I am afraid of water. Of giant expanses of dihydrogen monoxide that could bury you alive without a moment’s hesitation. I am scared of the mere thought of being surrounded by something that is poison to my lungs. I have nightmares of perishing in the icy depths of oceans, trapped and tangled and drowning drowning drowning drowning.

I went snorkeling.

In the Atlantic.

Miles off the coast.

For my first time.

Then I jumped in and I didn’t look down in the liquid that pressed against me. I looked only at my friends. And then, I put my face underwater. The bottom was so far away and I looked around and all I saw was water water water everywhere. Bile threatened to come up as my heart conspired to leap out of my chest. Small creatures with shining scales swarmed around me & I feared the giant monsters that would emerge from the shadows and rip me to shreds.

I waited.

Nothing. Just the constant motion of the fishes lazily moving about me and my friends. Slowly, my mind thawed from the icy terror that held me.