head
to look at Paul. A smirk lifted the side of his mouth. He mouthed words she couldn’t make out
and let go. She dove in behind him.
***
The water was so thick it didn
’t splash. Paul burst through the stagnant water and gulped air.
He swirled around, flaying his arms. Malia hadn’t come up for air. He took a deep breath and
plunged into the noxious mix. His
fingers touched on something. He lunged deeper and brushed on digits. A hand locked on his
wrist; his lungs burned with the need for oxygen. He pumped his legs and pulled the heavy
burden he’d latched onto up. He didn’t dare open his eyes but he felt smooth palms rub his body
using him like a ladder to move higher.
They broke through the surface next to an old blow up lounger. A light beam crossed their
path and they dipped beneath the water. He stuck his hand out, after a few waves through the
grimy liquid his digits touched on the slimy plastic. Paul pulled it their way. She lifted her face
above the muck and sputtered. He pulled her close framing her body with his to keep her from
sliding under. Above them, policemen where crawling everywhere, shouting to each other. Paul
kicked his legs, the jean material heavy on his limbs, something akin to goo wrapping itself
around his ankles. He hit the rough edge of the pool, and a sharp piece of broken tile sliced his
bicep.
He bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep from crying out. Hot tears burned behind his
lidded eyes. He opened them and looked down. Malia’s eyes were closed and her breathing was
even. He’d never been a religious man, preferring the stark truth of facts he could decipher, but
looking at her, he prayed. Please get us out this, and if you can’t … keep her safe.
“Hey, over here.” A cop called out.
The men rushed in the direction of the voice; the dull thud of their shoes a thunderous sound
as they all traveled in one direction.
“Malia, now is the time to wake up so we can get the hell out of here.” He gently shook her.
He scanned the length of the pool through blurry vision and found the ladder a foot from them.
“Come on baby, wake up
“Stop shaking me so hard. Ugh. What is that smell?” Her head rolled on her neck.
“Us. Now move that ass, honey, before the cops decide to come this way again.” He led her
along the ledge, their heads just above water.
At the ladder, he watched her climb up then gave her a light shove to help her over the last
rung. He followed her out the murky mess, and a deluge of water drained off him once he
stepped on the concrete. Paul immediately yanked her with him as he sprinted for what he hoped
was the chain link fence. His arm burned as they scaled the short barrier and landed in a weed
ridden parcel of hard packed earth. They scurried to move as some of the policemen returned to
the complex.
They exited through the side passage, jogging into the alley. Speed-walking toward their
car, he pulled up and snatched Malia to his side, keeping to the shadows. He hunched his
shoulders, hoping the lone officer continued to stay more interested in their vehicle than the
derelicts they pretended to be. He watched the cop grab his radio, calling in for back-up and
urged Malia to move faster. They continued on to the sidewalk and kept walking until they could
blend in with a crowd at the end of the block.
“We need a car. And aspirin.” Malia rubbed her temple.
“True, but we also need a safe place to recoup. I can’t see far. I lost my glasses in the pool
and sliced open my arm.” He made a sharp turn and drew her onto the dark backstreet with him.
“I got ya, baby. Where are we going?” She stopped.
“To find a car.” He looked around them nervously.
“Good, we need to get the hell out of here.”
“We can’t leave town, babe. The police will simply expand the search. By now there are
probably roadblocks at every exit out of the city. I have an idea.”
“And that is?” She
to look at Paul. A smirk lifted the side of his mouth. He mouthed words she couldn’t make out
and let go. She dove in behind him.
***
The water was so thick it didn
’t splash. Paul burst through the stagnant water and gulped air.
He swirled around, flaying his arms. Malia hadn’t come up for air. He took a deep breath and
plunged into the noxious mix. His
fingers touched on something. He lunged deeper and brushed on digits. A hand locked on his
wrist; his lungs burned with the need for oxygen. He pumped his legs and pulled the heavy
burden he’d latched onto up. He didn’t dare open his eyes but he felt smooth palms rub his body
using him like a ladder to move higher.
They broke through the surface next to an old blow up lounger. A light beam crossed their
path and they dipped beneath the water. He stuck his hand out, after a few waves through the
grimy liquid his digits touched on the slimy plastic. Paul pulled it their way. She lifted her face
above the muck and sputtered. He pulled her close framing her body with his to keep her from
sliding under. Above them, policemen where crawling everywhere, shouting to each other. Paul
kicked his legs, the jean material heavy on his limbs, something akin to goo wrapping itself
around his ankles. He hit the rough edge of the pool, and a sharp piece of broken tile sliced his
bicep.
He bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep from crying out. Hot tears burned behind his
lidded eyes. He opened them and looked down. Malia’s eyes were closed and her breathing was
even. He’d never been a religious man, preferring the stark truth of facts he could decipher, but
looking at her, he prayed. Please get us out this, and if you can’t … keep her safe.
“Hey, over here.” A cop called out.
The men rushed in the direction of the voice; the dull thud of their shoes a thunderous sound
as they all traveled in one direction.
“Malia, now is the time to wake up so we can get the hell out of here.” He gently shook her.
He scanned the length of the pool through blurry vision and found the ladder a foot from them.
“Come on baby, wake up
“Stop shaking me so hard. Ugh. What is that smell?” Her head rolled on her neck.
“Us. Now move that ass, honey, before the cops decide to come this way again.” He led her
along the ledge, their heads just above water.
At the ladder, he watched her climb up then gave her a light shove to help her over the last
rung. He followed her out the murky mess, and a deluge of water drained off him once he
stepped on the concrete. Paul immediately yanked her with him as he sprinted for what he hoped
was the chain link fence. His arm burned as they scaled the short barrier and landed in a weed
ridden parcel of hard packed earth. They scurried to move as some of the policemen returned to
the complex.
They exited through the side passage, jogging into the alley. Speed-walking toward their
car, he pulled up and snatched Malia to his side, keeping to the shadows. He hunched his
shoulders, hoping the lone officer continued to stay more interested in their vehicle than the
derelicts they pretended to be. He watched the cop grab his radio, calling in for back-up and
urged Malia to move faster. They continued on to the sidewalk and kept walking until they could
blend in with a crowd at the end of the block.
“We need a car. And aspirin.” Malia rubbed her temple.
“True, but we also need a safe place to recoup. I can’t see far. I lost my glasses in the pool
and sliced open my arm.” He made a sharp turn and drew her onto the dark backstreet with him.
“I got ya, baby. Where are we going?” She stopped.
“To find a car.” He looked around them nervously.
“Good, we need to get the hell out of here.”
“We can’t leave town, babe. The police will simply expand the search. By now there are
probably roadblocks at every exit out of the city. I have an idea.”
“And that is?” She
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