Gills

Gills- Chapter One

Okay. Here's the next bit! Make sure you check out my other story, The Transfer Student.

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I float on my back, in the pool.

I'm 16. It's the summer after I drowned.

And no, I didn't die.

*Flashback*

My lungs were burning, and I slid into unconsciousness.

I woke, half and hour later. I was still in the sea, my foot still tangled in that god-awful rope. I took in a deep breath.

Wait. I'm in water, you can't breath in water. I tried again. I still didn't choke.

I could feel something weird, very small, just under and behind my ears. I fingered them. Gills.

Oh. My. God.

I have gills.

I can breath underwater.

I untangle myself, and swim to the surface.

I calm my mother, who is frantic with worry about my whereabouts.

I carry on my holiday, and I don't tell anyone my secret.

*End Of Flashback*

I finger my neck. You can't really feel the gills, they only properly come out when I'm underwater. You can't see them either, they are well blended.

I nearly always choose to go to the pool instead of our local beach; it's warmer. It's not as fun, though, as people suspect things if you're underwater for too long.

I hear shouting. I lift my head, changing my position to I'm swimming vertically.

I hear a girl. "OMG, it's a boy! Under the water, he's stuck, save him!"

I look where she's pointing. She's right. It's a person, in the deep end of the pool. Without another thought, I duck underwater.

As I get closer, I see the boy is my age, maybe older. I see he's conscious, but barely. His eyes, open, stare into mine. I reach him. His swimming bottoms are attached to a hook sticking out the wall. He's not in a position that enables him to free himself. I free him, and then grab his arm, swimming to the surface. His eyes are now closed.

When I reach the surface, people grab him, pulling him to the edge of the pool. I melt away unnoticed, not wanting to be asked any questions.

I get dressed, and go home, disturbed. That was close. Luckily no one noticed my ability to stay underwater for a long time.

I was also disturbed by the way is brown eyes bored into my grey ones.

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Later that day

I'm working, a cashier in the local wall-mart. It's a normal day, and its 6pm, so I get to go home in a half-hour.

My jaw drops when I see my next customer. It's the guy from the pool. The one I saved.

"Hey," He say's, when he sees me. "I know you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I mumble, keeping my face down, bagging his purchases.

"Wait a minute. You're that girl. From the pool. You saved my life."

"You must be getting me mixed up with someone else." I whispered, glancing up at his face. He was looking at me intently.

"No, I'm not. I remember you. I remember your eyes."

My eyes are quite rare. They're big, heavily lashed, and grey, with small flecks of black and blue around the edges.

"Umm..." I say, stalling for time.

"Wait. How did you stay underwater that long? Without passing out, I mean."

I may not have passes out then, but I wanted to now.

"Ted?" I called the employee from the other room. "Can you take this customer? I need to go home."

I ran from the shop, leaving the boy staring after me.

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Did you like it? More tomorrow. Please remember to comment and vote. And check out 'The Transfer Student.' WickedLovely. X