Overload

Chapter Twenty - Awakening

Movies always exaggerated fear: the camera panning rapidly; the walls closing in; the fast tempo of a beating heart thumping through the speakers.

Nothing of the sort happened. June had expected something dramatic to happen to her, to experience an out-of-body sensation as fear encapsulated her every sense.

Instead, June found herself frozen on the spot, unable to move. She stood deathly still, her gaze fixed on the still water. Occasionally it lapped up against the ceramic tiles and trickled through the drains on the side. Other than that, the pool was lifeless.

June didn't register the clock on the far side of the wall until she recognised a faint ticking noise. She'd been standing there for over half an hour.

Her brain forced its way through her blank thoughts and slowly, she trudged backwards until her knees hit the bench. She lowered herself, numb everywhere.

It took a couple more minutes of silently staring at the water to realise that so far, nothing bad had actually happened. But it wasn't to say that anything good had happened either.

June took a moment to recap her past forty-five minutes of immobility.

As much as she could feel the fear thickening in her veins, it hadn't been strong enough to elicit so much as a spark. She felt its tingle along the edge of her skin but nothing more.

June relaxed a little. If anything, that had to be progress.

What am I so afraid of?

She pursed her lips and leaned back into the cold wall. Tossing one leg over the other, June made herself comfortable, never taking her gaze off the water.

Bad memories came and went. It was life. It was no different for June than it was the next person. Heck, other people probably had it worse.

Was she really going to let one bad experience ruin everything she'd worked for?

"I'm in control," she said aloud. June stole a peek from either side of her, making sure she was alone before continuing, "I am in control."

She spoke with more conviction but her heart wasn't quite on the same page.

"Swimming is my life," she declared loudly. "Well, a part of it."

June paused then chuckled. Was she really starting a conversation? With herself?

But it was the truth: the water was as close to home as dry land. She was no mermaid but something about the water had always been a source of comfort.

And it was with that thought in mind that June mustered the courage to march into the locker rooms. She noted the eerie emptiness but paid more focus to the freedom of changing by herself. A thick white towel, a pair of goggles, and a simple black swimsuit had been laid out for her; nothing too flashy or dull. It fit like a glove, much to her surprise

She wondered how Coach Booker had gotten her exact size.

June brushed it off and left her shoes with the rest of the clothes she'd discarded. Hanging on a hook above her clothes were a pair of goggles. She took them hesitantly, the rubber familiar in her hands. Taking these meant she would get in the water.

Was she ready for that?

"Build a bridge and get over it," she murmured Erica's infamous mantra. Whenever a problem arose, Erica's first words were exactly that.

Though June was still hurt over Erica's unintentional betrayal as a rebel, the memories they had couldn't have been false. With that in mind, June cautiously shuffled out of the changing room.