Page 104 of Soul So Dark
The water is freezing, but I do what he says and swing one leg over the end of the board and sit down, scooting further back until my feet don’t touch the silt anymore. Then Alex pulls the board away from the bank and turns it around so he can do the same. He makes it look so easy, and in a matter of seconds, he’s standing behind me, paddling us out toward the middle of the creek.
“The water’s not so bad anymore,” I say over my shoulder.
“I knew you’d like it after you got used to it.”
I spend the next little while listening to the morning sounds that I never stop to hear, accented by the water dripping off the paddle each time Alex lifts it from the water. Soon, the bird songs and insect chirps give way to questions that have been simmering over the past week.
“When you leave, how long will you be gone?”
I know he’s joining the Marines, and I’ve done the math. Whether he meant for it to be or not, his countdown is now seared into my brain like an ominous deadline.
“They have me for at least four years.”
I don’t ask when he’ll be back—ifhe’ll be back. And I’m not sure I want to know the answer.
“You haven’t told me whatyou’redoing this summer,” he says with a lighter tone.
“Working at the pool with Shelby,” I sigh. “I want to take the lifeguard test, but I can’t yet.” I shoot him a look over my shoulder. “Apparently, you have to be 16 for that, too.”
Alex lets out a laugh. “Nice, Dal. Just twist the knife in.”
“Are you ever coming back?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Because of your brother?”
The silence is brief, but no less heavy.
“Which brother?”
“Sodapop.”
I know his real name, because of Alex and also because I heard Colson and Mason talking about him once last summer while they were playing basketball in our driveway.
“If I were Alex, I would’ve tried to kill him, too. Luca’s lucky Adrian was there. Goddamn prick.”
Alex doesn’t ask what I know or how I know it. “That’s part of it,” he replies.
He gazes across the water at the creekbank, blinking rapidly. But a few moments later he sets his jaw and turns back to me, looking like himself again.
“I’ll tell you about it one day. I promise. But I just want to be here right now…with you.”
Butterflies rush through my stomach, and I can’t help but smile back at him. “I thought you were going to say he destroyed you inDark Soulsand that’s why you have to flee the country.”
“You wish,” he scoffs. “You still haven’t played me for real.”
“How can I if you’re at some super-secret military installation? It’s probably just an excuse anyway,” I mutter, turning back around.
Suddenly, the board jerks to the left and I’m launched off as it flips. I don’t even have time to scream before I hit the frigid water and it swallows me whole. My feet hit the creek bed and then I push off, bursting out of the water with a gasp.
“Alex!” I shout.
The creek is so deep from all the spring rain that I can’t stand up, and the shock of the cold water doesn’t help, either.
“Some lifeguard!” Alex’s voice taunts from somewhere behind me.
I spin around, treading water. I can’t see him anywhere, only the paddle board floating nearby. Suddenly, something clamps around my ankle, sending a jolt up my leg. I let out a blood-curdling scream and start thrashing around, trying to break free while keeping my head above water.
