I stand before the ocean, quicksand taking me in
Slowly, my body sinks into the ground
The sun, behind the high and intimidating waves, smiles down at me
I take in the smell of the salty sea
The tides fluctuate between highs and lows
I never see the highs
For they are overshadowed by the lows
I am scared.
I do not wish to leave the quicksand
For it is all I have ever known
The quicksand is slowly dragging me
Into the end, until the end
Until I decide to move
Until I decide to change
It will pull and pull me down…
I will allow it to
“You must leave,” the sun tells me, beckoning me to move
The sun is ever bright
Beautiful, blissful
I crave the warmth of the sun
Yet, the thought of the seemly endless sea stops me
I deny myself the sun over and over again
So, I allow my body to sink into the floor
I allow the quicksand to take me in
I do not face the terrors of the sea
I never see the sun
For I was scared.
--Pahul K., 9th-12th Grade