Personal Narrative Essay About Drowning

Dae Iddings
Drowning
I wake up and step into a small puddle, the puddle is not really there, it is just the way I visualize my anxiety always there, but not always debilitating. I get ready for school then get in to the car. In the car my brother points out one of my insecurities, the water rises to my ankles. I get to school and the water rises to my knees, at school the water never drains below my knees.
The water makes it difficult to walk through the halls. I trudge through the halls to P.E. where we are playing some game. During the game I miss the ball and the coach is yelling, someone is laughing, and the water rises. Its at my chest now making it hard to breathe, I choke back tears, so I won't add to the water and drown. Two periods later I’m in math and the water has drained to my waist making it hard to sit still. When class is over I go to lunch and the water drains back down to knee level. Next I have English, as I enter class the teacher announces a pop quiz on a story I didn’t read. As I
I try to push down the water that is rapidly rising, I’m successful in stopping it at my shoulders. After class I walk towards the bus the water rises to my mouth. People are screaming at their friends, my bus driver makes a homophobic comment, my brother accidently bumps into me, my music isn’t loud enough to block out the sounds of the water, the bus driver slams on the brakes, I hit my head, someone turns on the radio. Then I’m home.
When I get inside my dad makes a comment about how much I’m eating I know he is joking but the water rises along with every awful intrusive thought I’ve ever had. I rush to my room, I can't breath, I’m crying, with ever thought the water rises further above my head making it harder and harder to calm down. Half an hour later but what feels like an eternity the water slowly drains back down to a