6. Swim
Tyler stood at the edge of the swimming pool, and gazed dreamily at the ripples on the surface of the blue, blue water. The smell of chlorine filled his nostrils, but he was used to it, after countless years of swimming practices. Heck, he had swallowed mouthfuls of swimming pool water before.
He adjusted his tight-fitting speedo and lowered his goggles over his eyes. The world was now a tinted shade of violet.
Then he lowered his body, and dived in as quietly as he could. The water was unusually cold.
Breaststroke. His favourite. Curl your legs up, chest thrust ahead. Hands in front, bent slightly. Tense your abdominal muscles, and kick. Kick out, kick hard, whip out, froggy-style. Feel your body glide effortlessly forwards, and breathe out. Tyler smiled lucidly. This was what made life worthwhile – to swim.
He had reached the other end of the pool. Lift you legs up to your chest, approach the wall, and kick. Kick out and propel yourself backwards, and as you lift off sideways you are level with the water again, and let the breaststroke take control of you again.
Tyler blinked. Someone else was in the water. He was sure he had been alone. He had not heard anyone. He lifted his goggles from his face and, legs treading the water, peered at the swimming figure at the other end.
Whoever that guy is, he's swimming in my lane. Get out of my lane, please. Get the hell out of my way.
The other swimmer was propelling himself powerfully through the water in a freestyle, and he was in Tyler's lane, he was an intruder, and he was heading ever closer to Tyler. Tyler could only stare blankly at this blatant provocation, legs still treading water.
Don't mess with me, stranger. You know you're in my lane, and I'm not budging.
But the other swimmer plunged through the water, and pummeled with full bodily force into Tyler. Tyler's breath was pressed out of him, and he could not utter a word as the other swimmer pushed him under the surface with fierce strength.
Tyler legs kicked out defiantly, and he fought against the other swimmer who held him under.
Fight back, damn it!
And Tyler's arms came up, and he ploughed into his assailant with all his might. He was fighting back, hurting the creep who was trying to drown him. Now two entangled bodies thrashed furiously in the pool, and Tyler was losing the battle.
He was weakening. His fucking attacker cleverly prevented him from getting enough air, pushing Tyler's head down when it came up gasping, always pulling Tyler down, down, down, down.
Tyler was weak, he needed air, his lungs protested against this outrageous lack of air.
Tyler's underwater punches became more faint, even the resistance of the water was beginning to tire his muscles. And the other swimmer wrapped his arms round Tyler, and forced Tyler further underwater.
Bloody hell. Need air.
And Tyler summoned his Power.
A black-eyed Tyler pushed his assailant with multiplied strength that the assailant's grip untangled, and the other swimmer was thrust all the way to the other side of the pool, making violent ripples in the water the whole way. And Tyler's legs now possessed energy only the Power could provide, and Tyler kicked just one kick, and he was up, breaking the surface, into the fluorescent light, into much-needed air.
And he saw his assailant more clearly. Reid.
Reid grinned at him from the other end of the pool, laughing weakly, looking a little winded from the inhuman blow Tyler had dealt him.
"Gotcha, didn't I? God that was funny."
Tyler got out of the pool slowly, mind barely controlling his blooming fury. And Tyler walked out.
"Hey Ty, it was a joke."
Tyler turned round to face Reid's worried grin. "You thought it was fucking funny? Well I almost fucking drowned," Tyler spat into Reid's face.
And Tyler shoved Reid into the swimming pool.
Splash.
I'll continue this, of course. Feel free to give me any ideas, prompts, suggestions, blah. 'Cause I need more ideas for a plot. Please (doggy-eyed look at readers and reviewers).