Descendants

Chapter 3 - Neil

I have never swum so fast. Literally, there seems to be a motor on my feet. As my head is under the cool water, I see what is dragging William down. It's a shadow. Very faint indeed, shimmering with the water that changes from visible and invisible and back to visible like the currents. I wrap my arms around William's neck and drags him to shore. Where does that life saving skill technic come from, I have no idea. I'm just somehow driven. As I'm on shore, I see Julie. When I was swimming towards William just now, I already felt curious why she , like me, swam extra fast today. The Miss Do-good in class has transform to a life saving person now? Interesting. Now, she is in William's position moments before. Her body is immersed in the water. Shit! From here, I can see that shadow strangling her. She curls into a ball and kicks at that thing ruthlessly. There's something familiar shows on her left arm as the bandage is peeled of by the water. A black tattoo. The shadow retreats all of the sudden. Panting so hard, Julie's head reappears above the water. Thank goodness. I release the breath that even myself don't know that I have been holding.

Getting out of the pool, she walks and sits on the bench next to me and William. Her lips are purple. She is a miracle just to be in the water without breathing for 2 and a half minute. If I'm not so drained myself, I would try to save her. I hate myself for that. She could have died! My logical side argue. But she is not dead the part of my brain comforts me. The whole class is in shock. Everyone who is mid-way in the rely just turn to look at us with an O on their faces. Our coach clears his throat.
'Class dismiss.'
It is the first time that class is dismissed so early. Maybe I would have been pleased if I hadn't went through the experience of watching two people nearly drowned.
'Erm... Julie, Neil and William, are you ok? Maybe you all need to go to the school nurse to sit for a while?'
Finally, I remember our class has a coach who is meant to save us. Haha. Glad that he remembers his role.
'Coach, may I be excused from all the swimming lessons henceforth?' William asks, still shivering from the icy water or it's the fear.
The coach hesitates for a second. I'm sure he could not see the shadow in the pool. He will just think that William can't swim. He is probably very puzzled right now. He's like ,'what on Earth just happened? ' ,still can't quite catch up on the reality. But if I told him about the shadow, he would think I'm lying.
'Uh. Whatever.'
Three of us walk slowly to the changing room.

I need a shower to clear up my mind. When I head off the shower to change, the Spencer, Terrance and Christian approach me.
'Dude you are so hot I want to kiss you', teases Spencer.
'I'm drowning too, save me!'
With that, Terrance does a dramatic faint scene.
'Oh shut up you guys.'
'Neil is look a super hero today. By the way, did you see him swim today? It's insane. He basically swim through four lanes within ten seconds. Is it even a world record?'
'But seriously, what happened to William. He is a bad swimmer, I get it, but he has never drowned before. And Julie, she just suddenly swam to his rescue and dive underwater. What is that?'
If I want to know, I might just ask.
'Did you see a shadow underwater?'
'Oh give me a break Neil. Are you into haunting bedtime stories now?' Terrance says.
'Well, I don't see anything,' Christian confides.
So that makes of me. It's just me seeing things.
Just as I finish changing into my pants, a person with a towel draping over his face, lurks at the entrance of the male changing room. He pace back and forth for a minute, takes a deep breath and starts to take a step further.
'See you guys later. Don't mess around.'
With that, I walk towards the doorway. All the boys are still changing... So he...Hold on a second, the person standing at the doorway does not have a flat chess. He... She is a girl.
'Who are you?'
As I ask, I lift the towel off her face. It's Julie.
'Hey.'
She is rubbing her neck. A sign of lack of confidence and nervousness.
'What are you doing at the doorway of the male changing room? I thought you were a boy.'
'Em, Neil, we need to talk', Julie says in a straight face.
'I love taking to pretty ladies.'
'I'm deadly serious.'