S.W. Tanpepper's GAMELAND, Season One Omnibus by Saul Tanpepper Page A

playfully. “And he doesn’t need to find out, either.”
    I’ve used the inhaler my entire life. I’m supposed to carry it around with me all the time and puff on it three times a day, so it’s become almost habit. But I do forget on occasion, and when my grandfather finds out, he gets all OCD about it and interrogates me for like the next week. How am I feeling? Have I taken all three doses? Do I feel sick?
    Most of the time I can honestly answer that I’m following my regimen, but sometimes I forget. Like today. I’d forgotten to take it out of my gear bag this morning and left it at home.
    I shrug and tell Kelly that we’ll be back soon and I’ll just take a dose then. “It’s not like I’m going to drop dead if I don’t. It’s just an immunity booster.”
    The truth of the matter is, I’m not exactly sure what it’s supposed to do. I’ve always been told by the doctors that it’s to help stave off infections, but they’ve never really clearly explained what’s wrong with me that I should need it.
    Sometimes I hate having the inhaler; it makes me feel weak and vulnerable. Other times, though, I’m glad for it. Like, for example, whenever I want to get out of having to do gym class, I just hold it up and complain that I feel like I’m coming down with something. It’s a lot easier and less embarrassing than saying I’m having menstrual cramps.
    We reach the end of the walkway. Ash and Micah have stopped and are leaning out across the railing. They’re looking down into the darkness below us. “The opening’s right here,” Ash says, even though there’s no way she can possibly see it. “Does it look to you like it’s open?”
    I look down, but it’s too dark and the sunlight keeps bouncing up and into my eyes. I try to lean further over. Before I realize what’s happening, there’s a flash of color off to the side, a splash, and water sprays up at us. I stumble back gasping and wiping it from my face.
    â€œ What the hell was that?”
    â€œ Dude!” Reggie exclaims. He’s got a huge smile plastered over his face. “Kelly is what happened, that’s what. Crazy mother fucker. What’d you say to him to make him jump, Jessie?”
    â€œ Kelly?” I shout, running back over to the railing and looking down, but there’s nothing to see. “I didn’t tell him to jump, you idiot!”
    This shuts him up.
    â€œ Don’t just stand there! Do something!”
    But nobody moves. Nobody wants to jump into that murky water. We all wait and count the seconds.
    Thirty heartbeats pass. Then forty… Fifty…
    Sixty.
    â€œ Kelly,” I moan.
    A minute and half is gone just like that and now I’m really starting to get scared. Ashley’s eyes have grown wide, too. She’s got her fingertips in her mouth. She’s chewing on her nails. Even Reggie and Micah are beginning to look a little nervous.
    â€œ It’s barely two minutes,” Micah says. “I can hold my breath for two minutes. Hell. I could hold it for three if I needed to.”
    But all I can think is that it’s Kelly we’re talking about, not Micah. Kelly’s not conditioned for holding his breath.
    â€œ How long?” I ask. Nobody answers. “ How long! ”
    â€œ Three minutes.”
    â€œ Kelly!” I scream. “ Kelly! ”
    Then everyone’s yelling, shouting his name. Reggie’s peeling off his shirt and getting ready to climb onto the railing. Micah begins to kick off his shoes. But we’re all interrupted by a shrill whistle coming from man in a dark green uniform. He starts running toward us.
    â€œ You there! You kids! Stop right there! There’s no swimming here.”
    Reggie’s standing on the first rail, leaning his knees against the top rung, looking like he’s going to jump in anyway. The cop blows