Swim up

    I open my eyes to the cold water devouring me; going deeper and deeper into the never-ending blue. I struggle to swim up to the surface, but I'm stuck every time I swim up the faster I get pulled down. I could feel my lungs filling up with water, my chest growing heavy. I'm drowning and I can't do anything about it... OAKLEY! I gasped awake. "Oakley, you're going to be late for school. Come on, a few more days before you can sleep in whenever."
She leaves the room for me to get ready. I checked the time and it was 7:31. School starts in an hour and with that, I rush to get dressed. I picked up a random t-shirt in my drawer and put some pants on. Then I hobble over to the bathroom to see myself in the mirror. What a crazy dream I had, thinking about it made me get chills. I wash my face then to see my hair all frizzed up and how my outfit doesn't match at all. I brush my teeth and hair before rushing downstairs to see my mom impatiently waiting in the kitchen. 7:53 the oven clock showed, "Well are you just going to stare at me or are we going to go?" as she says that she leaves to the car. I walked to the pantry to find something for a quick breakfast and found pop tarts and put them in the toaster to warm up. While that's warming up I put on my shoes, refill my water bottle and pack my lunch. I grab my pop tarts and head for the car.
    It's a quiet ride to school. Sometimes I ask my mom random questions like if she'd think that she'll survive the zombie apocalypse or if she won a million dollars what would she do with it. My mom usually puts on her favorite radio station while I stare out into the streets.
     "Mom"
"Yes?"
"Do you ever get dreams about drowning"
"No, why did you have a bad dream?"
     "Well I had this dream of where I was drowning and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get up to the surface I was drowning."
My mom stops to think for a moment what to say next; her face fills up with concern. "Maybe it's because you slept with your hair wet or maybe you watched a scary movie." Maybe she was right, maybe my hair dried in my face. Maybe that's what caused me to "drown".
"Have a good day at school, I love you, stay safe" I hop off the car and start walking towards the entrance.
    "HEY OAKLEY OVER HERE!". I turn to see Amber waving her arms like a crazy lady, she always knows how to dress to impress. I then see my other friend Eric, a goofy looking fellow, he looks like a stick and could probably get blown away by the wind. I walk towards them to see what they are talking about. "So that's my idea for the start of summer break we could say that we are sleeping over at someone's house." Eric says proudly "It's a foolproof plan". "What are you guys plotting, whatever are you plotting I'm in '' They give me a look of excitement. "Well" Amber explains. "Eric said he found scuba gear in his dads old stuff. Eric wants to do scuba diving at Devils hole. His dad and some friends said it was a fun place to explore".
I think back to the dream I had this morning. "I don't know guys, I had a dream about drowning and I don't want to make that dream a reality," I said nervously. "Come on Oakley we never did something this interesting you just have to yolo it if you know what I'm saying" They continue to beg for me to consider the option of going. "Ok, ok, I'll think about it all and get back to you later". As they celebrate the option of going with them, the bell rings. "GET TO CLASS PEOPLE, CHOP CHOP!" the security yells out. Amber snapped out of excitement into her serious tone "Come on, let's go to class". For the rest of the day, the day went by pretty slowly, nothing out of the ordinary nor anything too exciting although the heat is extremely deathing as I climb up the stairs. At last it's lunch and we go to the best shady spot in Shadow ridge High School, the benches under the tarp.
"So?" Amber questions me about the question that was asked in the morning. "Well I've thought about it and I still dont know Im kind of iffy". "Oh well" Eric exclaims "I guess we would have to take you anyways".
"I'll go if Ash tags along."
"Oh, I'm already on board" Ash crept up on me. "Eric and Amber knew that you wouldn't go if I didn't go, I know that you wouldn't step out of your comfort zone so I'm going to be your guy's eyes and watch out for you while you're in there".
We negotiated for a bit then settled. I would go if and only I would have someone by my side during the whole thing. Ash is going to swim with me then leave me to Amber to swim around with me, for then ash to explore a bit then be our eyes. After the whole negotiation we talked about the details of the event. They said that we would have a sleepover at Eric's house on Friday then we would pack the scuba gear in his truck and drive to the devils hole. Then we will camp there until morning then swim till 3 pm; drive back to his house, do some games or watch tv. Then get dropped off back home safely. After going over the small details of our "sleepover" we got interrupted by the bell and had to plan it later.
    Walking to class I try to not think about the trip, so today is Wednesday we prepare on Thursday like snacks and such then leave on Friday come back on Saturday. As I said before, the day was pretty slow. As the school day finally ends I am drained. Finals are the worst and take the most of me, with the fluorescent lights and the screen blaring. As I walk to my moms car I practice how I'm going to tell her about the sleepover with Eric and the gang. I recite the question in my head a thousand times. I hop in the car
"So how was your day?"
"It was good, I was wondering if I could sleep over at Eric's house on Friday and come home Saturday night".
"Oh, ok that's fine who's going to be there or is it just going to be you guys?"
"No, it's me, Amber, Ash and Eric"
"Yeah it's fine just make sure you guys don't get arrested or do anything you might regret"
Those words sink in what if these are signs to not go. As we went home I ate then knocked out in my bedroom. No weird dream this time. When I woke up it was 8 pm. I got up and did some late work then went downstairs to get a snack. After I knew I was done with late assignments I showered then went to bed.
Thursday is the last day of school, tomorrow we start our summer break. I got up from my bed and got ready for school. This time I woke up at 6:55 am so I had extra time to pick out a good outfit for school. I did my hair, ate a proper breakfast and left the house. This time I drove myself to buy some coffee from starbucks and went to school. The day went pretty slow since we were finished with finals and it was the last day of school. Next school year I will be a senior, how time flies. Since the seniors are graduating today was a short day.
After school I decided to buy some snacks for the road and after the trip. I bought some tea, water and some sodas. Afterwards I headed home and celebrated another year of school completed and 1 more year till college. I ate the dinner that my mom prepared for me and I went to sleep...
"Gee it's pouring hard" Ash said
"I don't think we would be able to set camp in this weather " Amber said
I wake up, another dream? I get ready and think about the dream. Eric is supposed to pick us up around 1 to start heading towards the devil's hole. I look at the weather and see there's a small chance of rain, huh I thought to myself what if it actually rained that would be crazy. I finished packing and ate breakfast and I burned time till Eric arrived. When he arrived he had already picked up Ash and Amber.
"Are you guys ready to have a life changing experience?" Eric exclaims. As we drive toward his house we unpack unnecessary items at his house and pack the scuba gear. As we are packing we see some clouds move in. Rain. Just like the dream. After we are done packing we go into the truck. Everyone is excited while I'm having a panic attack. Just like the dream, so does that mean...
"Are you ok you dont look like you're too hot?"
"Yeah I'm fine, just need some space". When we almost arrived it was pouring cats and dogs.
"Gee it's pouring hard" Ash said
"I don't think we would be able to set camp in this weather " Amber said
"Think we will have to sleep in the truck so get cozy everyone" Eric said
Just like the dream. Not just like the dream Exactly like the dream. Oh no... We had to camp out till it wasn't raining anymore but it didn't stop. Since it didn't stop we slept in the truck. In the morning the place was all soaked one wrong step and you can get seriously hurt. We proceed with caution. We got the scuba gear and headed to the hole. Walking down my whole body got the chills I eased up with fear and anxieties. We put on the scuba gear and held hands then dove in. Ash and I explored for a bit then she left. That was my first mistake. Amber then took my hand and we explored together for a bit to then return to the surface. After we returned to the surface I felt a kind of relief, the dream didn't come true. After a while Eric came up but not ash.
"Has anyone seen ash, I'm getting a little worried"
We look around for any movement or sign of life but nothing. I rushed in the water to find her. Maybe she got stuck somewhere. I searched for maybe an hour or so. My oxygen tank is low. I swim for the bottom, maybe she's down there. That was my second mistake.
I swam and swam when suddenly I felt pulling. I was being pulled in. I tried to swerve the other way but it was too late. I got sucked into a hole, a hole where nothing gets out. I see the light slowly disappearing from my field of vision. I knew that this was the end. I know that my mom will miss me, her only child gone. As I'm being sucked in I keep struggling against the current trying to still be hopeful but nothing works. As I'm being sucked in the hole gets smaller. I see my life flash before my eyes. The oxygen has depleted already and I accepted my fate just like the dream. I just take a deep breath in, full of water to not suffer from a horrible death. I knew I shouldn't have come.
DEAD: ASH KETCHUM, OAKLEY MILLER
TIME & LOCATION: JUNE 10TH 2023 DEVILS HOLE
CAUSE OF DEATH: DROWNING
MISSING BODIES