dive；　lifting

my　face　into　the　rain。　But　it　was

too　ingrained　from　years　of　swimming　at　the　public　pool—feet　first；　first

time。　I　leaned　forward；　crouching

to　get　more　spring

And　I　flung　myself　off　the　cliff。

I　screamed　as　I　dropped　through　the　open　air　like　a　meteor；　but　it　was　a

scream　of　exhilaration　and　not

fear。　The　wind　resisted；　trying　vainly　to　fight　the　unconquerable　gravity；

pushing　against　me　and　twirling

me　in　spirals　like　a　rocket　crashing　to　the　earth。

Yes！　The　word　echoed　through　my　head　as　I　sliced　through　the　surface　of　the

water。　It　was　icy；　colder

than　I'd　feared；　and　yet　the　chill　only　added　to　the　high。

I　was　proud　of　myself　as　I　plunged　deeper　into　the　freezing　black　water。　I

hadn't　had　one　moment　of

terror—just　pure　adrenaline。　Really；　the　fall　wasn't　scary　at　all。　Where　was

the　challenge？

That　was　when　the　current　caught　me。

I'd　been　so　preoccupied　by　the　size　of　the　cliffs；　by　the　obvious　danger　of

their　high；　sheer　faces；　that　I

hadn't　worried　at　all　about　the　dark　water　waiting。　I　never　dreamed　that　the

true　menace　was　lurking　far

below　me；　under　the　heaving　surf。

It　felt　like　the　waves　were　fighting　over　me；　jerking　me　back　and　forth

between　them　as　if　determined　to

share　by　pulling　me　into　halves。　I　knew　the　right　way　to　avoid　a　riptide：　swim

parallel　to　the　beach　rather

than　struggling　for　the　shore。　But　the　knowledge　did　me　little　good　when　I

didn't　know　which　way　the

shore　was。

I　couldn't　even　tell　which　way　the　surface　was。

The　angry　water　was　black　in　every　direction；　there　was　no　brightness　to

direct　me　upwar