[i] Her skin was cool as water enveloped her making her feel weightless. The sun sent threads of golden rays down from the surface warming her skin.  She was somewhere in the ocean. She could taste the salt of the water on her lips but it wasn't a bother. The fact she was underwater at all did not seem to faze her. In fact, it felt, natural, like it is where she belonged.
To her right a school of silvery fish glistened as they made their way to destinations unknown. A small crossed her lips and she darted beside them. Her body moved effortlessly through the water not wasting energy with kicking or the sort. She was quick, and agile as the fish she now swam amongst.

For a ways she would go, coming across all manners of ocean creatures. Dolphins, a couple sharks, and even taking a rest whole holding onto a whale. Yet, as she moved to the deeper waters something would catch her ear.

"Aqua," she swore it said, but the noise was so distant it was hard to distinguish.

"Aqua," it repeated.

She stopped and listened for the sound again. It obliged her. Only this time she knew where it came from, the depths. This was a strange phenomenon to be sure but she had no reason to suspect any danger, right? This was her domain. She swam downwards to investigate.

As she swam darkness enveloped her and the warming rays of the sun no longer made it down this far. The temperature grew colder and colder. She would suddenly stop, startled by a presence. It was Darkness himself. She knew he was there, but no matter how hard she tried she could not see him in his true form.

"What are you doing down here?! This is my home!" she protested.

"I came to see you of course," his voice was suave and seductive.

Still, she would have none of it. She knew what he was here for. Without a further word exchanged he knew he was rejected, but this would prove to be the last time it would happen.

His hand lunged at her with such a speed she could not react to evade. Pain shot through her body. She started to swim to the surface as fast as she could.

As she emerged from the darker waters a trail of blood marked her path. Still, she could feel herself slowing down and growing tired. Weakness quickly crept upon her as she summoned up all her strength to keep moving forward. An outstretched hand would feel sun upon it, but it felt no warmth. It only got colder, and colder. Her finger would be the only thing to break the surface, causing only a small ripple on the surface, before sinking back into the waters below.
Her eyes now heavy and body unnaturally cold she watched as she slowly began to retreat back into the dark depths below, a fading trail of blood hovering over her. It all went dark.
   [/i]

Alexis sprang up from her bed, a cold sweat beaded on her face.

"Not again," she groaned as she wiped the sweat up with the sleeve of her t-shirt.

Eyes glancing over at the clock it would be over an hour before her alarm was set to ring. Another groan escaped her lips. At this point it was better just to get up. Hell, she could take more time on her morning chores, if there was any brightside to be had of this. She got up and went to get ready.

~ ~ ~

The eggs gathered and the chickens fed she once again changed for classes. It was the first day of her senior year and she was more than ready to get it over with. Chelsea, her best friend since middle school, was already going on about colleges and the best party schools. It was hard to believe Alex and Chelsea would be friends at all, they were very much opposites of each other. Yet, somehow it worked out well.

Putting the final brush strokes in her long hair she sighed and grabbed her purse and messenger bag.

~ ~ ~
Pulling into the school parking lot she couldn't help but be happy her old truck had made it another summer, though she was weary about pressing her luck. It was old and it doubled as one of the work vehicles. It had defiantly seen better days.
She jumped down from the truck and made her way inside. "Almost done," she thought.