Ice

To find the woman who sits on the Pole. Ice submerging her every so
often. Clear blue reflecting in her clear eyes. She sleeps as I do. I
can see her eyelids moving, feel the black edge being scraped. Round
balls manoeuvring in time. Often she looks like she is made of glass
when she emerges from the water.

Mouth a hole, eyes wide. How cold she must be. I shiver in my sleep.
Her hands pale white long reach out and I think they are touching me.
Shiver again.

After the loud crash of the water there is no noise. She ellipses
everything around her. Then she has gone. My eyes open in pain. Close
again.

Risking my life I've nearly swallowed the sea. Gulping, saltiness,
stomach churning, regurgitating.

I'm shimming and the clouds are black. I know I must find something but
I've forgotten what it was. Then I see a glimpse of an eye - a clear
eye and remember the unknown woman.

'How did you come by here?' I ask.

No reply as she tries to open her mouth and fails. Stalactites are
protruding from it. I wonder what's inside. An iced tongue? Her clear
eyes no longer calmed. She drops back into the water. Sound rebounds in
my ears.

I feel the water shimmy me backwards. A sense of falling, feet
jerk.

Diving into the water coldness gripping. Coldness filling my head.