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Authors: Marina Cohen
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only tightened.
Quinnâs chest throbbed. She needed air. Soon sheâd have to take a breath. If she didnât make it to the surface, sheâd be sucking in water. She twisted and writhed, desperate to free herself, searching frantically for Kara, but everything was lost in the rippling shadows of the water that now seemed murky and green. Whatever had her leg began dragging her down.
Quinn flapped her arms harder. Her lungs were screaming for air. Sheâd have to open her mouth. She couldnât wait any longer. Then with a final burst of strength she kicked wildly and furiously with her right foot. Her heel struck something hard and she was suddenly free.
She propelled upward, her arms and legs pumping and pushing against the water as heavy as cement. Her body ached under the strain, but she managed to break through the surface, sputtering and gasping for air. She didnât stop until she found the poolâs edge.
Placing her palms flat on the stone, Quinn hoisted herself out of the water and onto her knees. She sat sucking in great gulps of air, searching over her shoulder for the shadowy figure. All she saw was clear blue water and lacy patterns of flickering light.
Kara swam toward the edge. âWhatâs up?â
âYouâre not going to make us leave the pool like you did the restaurant, are you?â Josh sighed.
Quinn searched the water. She couldnât understand it. Sheâd seen that shadow. Sheâd felt its icy grip. It had tried to drown her. She desperately wanted to tell Kara what sheâd seenâwhat sheâd feltâbut what could she say? The glassy blue water was calm and serene. There was no shadowy figure lurking there now. Kara and Josh were the only people in it. Quinn wasnât sure sheâd believe her own story.
âWhatâs wrong?â asked Kara.
âI-I donât know,â she stammered. âI just needed air. I must have gone too deep.â
Kara glanced at Josh. She put her hands on the poolâs edge and then slung her arms over it. âBut,â she said softly, gingerly, as if Quinn were a glass figurine, easily broken, âthe poolâs only six feet deep.â
Quinn studied the shimmering surface again. Along the sides were painted markers she hadnât noticed before. Four feet in the far end. Six feet below.
âBut ⦠the bottomâ¦â she began. Her voice trailed off as Josh dipped, touching the base of the pool with flat feet. He held his arms straight up. The water barely covered the tips of his fingers. Quinn rubbed her temples. She hadnât imagined the depth. She couldnât have. Could she?
Despite Karaâs coaxing, Quinn refused to enter the water again. Instead, she lay on a chaise under the canopy of the umbrella as the morning melted away.
Kara insisted Josh check the front desk to see if their parents had returned. He made several trips, each time returning with no news.
Kara alternated sitting with Quinn and cooling herself in the water. She tried to get Quinn to join her, but Quinn wanted nothing to do with the pool.
Quinn closed her eyes. Even out of the direct rays of the sun, her skin burned. Each breath sent searing air into her lungs. But she resolved not to go back into the pool, not even if she burst into flames.
Judging by the sunâs position it was now afternoon. Karaâs parents had been gone for such a long time. They had to be back soon.
Above, black dots circled. Turkey vultures. Their movement was mesmerizing. Quinn watched for a long time. Round and round and round. She was about to search the pool for Kara when her eyes snagged on a window in the topmost floor of the hotel.
She saw a figure framed in glass. And though the sun was blindingly bright and the window way up high, Quinn was positive she recognized the silhouetteâa slight figure. Wearing a pink cap â¦
Quinn slid from the chaise. The world around her swirled to
Quinnâs chest throbbed. She needed air. Soon sheâd have to take a breath. If she didnât make it to the surface, sheâd be sucking in water. She twisted and writhed, desperate to free herself, searching frantically for Kara, but everything was lost in the rippling shadows of the water that now seemed murky and green. Whatever had her leg began dragging her down.
Quinn flapped her arms harder. Her lungs were screaming for air. Sheâd have to open her mouth. She couldnât wait any longer. Then with a final burst of strength she kicked wildly and furiously with her right foot. Her heel struck something hard and she was suddenly free.
She propelled upward, her arms and legs pumping and pushing against the water as heavy as cement. Her body ached under the strain, but she managed to break through the surface, sputtering and gasping for air. She didnât stop until she found the poolâs edge.
Placing her palms flat on the stone, Quinn hoisted herself out of the water and onto her knees. She sat sucking in great gulps of air, searching over her shoulder for the shadowy figure. All she saw was clear blue water and lacy patterns of flickering light.
Kara swam toward the edge. âWhatâs up?â
âYouâre not going to make us leave the pool like you did the restaurant, are you?â Josh sighed.
Quinn searched the water. She couldnât understand it. Sheâd seen that shadow. Sheâd felt its icy grip. It had tried to drown her. She desperately wanted to tell Kara what sheâd seenâwhat sheâd feltâbut what could she say? The glassy blue water was calm and serene. There was no shadowy figure lurking there now. Kara and Josh were the only people in it. Quinn wasnât sure sheâd believe her own story.
âWhatâs wrong?â asked Kara.
âI-I donât know,â she stammered. âI just needed air. I must have gone too deep.â
Kara glanced at Josh. She put her hands on the poolâs edge and then slung her arms over it. âBut,â she said softly, gingerly, as if Quinn were a glass figurine, easily broken, âthe poolâs only six feet deep.â
Quinn studied the shimmering surface again. Along the sides were painted markers she hadnât noticed before. Four feet in the far end. Six feet below.
âBut ⦠the bottomâ¦â she began. Her voice trailed off as Josh dipped, touching the base of the pool with flat feet. He held his arms straight up. The water barely covered the tips of his fingers. Quinn rubbed her temples. She hadnât imagined the depth. She couldnât have. Could she?
Despite Karaâs coaxing, Quinn refused to enter the water again. Instead, she lay on a chaise under the canopy of the umbrella as the morning melted away.
Kara insisted Josh check the front desk to see if their parents had returned. He made several trips, each time returning with no news.
Kara alternated sitting with Quinn and cooling herself in the water. She tried to get Quinn to join her, but Quinn wanted nothing to do with the pool.
Quinn closed her eyes. Even out of the direct rays of the sun, her skin burned. Each breath sent searing air into her lungs. But she resolved not to go back into the pool, not even if she burst into flames.
Judging by the sunâs position it was now afternoon. Karaâs parents had been gone for such a long time. They had to be back soon.
Above, black dots circled. Turkey vultures. Their movement was mesmerizing. Quinn watched for a long time. Round and round and round. She was about to search the pool for Kara when her eyes snagged on a window in the topmost floor of the hotel.
She saw a figure framed in glass. And though the sun was blindingly bright and the window way up high, Quinn was positive she recognized the silhouetteâa slight figure. Wearing a pink cap â¦
Quinn slid from the chaise. The world around her swirled to
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