Free! - Sink to the Bottom

(1) - Chapter 1: Daydreaming

Writersnote: 
I do not own any of these characters. They belong to the anime "Free!".
Have fun reading this "one story, two parts" fanfiction :)

- ImmediatelyWriting
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Haruka Nanase

It's the day before Regionals, and I don't think I've ever been nervous for a tournament before. I run through the streets. It already was dark outside when I left the hotel Makoto, Nagisa, Rei and I are staying for the night.

The people expect me to "wow" them, but I don't know if I can do that.

I feel a cold shiver run down my spine when I imagine standing on the starting block. Swimming the Regionals, it'll be scary. All of those people will be looking, expecting me to do great.

But what if I have a bad day?

I turn around a corner.

What if I fuck up?

My feet tap the ground lightly as I jog.

Will Makoto, Rei and Nagisa be angry with me?

I run faster, trying to shake off the fear.

Would I disappoint everyone?

I keep running. My eyes close and I imagine standing on the starting block.

The water is not far beneath me, I want to jump in.

I can't.

My feet are glued to the starting block. The signal to jump sounds, but I can't jump.

Everyone jumps in, but I can't.

I shake my head. I shouldn't think of it like that.

It's not like I care about winning or losing.

But I do.

I take another turn to the left, without opening my eyes.

I'm still glued to the starting block, trying to jump into the shining water.

Everyone has already reached the second wall. When I'm finally able to jump in, I can't swim anymore.

But how? I know how to swim freestyle.

I slowly sink and when I'm almost at the bottom...

I open my eyes when I hear a loud honk. I turn around, staring into the headlights of a car.

It's just now that I realize that I'm running on the middle of the street.

Another honk, but no slowing down of the car.

It's driving too hard and I can't run away. I try to, but I'm not fast enough.

The front of the car hits me with a lot of force. After hearing a loud crack, I fly into the air.

The burning pain in my back is unbearable.

I shriek when I fall onto the front of the car and my spine feels like it's going to split in two.

Someone curses when I hit the windshield with my head. It feels like shards of glass cut though my skin, through my skull.

One painful sting in my head and everything turns black.