The Beach-Personal Narrative

Quickly turning the corner, I strode down the alleyway and escaped the pandemonium of the city. The alley was dark and had an eerie look. Old vines climbed up the sides of tall apartment buildings and trash was strewn across the ground. I looked to the ground and saw a dated coca-cola bottle whose label was half gone and the glass was almost stained black. Slowly I bent down and picked up the bottle and began weighing it my hand and looking it over. Still capped and full but it did not seem to be liquid any longer. I continued walking down the alleyway, all the while flipping the glass bottle in my hand. It mesmerized me and I carried on like this for several minutes unaware of the world around me. Out the corner of my eye I noticed a stray cat pouncing on his prey. In that moment, the bottle dropped to the ground and
It has been 10 years now and that encounter is still vivid in my memory. Looking over the railing of the pier, I see the turquoise water with small waves rippling across the surface. Scanning the pier, I quickly checked to make sure that no one is watching me and jump into the calm blue waters that lay below. Once submerged, I open my eyes and notice the small pearl-like bubbles rising and rays of sunlight streaming into the water around me. The sensation of breathing underwater remains unnerving to this day. Underneath the water lays a large expanse of coral with such an amazing array of bright and vibrant colors that it looks to have been painted; this is my destination today. Approaching the reef, I notice an assortment of lively colored fish, darting through the waters and swimming amongst the coral. For hours, I lingered, silently observing the coral reef community living together in balance and harmony. I did not fully appreciated that night so many years ago, but the ability to breathe underwater provided me with an escape from the madness in the world