Paper Hearts ▪ Lams

4

August 15th, 2012

Hercules' Pool

8th grade

//memories are playing in my dull mind//

"Lexi, come in!" John shouted as he motioned for Alexander to join him in Hercules' pool.

Alexander shook his head as he rubbed his arms, "I'd rather not."

He shifted awkwardly as he kicked his feet in the shallow end of the pool. He didn't dare to move any further.

"Come on Alex, mon ami!" Laf yelled as he passed a deflating beach ball to Herc. Herc caught it and blew more air into it.

"I'm good. Besides, I don't even have a bathing suit," Alexander said, smiling nervously.

"Really dude?" Herc finished blowing air into the ball and tossed it back to Laf, "I invite you to swim in my pool and you don't even bring a swim suit?" he chuckled and caught the ball that Laf threw at him.

Alexander shrugged, "I forgot I guess."

"Oh shit," John said, looking at the sky, "It looks like it's going to rain."

Alexander tensed up, looking at the gray clouds that were slowly moving over their heads.

"Oh well, all the more fun," Laf said, shrugging.

A loud clap of thunder rang through Alexander's ears. He flinched harshly and bit his lip to muffle a scream.

"Man, this should be great!" Herc said.

"Guys, really?" John sighed and rolled his eyes, "It's going to start up with lightning as well, we can't be in the water when that happens."

"Fine, mom," Herc said, sarcasm dripping off his tongue.

They all got out and collected their stuff. John found Alexander's phone lying on the concrete, next to where he was sitting.

"Lexi?" John asked, searching for the smaller boy, "Hey y'all, where's Alexander?"

Herc and Laf shrugged, "He probably went inside."

John grabbed his phone and nodded, following his friends inside. They slipped into regular clothes and sat on Herc's couch, watching Aladdin.

"Guys seriously, where is Alexander?" John asked, looking around the room with a worried expression.

Alexander sat in front of Hercules' bathroom toilet with his knees hugged to his chest. Tears escaped his eyes as memories flashed in his mind.

People were drowning, screaming for help. They held hands as long as they could until a wave tore them apart with one swift motion. Children screamed out for their parents, begging for their comforting arms to swoop down and cradle them to safety.

Alexander sat at the top of a tree, unable to do anything for the people suffering beneath him. He yelled and screamed, trying to help them, but it was no use.

Suddenly the tree he was sitting on snapped and fell into the quick moving water. A yelp escaped his lips as he gripped onto the bark tightly, his palms splitting open. He hissed in pain and grabbed a sturdy branch, wrapping himself around it.

"Alex!" His brother James called out to him, standing on the top of a building.

"James!" Alexander called back, trying to push the tree towards his brother. He watched in agony as the building collapsed, his brother sinking down into the rushing rapids.

A wave rushed by and swept away his tree, pulling him down with it.

Alexander screamed.

He found himself back in Herc's bathroom, his hands covering his ears. Tears were streaming down his face and he was shaking terribly.

And John was in front of him.

"Lexi, look at me, look at me. I'm right here," he said softly, running a hand through Alexander's hair and pulling it behind his ear.

"Herc grab my headphones out of my backpack. It's the thunder he's afraid of," John said, "Laf, close those blinds; it's the lightning as well."

Both boys did as they were told. The room grew dark and John removed Alexander's hands slowly, replacing them with his headphones and playing whatever music was on.

Alexander looked up at him. John felt tears spring to his eyes. He looked so scared. There was so much pain hidden in his eyes, it broke John's heart.

A loud clap of thunder rang above their heads and Alexander jumped forward into John's arms.

John took him gratefully and turned the volume up on his phone, trying to drown out the thunder above them.

"Alexander, are you okay?"