Quote:
In the Water (8 ) : The Destiny City Reservoir is open year round but without fail always gets the most attention in the summer. It's a nice escape from the big city; it’s a five minute drive outside of the Eastern side of town and features clear water and sandy beaches--although, the sand here is notorious for squeaking when you step on it. It’s a hot spot for all fun summer activities, but recently something strange has been happening under the water. Sometimes, people feel like something is grabbing their ankle, even if they are just wading in the shallow end. In the deeper parts of the water, it gets a little more intense: something has been said to grab onto ankles and pull. People have been warned about dangerous pranks, but so far no one has been caught. In the shallow end, anyone unfortunate enough to be targeted may feel themselves being knocked off their feet and tugged into the water; anyone in deep water may feel a firm grip on their ankle, tugging them lower and lower. Somehow, anyone it targets is freed--either by wriggling and fighting, or because someone intervenes and pulls the would-be victim up. No one has drowned in the lake. Yet. It's impossible to see who, or what, is doing this, but it usually gives up after one failed attempt. Usually.
Shikora always loved the beach.
The Destiny City Reservoir was not quite a beach, but it was close enough considering their surroundings. Over the past few years, she had learned to enjoy it as a place to let out her stresses, to let her body feel calmer, to let herself forget about all the terrible things that she found herself dealing with every day; the memory loss, the children and teenagers that came in telling stories of missing parents, the chaos, the destruction that chaos seemed to leave in its wake--
She could forget about all of it when she waded into the water, closed her eyes, and let the stress ease out of her body as she could pretend her body blended into the waves.
And then she yelped.
In her panic, Shikora lifted up her free leg and attempted to kick down at whatever was grabbing at her ankle, but her foot found no purchase and all she did was nearly flip herself over in the water. She straightened herself out. Grumbled. Muttered a, "That's not funny, knock it off," before wading to another part of the reservoir. There hadn't been anyone else in front of her. What the hell was that? Was there something lurking in the water?
That sounded ridiculous. Probably just some kids thinking they were funny playing a little summer prank in the waters. She let it go. In this new place, she once again let her body relax. Once again closed her eyes. Once again let herself feel the water all around her, hear the sounds of those around her in the water, feel the cool breeze up above that made the water feel like peace and wonder as she let herself enjoy the deep, great gathering of the sea--
And then she felt it again.
Shikora kicked at it harder this time, escaping and heading toward the deeper parts of the reservoir. If it was because there were a few kids playing pranks, going a bit deeper in would probably defend against that. Parents would gather their children and prevent them from going too deep. They wouldn't bother her trying to find peace in the deep.
Shikora closed her eyes again.
She breathed.
She let the sensation of the water surround her, fill her, and lift her as she thought of nothing and everything all at once. It felt nice. It felt like peace. It felt like --
Shikora yelled but immediately snapped her mouth shut when she realized she was taking water into her mouth. She kicked at the source and found nothing which sent her heart rate through the roof. She kicked harder. Once she felt the grip loosen, she immediately swam back toward the surface, adjusting her swim cap and staring down into the water warily. Alright. There was something in the water. This was not her day. She was not spending any more time in this reservoir.
Quietly, she stormed her way out of the water and decided that she was just going to take the necessary drive to an actual beach.
