When I was little, I used to lay outside and reach my hands up to the sky above, convinced I could touch yhe great moving clouds if I just extended my arms a little further.

I loved the clouds. They were free, and always moving into different shapes that I would spot and show my parents. They didnt care as much as I did. But I didnt mind. Because I had a brain that noticed these things, and theat meant they were boring.

Im pretty sure today I actually touched those clouds.

My parents had taken me swimming to the Great Lake close to us, something they have done since I was just a little girl. Though they dont take me as often now.

I had immediately taken off my clothes and ran through the sand in my bathing suit. I dropped my towel where we always do and ran into the water, like I always do. It was a pretty day out, and there were few clouds. But I still could spot a bird and a rubber duck make out of them.

I moved a little deeper. The clouds were a little darker than usual, like they were hiding somthing. Something like rain. But they didnt rain. The rain never falls when Im at that lake.

My parents sat at their same old spot and watched me swim. My mom always wore a bathing suit under her clothes like me, except she normally doesnt use it.

I swam out to shoulder high. Fish nibbled at my feet and seaweed tangled around my fingers. I had stepped on a few rocks already as well. But just not a rock this big.

The next stone I had stepped on was huge, maybe big as me or even my dad if I curled up. I was shocked when I ran right into it, but I remember I ended up sitting down on it.

I called out to my parents and told them to look at this huge rock that I found. They didnt hear. So I showed them. I stood up on that rock, covering in seagrass and slime. I yelled to them again and pointed at my feet. They smiled and nodded before returning to their conversation. I looked up at the sky again. The bird cloud was gone, so was the duck. But there was a real bird. It was black.

I had slipped into the water. I was told I hit my head on the way down and couldnt swim back up myself. And for a minute, I was soaring. My hands reached for the clouds and this time the white fog twisted and moved around my hands. I flew like a bird. Arms outstretched. I looked down and could see the lake. But my parents werent at their spot this time. No, they were in the water. But then it went away. And I woke up here. In a hospital bed.

My parents swam in the Great Lake again for the first time in years. I only wish it didnt have to take my near death for it to happen.