101 Real Stories

59. After School at Pool

It was when I was in elementary school. 

I was in science club. And we used to stay after school for club work and after finishing my work, I used to go to gym to wait for my friend who was in table tennis club. We four used to go back home together and among us 3 of us was in science club and one was in table tennis. 

When I went to gym, they were still cleaning up and my friend was helping too so we were waiting for him. We didn't really have any work so we used to go up in second floor of gym and play there. 

When I looked at pool that we could see from second floor window, I saw someone swimming. From the way she looked, she was in higher class. She was practicing hard and at one point, I saw her looking at my direction. I waved at her and she waved back at me. 

Then after my friend's cleaning up, we went out locking the gym.

After this day, I saw her swimming after school everyday.

Already a one semester in final year of elementary school had passed and it was about to be summer vacation. 

We were taking pictures for the graduation album. Our science club's photo session was at the last among club photo shoot so we got to see the photo shoot of other clubs and talking about the clubs we didn't know that existed before. 

But I realized there was no swimming club. 

And I also realized that after table tennis club was done, they'd lock the gym. But you could walk out from pool side only through the gym. Even the changing room for pool was connected with the gym. 

More than being scared about her, I was curious about her. 

One day I was curious about it and went to pool side at around 6'O clock. I thought may be I will get to know what was about it. 

As always, she was swimming. 

It was already past 6'O clock which meant it was time to go home but she just kept swimming. I said "I'm closing!" as I got the key from the table tennis club people and if I didn't do so, I would get the scolding. It was already getting late so after getting no response from her, I walked out. 

At last, I looked back at the girl who I thought was a ghost to see last glimpse of her but she was floating in the water with face down. 

Oh no! Is she drowning!? I rushed and opened the pool side door. No matter if she was really a ghost or actually some person, I just couldn't leave it be. She was just there, still. I pushed the emergency button to call a teacher from staff room and a teacher came while her body was sinking further. 

I informed the teacher, someone was drowning in the pool. "No one is using pool, how can anyone drown," he stated the fact but yet, he tried to find any trace of person in the pool. He used long sticks but there was of course no one found.

If I didn't call for teacher and I tried to save her myself, I wonder what would have happened. Would I be able to help her? Or would she take me into the water with her?

That was a weird summer experience.