What Lies Beneath

I often wonder what lies beneath the deep waters of the Potomac. A abundantly deep body of putrid dark flowing smelly river of vast hidden secrets. I shudder to imagine the creepy images that flood through My inner being.

My thoughts conjure images of human bones lodged in the river ‘s bed, particles of lost personal items; shoes, articles of clothing, jewelry, and accessories that belong to people who have left this world in agonizing deaths by the hands of cruel murderers or through some unforeseen mystery of drowning, or just losing one’s life by a thoughtless suicide on the river’s banks.

As I frequently travel over it’s twisting waves of stagnant moving currents, I imagine every unseen object and mystery that lies below the river’s surface and dark shadows.

A creepy, eery, feeling invades my thoughts, as I try to invision all the secrets that the murky Potomac holds. Of course, there hasn’t been any sightings of a lock- ness monster, but I’m sure a few slimy, mangled creatures swim and reside in the deep murky shadows of this mysterious body of water. I ‘ve heard of snake-like fish, abandoned vehicles, dead bodies, and a host of other horrible things I care not to mention, being pulled out of the depths and around the shore side of this notorious river.

I shiver as I recall news reports of the many drowning victims; gruesome, mutalated bodies dragged from the depths of the river’s murkiness; and the many undiscovered species of God knows what- that lies beneath!!

Sometimes I dare to stroll the man- made stretch of beautiful scenery and breathtaking walking trails that encompass and border its vastness. The beauty of scenery above the river’s shores manages to capture my thoughts and lead them far from what lies beneath the murky deep, to a place of peaceful tranquility.

I force myself to stop and smell the flowers in bloom along the trail. I’ve noticed a red bird nesting in a nearby tree, that seems to be chirping in agreement with my exact thoughts of the lovely scenic view and the abundance of gorgeously arrayed blooming flowers all across the winding trails. I spot several beautifully decorated butterflies slowly fluttering above and through the the maze of sweet smelling honey suckles. I stand in awe of the glory of nature and I take a long breath that allows me to focus on the unexplainable wisdom of nature.

However , when I reach the bridge that carries you over the open waters from the trails of majestic flower parades, my mind pauses with fear of the grotesque images of mangled, water lodged and dismembered bodies, unknown species of fish or unrecognized animals that live within the perameters of that body of swirling liquid that has survived for many decades.

Over the many years of The Potomac’s existence, the Potomac has served as a peaceful setting for those who love living near water. That peaceful setting makes your living arrangements more inviting when you can hop abroad a day cruise on an adventure to the northern shores; or you select a grassy picnic spot near a panoramic view of Washington, DC ‘s most scenic areas; Or just being fortunate enough to be near the Potomac’s selected memorable hangouts arranged for your amusement and enjoyment.

Those adventures around living near the Potomac River alone flood your inner being with jovial remembrance of how something so murky and deep can also fill you with joy and never ending moments that caress your captured memories for times to come.

Thinking of all the many secrets that vast body of flowing tides hold, allways send chills down my spine. However, I’ll never forget the beauty of all its surroundings, the serenity of a peaceful shore, and the thoughts that invade my physical memory of every living, dead, strange, unfamiliar creature that lies beneath the stretches of the Potomac River.

What Lies Beneath?

Sherrie L. Brown