CALM

007.

007.

SIMON VAN DER MEER was drowning. The cold water rushed into his lungs, taking any space available for oxygen. Despite the freezing temperature of the water, his lungs burned. As the water continued to rush in, it was like a fire that rushed down his throat.

He opened his eyes. The pool around him dark. He had dreamt of this moment a thousand times; Simon couldn't quite tell if it was real or not. But if it was a dream, he would have usually awakened at this part; his body would gasp for air thankful for not dying; his conscious on the other hand quite upset.

He could feel the fight from his instincts to resurface, but he just wanted to stay a little longer. Make himself suffer for a little longer.

Newcrest Teen Presumed Dead.

His lungs were tightening. He could feel his legs try to move to the surface.

....missing as of two weeks ago.

He needed a gasp of air desperately. Simon supposed Oliver Wyngard wanted to live too.

No leads in his disappearance or murder have been made.

Maybe he should just tell the truth. No, he could never.

Simon sat at the bottom of the pool, knowing this wouldn't be the best way to kill himself but it seemed like a punishment proved successful over the past weeks. He finally allowed himself to kick, reaching the surface of the pool. Like a newborn, he began to cry as he gasped for air.

In the midst of everything, Simon hadn't noticed Elias seated on the daybed. His head was leaned back, his legs stretched out, and a subtle smile rested upon his face. It was like an old renaissance painting. The entire world around him was engulfed in chaos: flames licked his feet, the blue and red lights shined upon his face, a gun pointed to his back, but he was perfectly happy. It was quite an odd scene to witness as Simon was in the exact opposite state.

Simon stayed clinging to the edge of the pool. He watched him cautiously; the sly smile upon his lips would even make the devil shiver himself.

Then Elias spoke; his voice was cold and distanced. "What were you doing?"

Simon looked at him for a bit; Elias' eyes were still closed but he could feel his piercing stare and the judgment seeping from his them. "I was practicing."

"What?" he said sharply, still keeping his eyes closed.

"Holding my breath."

"I've known you for five years, you dipshit, and I've never seen or heard you did this." He took a quick breath. "Now what were you doing?"

Simon pulled himself up from the pool. The cold breeze from the night claiming its grasp on him. "I quite frankly don't know. It helps me...think, I guess." He paused and looked down at his hands. Even if he thought a second back to that night, he could feel the warm blood on his hands.

Elias took another breath and sat up, opening his eyes as he did. They were bloodshot red. He wondered if Elias had cried earlier today.

"I know you've heard what's going around."

He took a moment to remember Oliver's eyes wide open in horror as he saw Simon tower over him. "Of course I have."

Elias shot up like a bullet and reached for directly for his neck. He held on tight; the anger seeping from his pulsing veins. Through his gritted white teeth he said, "Then why the fuck haven't you been answering any of our calls. Theodore has called, I've called, for fuck sakes you should have at least answered George." He threw Simon's neck back; it was almost as bad as sitting at the bottom of the pool.

"We're almost scot-free, so don't fuck this up."

"Scot free!" Simon shouted. "You have a very twisted mind Elias. They know he's dead. They're looking for Oliver now."

"That's the point. That man in black knows what he's doing and none of this will be traced back to us."

"Do you not feel guilty? You murdered someone!"

"We!" Elias roared. "We killed him! Everyone is pinning this on me, but I think you're all forgetting that this was a team effort." He smiled at the last part and finally let go of Simon's neck. We're meeting at my house in thirty minutes. Get your ass dressed. I'll be waiting in the car." Elias turned away and walked back into the estate.

Simon fell into the grass. A scream from deep within rang out; the grass taking several of them. He couldn't help but cry after that. The tears mingled themselves within the water and the air Simon grasped for wasn't from the lack of it from the pool or the death grip of Elias, but the sheer panic of his life.

Suddenly, he could hear Elias' footsteps again. He shot up from the grass; his eyes red and his cheeks wet only to see Catalina frozen in front of him.

Her brown eyes were wide like an innocent doe. Simon felt like a predator covered in blood.

"S-Simon..." she couldn't even begin her sentence.

Simon couldn't begin one either; all he could do was look at her. Her beauty radiating in all the darkness that encompassed him. Simon let out more tears, afraid of destroying the last good thing in his life.

She came to his side and hugged him. She cradled his head in her lap. Her warmth something so unfamiliar to him during this time.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," he broke. She nodded. He knew Catalina misinterpreted it but he was perfectly fine with that. Simon just needed to say it aloud.

He could feel the guilt quickly taking over like a lethal virus. Simon van der Meer didn't know if he had the power to fight off the infection.