“Sorry; pool’s closed,” Cristina said to him as he emerged out into the pool area in his street clothes. He didn’t look like he was here for a swim. But she didn’t want any stragglers lingering behind.
She was in her lifeguard outfit putting things away for the afternoon while getting everything ready for the evening shift. The sun was bright – there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. She was looking forward to a quiet evening alone, unless of course Dirk happened to call her again. He might be married but he was certainly one hell of a good lay.
The male was right behind her. She felt irritation he wasn’t getting the message. “The pool’s closed and won’t be open again until – AWWK!”
Cristina’s eyes went wide as an arm wrapped around her throat. A moment later she was pulled backward off her feet. A male voice hissed into her ear, “Do you know a woman named Janice? Well she has a message for you, bitch! She says for me to tell you to – and I quote – “LEAVE MY FUCKIN’ HUSBAND ALONE!”
The arm got tighter around her throat. Cristina gawked in alarm. She couldn’t breathe as she pulled at the arm with her hands, frantic to get out of his grasp.
She gasped and gurgled, her head starting to spin as the world got dizzy all around her. Then everything went dark as she collapsed in a heap. She never saw him bend over her unconscious form, never heard him tell her she was never going to see Dirk again…
—
Cristina was lying flat on her back on the Lifeguard backboard in the pool, gently bobbing up and down with her eyes closed as the trainer explained the proper procedures to his life-saving class. “This is how you immobilize the victim,” he told his pupils who’d gathered around him in the pool. “First you strap her down.”
What he was doing didn’t feel right and she wanted to protest. The straps were crisscrossing each other; weren’t they supposed to go straight across? She assumed he knew what he was doing, so she dutifully kept her eyes closed for the duration of the demonstration.
“…then you secure the victim’s head in case of a spinal injury,” he went on. She felt him fasten her good and snug inside the head immobilizer. At least it felt like he’d gotten that part right.
“Then you pick her up and gently turn her over to make sure she’s securely fastened to the board. Bobby… you want to help me turn her over now?”
“Sure, Mr. C!” she heard Bobby gasp excitedly. Bobby’s voice didn’t sound right for a college class.
Cristina stiffened as she gasped for breath, inhaling sharply. A moment later she was turned over face down in the pool. What the hell was this??
Cristina held her breath, continuing to keep her eyes closed while wondering what the hell Mr. Capshaw was up to. She listened intently as he calmly explained to his pupils why he was doing what he was doing. “You see Cristina here has been fucking Janice’s husband Dirk, kids. That’s a no-no.”
She stiffened in alarm. How the hell had he found out? Besides, what business was it of his?
“Janice wants to send Cristina here a special message, kids. Anyone want to guess what that message is?”
“Don’t ever fuck my husband again?” she heard Suzie’s voice offer.
Gawd! Where the hell did Suzie learn language like that? And why did she sound so young?
“That’s not bad, Suzie,” she heard Mr. Capshaw laugh. “But I think Janice’s message is even more dramatic. Anyone else care to take a crack at it?”
“I know – I know!” she heard Johnny’s excited voice. “How about ‘Drown, bitch; drown!'”
“Right you are, Johnny!” she heard Mr. Capshaw say with a laugh. “Now let’s all watch the bitch drown, shall we?”
A moment later she heard voices starting to chant, “Drown, bitch; drown! Drown, bitch; drown! Drown, bitch; drown! DROWN, BITCH; DROWN……..”
************’
“Drown, bitch; drown!”
Cristina’s eyes snapped open, only to discover she was floating face down in the pool. She was strapped to the Lifeguard backboard, her lungs beginning to burn. The only reason she was still alive was that she’d been unconsciously holding her breath the entire time.
Cristina wriggled and squirmed, but she couldn’t get free. Her lungs began to heave as she tried to thrash about. But it was no use.
“Struggle all you want, bitch,” she heard a male voice say from somewhere above the water. “It’s doesn’t matter to me. I’m just the messenger.”
Cristina’s eyes opened wider as she struggled against the board she was strapped to. Her lungs heaved in her chest. She was already out of breath.
Her mind screamed how this couldn’t be happening to her. She mentally called out for Dirk to come save her. But there was no Dirk… only this deadly intruder with his lethal message.
Her cheeks puffed as she fought to contain the air inside her. Her lungs were on fire from a breathless inferno, her chest heaving in protest. Surely this had to be a dream, right?
She suddenly remembered Dirk showing him a picture of his kids – Bobby, Suzie and Johnny. The training with the board had been the dream. But it had morphed into a much more dangerous reality.
Air billowed out past her clenched lips in three painful bursts. Then she reflexively inhaled. She gurgled a mouthful of water down her windpipe, only to cough it back up before taking another breath.
Cristina started thrashing about like mad, swallowing water as the board upon which she was secured began to bob up and down in the water. She tried to twist her head, but it was securely fastened within the head immobilizer. Her hands and fingers flexed helplessly as her feet cocked and curled.
Cristina convulsed as her lungs continued to inhale pool water. She bucked and jerked, shuddering from the agony of drowning. Air streamed freely through her parted lips as she tried to scream. But all that came out was another muffled gurgle.
She spasmed and convulsed, the pain easing somewhat. But her chest hurt like hell. For a moment Cristina felt weak and dazed.
Staring down at the bottom of the pool was horrific to her. She forced herself to consciously close her eyes. Then she shuddered once more before consciousness faded away.
She floated quietly at the surface, hanging upside down from the Lifeguard backboard. Her eyes were closed as though she’d simply gone to sleep. Her last idle thought had been whether or not she’d get to see Dirk later that night.
Her killer watched her and the board for several moments. The water settled until the board gently floated with hardly a ripple. Then he left the pool to go tell Dirk’s wife her message had been delivered.
2009; 2018 (written Mar 6 ’09; ed. Nov 29 ‘18 by riwa)
(Inspired by the picture found on the Internet and included for illustration purposes.)