Death Pool

excerpt

There was no time to change into a bathing suit. She got a running start and leaped into the air holding her nose with one hand. The water engulfed and then lifted her body to the surface. She swam to the edge and hoisted herself out of the pool. Her soaking clothes made it harder to move and she had little time to waste. She squeezed back through the wrought iron fence and ran into the bushes. The grass tickled her bare feet and mud crammed in between her toes. Water dripped from her split ends onto her neck as she scooted up the path to behind the salt box home. She turned and squatted near the shady oak tree to see if anyone was watching. A man peered into the shrubbery looking for something or someone. He had to be around her brother’s age. She missed her brother. College had stolen away her only confidant. She sat there under her favorite tree for a long time watching the man look for her.

“I Know you’re there!” he yelled.

Her muscles tensed and she held her breath.

“You’re trespassing you know!”

She felt the blood pumping ferociously through her veins and she couldn’t help but grin.

“If I catch you in this pool again you’ll be sorry!”

She covered her mouth to stop the giggles.

“You’ll be sorry!”

She was almost sorry he didn’t catch her. She was getting sick of this little game. It didn’t have the same adrenaline rush it used to. She needed something more. Maybe next time she’d let him catch her. Then he’d be the one that was sorry, she was sure of that.

She tiptoed around the side of the house and pulled up the door to the cellar. She tried to do it slowly as to not make any noise but the slower she pulled, the louder it squeaked. She opened the broken, unlocked door to the basement and hurried in. She peeled the damp clothing off her body and let it slop to the floor. Filling up the tub with hot water, she sat on the edge thinking about the man who was yelling at her. She dipped a toe in to test the water and then submerged herself up to her lips. Her nostrils flared at the warmth of the steam and her body relaxed. Each time she plunged into that stranger’s pool she thought for sure he’d catch her. That was part of the reason she did it. However she thought maybe it was time to try another tactic, one a little more direct.

The bell wasn’t working. “Great,” she thought. She gave the front door a good rap with her fist. Nothing. “Christ, maybe he’s a hermit.” She walked along side the windows and stuck her face right onto the glass. The front hall was empty. She knocked on the glass, but no one came. The car was still in the driveway and hadn’t moved since he arrived nearly two weeks ago. Where could he be? Patience not being her strong point she hopped down from the porch and tried to get a look at another room through the windows on the side. Inside was perfectly neat with no sign of life at all. “Jesus!” she yelled as a tall, lanky man jumped into the room from a doorway. He stamped his foot onto the hardwood floor as if he were squashing a bug. She tapped the glass but his eyes remained frozen on the floor. She tapped a little louder but he wouldn’t take his eyes off the ground. With a full fist she pounded the glass and shouted “Hey a*****e over here!” He stood there motionless, head down and shaking it from side to side. She turned her head in annoyance and let her cheek rest up against the glass. She watched him closely and finally his chin lifted from his chest. The minute their eyes made contact she screamed in unison with him. When she caught her breath she ran as the man came toward the window. She heard his loud mumble but couldn’t understand it. As she was running up the walk she heard the front door open and he yelled. “Wait!” She could hear his footsteps behind her and she didn’t dare turn around and lose a second of her lead.

“Stop!” he yelled again in a funny tone. “Who are you! Why are you running!”

She whipped around and caught him off guard and he stumbled.

“Why are you chasing me!”

“I’m not chasing you!” he said from the ground on his knees.

“Perhaps you don’t understand the concept of chasing,” she said.

“Perhaps you shouldn’t be peeping in windows.”

“I wasn’t peeping!”

“Perhaps you don’t understand the concept of peeping.”

She turned back around.

“You’re unbelievable. You ignore me and then try and scare the hell out of me…then you accuse me of being the creep. Do you like little games, is that it?”

She turned back to face him.

“Did you hear me?”

“Actually I didn’t.”

“What are you deaf?”

“Yes I am.”

“Wha…oh…you mean.”

“I’m deaf. You need to look at me when you’re speaking or I can’t see your lips.”

“Oh, okay.”

“What were you saying?
“Oh, I- was �"just �"saying �"that…”

“I’m not slow, I’m deaf. You can talk normal.”

“I know that! I was just, well…thinking.”

“Thinking what?”

“Let me finish.”

“Sorry.”

“I…”

“You’re the girl in the pool.”

“What?”

“You’re the pool hopper.”

“No, well yes, but.”
“But what? Decide to actually ask to use it this time?”

“Look, I just wanted to meet you okay.”

“Alright, now we’ve met. Do you have a name?”

“What?”
“A name my dear, a name…are you sure you’re not deaf as well?”

“Kat okay smart a*s, Kat.”

“Kat. I’m Martin.”