Mr.

Nightswim

Sarah crept out onto the creaking boards of the dock.  She remembered when her dad, uncle, and two brothers had built the wooden structure those many years ago when she still needed floats on her arms in the water.  All that summer they had worked hard; glad for once the water was so low so they could complete their task.  Eventually, almost two years  later, when the state dammed Fall's River, the water level rose to its normal level.  But by then, the dock was finished and her family had a wooden finger that extended well into the deep brown water of Cleary Lake.

Sarah always thought that name was funny.  Calling a lake 'Cleary' when the water was so brown you couldn't see your hands even if they were just below the water's surface.  Of course, she knew it was named for the family of the old man who had lived there his whole life.  Mr. Martin Cleary.  She knew that well. 

The Cleary family had built their house right after the civil war and their little weary descendant maintained it to this day.  It saddened her to think that all of that would change soon.  Old Mr. Cleary was well over eighty and his children had moved far away from the modest little lake side home.  It was generally known that as soon as he was gone, his grandchildren would sell the place.

She slipped out of the towel and felt the comforting coolness of the summer night.  The moon cast a gently wavering beam along the water. Running her hand through the brown water she felt the warmth of the dark water.

After tying her hair back with a rubber band she made a graceful dive into the pitch depth of Cleary Lake.

Breaking the surface, she backstroked along the calm water and let her mind drift as she floated along.  She thought about school.  It was her Junior year at the University of Virginia and she had plans to graduate next year in preparation of law school the year after.  Her father had taken that bit of news with joyful tears in his eyes.  She would follow the family path after all; her grandfather, her father and both brothers all had chosen the law- under considerable increasing pressure, no doubt.  She avoided a family crises by choosing law over veterinary school.

Her mind drifted to less serene subject matters; Tom.  Her brow furrowed as she thought about the tall blonde baseball player she had fallen madly in love with upon first sight.  She met him at a party during her sophomore year.  They got heavily involved quickly.  Too much, too soon, she admitted to herself now. 

He was talking about marriage, and, at first, she had welcomed the idea with enthusiasm.  But, right before the summer session, she told him about her growing doubts.  He put her off, saying they should take the summer and see how she felt when they came back in the fall.  If anything, her reservations had been confirmed, though, and she dreaded going back and having that conversation with him.  He wouldn't take it well.

She knew his temper and had seen a that scary look on his face.  He seemed to lose all control during those times.  He had beaten another ball player so badly he was thrown off the team.  His father saved him from getting kicked out of school, though.  On another occasion, an older man made the mistake of making a lewd comment to Sarah and Tom beat the guy with a pool stick.  That poor guy was a bloody mess when they finally drug Tom off of him.

And he shown signs of possible violence toward her.  There were times they had gotten into heated arguments and that look stole over his face.  She became frightened during those moments.  She hated to admit it, but she was scared of him.