#TeaserTuesday: I'm a Good Swimmer

 

“Stay there. Stay away from the water. Do you understand me?”

Remy rubbed at his arm – the sharp pain had eased, but it throbbed, and ached, and he thought something might be really wrong with it – and nodded.

“Say it. Say it out loud.” Fallon was still breathing too hard, chest heaving, and his eyes were too big and white-rimmed. He was terrified, Remy saw, and didn’t know if it was of the alligator, or of whoever had just pulled up, gunning the engine so that it roared again and again.

“Okay,” Remy said. “I won’t go near the water.”

Fallon watched him another moment, then turned and continued around the building.

When he was gone, Remy turned back so he faced the water. It was glass-smooth, now, save the tiny plinks and plunks of dragonflies dipping to snatch water bugs.

I’m a good swimmer, Remy thought, and he was. His heart was still running rabbit-fast from fear and adrenaline after his near-miss with the gator.

But he was a good swimmer.

And Fallon, he’d just learned, was much more afraid of gators than he was.