Back From Death's Door
11
Have you ever almost drowned? Have you ever faced death in the water? I think you will say “NO.” I hope you will never experience the same fear as I had.
I was 7 years old. Life was going on well, everything was OK. One day I wanted to have a picnic and I told to my parents who said we could go. I rejoiced but I didn’t know then what would happen.
I couldn’t sleep that night to the best of my recollection. When it was morning, that exciting event approached. We made preparations for the picnic. Mom said constantly to me, “Take everything that we need. Get the basket, ball and blanket.”
We set out for Demirtaş Lake that was biggest lake in the Bursa. The journey took long because our home was far away from Demirtaş. When we arrived, the air smelt like the sea, all salty and tangy, even thought it was a fresh water lake. Maybe it was my imagination. I wanted to have a picnic near the lake because I wanted to feel the scent of the lake inside me. The journey was tiring so we rested a bit, but the whole time all I wanted to swim. My parents told me that ıt was dangerous and forbidden. When I insisted, they explained why it was forbidden. “The lake isn’t like the sea. The lake pulls you down and if you swim in the lake, you’ll sink.”
But I didn’t care about what they told me. I was determined to swim in the lake. My plan was this: I would go to my parents and tell them that my hands were dirty. I would ask for permission to wash my hands in the lake. I would go to lake and begin to wash my hands. Then, I would slowly and quietly slip into the water.
I put my plan into action. They believed me! It was time to swim! But the water was so very cold, I only could swim for 2-3 seconds before the lake started pulling me, I was sinking. My parents told me that I would sink and they were right!
I managed to say “HELP ME.” I shouted at the top of my voice. I screamed, “HELP ME!!!” repeatedly. I could hear their cries of “OH MY GOD.” When my parents saw me, I was choking. I had swallowed a lot of water. While my mother was coming to save me, I thought that there were the sharks in the lake and they would eat me. Even this thought frightened me.
When mom came to next to me, she was like crazy. She held me and she managed to save me. All my clothes were wet. I wanted to cry but I couldn’t. Fear prevented me from crying. People came next to me. I was very afraid. My parents were afraid too. People tried to make me relax. Someone touched my face and he said “Don’t worry.” It was not enough. I still was afraid.
This event stayed with me for 4 years. I learned two important things: I should care about what my parents tell me and there are rules everywhere and obeying these rules is important. I promised myself that day I would do both. Actually I learned three important things. The last is that my mom’s love saved me.
Mustafa Aydoğdu