Monster In My Pool

Hello all!

So, back in February I realized that I would become quite busy with school this semester.  I began a stockpile of posts, and expanded that stockpile for as long as I could before homework swamped me.  For the past several months, those have been the posts that I have been posting.

Unfortunately, I misjudged how long my semester would be.  My last post was the final post I had written ahead of time, and I'm still in the middle of finals.

So this week, we're doing something a little different!
The following is a short story I wrote that took first place in my college's writing contest in 2014.  I'd be very interested to hear what you guys think of it.  It's title is Monster In My Pool.

There’s a monster in my swimming pool.

I love the water, and I love to swim. I always have. So my father and stepmother looked at me quite oddly when I left the water and announced that there was a monster in the pool.

“Sweetheart, there’s no such thing as monsters,” they assured me.

I shook my head, ignoring the amused glances they were trading. “I know that! But there’s something there.”

My dad sighed. “Don’t you think your mum and I would have seen if something was there?”

I groaned. Honestly, adults can be so dense sometimes. “I didn’t see it! But I can hear it singing to me!”

My father blinked. My step-mom coughed. They shared another look, and I knew it was hopeless – they just couldn’t understand.

“It…sings to you.” One of my stepmother’s eyebrows had disappeared beneath her bangs.

“Shhh…” my dad scolded. “Let’s all be quiet for a minute, and see if we can hear.”

The wind rustled in the plants. The neighbor’s dog barked. I heaved a sigh. “I can’t hear it here! It’s only when I’m underwater!”

My step-mom heaved herself to her feet. “Alright, enough! There is no such thing as monsters. If you’re hearing singing, it’s probably a neighbor’s stereo or something.”

My dad nodded sagely. “Besides, there’s just dirt below the pool. Or is the monster invisible?”

My lip began to tremble. “But the drains…” I whispered.

“Then go inside. The ‘monster’ can’t hurt you there.”
 

…
 

I looked up over my breakfast the next day to see my step-mom exit the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Her dripping hair left puddles on the floor as she walked over to my father.

Her voice was faint, but my ears perked up at what little I heard.

“Faint humming…washing my hair…maybe he’s right, Howard!”

My father harrumphed. “Nonsense. Must be the neighbors.”

“…like nothing I’ve ever heard!”

They whispered for a few more minutes before turning to look at me. I pretended to be engrossed in my cereal.

“Harry, dear, come over here,” my stepmother called.

I pushed back my chair and walked to them, wrestling to keep my curiosity off my face.

“Yes?” I asked, as innocently as I could.

They glanced at each other, and a moment later my father rolled his eyes. “Your mother and I think it might be best if you stayed out of the pool for a bit. The water seems a bit off – we’ll have it drained and refilled tomorrow.”

A bit of color returned to my stepmother’s face as he spoke, and I nodded. I wasn’t keen to return to the singing.

…
 

I hopped into the shower before bed that night and nearly screamed as the water covered me. The voice was there, the haunting melody whispering to me!

I backed out of the water and the voice faded. Maybe I could do without a shower tonight.

…
 

My sleep was uneasy, my dreams troubled. I woke with a start to see a strange light creeping through my window.

I looked at it for a while, my mind struggling to wake up, and slowly realized that I was hearing voices from outside.

One was my father’s. He sounded happy, speaking of the events of the past day, and I lay back and listened to his voice rumble. Hearing him always made me feel safe.

So when the next voice spoke, I froze.

There was a melody to it that reminded me of her singing, even though there was no rhythm to what she spoke. Her words were faint and mesmerizing, though they were too quiet for me to make them out.

I sat there for a moment, shaking as I tried to gather courage. It took me longer than I cared to admit, but finally I stood and crept towards my window.

My father lounged by the side of the pool, laughing in a carefree manner I hadn’t seen in years. The woman was inside the pool, arms crossed on the edge as her long hair flowed free behind her. She was beautiful, radiant – and terrifying. The strange light that dimly lit my room seemed to emanate from her, and I would swear I saw scales below the water.

The porch light flickered on suddenly, and I bolted as my stepmother called out, “Howard!”

I rounded the corner to the kitchen in time to see her recover from her shock. I made a noise that might have been a whimper as I darted forward, trying to catch her arm, but she was already stalking towards the pool – and there was no way I was following her there.

Peering around the corner of the door I saw the strange woman throw her head back and laugh, my father joining her.

“What is going on?” There was a tone of dismay in my stepmother’s voice.

My father stood. “Ah, Esme. I’d like you to come and meet someone.”

“I have no desire to meet anyone!” she replied harshly. “Though I’d thank you to entertain your female friends when I’m not at – is she naked!?”

The strange woman laughed as I took a second look at her, and I blushed to see that my step-mom was right – but at least the woman’s hair covered everything vital.

My father extended his hand. “Sweetheart, it’s not what you think. Come here, I’ll show you.”

His voice was rich, soothing, and though my eyes were seeing things that ought to make me panic, my ears were proclaiming everything right in the world.

My step-mom blinked and swayed, her voice unsure. “It’s alright?”

“It is,” my father replied, his voice becoming more melodious every second. “Come to me, my sweet.”

My stepmother took a slow step forward, then another, reaching out to take my father’s hand.

He grinned as she grasped it, and she returned his smile tentatively. “Esme, my dear,” he said slowly. She nodded, as trusting as a sheep being led to the slaughter.

She was still smiling as he threw her into the water.

“I’d like you to meet my first wife!”

I screamed as the strange woman threw back her head, her eyes suddenly glowing red as her teeth extended into fangs. The light that trailed around her became more sickly and hostile as she turned and pounced on my step-mother.

My father turned at the sound of my scream, positioning his body so I couldn’t see anything in the water – but nothing could stop me from hearing it. I turned to run, to escape the awful sounds, but his voice caught me mid-step.

“Harry,” he called out. “Oh, Harry!”

I couldn’t move; his voice held me in place.

“Haven’t you ever wondered why you love the water so much, Harry? Come to us. We’ll show you.”

I fought his control, desperate to move. I couldn’t let them do – do –

            The strange woman’s voice joined his own. “Come, my son. I’m ever so anxious to meet you!”

Son.

Suddenly I couldn’t remember why I’d been so desperate to run. It was silly, really – my mother wanted to meet me.

I turned with a grin. “Hello, mummy,” I exclaimed.

She and my father grinned at me. Her lipstick was a bit off – well, quite a bit, really. Red from the nose down. But she had such a pleasant smile.

“Come into the water, son,” my father called. “It’s a lovely night.”

I raced to join them.

 

(This picture was drawn specifically for this story by an art student at my college named Georgia.  She was absolutely amazing, and generous enough to give me the original.  I have it sitting in my bedroom.)

 

What did you guys think?

 

I've already got most of my research done for my next series of posts, and am getting started on writing them.  Tune in next week when I delve into something I haven't really explored before - the mythology of a fictional universe!

 

I'll see you then!