Monday Afternoon
- 3 Days Ago -
"Gray, sweetheart, you really should try to get in the pool this year. You've pretty much gotten over your fear of water, so why should the pool be any different?" Karen replies softly as she slowly hands Gray a blue and red beach towel. "You never know until you try."
Gray hesitantly reaches up and takes the fuzzy piece of material from her, tucking it under his arm as he one by one hops up the stairs to his bedroom. He closes the door behind him and carelessly tosses the towel onto his bed, flopping down on top of it. Gray glances over to the neatly framed picture of him and Zach on his nightstand and pulls himself to a sitting position.
He sighs heavily, grabbing his brown swim trunks and quickly slides them on. "I'm doing this for you, Zach," he says softly, staring at the photo as if it is going to suddenly pop out of the frame and begin answering him. "I'm still scared of this water, but I know I'll ruin most of the things you have planned for us at your house on Thursday if I come over and tell you that I'm still too uneasy around pools to do anything. But maybe if I'm lucky- you won't-"
"Gray? Honey! I'm going out to the pool, when you're ready to come down! Please try to come soon! I want to be here to experience your first time having fun in water since the island!" Karen shouts anxiously from the bottom of the stairwell, her phone, a light purple towel, and a bottle of sunscreen clutched tightly in her hands.
"Okay, Mom! I'll be down in a minute!" Gray yells attentively as he slings his towel over his shoulder and takes one last look at the picture before quickly dashing down the stairs and out onto the patio.
"Oh, Gray! There you are!" Karen smiles warmly at the 13-year-old as she sticks the very top of her toe in the glimmering water and raises her phone camera up, pressing the red record button. "Jump in, honey! The water's nice!"
Okay, I can do this. I can do this. Dang it, Gray. Grow up.
Gray lets out a blood-curdling scream as he plunges into the icy water, plugging his nose with his fingers. He pops above the surface, rapidly bashing his arms about to stay up and gazes over at his mom on the edge of the pool; she's put the camera away in her pocket and is silently clapping for him.
"Gray! I'm so proud of you! Oh, baby, you did it! You conquered your fear!" she squeals excitedly, staring down at Gray with pure joy. "I can't believe you've grown this much sinc-"
Okay. You can do this, Gray. Just breathe. That's what Zach would say. Just breathe and trust me. Everything is okay. This is a pool. Not the waterfall in the valley. You- I can't- I can't do this! It's still there! I can't do it!
Gray gasps for his breath once Karen turns her back and begins to anxiously fumble his way through the water until he reaches the edge of the pool.
The gyrospheres. Zach. Jumping from the cliff. Hiding under the water. Popping up and swimming away. Zach. Running, lying low, fighting.
He coughs faintly—not loud enough for Karen to notice—clutching tightly onto the shiny silver ladder and slowly climbing up it.
Clinging with a death grip onto his brother and Owen so he doesn't get dragged away. Tazing a raptor. Hugging Zach in the back of the ambulance. Almost getting swept up by a sea of frightened people. Zara getting carried off. Zach. The mosasaurus snapping her up. Zach. The ice-cold water slowly maneuvering its way down his windpipe as it flows into his lungs, pain searing his chest. Zach. He sinks. Zach. Faster. Zach. Even faster. Zach. I miss Z-
"Gray? Sweetheart? Are you okay?" Karen questions curiously, "You seem a little upset."
Gray bends over, leaning onto his knees for support, and waves her comment off as if it's a side note. "No, Mom, I'm fine. Really. Totally a-okay."
I miss Zach.
Shorter chapter for this flashback; the next one will be a lot longer!
