Unforgettable (Unfamiliar Series #2) (NEW COPY)

Chapter 12 (9/11/24)

When I was little, I would sometimes be afraid of going swimming. There were several times in the summers leading up to middle school when my parents would take myself and my siblings to the public pool near our house. I would refuse to go, opting to stay home instead. My main fear was drowning, but now, all I want to do is swim because the silence gives me time to feel nothing at all.

I kick off the wall and surface briefly, whistling and shouting filling the air as I duck back under the waves. The only sound I hear is the other swimmers splashing, the noise muffled to the point of sounding like distant cannon booms. I can faintly see my competitors swimming from my peripheral vision, only one of them managing to stay ahead of me as I glide through the water after them.

One more lap, I tell myself.

The wall is fast approaching as I dive down and kick off, my body rocketing through the water as I point my hands together in front of me to slice through the water like a knife-blade. I go to bring my head up, but can't seem to as the water almost appears to keep me trapped underneath.

The black band on my wrist flashes in my vision, a reminder.

Everyone had one, the band meant to signal if any breathing spells are being cast to keep the competition fair. If I used a spell now, I would be disqualified.

You can make it, I urge, though my heart is starting to beat harder in my chest, each beat threatening to make my head explode.

I try to surface again, but find that I can't as my head feels like I'm bumping against glass. Movement flickers in the corner of my eye and I look to the side just long enough to see that another swimmer is catching up to me.

Focus, I bite down on my lip as I let a few precious air bubbles slip past them.

I lunge for the wall as I keep swimming, my lungs cramping and aching with each stroke as I claw my way through the water. Even though I'm able to bring my arms up, I just can't seem to bring my head up for a breath of air.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

I try to surface again as I nearly curl in on myself from the spasming in my lungs, the urge to take a breath making my chest ache.

Seven, eight, nine, ten.

I kick off the wall when I reach it, my vision already blackening around the edges as my heart thuds in my chest.

You can do this.

ElevenTwelveThirteenFourteenFifteen.

I lengthen my strokes, the water feeling like air as I pour on the speed. My shadow soars beneath me as it follows my movements, a ringing filling my ears. The water finally gives under the pressure and I surface as I reach out and grab the wall. 

Cheers and shouts fill my ears as I gasp in a couple of breaths of air, my head feeling abruptly light as I realize that the race is over.

I look around to see that I'm the only one who has finished as one of my competitors surfaces a few moments later in the next lane over. I search for the scoreboard and can't help but feel a rush of adrenaline when I see the time.

4:16.

I climb out of the pool, my arms shaking as they bear my weight before I stand. My vision spins briefly and I shake my head to clear it. Ms. Vera jogs over to me, a grin lighting up her face as she drapes a towel over my shoulders.