The day was one of the best for swimming. The sun burned
hot and relentless making the small town feel as if it sat in the
middle of a scorching desert.
Far from it, Clayton, located in the heart of Massachusetts was
normally a wink away from paradise, nearly a clone of the Garden
of Eden, a gorgeous canvas painted by the unpredictable hands of
nature. Flowers bloomed in every yard. Trees grew proud and
graceful but bowed under the anger of the sun, as if praying.
Praying for rain.
It should have been one of the most comfortable and pleasant
places in the state but it wasn’t.
The last few weeks were torturous, hot enough to turn the
strongest of men into puddles of sweat. This summer’s heat seemed
to be an undeserving punishment to the residents of the suffering
town. Never before had they received such a scorching.
This was beyond recording breaking . . . this was cruel.
Air conditioners sold out of every store in record numbers for
miles around but offered little relief. The paved streets
and sidewalks scorched the feet of anyone who dare not wear shoes
like grilled cheese.
Some families were lucky enough to have pools and able to
outsmart nature’s wrath on a temporary basis. Despite the water
ban people still filled their pools to the brim with blessedly
cold water. This was being watched carefully and water usage was
starting to be monitored like food rations. Neighbor turned
against neighbor, ready to turn each other in for a drop of
illegal use. Under the cloak of night people would fill their
pools and then lie about it in the light of day. It was the only
way to get relief. It happened often.
Sixteen-year-old Geraldine Swanson fanned herself with last
night’s newspaper as she sat in her front yard in a aqua blue
bathing suit watching her younger brother and sister try their
best to find shade to enjoy their Kool-aid.
With some effort they chose a very unhealthy looking shrub in
the corner of their yard.
"Leslie, Peter, don’t sit there too long or you’ll get burned.
You should have put on some sun block," Geraldine called.
They gave her a shrug, debating whether or not to answer her.
"Oh Geraldine," Leslie said, she just turned eleven and now
thought she was a grown woman who knew all about the toils of
life. "We’re sitting in some shade and the dumb sun block makes us
feel sticky."
Peter giggled as Geraldine sighed and returned to her fanning.
The Swanson family was one of the unlucky ones. They could not
afford a pool. Nick Swanson had lost his job a month ago and was
now working as a clerk at the Clayton Super-Mart. His wife
Charlotte was taking in the neighbors’ laundry. It was just enough
to keep the family afloat. They expected the winter to be
worse…much worse.
The little ones, Leslie and Peter, badgered their parents
constantly for a pool and each and every time the answer was:
"we’ll see."
Geraldine knew they were not getting a pool this summer but she
never complained. She understood how hard her parents tried to
make their lives happy but she also knew that her siblings were
desperate for relief from the heat. She spent her days
constantly trying to come up with new and inventive ways to cool
them off.
The cool baths and buckets of ice water that she used in a game
she called "water tag" had run their course and the last time she
used the hose her father was furious and grounded her for a week.
She needed something new, something different
"
"The children. The children!" his voice cut her off for the
third time. "That’s all I hear. What about us? Sometimes I think
we’d be better of if . . ."
"Go ahead," Charlotte left her chair. "Say it!"
Nick just stared already regretting what he was thinking.
Geraldine cringed as the door swung open and her father stormed
out of the house. He jumped into his car and roared out of the
driveway without looking back. Geraldine glanced over at her
sister and brother wondering if they had heard anything. Judging
by their carefree manner she gathered they had not. She
continued into the house for her drink and was stopped by soft
sobbing drifting from the bedroom.
Tears started to form in her eyes but she held them back. She
needed to be strong at least for her brother and sister. She
resisted the urge to go to her mother for she was a proud woman
and Geraldine wanted to leave her with at least that. Another
silly fight about a pool wasn’t worth all this. She shook
her head.
Something crossed then her mind just then, something she had
almost totally forgotten about. There was a way to get relief.
There was something she could do for her younger siblings. Not far
from their house was a huge two-story house that had an indoor
in-ground pool!
How could she have forgotten that? She remembered passing it in
the spring while walking home from school. Out of curiosity she
stopped and ventured in the yard and found the home seemingly
abandoned. The owners must have left months ago and never
returned.
Could the pool still be full? Was the house still deserted?
Forgetting the drink she left the house and mounted her
ten-speed. She was off to investigate.
"Where are you going?" Peter asked.
"I’m going for a ride. I won’t be long and don’t bother momma
either."
"Okay," the two called in sync as she peddled out of their
sight
The breeze stirred by her travel was a blessing. She wished
that it would last forever. Peddling as fast as she could
she finally reached the house and discovered that it was indeed
still empty and a little rundown.
The grass in the front yard was thick, overgrown and a sickly
shade of brown thanks to the fireball in the sky. Once lush
and vibrant green shrubbery that lined the foundation of the house
was now dead from neglect and the red paint that coated the house
was sun-bleached and laced with cracks that formed intricate
patterns reminding Geraldine of cobwebs.
She stepped off the ten-speed and kicked out the bike stand.
After steadying the bike she approached the large glossy windows,
the glare catching her in the eyes. She framed her face with her
hand so she could properly peep into a stranger’s house. She
felt a bit funny standing in plain sight of the street and moments
later scaled her way around the side of the house where she found
a small window that looked like it could be pried open.
Geraldine was having little luck until she spied a small branch
on the ground. It seemed strong enough and she was right
the
window eased open.
A half-smile of some secret victory curled over her lips as she
crawled inside and fell to the floor of a dimly lit dining room.
When she finally collected herself and stood she noticed
something odd about the room.
The dining table was set for dinner although the house was no
longer occupied. It held her captivated for some reason and
for a moment she’d forgotten why she was there, seeming bewildered
by the sight of the dining room.
Pulling herself back she remembered her goal, the pool. She
left the dining room and entered the hall. A large room sat beside
the dining room, the one containing the pool. She yanked
apart the heavy sliding doors, grimacing at the effort behind it
and took in the sight . . . and what a sight it was.
The pool was massive and its surface shimmered with a blanket
of sunlight that showered through every window in the room like
thousands of glittering diamonds. It nearly sent her into a
trance.
It was impeccably clean, not even the tile on the inside had a
smudge on it. It was perfect. Breathtaking.
For such an unkempt house this was amazing. It looked
brand new.
She stared at the water as it splashed against the edges,
seeming to hypnotize her. She could no longer resist.
Unable to deny herself the touch of the tempting water she
approached the pool and lowered her foot.
Heaven pure heaven.
She wasted no time racing home to fetching her brother and
sister.
***
Geraldine skidded into the driveway, a puff of dirt flying up
around her. "Leslie! Peter! Guess what?"
The two raised their sweaty faces in anticipation of the big
news.
"I found a pool we can use," Geraldine said with a smile,
watching proudly as the two sprung up and ran to her side.
"Where is it?" Peter yelped.
"It’s a few streets away in a house that nobody lives in. We
can have it all to ourselves. I don’t think anybody else knows
about it."
"Mom will never let us," Leslie said, seeming to rain on
Geraldine’s parade.
"Silly," Geraldine answered. "We’re not going to tell her that.
We’ll say we’re going for a walk and then to the store for ice
cream."
The three entered the house, Geraldine taking the lead. "Mom
I’m taking Leslie and Peter out for some ice cream."
Her mother looked up and smiled. Geraldine could see the pride
in her eyes. "Okay but just don’t be late for dinner."
"We won’t," she answered, elated that the story had worked.
The three made sure they put on some sandals to protect their
feet before they started down the driveway.
It was a much longer journey walking than it had been riding
the bike, but eventually they arrived.
"Wait," Peter said, stopping short as he stared up at the
house.
"What’s the matter?" Geraldine asked.
"I don’t know if I want to," he answered.
"Yeah it looks scary," Leslie added, finishing her brother’s
thought.
"You two wanted to swim in a pool right?" Geraldine asked.
"Well there’s one big one right in there! It’s not scary indoors.
Let’s go."
The two considered the heat and realized that the pool sounded
like a good idea after all. Geraldine crawled in first and
helped Leslie and Peter in after.
"Why are there dishes on the table?" Leslie asked.
Geraldine had wondered that herself and decided to just tell
the truth. "I really don’t know. It doesn’t matter no one is here
so the pool is ours."
Leslie accepted it and the three continued onto the pool.
With one look Leslie and Peter were stunned, it was a dream
come true.
"Last one in is a rotten egg!" Peter yelled curling himself
into a ball and splashing into the water.
Leslie followed, leaping into the pool with legs straight as an
arrow. Geraldine smiled, feeling quite satisfied with herself.
Finally she would see them have a happy summer.
"C’mon Geraldine, the water is awesome," Peter said as tread
water with glee.
"Yes Geraldine it’s so nice and cool. And deep too,"
Leslie added.
"Okay, okay I’m coming," she laughed and finally jumped in.
***
They laughed and played, racing each other from side to side
for at least an hour. They swam under and above the water, bobbing
like tropical fish until Peter ventured to the deep end of the
pool. Despite Geraldine’s warnings he swam further away from
her, ignoring her pleas.
Peter dove under then up several times giggling wildly as
something stirred beneath him. A pale greenish-yellow light
glowed at the bottom of the pool unnoticed by him and the girls.
Bubbles rose to the top of the water finally catching Peter’s
attention, his expression was curious and confused. He knew
something wasn’t right. The girls swam to the pool’s edge
still unaware of the events unfolding around them.
Growing nervous, Peter turned to swim out of the deep end of
the pool but something slithered around his leg preventing that
from happening.
It felt slimy and rough against his flesh and cramped him with
pain. A scream tried to escape him but was only muffled by
the pool water as he was yanked beneath its depths.
Seconds later he was gone.
***
The girls climbed out of the pool blissfully ignorant until
they wiped their faces. They turned to look for Peter and learned
he was nowhere to be found. The pool was ominously still and
quiet.
"Peter, Peter where are you?" Geraldine called but there was no
answer. Jumping into the pool she began searching feverishly.
Finding nothing she grew hysterical, tears flooding her cheeks as
panic swelled inside her.
"Peter! Peter!" Leslie stood in the shallow end of
the pool, fear leaving its mark on her face.
As Geraldine searched and searched strange light glowed beneath
Leslie, bubbles curled slowly around her and the girl’s jaw
dropped as she watched a dark shape form and two tentacles slither
swiftly around her. With a yank the dark green, bump-laden
tentacles pulled Leslie under with a gurgling scream.
Geraldine stopped dead in her tracks and spun around. "Leslie!
Leslie no!" Her voice went mute as she watched greenish-yellow
light appear in the clear pool waters in front of her. She
swam away from it with all of her might and it followed.
She pulled herself out of the water with a scream as the entire
pool seemed to bubble and glow with light. The doors in front of
her slid shut as if by remote control when she ran to them.
She was trapped.
Geraldine was no easy prey. A large resin chair caught her eye
as the pool bubbled ferociously now, a massive shadow rising to
the top of the water. She smashed one of the windows with
the chair and escaped, the tender flesh of her feet burning on the
hot streets as she made her way home.
Her heart pounded and her feet were covered in blisters as she
scrambled to get her mother. Charlotte had no choice but to
slap her daughter to calm her down, she was in hysterics, her
story made no sense and was just plain unbelievable.
"What?" Charlotte was enraged. "First you lie to me and then
you make up some story to cover it up. Leslie and Peter are
probably just hiding on you. They just didn’t disappear Geraldine.
You take me to that pool."
"No momma, I saw it, the pool . . . the light . . . the pool glowed
and bubbled. There was this thing. . ."
"That’s enough young lady!" her mother yelled as she took her
by the arm, yanking her out of the house.
***
They climbed back through the smashed window and approached the
deep end of the pool. All seemed calm and quiet. Charlotte
searched about the room. There was a lone dresser for towels
and bathrobes but it turned out to be empty.
There was no other place to hide in the large room. Charlotte
peered into the pool but saw nothing. It was as clear as when the
children first arrived. Charlotte turned around and looked at the
broken window again then back at her daughter. "They’re not here,
where are they Geraldine?"
"Momma, I told you the truth!" Geraldine cried.
"Don’t give me that. Are they hiding in this house somewhere? If we don’t find them we’ll have to call the police. Then you’ll
be in real trouble. Is that what you want?" Her mother went to the
window, preparing to leave when she turned to see Geraldine
looking into the pool. "Geraldine let’s go. We need to
Hours passed until merciful night finally enveloped the town.
Nick Swanson returned home after a long hard day of work. He
tripped over Geraldine’s ten-speed as he crossed the front yard.
"Damn kids! When the hell will they learn?" he griped, wiping the
sweat from his brow. 
