Below the Surface

Below the Surface — page 3 — is When the man got halfway across Syd blinked and he was gone Lots of people have seen him over the years but no one can agree on why he's on that bridge or what he's waiting for The way I see it if there a ghost we have something in common We both haunt the bridge There's no need to get in each other's way He can have the night and I'll take the day Now that summer break has started I'm out here almost every day searching for treasure There's a boat rental place upriver where people launch rafts and kayaks Thing is they aren't too careful and tend to drop sunglasses and phones and even wedding rings into the water I find them in the silt and do my best to return them to their owners Phones are easiest as long as they still turn on And for anything I can't identify Syd's dad is always happy to help He runs the local pawnshop and keeps a lost and found box for all the stuff I bring in 2

Below the Surface — page 4 — Today though there aren't any phones The almost noon sun bakes my bare shoulders but it feels nice after the cold river The empty cans and fishing lures are laid out on the wooden planks of the bridge It's the least impressive photo shoot ever There isn't even a cool lure in the bunch just plain weights and hooks But I log everything even the boring stuff on my social feed There are a bunch of us who look for lost things but the serious ones are looking for old stuff They take their metal detectors through fields searching for history Sometimes they go places where important things happened a hundred or more years ago I'd like to try that someday but I like my river It's familiar It comes from the mountains and flows out to the sea For this brief stretch under the bridge all the possibilities it carries are mine if I can catch them Except there hasn't been anything interesting for a while I'm starting to feel a little lost myself 3

Below the Surface — page 5 — Just as I'm taking the first picture of my finds I hear something that freezes the water on my skin A horrible laugh carries over the rush of the river Oh no My heart kicks into high gear I sweep the cans and lures into my mesh bag along with my phone in its waterproof case and jump feet first into the river My swimming goggles flap around my neck It's only fifteen feet to the water I dive from the highest board at the pool no problem But the pool is deeper The water catches me bouncing me up and down and it takes me a second to find my place in the current I kick to the surface and break into the air with barely a gasp A dozen bike tires rumble over the uneven boards of the bridge The boys on the bikes are still cackling like hyenas but they don't notice me Only one of them glances at the puddle the cans and I left on the wood He doesn't look further 4

Below the Surface — page 6 — They don't see me this time I lie back my toes catching the breeze above the surface and let the river carry me away My heart is still pounding at the near miss and I need a moment to breathe My mom says I'm conflict averse She doesn't say it like it's a bad thing but it doesn't feel good I don't like arguments or fights or any kind of confrontation They make my heart beat fast when I'm standing still and I can't think straight What can I say I'd rather go with the flow I manage to get my goggles back on without too much water inside them I flip over to scan the riverbed drifting by under me Among stones and tangling river plants a half crumpled can catches the sunlight When I dive down and pluck it a cloud of silt puffs up I'm already moving on as I shove the can into my bag Hold on One of those stones didn't look right I twist around and grab a big rock to help me push against the current I shove my hand into the 5

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