Anxiety

You walk along the beach, nothing unusual: sunset, warm winds, and the sound of the waves. Suddenly your focus shifts. These waves; majestic yet cannot be tamed.

You start to feel them caressing your feet, gently making their way to your ankles. With every stroke, they get higher. Drawing you into the ocean.

Doubtful, you try to retreat yourself. Desperately wanting to escape their grasp.

Impossible.

The strong currents hold you down as the waves keep on getting stronger, higher. Feeling your heart pounding and running out of breath, you scream for help but it's total silence. Unable to make any sound, you panic. Frantically looking around for help, you've come to a realisation that you're surrounded. Boats, decks, even the beach are out of sight. Vanished. You're left alone to battle the ocean.

From afar you see it, the wave. Bigger than any of those you've battled before, coming to swallow you whole. In total resignation, you acknowledge the inevitable: you've lost all control.

Closing your eyes and taking a deep breath, you wait for the wave to come over.

Then it hits you.

You open your eyes, feeling the sand beneath your toes. You've never left the beach.