Stephanie's Trial

Midnight Swim surprise

The house was deathly still as I made my way downstairs, and I thanked my lucky stars as I stepped out into the courtyard. James was a heavy sleeper, and he'd told me earlier that he had no interest in maintaining our link whilst we slept. He said he didn't want to see my dreams, and assured me that I didn't want to see his, which I agreed with wholeheartedly.

The pool lay still and black, moonlight rippling across its surface. It was a very warm night, and I needed no further invitation. Of course, I couldn't dive in this time without waking half the house, so instead, I lowered myself into the water, shivering as it raised goosebumps across my skin. But I soon adjusted, and once I felt comfortable, I took a deep breath and submerged myself. I let some air out, letting myself sink to the bottom of the pool, enjoying the slight burn as I emptied my lungs enough to let myself sink all the way under.

When my feet hit the tiles, I opened my eyes, amazed at how dark it was. But there was an ethereal beauty to the way the moonlight made patterns across the tiles, somehow managing to be even more beautiful than in the sunlight, and I had to smile to myself. There was always beauty in everything, and I took comfort in the fact that I could still enjoy beauty like this.

As I swam along the bottom, kicking steadily with my legs, propelling myself forward with my arms, I took in the other sensations as well; the way the water glided over my body and through my hair, the way my arms pushed me through the water, and, when I closed my eyes for a moment, the weightlessness. Down here I was free, and all my cares and worries faded away once more, replaced by the water, and me. That was all there was. The water flowed over me like a caress, soothing the pain of the day's events, and I could feel my cares washing away.