The Bubble

'Didn’t have to turn out this way kid. Now you’re paying the price, cuz your old man wouldn’t.'

His words echo in my head as my world goes dark.

Suddenly, the icy shock of cold water brings me back to reality, this is truly happening. Up until now, I seriously thought my father would pay the ransom and I would be back at home planning a trip to Bali or Jamaica. It should have been nothing more than a cool story I told my friends and to impress girls. Instead, I find myself stuffed in a barrel and tossed into the Okanagan lake.

Shit like this doesn’t happen to me.

Tiny streams of light filter through holes drilled into the barrel, while a slow trickle of water roars in my ears as my confined space fills. I sway and bob, praying I don’t flip upside down.

The yelling never escapes this tomb, my pleading voice is trapped inside with me. I need to break out of here, I know I can. In moments the grey light disappears, I am under the water, encased in darkness. Gasping in what little air there is left

I'm a good swimmer and can hold my breath for a long time, not that it would help if I cannot escape. Before they shoved me in the barrel, I was gut punched so hard I couldn't breathe, it‘s a tight fit, my lungs can barely expand. And the water keeps coming in….fast. I start counting.

One...two....

The lake is seven hundred feet at it's deepest, chances of recovering my body, less then two percent. My mind reels in confusion as I comprehend my impending death. Life flashes at super speed, my childhood, friends, the trips I took, girls I met. Oddly enough my family doesn’t register in the top ten.

As a rich kid I never worried about anything, until that night when I left the club with that girl. What was her name? We were making out at her place when the door burst open, I was tackled to the ground, a hood placed over my head, and tossed in a trunk of a car. It didn't take me long to figure it out, the lady with no name set me up, and now they were trying to get money from my old man.

Good luck.

I have no idea how fast I am falling, the water is creeping higher, it‘s liquid skin slithering past my shoulders. I press up as hard as I can, hoping to burst the lid off. All I do is burn off my energy which leaves me weak and discouraged.

It's so dark.

Ten...eleven...

Unexpectedly, I miss my mom, sister and even my dad. It isn’t their fault we aren't close. I believe they thought giving us everything was the best for us. I could have tried harder. In truth I wasn't the best son.

God, the bitter chill wraps around my neck like fingers of death, slowly choking me. I try to calm down. Tilting my head up, I suck in from a bubble of air, its damp. The hollowness is deafening.

I hear the engine of the boat roar and fade away. They must know I‘m finished and will never rise from the cold water.

Fifteen....sixteen...

I want to cry, I scream instead. A fishy taste of freshwater splashes in my mouth, I seal my lips. Pressing my face into the corner, the rust scrapes my cheeks and nose.

My thoughts return to my capture. For twenty-three days I was alone in a dark room with a single lightbulb, and very little information. A chain around my ankle attached to the wall and a bucket for my bodily needs. The only contact I had was when a tray of food would slide in, and my bucket was replaced. Every so often I heard muted voices through the wall. In the final days there was more yelling, rather than soft talk. I knew they were getting frustrated. So, the fuck was I.

Suddenly, a sound of an approaching engine vibrates above me, then stops.

Did they return?

Have they change their mind?

Did my father pay them?

I take one last breath before the water envelopes me completely. It isn’t enough, I’m already craving air.

Twenty-five...twenty-six...

Closing my eyes, I go limp, as a noise reverberates through my tin coffin, …a splash?

‘Why me?’

The setting sun glares off the water, blinding Daniel as he clings to the side rails, while the police boat bounces up and smashes down hard on every wave. In the distance they see a boat at a standstill, rocking upon the waters. Grabbing binoculars, he tries to focus his sights, but the jarring makes it difficult.

Yelling over the sounds of the engines. "Is that them?"

An officer turns sharply to him and nods. Daniels heart races, as he views the boat one more time. Those bastards have his son, it didn't matter what it cost, if they harm his boy he’ll find them. His skin tingles as blood rushes through him.

Picking up speed as the pilot pushes on the throttle. Glancing up, his heart shatters as they watch in horror, a barrel goes over the side and splashes into the water.

The need for surprise is over, the police cruiser goes all out. Daniels teeth jar as he is thrown back, his ears ring when a siren begins blaring it’s warning. He watches in anger as the boat, once so close, begins to speed away. They hope the police will not pursue them but will try and recover the kid first.

Before they even glide to a stop, two divers flip back and fall into the water each one towing a rope. Daniels body shakes uncontrollably, so close, or are they too late, was this going to be a rescue or a recovery?

Would his son sink to the bottom before they got to him?

Daniel's eyes are drawn to a heavy cable thrown into the same area where the divers went in seconds ago. An Officer talks into a microphone attached to the cable. In a distant voice he hears the man calmly say. "Garret, if you can hear me, Please stay calm we are on our way, do not give up." He repeats this over and over.

Daniel collapses to his knees; this can’t be happening. This is Canada for fuck sake. Every regret smashes into him, he worked rather than being a father, he wasn't there as much as he should have been. His children raised themselves, in truth, he barely knew them. But that will all change if...if...

Forty-one...forty-two...

I hear a muffled and garbled voice. This hallucination gives me false hope. Foggy words filtering through ’...Hold on....hold on.’

My lungs burn, aching for oxygen, my throat spasms for want of inhaling. I imagine what it will feel like, as cold water fills my mouth and pours into my lungs. I am told it is peaceful, right now it isn't. My fingers tear at the sides, I don't feel my nails as they rip away or the warm blood pouring from my cuts and gashes. My body writhes in agony. I try kicking but cannot move my legs. All I feel, is me feebly pounding on the side.

Forty-nine… fifty...

I sink further into my watery grave.

Suddenly, there is banging against the sides of my tomb. Is the barrel collapsing from the pressure?

No, it’s a sound outside. My eyes fly open, there is nothing, I’m blind.

Bubbles slowly leak from my nose, it tickles.

I chuckle hysterically, in my mind I see my sister.... she was laughing so hard milk flowed out of her nose. I know what that feels like now.

I need to see her, to apologize for so much.

All at once I feel a new sensation, a motion of rising. It’s a different feeling from the descent. But my body goes weak as stars fill my vision. I strangle back the urge to release air from my lungs.

Blood pounds behind my eyes.

God I need to breathe.

Rising higher. I begin convulsing, uncontrollably shaking, an intense tightening in my chest as I fight.

Don’t breathe.

Incredibly, I’m no longer cold, there is a warmth radiating within me. The fading sounds of knocking give me comfort, realizing I will not die alone. The distant voice becomes clearer, I hear my name. ‘Garret, hold on, hold on....’

A pale light pierces through the dark.

Fifty-eight...Fifty-nine...

Instinctively my mouth opens, all thoughts float away. I will be a better person. I want to love… be ...my family.....live...

I hear my fathers cry…’Garret.’

It’s so peaceful.

Sixty.........