Chapter 1: The Deep End

  In a small town off the coast, there's not much to do. When your school doesn't have air conditioning when summer is about to start makes everything 10 times worse. 

  I never really liked the small school I was in, except for the indoor pool we had in the left end of the building. We only used it during the last month of the school year for swimming preparation classes but the water was always cool, making it the only thing every student looked forward to when they came to school.

  Normally I would still be swimming in the pool right now, if it hadn't been for that one incident.

  It was a normal day just like any other. I came to school and did my work, and then came the last hour of the day where I headed off to the pool. I was nervous since I had forgotten to bring my swim trunks, and the swimming instructor always got mad at those who did. Since it was the first day we opened the pool again since last year, I was even more nervous. Would he think that I was a kid who never came to class prepared?

  I hoped not. I was a straight A student, but he probably wouldn't know that.

  Sighing to myself, I opened the door to the locker rooms for boys where I met a few of my friends. We started talking and I realized they hadn't brought their swimsuits either. In fact, none of the boys did. It seemed that the school's secretary had given the wrong date for the class to start.

  I realized that even though we wouldn't be getting in as big trouble as I thought, we would probably still be swimming quite a lot today as punishment.

  About to sigh again, I quickly stopped myself when I heard the door from the pool office open and the coach stepped out. 

  "Alright boys. It seems something happened with the date mix up, but don't think you're going to be let off. There are spare swimsuits in the storage room of the office. Go and take your pick, get changed, and meet me out at the pool in five minutes. If not, you'll be swimming extra laps." the coach said, before walking back through the office to the pool area.

  We quickly made it to the office and I tried to get past people but I was behind everyone. Once they had all gone to change there was only one pair of swim trunks left in the back of the storage room. They looked old but not bad, so I sighed and took them with me to the locker room.

  Immediately I could feel pairs of eyes on me, or more so, my swim trunks as I made my way to the back where it was just my friends.

  "Yah, Hyesung-ah. Why did you choose that one?" Kangta asked as I hung it from the hanger on the edge of my locker and started taking my shirt off.

  "It was the only one left." I replied and started stripping myself of my shoes and shorts.

  "You should just tell the coach you're sick or something. You definitely don't want to use those." he said and started putting his own swimming gear on.

  "What are you talking about?" I asked, taking them off the hanger and looking at them. It didn't look like anything was wrong with them to me, so why would he tell me not to use them?

  "You mean you haven't heard the story?" he asked with a dumbfounded expression. I just nodded as he finished up and shut his locker. He was about to open his mouth again when we both heard the coach yell that there was little time left and I quickly put the swim trunks on before shutting my own locker. We both walked as fast as we could to the edge of the pool, and I could feel Kangta eyeing me warily as we sat together, the rest of my friends hanging out with each other at the other end of the bench.

  "So what story are you talking about?" I whispered to him as the coach started taking roll. Kangta looked around before bringing a hand up to his mouth and started whispering back.

  "They say those were the very same swim trunks a student wore when classes started years ago. He was a 1st year student, forgot his name. One day he was talking to his friend and the coach caught him, so she sent him to go tread water in the deep end of the pool." As he said this, I eyed the murky looking waters at the other end of the pool, a slight shiver running down my spine. "He tried to tell her that he didn't know how to swim yet, since he had just moved from the city to the country and there wasn't even a pool where he lived. She just ignored him and kept telling him to go to the deep end, even threatening to tell the principal he was acting up because he was a new student. So he walked over to the deep end and lowered himself in the water as she instructed the rest of the class in the shallow end." I gulped, wondering what was going to come next. "He held onto the edge of the pool for quite some time apparently, before he noticed the coach looking at him and quickly swam out. He tried to swim, tread, whatever to keep himself above the water but he just couldn't do it. He tried to call out for help but no one could hear him since his head kept going underwater. No one knew he was still in the deep end until class ended and she took roll to make sure everyone was there. Just as she had called his name, one of the girls screamed and pointed to the deep end of the pool. There was a body floating in the water, dead man style. That boy died by drowning in the pool that day, and he wore the swim trunks you're wearing right now. Everyone has heard the story about them, and say that they're cursed, but no one's worn them since that 1st year died. I still think you should ju-"

  "Jung Pilkyo!" I suddenly heard from the coach and froze as Kangta stopped talking. "Do you think this is time for you to have a little chit-chat with your friend here?" I shook my head to tell him no, not daring to open my mouth. "It seems you may need a little more than just a warning to stop talking. You'll be treading water in the deep end today."

  I immediately froze as he told Kangta to get in the shallow end and sat there. The deep end? Sure I was a good swimmer, but this seemed all-too-familiar to the story Kangta just told me. No Hyesung. It's not real. Just a school myth.

  "Pilkyo! Get in the water!" he yelled and I quickly stood up, nodding before I made my way to the other side of the pool, away from the rest of the class.

  Looking into the water I gulped before shaking my head. Just a myth. Just a myth!

  After calming myself down a bit, I grabbed the railing on the sides of the underwater steps and lowered myself down. The water felt much better then standing in the heat of the building and I lowered myself farther.

  "Off the ladder." I heard and looked at the coach and smiled sheepishly before letting go, glad he looked away to focus on the rest of the class.

  Swimming backwards, towards the middle of the deep end I looked up at the ceiling. What was Kangta talking about? A 1st year drowning in the pool. I'd certainly never heard the story before. He was probably just trying to scare me. If I actually believed him he probably would have made fun of me later.

  I snickered quietly to myself before I suddenly heard something.

  'Help me.' I heard in my head. Lifting my head up from the water I looked around to see if anyone else had heard the voice. 'Help me.' I heard again and looked around the deep end. It was just me there though. The voice was getting louder but it seemed like I was the only one who could hear it because everyone else was talking to each other.

  'Help me! Help me!' It yelled loudly and pounded inside my skull before I suddenly felt something wrap around my left ankle. I tried to jerk it free but whatever was there held on tightly.

  Looking down into the water I froze as fear ran through my entire body.

  I saw a white hand wrapped around my ankle tightly, like vice grip, before suddenly a face appeared. It was white with dark eyes and an evil smile. Tugging once, twice on my ankle, it's grin got wider.

  I screamed as it pulled me down into the water, farther and farther. I tried the best as I could to swim up but it held on so tight I was afraid it was going to rip my foot off. Looking up as the water around me got darker and darker, unnaturally dark, I hoped someone had heard me scream. 

  My eyes started to get heavy as it held onto my throat with its other hand, my breath leaving and my lungs starting to burn. I kicked weakly but it kept dragging me down, farther than I think the pool goes. When all my energy was spent I stopped struggling and felt the tears gathering my eyes from the pain and the fear. Just before I closed my eyes for good I saw someone dive into the pool above me.

  I woke up when I felt someone's mouth on mine and when it pulled off I immediately turned to the side and coughed up the water that had filled my lungs. Gulping in large amounts of air I tried to sit up properly and face the boy kneeling next to me.

  "Are you okay?" I heard over the static in my ears and nodded slightly, coughing and sputtering as I turned again and coughed a little more water out. He patted my back and rubbed circles to calm me down, and strangely it worked as I felt my breathing slow down.

  "Mr. Jung." the coach started as he knelt on my other side and patted my shoulder. Looking to the boy on my other side he nodded to him. "Junghyuk-ssi, can you take Pilkyo to the nurse's office please?" The boy nodded and smiled before helping me up and wrapping an arm around my shoulder. I stumbled slightly as he pushed the door open and we both exited the pool area.

  "Are you okay?" he asked again and I nodded slightly as I struggled to get my breath back.

  "Thanks."

  He just smiled and nodded as he kept walking. 

  "What happened anyways?" he asked as he looked down at me. Immediately I remembered that white face with black eyes and shuddered. No one would believe me if I told them.

  "Leg cramps." I just replied, lying as I looked down at the ground still. He hummed as we entered the nurse's office and helped me sit on one of the beds. Sitting in one of the chairs himself, we both waited for the nurse to come into the room.

  "Thanks again." I said and smiled slightly myself.

  "No problem." The nurse came in just after he spoke and told him to get back to class, in which he waved goodbye and walked out of the room. I sat on the bed as she started doing a check up, asking me what happened. I just kept looking at my lap as water dripped from my hair and answered her questions.

  "Now, Pilkyo-ssi. I need you to look up." I heard her say as she wheeled her chair in front of me. 

  Looking up, I froze just like I had before. It was the face from before. Looking behind it I saw the nurse lying on the ground with blood pooling from her stomach as she laid face down. How come I didn't hear anything happen!?

  I looked up again when the white figured started laughing, it's evil grin and black eyes scaring me even more than they had in the pool.

  It was holding a syringe, and seeing it, I screamed again.

  Okay. ^^; So this chapter ended up way longer than I thought it would. It's going to have a second part as well but I hope it was good for my first writing. T^T Sorry if it .

  Um, comments and subscribers are very appreciated! o u o; Bye for now! ^-^