Blood in the Water

Chapter Four

There was always a rush that Kevin got when he stepped up to the plate. The drone of the crowd became like a backdrop, the dirt and dust crunched pleasantly beneath his cleats, the leather grip on his bat was smooth beneath his palms. He took his place at the plater, squared his feet and looked to the pitcher. Eyes locked for a moment...

Kevin calculated the distance between them...

He estimated the batter's height and adjusted his grip, then shuffled forward just a little further than he normally did.

The batter wound up and threw.

Kevin timed his swing to the acceleration of the ball.

Three days ago he had kissed Eddward Vincent, a man he had never been more than acquaintances with at best and rivals with at worst.

Two days ago he had gotten a B on a math test he should have failed.

The crack of the bat hitting the ball was like a clap of thunder.

Kevin took off into a sprint, abandoning his bat.

"Home run!" came the announcer's voice over the field and stands.

Three days ago, Kevin had been kissed within an inch of his life, and the smell of chlorine and the vision of physics calculations remained embedded in his mind...

#

Kevin felt as if he were being crushed as he sank lower and lower. The pool's frozen water was black, and all he could see was the moon high above in the dead of night. He felt as if there was cement tied to his feet as he thrashed and scrambled to break the surface. His lungs burned and ached to breathe, but he knew he would only inhale water.

The light from the moon was getting dimmer - he lungs caved and he gasped in need. The shock of water filled his nose and mouth, burned as it filled his lungs and his thrashing increased...

He jerked awake and sat bolt upright in his bed gasping and trembling. A thin sheen of sweat painted his skin and caused his hair to stick to his face and neck.

Molly was at the foot of his bed whining, licking his toes since he realized that his bedding had been thrown and kicked off of his bed. Slowly he reached down to stroke the dog's head, "It's ok girl," he said gently, scratching behind her ear. Her tail wagged without enthusiasm, able to feel Kevin's trembles still.

He looked outside and saw that it was still very dark. A glance to his alarm clock on the nightstand by his bed informed him that it had just turned four twenty, almost two full hours before he would have to wake up. The adrenaline coursing through his system was only just beginning to wear off, and he doubted that he would be able to find sleep again before his alarm clock began chiming.

Kevin sat back on his hands and closed his eyes, willing his heart rate to calm itself as he tried to forget the strange dream. He reached out and grabbed his laptop from where it was tucked beneath his bed, and as he opened it up and the screen turned on the light felt suddenly blinding. He winced and waited a few minutes while his eyes adjusted.

Tucking a few pillows behind his back, he gently rubbed Molly's fur with his feet while he opened his web browser and searched 'Dream of drowning.'

The second result yielded the most simple answer, "To dream that you are drowning indicates that you are feeling overwhelmed by emotions. Repressed issues may be coming back to haunt you. You may be proceeding too quickly in trying to discover your subconscious thoughts." Kevin sat back and digested that information in his sleep-addled brain. Of course recent information would have him feeling overwhelmed, it made sense...