Absolute

5

So the whole concept of leaving and not being seen was lost on my brain as I remained in the same spot for at least an hour. I'd eventually sat down in the grass and regained some sense of normal. Well, I didn't feel like punching something or throwing up, at least.

I got to my feet and sighed to myself, deciding that it was time to go home. I'd taken no more than a step into the backyard when suddenly there were bright lights all over. I shrank back, holding up a hand over my eyes to block the intense light.

"I fucking told you fuckheads!" The one I assumed was Nathan, shouted from an open window in the house.

I froze in horror, and then the backdoor flung open and hit against something making a loud thud. Pounding footsteps came outside and I finally made my body react. I stumbled at first, the lights still blinding me as they came from all directions. I ran into a chair, and stumbled away as I remembered the pool. But it was too late, there was the edge and then there was nothing. My arms flailed in the air and I screamed, but my voice was quickly cut off by the water surrounding me.

I'd never been in a body of water this deep.

The deepest pool I'd been in was the tub, and I wasn't too sure that counted at the moment. Not even considering the fact that I couldn't swim, but an unbearable feeling shot through my fingertips all the way up to my shoulder. Pain I didn't know I could feel laced through my body as the chemicals in the pool met with my burn.

I screamed underwater, and when my feet hit the bottom I pushed up forcefully. My head broke the surface first and I thrusted my hand up too, gasping for any sort of air or relief.

I went under again, kicking my feet as hard as I could, reaching for the surface. My hand went under as well, the chemicals hitting in a new and horrid way.

I think I blacked out, or maybe I didn't.

The next moment I could feel the water shifting around me, hands were touching my body and then arms wrapped around my middle. The person brought us both to the surface and another pair of hands hauled me out of the water, the edge of the pool having been closer than I thought it would be. My fear had clouded everything. The pain had overruled all rational thought.

I was sobbing, holding my hand close my chest as it shook with pain. I whimpered, not listening to the voices around me as I couldn't focus on anything.

Most of the lights cut out and I could see several figures around me, and I knew I was sitting against whoever had pulled me out, against a stranger. But none of it mattered, as the day hit me in full and my whole body began to shake.

Who was I to confront my father?

Someone grabbed my wrist and I started to protest, to pull away, when they dumped fresh, cool water on the wound.

"That's bad," someone said.

Another person quipped, "the doc?"

"On his way," the Kota voice responded, "hey, can you hear me?" He asked, kneeling down next to me as more water was poured onto my hand.

I flinched but moaned at the relief, the pain subsiding as the chemicals were washed away from the raw skin. I made myself nod.

My breathing was evening out and I was beginning to stop shaking. My eyes rolled to the back of my head.

"Woah, hey, no, sweetie come back to me... North! Where's Dr. Green!"

"He was at the hospital, I redlined him but... an ambulance from the nearest hospital would be quicker should we..."

"No." I croaked, and the person holding me brought me closer to their body.

It didn't feel weird though, almost like the stranger was trying to comfort me. I coughed up something wet, hoping it was water. Nobody seemed to freak out around me, so I concluded that it was.