Kinktober Day 14: Quicksand

Shannon was leading her photography deeper into the marshy woods. Her knee high rain boots were being tested by the muddy land. She kept going and her photographer followed her. He was taking pictures for her senior pictures. She wanted a wooded shot; he did not realize the woods would be so swampy. He knew that they would find a dry spot with good lighting, but the muddy walk was getting frustrating. He watched her walk ahead of him. She would take a step and her foot would sink in. She’d pull it free and he would try a different path than she had taken.

She was wearing a short white dress with a denim jacket. On her legs she wore red tights and her yellow rain boots. She had red heels to switch into when they found a spot. The makeup artist had made the already cute blonde into a gorgeous young woman. It was cool enough that she did not have to worry about sweating it off; although the effort in the mud was making her feel warm. Her boots were muddy up to the middle of her shin and she was starting to regret continuing this far.

She yelped when she took a step and her leg sank to the knee. Her momentum carried her other leg into the quagmire. Her photographer stopped. She tried to pull herself free as the mud started flowing into her boots. She could not lift either of her feet. In fact her efforts, led to her legs sinking further into the quicksand. Her red tights-clad legs were barely visible between the surface of the mud and the hem of her dress. She tried to move and sank further causing her red legs to disappear. She held her hands up with on of them holding the bag that contained her heels.

“Help!” she said realizing that she was fully stuck.

Her photographer was frozen as he watched the scene before him. It was like a movie. Quicksand wasn’t real. He was fascinated as she started sinking. She made little noises as she struggled that excited him. When she finally called out, he was brought back to reality. He didn’t move right away. She tossed her bag aside and grabbed her thighs trying to pull herself free. She lifted her skirt to do this exposing more of her tights-clad thighs before they too had sunken.

“Help me damnit!” she said.

He made a decision that was surprising to him; he realized he didn’t want to be the hero. He took out his camera and started taking pictures of the scene before. She heard the clicking of the camera and then saw him move in front of her taking pictures. She was furious. She had sunk to her breasts and this man was just taking pictures of her. She grunted as she tried to twist and pull free. She reached for the edge with her free hand, but there was nothing to grip there.

“Help me, you mother fucker,” she yelled, “Stop taking pictures. And get me out. I’ll fucking ruin you.”

He smiled as he continued to photograph the sinking blonde. Her dress disappeared below the surface as did her jacket. Her neck soon was below the surface as well. When her chin touched the mud, she panicked. She yelled as loud as she could. She finally put her arms into the muck and tried to swim. Her arms only became stuck.

“Please help me,” she said as tears started to stream from her eyes, “I’ll do anything. Just pull me out. Please… Help me. God, please…”

Mud filled her mouth cutting off her pleas. She tried holding her nose up as long as she could, but her nostrils were soon covered. Her eyes sank below the surface; she realized she was never going to see light again. Her blonde hair disappeared a few moments later. Shannon was no longer visible, so the photographer put his camera away.

The mud puddle was settling back to its level. Little movements and the occasional bubble appeared at the surface as Shannon gave her last fight as she suffocated. The photography watched for several minutes after the last sign of movement. He finally walked away with a lot of photos of the surreal, but exciting scene. He had no idea what he was going to do about the young woman who disappeared on his watch.