From the Depths

Annie walked as though fatigue held her hostage. With each step, she sighed at the terrible sounds of despair. Her eyes were half shut, and her body was despondent about the issues surrounding her.

"Why should I prepare things for others to see as they pass this place?" She said. "It always ends with the same outcome. Doesn't it?"

She meandered herself toward what she thought was the river bed.

The thought of thrusting her body into the river to allow the raging water to take her away with it crossed her weary mind. She knew if she knew how to swim, it wouldn't matter anyway; her strength was no match for the rushing water.

She could see it now. The headline. "Poor Annie Cartwright. She Threw Herself Into the River." She knew her life would be over in minutes as the swollen river with its white water delivered her miles from where she let in to die.

Before she could throw herself into the river, she saw a person bob up and down from the riverbed to the surface in quick intervals. The water turned the boy around and around, so he was doubly caught, from what Annie could tell.

She looked for something to throw at him and eventually took off her shirt. In knee-deep water herself, she threw the shirt tied to a stick out to the boy, who grabbed it for dear life. When she got him to the bank, she untied her shirt from the branch and put it on, sopping wet. Then she collapsed on the riverbed next to the boy.

"You could've killed yourself out there," Annie said. "The water is deep now since the mountain is melting and sending the runoff down through the rivers and streams this time of year. Were you trying to kill yourself?"

"Yes. I almost had it licked, too, but I changed my mind at the last minute. If you hadn't come along when you did, I could be dead right now," Mike exclaimed. "I'm Mike, by the way; I love that you saved me. I guess we were supposed to meet."

"You think so? I wouldn't know about that. I don't know many people well," Annie said.

"Well, you saved my life. I'd say that means we should at least have ice cream in town, wouldn't you?"

"Er, I guess. But I was, agh, I had unfinished business here at the riverbed."

"All right, then go on. I'll wait right here for you," Michael said.

"You'll wait for me? Here?"

"Yeah. Is that a problem?" Michael said.

"Nah. It won't take but a second," Annie said. And she bent down and pulled the root of a mushroom she found growing there. She moved into the light with Michael holding her hand and never felt calmer. "I was in the water because my best friend told me some bad news about his friend, and I took it so badly," Annie said.

"What could have been so terrible that you'd want to take your life over a friend's friend's news?" Michael said.

"I know. Right? It's difficult to explain, but I feel responsible for this friend of a friend. She believed her life was hopeless and that there was no point in continuing it. But I came here to show her all that life can be if she sees it from a new perspective with fresh eyes," Annie said.

"Well, who is she? Maybe I know her, and we can go see her. This town isn't that big. I prit'-near know everyone in it," Michael said. "Well, tell Annie she was a lifesaver today. Let's pick up the pace and get to that ice cream shop. Shall we? Annie deserves good ice cream like everybody else in town."

"Yeah, that sounds great," Annie said. She wondered how he knew she was Annie. But she went along with the ruse.

***

At the malt shop, Annie noticed everyone had raised their heads, and the place went quiet as she and Michael entered. She snagged the closest booth to the door and scanned the menu, superficially knowing what she wanted for Michael's benefit.

"I'll have whatever you're having," he said, closing the menu and returning it to its place. Before the waitress came over to take their order, a group of kids from Annie's class came in and looked around.

"Oh, hey, Annie. Mind if we sit with you?"

"Not at all. Please do. The more, the merrier," she said, flashing them a great smile.

"Wow, Annie. You have a great smile," Joan said.

"Yeah, and those cheekbones are to die for," Helen said.

"Have you finished your biology homework yet?"

"Yeah, I did it the day it was assigned. I was just down at the riverbed this morning looking for that mushroom Sir was talking about. I searched and searched and finally found two. I put them into the sample cases he gave us."

"Nice work," Steven said as he stood by the table. He couldn't resist butting in, "You know, lab partner," he said to Annie, "I got some too. I went to a different part of the riverbed and saw a man jump into the water, but I couldn't help him. He was carried downstream as fast as lightning. That's the exact spot where I found my mushrooms.

Well, anyway. I was wondering, Annie, if you wanted to go with me to the freshman dance. Next week?"

"She'd love to," the rest of the girls answered for her.

Then they looked at her and said, "That's right, Annie, right?" She nodded. He pulled up a chair and sat with the girls for the rest of their time there.

She didn't think of Michael until she was alone at the table again, making sure everything was left as she found it. Michael sat across from her with his malt in his hand.

"Where did you go? I wanted to introduce you to all my friends," she said with a high pitch to her voice

"Are they? Your friends, I mean. Annie, don't you think something else is going on here? Think, Annie, what could it mean that they suddenly find you popular and made you the centre of the conversation."

"You know, I'm not sure. Maybe they're all in on a joke that's about me?

Why would Steven do that to me? He told everyone we were friends more than once."

"Could they be playing with your emotions?" Michael asked staring into her eyes.

"I suppose they could. But if I know it and allow it on my terms, I'm good with that because then the joke'll be on them." She smiled at Michael as if she were the cat that swallowed the canary.

"I see. Well, just so you know. I'm not going anywhere, Annie, so if you need anything at all, I'm here." He smiled at her and got up to leave.

"Thanks, Michael; you're a true friend, indeed."

***

The night of the dance came. She wore one of her sexiest dresses, and Steven picked her up at her house. He pinned the corsage he bought for her onto her dress while her parents watched with nervous energy. This was Annie's first big night out with a boy alone. No chaperones allowed.

Steven shook Annie's father's hand, nodded at her mother and gave her a dozen yellow roses already in a vase.

When they left, her dad called after her, "Annie, if you need anything, call me, and I'll come straight away."

"Sure, Daddy, thanks." She smiled and got into Steven's car. She turned and saw her mother and father standing on the step, waving.

"Change of plans, Annie. We're not going to the dance at all."

"What do you mean? Where are we going?" She asked with frantic huffs, her fear rising like mercury on a mid-July scorcher.

"You'll see." Steven had a look on his face that Annie had never seen before. She looked at the door handle and as they rolled up to the next stop sign she had already undone her seat belt and she got out. She slammed the door, and her instinct to run kicked into high gear. She was only a few blocks from her house, and she got home in seconds after having left; she was out of breath but still in one piece and horrified to relate what took place after she and Steven left the house.

Her parents let her in. They closed the door behind her and left the outside light shining on so Steven wouldn't know she was home. Steven went to the dance and searched everywhere for Annie. Then he thought she may have gone to the riverbed. He parked his car at the edge of the roadside, and headed down to the river.

Annie had been there and all Steven saw was the dress in the water with no sign of Annie anywhere.

Seeing the dress in the water and knowing he played such a huge part in the cruel joke they were all playing on Annie had she not figured it out so quickly, Steven got on his knees and prayed for forgiveness.

He begged the Lord for a second chance and said that he "Wanted to be Annie's boyfriend all along and that he secretly wanted to marry her, if only, he could pull her out of the river alive."

Annie, stood with Michael on the riverbank behind some trees. When they heard what Steven had to say, Michael fixed it so that Annie slipped into the river and under the dress.

Steven waded into the cold mountain water and felt around until he touched Annie's arm. He pulled her waterlogged, limp body from the depths of the river and laid her flat on her back on the river bank. He was never so happy to see another person in his life.

"Annie, I love you. Thank the Lord. You're not dead! I want to be your steady boyfriend from now on. That is if you'll have me," he said.

"Of course I will." She winked at Michael as she hugged Steven. Steven and she returned to his car, and Annie was sure she saw Michael disappear into thin air.

She walked with her head high.

She learned setbacks in life happen, but it is in the low spots that we come to know and understand the most about our resilience and strength of character.

She also understood how to outfox a fox and win at matters of the heart with a little divine inspiration.