An Unforgettable Summer

Chapter Six

I wake up to the smell of the crisp, clean mountain air. We must've slept with our window open, cause the breeze was blowing through our dorm at just the perfect speed for a swift yet calm wake up. What could be better? I look over and see Em, fast asleep. I look over at my clock, 5:45 AM. Today is the perfect day to be up early, drink coffee and watch the sunrise with my best friend before today's events. With that thought, I roll out of bed and throw on some slippers while starting the coffee for Em and I. She slowly wakes up to the enticing scent of freshly brewed coffee, and she quickly gets excited about watching the sunrise together. "Our first sunrise together of the summer!" She exclaims with that bright and contagious smile. "We have to make it our best one yet.." I say, knowing how notorious we are for our iconic sunrise and sunset conversations. 

We make our way out to the balcony just as the sun is breaching the horizon, creating the most enchantingly warm glow of fluorescent and colorful light on our faces as we sit and chat about all things; last semester, boys, grades and bad teachers, and goals for the summer. After what seemed like mere minutes of chatting, I check my phone for the time. The sun is high enough in the sky at this point where the morning felt at its best. Crisp, welcoming... a new start. 8:00. I sigh, "I should probably get ready for this 4 mile swim I'm about to DOMINATE today.." I say, trying to get my adrenaline flowing enough to boost me out of my seat and back into our room. "Yeah..." Em says tentatively, "I'm more so worried about this Macey chick... she seems really small and I'm scared she'll get hurt or tire too fast." She has a valid point. Macey was the most stereotypical freshman geek you could think of. Weird braid pigtails and all. "I'm sure she'll be fine," I start, hoping I'm right. "She wouldn't have announced it to the whole camp if she wasn't confident. Maybe she's some swim prodigy or something." And with that, Em and I go about our morning routine and head to the caf for breakfast with the girls. 

As we sit at breakfast, the caf seems to be bursting with energy. Everyone is talking about the swim challenge, or something else exciting the day holds... to be honest I don't really know what else is going on today because I've been so focused on other stuff. Like the race! Like Matthew... Crys, who's sitting to my left enjoying her french toast sticks, notices me spacing out a bit and gives me a slight nudge with her elbow. "Everything okay in there?" She asks, motioning to my brain. She's kind of the best about knowing when I'm thinking too much and need to be brought back to reality. "Yeah I'm good. Just getting in the zone for today" I say with a slight laugh. The truth is I can't stop thinking about Matthew long enough to even focus on the race. I didn't see him at all this morning, not even right now in the caf. I hope he comes to watch the race. 

The girls keep their chatter to a dull roar as we eventually, between random conversation topics, finish our breakfast and head out to the lake for the race...

The next thing I know, we're all standing along the east shoreline of the lake. Most of camp is here, yet I still can't seem to spot Matthew. I was really hoping he'd be here, especially after our conversation a few nights ago and him winking at me in the caf when I accepted this challenge... I thought he'd want to be here. But that was a stupid hope. He's probably off with Alexis somewhere deep in the woods. I shudder at the thought. Stop it Cat. Get your head in the race. We can deal with all of that after...  I shake off those thoughts as I slowly make my way to the shoreline, doing my breathing exercises and getting into the zone. My zone. The water is my favorite place to be, sure this'll be a workout, but it'll be worth it. 

Macey is standing to my left. She has on a sparkly one piece with a rainbow swim cap. Flashy is cool I guess, if that's what you're into. I laugh at myself just a little bit. This'll be an easy win. "Good morning Campers." I hear Dr. Mann's strong yet comforting voice over the loudspeakers. "May I just remind our racers to stay safe, and to please flag down one our safety canoes if there is an issue during your swim. No other campers may enter the water until the race is finished, to ensure fair play among all parties involved. Once both Catherine and Macey are accounted for at the west shoreline of the lake, then regular water festivities will return." I turn around to see Dr. Mann giving me the "make sure to be safe," mom look. I nod at her, reassuring her that it will all be fine. "This is the first time this will have ever been done in Roanoke history... so I wish you both the best of luck." With that final statement, we get into our starting positions for the race. The adrenaline is rushing through my temples, I can hear my heartbeat. The next thing I hear is the small firearm going off, signaling that it's go time. 

I leap forward into the icy waves and allow the water to speak individually to each and every muscle in my body, convincing them not to tense but to relax and just swim. I open my eyes and admire how the sun shines through the surface of the water, not even recognizing the fact that Macey is already pretty far behind me. I just like becoming one with the water, allowing it to speak to me and push me in ways nothing on land really can. I just swim. 

It seems like hours, which it probably was, but I finally come to a place in my swim where i'm confident no one can see me, and confident that Macey isn't even close to catching up with me... so I just float. I allow myself to melt into the juxtaposition of the cold waters and the warm sun, allow it to calm my soul and put my mind at ease. Then, just as I'm about to swim again for my last leg of the race, I feel a strong current whoosh underneath me, heading towards the western shoreline. I'm thrown off balance for just a second, wondering what could've caused such a strong current in an almost fully enclosed lake. The lake has a small opening to the Pacific Ocean on the farthest edge of the eastern side, but we've never had any cases of oceanic animals coming and causing trouble in the lake before. I brush the thought that it could be something threatening out of my mind quick, just focusing on the fact that I need to finish this race. I wonder where Macey might be right now, as I swim towards the western shore, now having it in my direct line of sight. 

I close my eyes for the last 100 yards, just letting myself be one with the water. I begin to hear the screaming and cheering of my camp mates on the shoreline ahead of me, and open my eyes to scan the crowd in my last 20 yards. There he is. Standing front and center. My heart skips a beat just a little, until I notice the look on his face. Why does he look... terrified? Like he's seen a dead body or something. I finally get to where I can set my feet on the mushy lake sand and start to walk up the shore, recognizing now that everyone on the shore isn't scream cheering, but just screaming. My goggles must be distorting my view of something, cause I can't really see, through my exhaustion, what everyone is so freaked out about. I stand in the lake where the water just hits my knees, when I hear, as clear as a bell, some girl I don't know scream, "She's covered in blood! Somebody help her!" 

In that moment I felt time stop. In slow motion, I remove my blue tinted goggles and look down at my legs, covered in red water? I slowly look over to my left yet again, to see the body of a small girl, covered in huge bites... Shark bites? Is that what the current was while I was floating? Who got in the water when they weren't supposed to? I look harder, fighting against my instincts because it's becoming more and more difficult to focus. A rainbow swim cap is ripped in half. The young girl's braid pigtails are only half their original length. And worst of all, the look of pure horror on her face. Macey is dead. The last thing I remember is her face, and the blurred image of someone rushing into the waves towards me before I collapse.