I crossed paths with a pool of despair , it looked so still and dark , so deep and wide . First I was only knee - deep , but a heaviness dragged me in . It was dark , it was still , and it was cold . I scrambled out of the depths of despair , tried to shake off the muck .

Question: Why did the writer scramble out of the depths of despair ?
Answer: Because they crossed paths with it .Because at first they were knee - deep .Because they did n't enjoy it there .Because it was still and dark .