Serenity

When the iceberg hits, some will not make it,
Some will go down with the vessel,
Accepting their fate, not fighting, but giving up.
Others will escape to the lifeboats and sail away to Serenity,
Leaving those less fortunate behind,
To either die, or survive.

Everyone around you is screaming for help,
It is your name they call.
“Why me?” you ask.
You are struggling as much as anyone else to survive
But still you are deemed responsible for ensuring the survival of others.

So you take a deep breath.

The piercing Water punctures your lungs
And your chest begins to collapse
As hypothermia begins to take over.
But you suppress it.
You need to save the others.

In the pursuit of helping others,
Your body becomes numb
To all feeling and emotion.
Putting them onto rafts,
And ensuring they reach Serenity,
Is your priority.

As the icy Water penetrates your body,
Like a virus clinging onto a host for survival,
You notice you can no longer feel anything.
Numbness, for now, is a relief until everyone is safe.
With numbness, you cannot feel more pain.

“But aren’t we all in this together?” you ask.

We are all clambering,
Panicking,
Trying not to drown or freeze to death.
Trying not to let The Water win.
You are trying as hard as everyone else to stay afloat
And to not be consumed by the engulfing Water.

You ensure others that “everything will be okay”
Even though you do not quite believe it yourself.
You know it will not end well for everyone.

Some will fall victim to The Water.
Those who I could not help.
Those who could not help themselves.
Those who will never reach Serenity.
Those who sought the relief of Heaven
Before I had the chance to save them.
Those who let The Water consume them as a release of life,
To reach a better place.
Desperately hoping for an alternative Serenity.

It is okay though;
Just try to keep yourself afloat and alive for now.

Others are still calling on you.
Others still need your help.
Suppress the pain,
Become numb.
Embrace the numbness.

In these moments,
You realise who your allies are,
Those who care about your Serenity,
And those who just want to get to theirs.

For some people,
You are merely a floatation device.
Something to hold onto
Until other help comes for them.
Help that will take them away
And ensure their survival.

They lean on you,
Push you under The Water.
Using you.
Sacrificing you.
Stifling you.
Drowning you.

You lose your breath
And begin to suffocate.
Thankfully, a lifeboat comes to their aid.
They don’t need you anymore
And allow you to come up to the surface
Gasping for air through your collapsing lungs.
They sail away,
Without looking back,
Without thanking you.

You need to move onto the next person.
Breathe.
Do not drown.
Do not give up.
You aid others with the hope
That one day you will reach your Serenity.
You put their lives and needs first,
Whilst ignoring your own.

Saving others will save you.

You need to fight your instincts.
You need to help others from drowning or freezing.
They are calling out for you,
They need a floatation device
And you are the nearest one.
Your pain and discomfort is worth saving others.

The stormy Water begins to calm.
The sun rises.
The Water heats up
And doesn’t feel excruciating anymore.

Life boats come to save everyone
But they don’t see you waiting.
And as you watch them sail away,
The Water becomes icy, choppy, and dangerous again.
They sail away to Serenity
Without acknowledgement
Or a thank you for your help.

They are happy and peaceful
Laughing with their friends
Who were never there to help
When The Water in their life was an engulfing force.

But you are still in The Water.

Alone.

Floating.

Struggling.

Flailing.

Drowning.