Iowa Writes

NICOLE RAE HANCOCK
Drowning


No windows or doors. The room begins to fill with water and you're afraid of drowning. Then the walls begin to move in and there's nowhere to go. You see a dark hole in the bottommost corner. "May I only reach it in time." You suck in a deep breath and plunge down hard. Fighting the water rising. Swimming far below to learn you have not moved at all. Air is slipping from your lungs while you're stuck in a whirl. "Am I upside down and dying or simply asleep?" Your body becomes weightless, slipping so deep. You open your eyes to see the hole one last time, right in front or you.

About Iowa Writes

Since 2006, "Iowa Writes" has featured the work of Iowa-identified writers on The Daily Palette, and it has recently expanded its scope to include work published by Iowa journals and publishers. Curated by the staff of The Iowa Review, "Iowa Writes" features poetry, fiction, or nonfiction several times a week on the Palette. In November, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated Iowa City, Iowa, the world's third City of Literature, making the community part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. Iowa City has joined Edinburgh, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia as UNESCO Cities of Literature.

Find out more about submitting at iowawrites.org


NICOLE RAE HANCOCK

Nicole Rae Hancock is 14 years old. She lives in Ames, Iowa, and goes to Ames Middle School, where English is her favorite subject. "I started writing when I was in sixth grade and haven't stopped since," she says.

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