The moment my body hit the water I felt relieved. No, more than relieved, free. I felt free because every inch of my body was humming, I was alive. It's like being in pain without knowing, the water takes that invisible pain away.
By the end of my first lap my heart rate has gone down, my muscles became loose, and my breathing was less frantic.
Every time I come to The Dolphin (or any swim place really) I do a hundred and fifty laps. It may sound like too much, but for me it's not enough. I had gotten used to so much, plus it's summer, can't get lazy and out of shape. Then I'll become fat and I'm ugly enough as it is.
All too soon I was done with my laps. When I pulled myself out of the water I spotted Ester and Vivian lounging on the beach chairs with a little round table. I noticed they were eating something from a red and yellow bag, chips maybe? I hope so. I may have eaten fast food only minutes ago, but my hunger is never satisfied. Making my way over to them I take off my nose plug, goggles, and cap. Then I yank my hair-tie off and let my long red hair fall to my waist.
"Did you have fun?" Vivian asks, getting a Cheetos from the bag.
"Of course, it's water. I always have fun in water." I said, helping myself to a handful of the chips.
"Get your watery hands outta our chips. Here," Ester pulls a napkin toward the chair to her left, "eat those." Then she poured some Cheetos on the napkin without another word.
I sigh and sat down. As I ate I scan the room, noticing just how crowded it was. It's the beginning of summer, I thought, people want to let their bodies relax after a long year of sitting in a rock hard desk for eight hours a day, five days a week. School and work are stupid.
Eating the last of my Cheetos, I jump up, "Ready to get in?"
"We just ate!" Vivians teal eyes fill with worry.
"And? Chill, Lloron. I always do this. I promise, should I puke, it'll be on Ester." I look in Esters direction and wiggle my eyebrows.
"And if such a thing happens I'll stab you with a fork." The Devil himself would be proud of the smile she's flashing me.
The water began to get higher Vivian said, "Melody, how long can you hold your breath?"
"I don't know. Coach would time me, but the longest she'd let me stay under was seven minutes. I know I can go on for much longer." I reply, trying not to sound that full of myself.
"Okay hotshot. There's a clock over there. We'll time you. Only come up when you're about to faint." Ester walks in even deeper.
When the water was up to my chin, though it wasn't even close to Esters shoulders, I said, "Look at the clock. My time starts... now!"
I sank myself under until I hit the bottom, then I sat criss-crossed and wait. I'd left my swim gear on the table, but didn't need any of it. Over all the time I've spent in the water my eyes have adjusted to life under the surface.
I carefully study the scene around me. Legs. And butts. Yip, plenty of those. Not awkward at all. Totally don't feel like a perv.
Taking in my awkward surroundings I couldn't help but feel all the water encasing me. I close my eyes and listen to the glorious sound water makes when moved.
Seconds later I reopen my eyes because a strange noise was disturbing the quiet. Concentrating, I think it sounds like a struggle, as if someone's fighting the water. But that's dumb. I mean how can someone fight water?! I swam to the surface and drew in a breath of fresh air to gather my thoughts.
"That wasn't even five minutes!" Ester complains.
"Shut your mouth!" I try to hear the noise again, all I heard was laughter and splashing water.
"What is-" Ester starts to complain some more but Vivian silenced her.
I still couldn't hear the strange sound. I dove back under and heard it the instant my ears hit the water. Drawn by the sound I swam to it and kept going until I was well past the ten feet deep marker. Without warning the racket stopped, I press on. I then saw a dark figure in the deepest end.
I reach the figure and understood it wasn't a figure at all but a baby girl. Going on a whim, I assume she fell in to being suicidal and jumping in.
I cradle her in my arms and shot up to the surface faster than a bullet. I broke through in no time and haul her tiny body onto the ledge then got myself out. A few people saw us and form a half circle but I didn't care, my main focus was on the toddler. Putting my index and middle finger to the side of her neck I feel her weak pulse. Well that's something.
I snap my fingers in front of her face, "Little person? Are you awake? Can you hear me?" she gave no response.
I learnt CPR long ago; a skill the captain of a swimming team should master. One hand on top of the other, I place them on her small chest and began pumping.
After four tries I check her pulse, still weak, I continue pumping.
I remark a large crowd had formed about us. I sense their curious eyes on my back. I could hear screams, cries, tons of whispering, and somewhere in the mix I make out Ester and Vivian's voices.
Between alternating pumping and checking her pulse, I slowly lost hope. And if I wasn't mistaking, her heart rate was actually dropping, I still had to try.
Glancing down at her I my stomach is queasy. She seemed barely two and has pretty brown hair. I felt ghastly sick, something I held close to my heart would be the end for this innocent child. Water was about to rob this young girl of her life before she even got to live it.
I'm devastated and hurt that this could happen. Water is the evil force behind this. I can't remember ever being this upset or betrayed before. I could feel all my emotions mixing together, going into overdrive. I hear my heart thundering in my ears. For a moment I expect to explode into billions of tiny irreparable pieces.
Then this odd tingling sensation in the tips of my fingers started. While I was pumping her chest I'd felt something move. At first I thought it was the girl, quickly did I realize it hadn't been she who moved, but something inside her.
The water, you are feeling the water inside of her. A little voice in my head screams at me. But wait. It wasn't my voice. It was masculine, not one I'd heard in my life.
If you can fell the water, you can move it too.
What? I argue with the voice. Yip, because I'm a total water bender. How in the world am I supposed to do that?
Relax smart ass. Think it. Want it. Feel it.
Very annoyed with this retarded voice. Surely I couldn't move water, and certainly not water inside someone. That's reserved for Avatar (and no, not the blue monkey one).
Seeing her expressionless face, I decide to give it one try. For a nanosecond I hesitate, but got my head back and concentrate. I can still feel it, whatever "it" is.
I shut my eyes, but continue the pumping. I picture the little girl, her tiny body, then I imagine the water inside her. To my surprise, I saw a blue glow radiate from within her chest. Focusing my everything on the glow, I imagine it flow to her neck and up out of her mouth. My finger tips still have the same odd sensation, somehow increased in strength. My focus remains intact; I kept picturing the glow leaving her, over and over again.
I heard a light gasp and a choking sound. My eyes flew open and land on her soft face, meeting her blue stare. Eyes wide as saucers, she coughs and struggles to sit up.
I did it! I saved her! I did it! I thought, gleeful.
Good job little wave. The masculine voice said, making chills run up my spine.
A huge cheer ran through the crowd as the toddler blinks, apparently done with the coughing fit and now very confused. Who I presume was her mother swoops in and hugged her so tightly I fear she might suffocate again.
As her mother thanks me repeatedly, I study them, something about these two trigger my memory. I tap the woman on her shoulder and said, "Hey, sorry to ruin the moment, but do I know you?"
I took in her features as quickly as possible. Blonde hair tossed up in a ponytail. Same blue eyes as her daughter. Her lips were a strawberry color that I've seen so many times before...
She had done a double take after my quick analysis. "Melody, is that you?"
"Uh-how do you know my name? I wonder aloud as Ester and Vivian came up behind me.
"It's me, Alice. It's been awhile since we last saw each other. You dyed your hair red!" The woman said, smiling broadly, as if I were some goddess who held the key to her happiness.
The thing is, it has been awhile. Over four years.
"Alice? What are you doing here? Why aren't you in Florida?" I sound as star struck as I felt.
"My job transferred me back, so we moved into our old house."
"Do you mean...?" I already know the answer, of course I do, but I need her to say it aloud to confirm my suspicions.
"Yes. We're back in Las Vegas. It was all really sudden and I ..."
I stood frozen as she babbles on and on about senseless crap.
The first words she spoke. Seemingly small and useless, but strong and powerful to me. Next thing I know the room was spinning and I could feel a wicked pounding in my head as my world turns upside down.
In one action, I turn on my heel. Me being me, I slip on a humiliatingly small puddle.
I heard more shouts and cries and people saying my name, I didn't understand....
I must've fell to the floor because everyone was looking down at me, concern and worry mix in with horror in their eyes. Then, slowly, the room slips away and everything became black. For one happily peaceful moment, I escape reality.