What is this place?
“Wait and see,” Kaden whispered.
Once he’d changed, he piled everything into a locker, put his phone on silent and slipped the band with the key around his wrist. As he walked towards the water, the echoey sound of kids shrieking and laughing grew louder. When the pool came into view, Joe gasped. The wave machine was operating and swimmers were rising and falling in the water. Kaden waded out and joined them with Joe whooping in his head.
“Do you have anything like this where you come from?”
No. Water has to be protected. Earth’s water makes her look amazing from space.
“It does. Our astronauts are always saying the planet is beautiful.”
Kaden had a few minutes’ fun in the waves before they were turned off again. He swam into the lazy river, which was another hit with Joe, then went on the slide. Joe kept insisting he had another go. Kaden was enjoying himself more than if he’d been on his own. Even if Joe wasn’t physically next to him, he was as good as.
Everything was going well until they went into the main pool, which was around twelve feet deep at the end where there’d once been a diving board. Kaden found himself swimming down to the bottom. Something he’d never done before.
I love swimming!
And I love breathing.
Keep your mouth closed and we’ll be fine.
Kaden looked up at the surface, which seemed a long way overhead, but he let Joe take charge. He settled on his back on the bottom, not even struggling to stay down…Do I weigh more now?…and for a few moments, it was so peaceful and restful that Kaden forgot he needed to breathe and closed his eyes.
When arms wrapped around him, he thought it was something Joe was doing. Kaden struggled against the hold, then gave in as he was pulled up. His head broke the surface and Kaden took a gulp of air, blinking water from his eyes. One of the pool attendants was towing him to the side.
“Let me go,” Kaden spluttered.
The guy gaped at him.
“I’m not drowning.”
They reached the side and the guy put one of Kaden’s hands on the edge. “You were lying on the bottom with your eyes shut.”
“I was fine.” Kaden glared at him.
People were watching, and another attendant was reaching to pull him out.
“I didn’t need to be rescued.” Kaden was hauled from the water.
“No need to be so ungrateful.” The other attendant scowled at him.
“I’m not ungrateful but I wasn’t drowning! I can hold my breath for a long time.” He couldn’t usually, but…
“And we were supposed to wait and let you drown?” asked the attendant who’d pulled him up from the bottom.
Flushed with embarrassment, Kaden pushed to his feet and headed for the changing rooms. Joe didn’t speak to him until they were outside.
I’m sorry. I made an adjustment so that you could hold your breath for longer than normal.
Kaden groaned. “Don’t do anything that makes me stand out.” Not that he thought there was much chance of the pool guy assuming he had an alien inside him.
It was fun. Being at the pool. Don’t be upset. It was an adventure and I liked it. Thank you.Thank you for everything. Thank you for showing me what a friend can be like.
Kaden felt better then. Except he didn’t know how much of that was because of Joe.
When we get back, we need to talk.
They were always talking but Kaden immediately felt uneasy. “What’s wrong?”
