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"Mama!" I screa to us!"

My voice traveled over the lake and echoed in the trees I saw a crow lift off a dead branch and flee into the darkness

Good I thought Every living thing should flee from me Even I should flee from myself

My arripped the wheels ofthe chair forward, off the ravel and dirt pathway that led toward the dock and the lake The chair bounced and the wheels got caught in grooves, bringing me to a sudden stop but I leaned back and pushed harder, lifting the chair up and out and onward again Tears streamed down my face My hands ached

Midway I picked up er had to push The chair rolled onward, but it hit a rock and spun It slowly tilted I tried to keep it level, but ht shifted too quickly and I went over with it, barely having tiassy area The right wheel continued to spin I wasn't completely out of the chair but I isted

It seeh et ain Finally I did so and just sat there, breathing hard, sweating so much the strands of my hair stuck to my forehead

The sun had fallen behind the tree line Darkness drew the shadows out of the surrounding woods Stars appeared and the lake itself turned an inky dark blue and gray

I had only frightened , nor did I hit any part of my body hard, but there was so becaain, I felt the sa inside ht The red ball swelled until it pressed on my heart and made it pound

What a ht Where's that independence I was supposed to be developing? I'll always be a pathetic invalid, kept here on this earth just to make life miserable for someone else

I wheeledthe chair back fro in either direction too quickly Darkness was closing in around led to see exactly where I was going Suddenly, I felt a horrible spasm of pain in rip on the wheels

Again the chair picked up momentum I held onto the sides and closed my eyes and told myself to relax

I was heading right for the dock The chair bounced hard and then hit the dock, wheeling ht and then after I leaned to the left, turned far too sharply and spilledthe wind out of me when I hit However I didn't realize how close I was to the edge With what I was sure was a look of terror and surprise on my face I went over and hit the water mostly with my back

In seconds I was sinking I waved asped again and again, never getting enough oxygen

Wait Rain, why are you fighting so hard? I heard a voice within ht and your dead li I actually started to lower my arms when I heard the second splash and aarm around my waist He elevated half my body out of the water and drove me toward the dock

"Easy," he cried "I've got you"