Stagnant

--by Ayelet Siev 

with the sun beating down this way on Hannah's boat

the sound of margaritas blending and Ella's playlist

the entire group together

it was a perfect day

the morning had been spent laying in the sun

getting freckles and comparing tan lines

Margaret and Ella made sure we got it out of the way early

yacht time was for chugging margaritas and playing mermaids

yacht time was for filling Davina in on everything she missed year round

when all our visions' were sufficiently blurred

Davina and Hannah did a parody of Ella's old vlogs

Margaret pretended to be her mother, storming in

I laughed along

Margaret and Davina got into a dance battle

Ella appointed herself DJ

Hannah appointed herself judge

I appointed myself audience 

Hannah teared up at the third song

and began to tell Davina why

Ella stroked Hannah's arm

Davina told her she did the right thing

Margaret told her it was all okay now

I told her they were right and she'd be over it soon

Hannah suggested we do cannonballs

Davina grabbed her hand and pulled her to the edge of the boat

Hannah grabbed Ella

Ella grabbed Margaret

I grabbed Davina

we all jumped on three

from under I saw Margaret pop up 

Ella next

I heard her yell something about Marco Polo

I saw Davina pop up

Hannah right after

but my ankles were stone

I couldn't go up

I couldn't move

I flailed my arms to get someone's attention

to tread up

to stop the descent

arms treading

feet weighing

keeping me in place just below the surface