South Park: An Adventure Into the Deep

The Middle of June

"NO!" Clyde yelled, reaching above Tweek to take the controller from Craig, "You're playing it wrong!" Craig rolled his eyes and gave up the controller with no resistance. He grabbed Tweeks hand, helping him up and went over to sit on the couch next to Stan and Kyle.

Clyde stayed on the floor in front of the tv, hunched over as he played an old Red Racer game. Kyle turned his attention to Stan as he spoke, "Still kind of a brat, huh?" he muttered, trying to be quiet. "I heard that, Marsh." Clyde spoke, his teeth gritted from either anger or concentration. "He's not wrong, dude." Craig spoke, he was stretched out on the couch, one arm on the back and the other playing with Tweek's hair. Clyde huffed and paused the game, "Am I really still a brat?" He seemed to be looking right at Kyle his eyes brimming with tears, "Uh, kind of.  It's just a kids game and you aren't really letting anyone else play." Kyle responded. "Yeah, man, it's like we're back in the fourth grade." Tweek spoke up.  Clyde looked at the four boys, his eyes flicking from one to the other. "Okay, I'm sorry.  What do you guys want to do?" 

Tweek leaned up to Craig and whispered something to him. "Oh, hell yes." The others turned to him questioningly. "Tweek wants to go swimming at Stark's pond." Kyle furrowed his brows, "It's almost midnight, and we don't have any swimsuits."  He looked to Stan for reassurance but before he could agree Craig spoke up. "Skinny dipping!" "I'm not getting naked with you guys," Clyde started, "I have swimsuits that I'm sure would fit."

*~*~*~*~*

The water was freezing, Kyle could tell that much from his numb toes that he'd already used to test it. The others had all canon-balled off of the deck into the water, Tweek hesitated too, but Craig helped him gently into the pond. 

"C'mon, Kyle! Don't be a pussy!" Clyde shouted. Stan laughed along, stammering as he shivered "Y-yeah, the water's l-lovely!" Kyle braced himself, feeling oddly exposed in his swimming trunks despite the fact that he was among friends. He shook his head slightly, ridding himself of all doubt before running out to end of the dock and jumping off into the deep pond. The cold of the water was a shock to his small body and reruns of Respect the Water and Float To Live came to mind. Oh god, I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die and my last thought is gonna be a stupid ad telling me that I'd die like this. 

Warmth wrapped around Kyle and for a moment he thought he'd pissed himself, like he always heard happened when someone died. He realized, though, that the warmth was from someones body against his own. His head broke the surface and the air was somehow colder than the water that surrounded him. His hands frantically pushed his hair out of his face as he gulped in air. "Dude, are you okay?" Stan's voice was muffled by the water in his ears. Kyle nodded in response, still trying to catch his breath and unable to talk. He could hear Clyde whimpering out sobs behind him, Craig and Tweek trying to shush and calm him. 

Kyle looked up at Stan, his blue eyes looking more silver in the moonlight. Stan's eyes shifted away from Kyle's, almost nervous Kyle spoke, "Thanks for saving my life, man." Stan smiled and looked back, "You'd do the same for me." Kyle smiled, he would. "I'm gonna go check on Clyde, coming?" He looked back at Stan, who staring at the top of the water without expression. "Nah, man I'm just gonna stay here for a minute, I think." 

Clyde's face was red and scrunched up like a baby's, he was hyperventilating and holding onto Tweek who looked more anxious than usual as he awkwardly patted Clyde's head to calm him. Clyde threw himself into Kyle's arms when he saw him, nearly making him go back under. Kyle let out a chuckle and hugged his friend, "It's okay, Clyde. I'm fine." He brushed back Clyde's hair and looked down into his now bloodshot eyes. Clyde sniffled loudly, "I thought you were dead!" Kyle smiled sympathetically, "No way, dude. I'm not dying on you." Clyde nodded, his breath steadying. "Okay," he wiped tears away from his eyes and took in a deep breath. "okay, I'm good now." Kyle felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Stan beside him, he looked worried. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" He glanced at Clyde and offered a smile, "Alone?" Kyle let go of Clyde who hugged him a little tighter before letting go and swimming over to Tweek and Craig.

"What's up?" Kyle asked as they swam farther out, towards the center of the pond. Stan opened his mouth but ended up just staring at the surface of the water blankly again. "Dude," Kyle waved a hand in front of his friends face. "You've been zoning out a lot lately, is everything okay?" He softened his voice, "I'm here if you need to talk." Stan blinked and looked at Kyle, his tone as serious as his expression, "Have things felt weird to you lately? Like- someone should've been ripping on you when you almost died." Kyle was puzzled, "That's kind  of rude..." He trailed off, there should have been someone making fun of him when he almost died. He looked over his should at Craig, Tweek and Clyde. When did they start hanging out with those three? They were nice but it felt weird, it felt wrong. It felt empty, it almost felt like-

Kyle looked up at Stan and whispered, "Someone is missing." 

The words were barely out of his mouth when he felt a burst of warmth under himself, the water began pulling him back. Stan was being pulled away too, faster now and Kyle reached out to grab Stan's outstretched hand. They had each other for a moment, but their hands were too slippery and the current was too strong.  Kyle kicked and tried to swim to his friend who was now a yard away. They were rising, higher than the trees surrounding the pond. He didn't get a chance to see how Tweek, Craig and Clyde were reacting, he was too focused on trying to get to his best friend. "Stan!" Kyle screamed out for him, one last word before being plunged under the surface of the icy water.