Chapter One
The muggy Monday morning air collected into an overwhelming fog outside the airports fingerprint covered window. I stood looking out the window at the airplanes taking off and landing on the airstrip. I stood alone, with a thin light brown jacket, which kept me from feeling the chill of the morning.
My light blue duffel bag had already been checked through and was now being loaded onto my plane. I was left with only a simple forest green backpack filled with entertainment, which now sat in the seat behind me. I had already said my goodbyes to family and friends, which explained my loneliness for the morning.
I was heading to Florida for a summer job as a lifeguard. Some friends of my parents, the Jefferson's to be exact, own a few condominiums and needed some help over the summer. I agreed to take the job and as a result, I got a well paying job and a free condo to stay in over the summer. I had already passed lifeguard training at the YMCA near my hometown in South Carolina and was ready to be freed of my roots there, to try to start a life on my own. Now I wasn't technically 'out on my own', I was still under the Jefferson's careful eye, but the idea of being hundreds of miles away from my family gave me a sense of freedom.
I wasn't exactly sure of how I would fit into the 'Florida Scene' being the athletic, non-bikini wearing, brunette that I was. The thought of being there was simply nauseating. Don't get me wrong! I love Florida, but it's more of the constant bathing suit wearing and sunburn idea that pricked at my mind. Either way it wouldn't matter much, for I needed the money to pay off for college, seeing as there was no way I could escape the expenses of law school.
A shiver interrupted me from my scary thoughts. Vigorously I rubbed my hands up and down my arms, and returned to the seat next to my lonesome backpack. A woman's dull voice came over the intercom and announced the boarding of my flight. I stood, slightly happy to see that my wait was over.
I slid a strand of hair behind my ear, gathered my things, and headed towards the gate. And old man stood there checking tickets with a sleepy look on his face. I handed him my ticket, wearily he passed it back to me and waved me on. I searched effortlessly for second class seating as others began to slide into their seats. I double checked my ticket, 17A. I slid into my seat grateful that it was a window seat ad put my backpack at my feet. While waiting for the other passengers to fill their seats, I put my mp3 player's ear buds in and listened to a random song, as I gazed out the window.
I could hear someone sit next to me, but I ignored their presence. The seatbelt light came on, along with the voice of one of the attendants over the intercom, before we took off. Were it not for the light I never would have had to see the passenger next to me. It was a stuffy man of about forty, he had on a suit with his dark hair gelled back. Hurriedly, he pulled out a laptop and started on a business presentation, without throwing a glance my way. I grinned happily to myself, as I returned my glance to the window. I could already tell we would be great friends.
After the attendant's short announcement, the plane took off with a rocky start, but soon enough we were in the air and stable. I could smell the Windex cleaner off the window next to me, which after a while made me dizzy. With a Coke I had received from an attendant lady and Slim Jim's from my backpack, I soon came back to my regular consciousness. The plane ride down to Florida was pretty dull, but I didn't mind since I was able to get in a few minutes of sleep before landing. That's the only trouble I had.
Landing.
When the plane was ready for everyone to collect their luggage and leave, I hadn't gotten my 'sea legs' yet, so I wobbled all over the place. Once off the plane -miraculously I didn't hurt anyone with my leaving- I was attacked by an unfamiliar person.
"Ahhh, Haylie you're finally here!" My attacker screamed. The girl released me from a hug and held me about a foot away to examine me.
"You're sure not the twelve-year-old I remember."
It took me a while to remember the girl, but after scrutinizing her face for a while it came back to me.
"Jessica?" I questioned hoping I was right.
She wore shorts and a tank top with her bikini straps showing, while her sunglasses rested atop her head. She had grown up a great deal since I'd last seen her. She now had a tan face instead of her pale one. Her shy attitude seemed to have changed as well.
"I knew you'd remember!" She screamed. "Well let's go get you bags."
I followed the blonde skinny girl to the luggage pick up area and pulled my blue duffel bag out of the sea of suitcases. I stumbled while trying to support its heavy weight on my shoulder. I followed the blissful Jessica out to her new convertible 2008 Ford Shelby GT. The blue paint shined with radiance as the blazing Florida sun beat down. I tossed my bags into the backseat, along with my jacket. I walked carefully around the mustang so as not to scratch the paint, and hopped in.
The ride with Jessica was fun as we rode down the Florida coast line. With the top down I could smell the salty sea air, as it blew through my hair. We chatted about our childhood memories and about our plans for summer. It took about a good thirty minutes till we arrived at the condominium at which I would be the lifeguard. Jessica parked in a spot titled 'OWNERS'. She hopped out slipping her sunglasses to rest on top of her head.
"Dad and I jazzed up your condo." She grinned. Joy radiated off of her, or was that just the sun?
"It's awesome; I can't wait to see the look on your face when you get a peak at your condo."
I smiled along with her as she led me to the front counter. Jessica signed me in and snagged a key that lie in a box.
"Let's go." She tossed the key to me and led me to the elevators.
I hesitated at the entrance of the elevators. I wasn't particularly fond of them. Ever since I got trapped in one when I was six, I've been afraid to get in them again. A silly thing to be afraid of, I know, but it still gave me an uneasy feeling. Jessica seemed to catch on and stepped out.
"It's only on the fourth floor, let's just take the stairs. We need all the exercise we can get anyways, right?" She laughed.
Jessica's always had a way of making people feel welcome and comfortable without embarrassing them. I liked that about her and was glad when she didn't make a big deal out of my fear. Up the ashtray-smelling stairwell we went at an easy speed. When we finally made it to the painted number four and opened the door. The salt air blew away the smell of smokers as we stepped out onto the fourth floor. She led me to room number 407. Happily, she unlocked it and showed me inside.
It was dark at first, but once Jessica flipped on the light switch I saw its true splendor. To the southern end of the condo was a glass sliding door, which gave a view of the ocean. The east wall was completely covered in a mirror that reflected everything on the west wall, which consisted of the bedrooms, a TV set-that was near the sliding glass door-and enormous fish tank filled with exotic fish. A kitchen lay to my right in a corner and a bedroom right across from it.
When I went to investigate it all I found the kitchen full of food that I had planned to buy myself, an exquisite bedroom with a flat screen television, and an enormous bathroom that had a tub with a Jacuzzi setting on it. I turned towards Jessica wide-eyed and mouth hanging open.
"It's amazing!" I screamed thrilled. "You didn't have to go through all this. I could've bought my groceries."
"I knew you'd like it, but it's no problem you know how dad is, always wanting to take care of us." She replied tossing the keys on the bar in the kitchen.
"But don't forget to feed the fish." She winked at me.
Jessica's father has always acted like a second dad to me. He was always looking out for me and making sure, I had everything I needed. Along with that past, I was also known for killing every pet I had, especially the gold fish I had won at carnivals. Killing animals followed me like a rain cloud, or a curse.
"I hope I don't." I laughed.
"Sorry, but I've gotta run I'm meeting someone for dinner." She spoke flirtatiously.
"Oh, and just might who this someone be?" I questioned grinning at the blushed look on her face.
I watched overjoyed as she continued to blush, this person must've been pretty special.
"His name's David, but he's just a good friend." She shrugged and plopped down on a seat at the bar.
"Does he not like you?"
"I don't know! It's like one minute he likes me then the next he keeps his distance." She elucidated. "It's so confusing…"
"If he doesn't like you he's just stupid. All the same, I wish you luck." I tried lifting her spirits.
"Thanks, oh just talk to the woman at the front desk and she'll fill you in on everything." She stood and walked towards the door. "You sure you'll be fine for the night?"
"Yeah, I'll probably just make myself a sandwich and catch up on sleep." I reassured her.
"Okay, see you tomorrow!" She yelled shutting the steel door behind her.
Before unpacking, I fed the fish. I was extremely determined to keep them alive this summer. I entered the bedroom, duffel bag over my shoulder, and threw my stuff onto the bed. I wasn't exactly sure what to do first, I wanted to unpack and get that over with, but I was still sluggish from my plane ride over. Therefore, I walked into the kitchen, grabbed an apple from the fridge, and walked out onto the balcony. I wanted to get a view of my 'territory' I would have to protect for the next few months.
The waves hit the shore uncaringly and unnoticed, while families walked along the beach –flashlights in hand- searching for sand crabs. I laughed at the over ecstatic little girl who just discovered a quick crab. The only other people out were couples holding hands as they walked down the shoreline. I was actually very excited to finally be in Florida, but a feeling kept nagging at me. I felt as if there was reason to fear, as if there was something below with the little girl -who now ventured into the water playfully-…something dangerous.
I shrugged it off.
Maybe I was being to paranoid what with my new job and all… I continued to watch the crab hunters just incase my sensors weren't failing me, and there really was reason to fear. Minutes crept by while I continued to watch the ocean as well as the beach. Only when I finished my apple did I decide it was time I started unpacking. I left with a final glance at the little girl whose father had just picked her up and were heading inside, if something was going to go wrong at least she wouldn't be harmed.
I walked into my bedroom and turned on some cartoons to keep me company, after tossing the apple core into the nearest bin. Considering how dull and tired I felt, I unpacked slowly. Once finished with my monotonous chore, I decided it was time I went to speak to the woman at the front counter. As I had on the way up, I took the stairs down to the reception area. A middle-aged woman looked at me from over the counter and grinned.
"Hello, I'm the new lifeguard, Haylie Graham." I tried to sound kind despite how crappy I felt. "Jessica told me I would be briefed on my job."
"Oh yes," she spoke and came out from behind the counter. "Right this way Miss Graham."
I followed her past the work out room, indoor pool, and walked out towards the Jacuzzi and outdoor pool. We walked across the wooden boardwalk and stopped at the bottom.
"Right there is where you'll set up your beach chair and basically keep watch. We have rafts over there," she pointed next to a box of beach chairs. "You can go out whenever you wish, and every morning you'll need to set out the chairs and umbrellas. Every night you will need to put everything back, did you get all that?"
I nodded as I put all the information to memory.
"Okay, now this is how you set up the umbrellas…"
The rest of the day, the woman showed me how to place the umbrellas in a position to give people shade and so it wouldn't blow away in the wind. I had to use an odd contraption I decided to call a Sand Screwdriver; it was used to put holes in the ground for umbrellas to be set up.
My evening of 'beach setup training' lasted the rest of my tiring evening. I was finally released with information to sleep on. I took a bath in my Jacuzzi tub that night; I needed some relaxation after my busy day. The warm water felt so good against my tense muscles that it made it difficult for me to get out of the tub. I threw on some cheap Wal-Mart pajamas I had bought days in advance and crawled into the heavenly soft bed. I had planned to make myself dinner, but I was to full from snacking on the plane to feel hungry.
Despite my tired feeling and now loosened muscles, I couldn't find sleep. I had decided to memorize the room, to hopefully bore myself into sleep, when I noticed something next to the TV. A new laptop lay closed with a red bow on top. Curious and hastily, I hopped out of bed and picked up the light computer. I took the tapped bow off and opened it. The background was a message.
Another gift from dad.
I smirked to myself. Only he could've thought that I would need a laptop. I had internet connection thanks to his cleverness. I decided I would write my family to tell them I had arrived before they started sending out a search party for me. I wrote them of my happenings of the day –making it sound much more interesting than it was-. After typing a good two paragraphs that would surely satisfy them, I shut the laptop and put it on the nightstand next to me.
As I lay there in the dark, sleep unexpectedly overcame me and I drifted off to my subconscious mind.
7