Death wish

It was a sunny day. The sky was clear with pure white clouds. I was seating inside the cabin of a chopper (a type of helicopter). I looked outside the glass window. The blue Pacific ocean was glittering with the sun rays. Up to my sight there was only a huge ocean. We were flying over Huwaii islands of the middle Pacific.

We were five persons inside the chopper.

Cameron van der Burgh was an African athlete and also a national swimming champion. He was a man of physical extremes; robust body with boldness in each of his acts. He was seating towards my left.

Kiyomi Yakuta was 24 years young girl from Japan. She has many credentials of a mountaineer. At very age she has climbed the Mt. Everest twice. She is having adventure inside her blood.

Lt. Kevin Desforgs was a former lieutenant at Royal Canadian Navy. After his resignation he had joined skyline adventure club and became a chief instructor of the junior skydivers. We were doing examination trial of the skydiving under him.

I was the only Indian there.

The Huwaii islands have been a legendary destination and an epic hot spot for the skydivers over the world. I was feeling lucky myself to have my exam there. That was our final round to become a certified skydiver. The rules were too strict for us. It was a game of Do or Die.

As altimeter indicated 12,000 feet, the captain John Blanford said.

“We reached our altitude, sir. The chopper is steady now. We can start it.”

Cameron, Kiyomi and I were preparing our outfits, checking each air seal and parachute kit. I was recalling all those safety precautions that I was taught. The chopper door was released from the air joints and it got fully opened. The sound of the blades cutting air got intensified. We three stood up and gathered near the open door. A rush of wind got inside and threw me one step backward.

Though everything has taken care of, I was not feeling secure. I was little tensed. By sensing great height my heart beat grew faster. That splendid view from 12,000 feet made me excited and a little terrified. I gathered my courage and got ready to jump.

“Are you ready?”  Kevin asked aloud with commandant voice.

“Yes sir..! ” we all replied simultaneously.

“Make sure that nothing goes wrong.” he said.

“Nothing could dare go wrong, sir.” I replied boldly.

That was my overconfidence.

“Alright..”  He nodded with faith and started the countdown.

“Three…Two…One…GO..!”

 

Cameron jumped, Kiyomi jumped and…

Just after pressing stopwatch button on my digital clock I jumped outside.

“Whoooa ….!”

I was highly accelerated. I could feel the real gravitational power of the earth. Every second my speed was increasing. There were only white clouds around, no land could be seen. I spread my arms like an eagle before penetrating through the white clouds. As I crossed the layers of clouds the splendid scene came out visible. All Islands seemed like bacterial cells viewed through a microscope, scattered all over the blue ocean. At extremely high speed I felt like my body did not have any liquid content. Only roaring air was what I could hear. For few fractions of minute, I was attached to nothing; sharply going downwards.

I glanced over the stopwatch, 35 seconds. It was time to open the parachute! I recalled the instructions and followed accordingly. I aligned myself parallel to the earth surface, fetched the ripcord, gripped it tight and then snatched it hard.

40 seconds.

The parachute flew open and with a sharp jerk I was lifted up right. Within a second, all the acceleration and the high speed subsided and suddenly I was lifted up. After that I was way up in the air, gently falling downwards. Roaring wind was replaced by soft breeze and a deep silence. I was just hanging around nothing. I enjoyed the sight for a while.

2 minutes.

From such an elevation the curve of the earth could clearly be visible. Far away, the horizon was seen blurred. Experience of flying over in the air and out in middle of nowhere was nothing less than a dream.

That was bliss!

We had been told to reach the Island number HW02. It was 4 minutes when I glanced again at the stopwatch; a little late to manoeuvre the parachute. I looked for Cameron and Kiyomi but they had opened up their parachutes before I do. I bent towards the left side, stretched the strings and began to navigate towards the shoreline.

Is that a little late? I doubted.

Within couple of seconds, I realized that it was actually late. Water was nearing me instead of the shoreline. I increased my efforts to not to fall into the water, land instead. As I was late to open up, there was less time left. It was difficult to reach up to the land but not impossible. At least I could try to get nearer. Even if I am little away from the shoreline, I can jump into the water and swim it down.

I was way up in the air, busy tracing the land. A gust of air came. Though it was rushing wind, I felt just like a breeze as I was concerned more about my navigation. Wind had changed the direction and violated my navigation. I was not aware that I am getting trapped, To err is a human.

Irony began when I could not realize that my direction had changed. Altimeter was indicating only 300 feet. At very low altitude, I had to cover a long distance. Now, to reach the shoreline was not just difficult, but next to impossible. I got panicked. All the joy I gathered in last few minutes now started boiling me. I became terrified more than I was before the jump. Still, the land seemed too far away. The situation was going out of my control.

No option was left for me except to dive into the water. I prepared myself to face it. I stayed in upright position to avoid striking hard with the water surface. Still, the shore was almost one kilometre far away. In no time I burst under water making splashes around. That had done no devastating physical injury but I was well aware that it could have to proven to be lethal. I knew swimming, however to swim one kilometre against the hard waves was a nightmare. Desire to survive gave me strength and with all of it I started to swim towards the shore.

I thought of Cameron. In this kind of situation only the national swimming champion could rescue me. If everything has gone right with him, he should have landed safely by now. Even if he is willing to save me he can’t. I would be dead before he can reach me. It was only me to who could help me.

Without losing hope I kept swimming.

I thought If I rest for while on the surface then the waves would push me back again. That would make it impossible for me to reach safely.

Despite getting exhausted I could not afford to rest. Due to continuous efforts against the water, muscle pain began to increase. I thought each stroke as the last one. The muscle pain had begun in both of my shoulder joints. I felt fatigue. I realised that what I did today was not an adventure, rather a death wish.

I strived to reach the shore but failed to do so.

That day it seemed to prove on me that: The mankind is nothing against the power of nature.

I stopped waving hands due to exhaustion and closed my eyes. My body started sinking. A sip of salty water got inside through my nose resisting me to breathe. I was gasping. At each moment I was praying to God as I was not sure which one would be the last of my life.

 

Suddenly, I heard a sharp sound under water. It was gradually intensifying. I wondered at what decibel it was that it was audible through water..! The sound was getting higher and higher. The moment it got unbearable to my ears, I was jolted awake from deep sleep.

The alarm on the desk beside my bed was declaring morning. I put the alarm on snooze and covered my face with both hands. I found myself sweating hard.

“My God….what a dream it was..!”, I whispered.

Once again, I closed my eyes and tried to resume the dream but it had gone.

One day I will make this dream come true without that dreadful end. With this thought, I stepped outside my bed, stretched the body and started my regular schedule.

__END__