Ponita in Real Life

It's hot, it's sunny; the deep blue expanse of water stretches out to the horizon ahead of me. I've a good grasp of the handles on this inflatable ring thingie as I speed across the water, bouncing gleefully over the little waves.

Ahead of me, another rider boinks along as speed, zooming towards the large boat that sits bobbing on the water. I don't know who it is... they are too far away to tell, but I am fast approaching as my rate of zoom is obviously quicker than theirs.

It's gorgeous out on the water... The salt spray is just cool enough to cut the heat of the sun. I've got my shades on, and the wind whips my hair back as I race along, a big grin plastered on my face.

As I approach the other rider, I notice it's a she... but can't see a face. I notice flashes of red and white under the water around her... like colourful dolphins keeping up with her speed beneath the surface.

Red and White? Dolphins don't come in red and white. Wait a minute... they look like people... they have arms and legs... how can they swim that fast? And where are their air tanks if they are scuba divers?

Just as those thoughts passed through my mind, several red and white shapes reached out and yanked her under the water.

Gone... in an instant. No inflatable bobbing to the surface, no swimmer splashing about in the water.

Nothing. Just.... nothing.

No one but me saw. We were too far away from the boat to even see shapes of people on it. I was still zooming along towards the boat. It was then that I began to wonder how... I had no motor on this thing. There was nothing towing me...

I quickly drew my feet up from the edge of the inflatable... I sucked in a huge gasping breath as I saw red and white shapes darting to surround me... keeping pace... somehow not even wiggling their legs or arms as they swam. No... it was like they were flying under the water.

My knuckles blanched to white as I gripped the handles tighter. Several red arms reached upwards and I felt the inflatable... and me... pulled into the water.

As the water slammed over my head, I opened my mouth in a vain attempt to draw one last breath...

Fully expecting to inhale the ocean, I sucked in a huge lungful of air and feebly warbled, "gaaaaaaaahhhh..."

I lay gasping in my bed, hoping the neighbours didn't hear me. Turning to look at the clock, I saw that it was barely after 5 a.m. and the sky was just beginning to lighten. I flung myself out of bed to go to the bathroom and pee... and to wipe the sweat off my face.

I hate those kinds of dreams...