i reach out to my lifeline, the angels laugh in paradise
To Eleftheria's surprise, Bartie's attitude seems to shift into one that is nearly the opposite of how it started. His voice is soothing, and his steadying arm around their shoulders comforting. He moves to block El's view of the endless ocean melting into the horizon and gives them clear instructions on what to do. He gives them a smile that absolutely shocks El in how much younger it makes his face appear. All this in combination with the childish name he uses in his instructions eases the fear gripping El's heart.
They nod to him as he instructs them, face serious but feeling slightly more calm. They move their hands to hold onto his upper arms, then start doing the little bunny hops. It's much easier to move up through the water than they expected, and their body's buoyancy is strange to get used to. As they continue to do the little hops, it's as if the water wants their legs to rise, pushing them into a horizontal position, but they stop themself before it happens. Every time their feet leave the sand, their fear rises up again, but the grip on Bartholomew's arms serves as a comforting anchor.
Soon enough, they are impatient to move to the next step, so the next time they hop, they allow their body to move with the water and turn horizontally. As they move their torso backwards, however, they can no longer hold on to Bartie, and panic begins to rise up in them. They thrash in the water instinctively at this, going back to a standing position and grabbing on to Bartie again with a death grip.
"Okay, you were right, that was super scary," they say, chest heaving with breath. They hadn't even exerted themselves; it was simply the adrenaline pumping through them that made them want to catch their breath. After a waiting a bit to calm down, they take a deep breath in through their nose and exhale while looking at Bartie. "Let's do it again. But remind me how? I can do the bunny hops, but it gets scary when I have to float."
They nod to him as he instructs them, face serious but feeling slightly more calm. They move their hands to hold onto his upper arms, then start doing the little bunny hops. It's much easier to move up through the water than they expected, and their body's buoyancy is strange to get used to. As they continue to do the little hops, it's as if the water wants their legs to rise, pushing them into a horizontal position, but they stop themself before it happens. Every time their feet leave the sand, their fear rises up again, but the grip on Bartholomew's arms serves as a comforting anchor.
Soon enough, they are impatient to move to the next step, so the next time they hop, they allow their body to move with the water and turn horizontally. As they move their torso backwards, however, they can no longer hold on to Bartie, and panic begins to rise up in them. They thrash in the water instinctively at this, going back to a standing position and grabbing on to Bartie again with a death grip.
"Okay, you were right, that was super scary," they say, chest heaving with breath. They hadn't even exerted themselves; it was simply the adrenaline pumping through them that made them want to catch their breath. After a waiting a bit to calm down, they take a deep breath in through their nose and exhale while looking at Bartie. "Let's do it again. But remind me how? I can do the bunny hops, but it gets scary when I have to float."
they say i am my own lifeline
ELEFTHERIA
