. Certainly, he thinks, flying enables one to go Somewhere.

And then he falls.

The watery floor beneath awaits his arrival with iron resolve. His feet hit first -- toes pointed and knees together parting the water without a splash. As he slips beneath the surface, he begins to kick. Surprisingly, he keeps falling further and further as if he is being pulled. Legs straining, fingers clawing, he reaches desperately for the light at the surface that is becoming smaller and smaller like the light at the end of the tunnel before the end of the tunnel can be seen.

The light slips away and he is sure that this is the end, or Nowhere again. The darkness is everywhere, and the abyss is still calling him and drawing him and clawing him. And there is no escape.

And now he must breathe.
And he realizes he can breathe.
And he knows he is in a new world.
And he is born again.
Again.

So this is Somewhere.