The next morning I wake up feeling excited. Weird, I’m usually still tired. Maybe I’m coming down with something. Then the dream drifts back, not the same one as before but a new one. In the dream, I’m in some kind of underwater ruins, swimming as a dolphin. It had felt so vivid, even though I’m losing the details of it. The pure joy of swimming and leaping like a dolphin, unlike anything I have ever experienced. Remembering the rush of speed, the water sliding over my smooth skin, makes me ache to feel it again.

  Like part of my soul is still swimming in the water.

  Ohhhh, I should go swimming at the complex, it would be a great way to get some exercise and swim off the dream. Hopefully Charlie would want to join me. Getting out of bed, I almost fall over as it feels like I’m standing on my toes and I want to fall forward to be comfortable. I manage to catch myself from leaning too far forward before the floor meets my face. Even my arms feel off, moving in short, awkward pushes that don’t quite help me balance. What is going on? It’s like my feet feel too small and oddly shaped. Everything feels off for a few moments.

  Grumbling, bleah, stupid feet. Once I can finally stand for more than a few moments, I notice the sun shining through my balcony door. Well, that explains why I’m not feeling super tired at the moment. I could probably run a marathon... or maybe swim one. I hear my sister watching cartoons, and Mom talking on the phone about skipping the Christmas Eve play. Thank God. I hate Christmas Eve church. Dad and his car are gone, so he must have headed out early.

  Okay, I’m hungry. Moving to the cupboard and grabbing myself a bowl and the Frosted Flakes, I start eating while waiting for my mom.

  What even was that dream? It felt so real. I like swimming, but not to the level I would happily go to the pool by choice. My foot won’t stop jumping as I eat. Sitting still feels wrong, and I just want to run and move around quickly.

  “Hey, Mom, I was thinking of going swimming today. Is there any chance you could take me? I’ll see if Charlie wants to go too.”

  She gives me a nod. “Sure, it’s open to the general public at ten-thirty. Maybe Sarah and I will join you two.” She says it easily, like it’s already decided.

  Wow… no teasing. Normally she has to beg me to go, but this time she seems more than happy to take me.

  YAY!!! I’m excited and want to leap out of the water for joy... wait, that doesn’t make sense. My nose scrunches up in confusion. Bleah, just the stupid dream messing with my head.

  It doesn’t bother me if Mom comes along. We would still be on our own most of the time. Please please say yes runs through my head as I call up Charlie. He quickly agrees to join me for swimming, though I can hear the skepticism in his voice that I would WANT to go. A little annoyance hits me, mostly because I can’t deny it’s weird.

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  Running upstairs, frustration hits as I can’t find my swim trunks. Where are they? Come on, they have to be here, I think, before finding them under my bed where I must have tossed them. I had looked there twice but couldn’t focus on anything. Back downstairs I go, wanting to swim already. “Is it okay if Charlie comes over to play some games afterwards?”

  She nods. “That should be fine, though be sure to go outside for a bit while it’s still a nice day. I hear it may snow tonight.”

  A big smile spreads across my face. “Thanks, Mom,” I say quickly, running into the other room to watch some TV with my sister. She’s watching Talespin, one of the shows I really like. It always reminds me of The Jungle Book movie, even if I HATED the ending. FINALLY!! Mom calls us to swim. Concentrating on the show is impossible; all I can think about is swimming.

  We meet Charlie at the front door of the complex, and I grin. “I haven’t had a good swim in ages, but today I feel like I could use one,” I say. He gives me a small questioning look at my excitement. I roll my eyes. “No, I haven’t gone insane... I don’t think. Just wanted to go swimming,” I say in annoyance, hoping he doesn’t ask me to elaborate, because even I have no idea why.

  We head inside, and I feel full of energy as my mom pays for our time in the pools. The smell of chlorine makes me even more excited to swim.

  We head into the lockers, waving to my mom and sister as they go into the girls’ section. Grabbing a locker, I begin to change a bit too fast, causing Charlie to say, “Slow down, we’ll get there,” as he digs into his bag, clearly trying to keep pace with me. A blush hits my face as I try not to let my excitement get the better of me. I just manage to put my swim trunks on, my hands still trembling.

  Then it’s straight past the showers without going in. I’ve waited long enough. I can smell the water. The chlorine makes my nose twitch in irritation, but the thought of swimming still hypes me up. Come on, come on, let’s go! I think as I hear Charlie behind me trying to catch up.

  We jump into the kids’ section first and just lie there on the surface for a few minutes. Ahhhhh... that feels so much better. Everything feels calm and relaxing. The water against my skin gives me a faint reminder of the dream. Feeling playful, I dive under, swim over to my friend, and give him a small swat before swimming off. He gives chase, but I stay just out of reach until I hit the wall, grinning and panting. “Man, I haven’t enjoyed swimming like this in a long time.” This is the feeling from the dream… just not as strong.

  Charlie laughs and splashes water at me. “Maybe we should come by more often. It’s fun. Now if we can just convince the others to show up.” He glances over at my sister. “Too bad Sarah isn’t older; she could join in some of our games.”

  A small groan escapes me. Oh great, my sister. I like her, but she can be a bit much sometimes.

  Looking over to the diving boards, I see there isn’t much of a line. Watching people dive in sends phantom sensations through me, soaring into the air before re-entering. Oh man, I really wish I could do that for real, but this is probably the closest I will get. It looks fun, and my mouth widens into a grin. “Want to go diving?” I ask.