The Creature from Club Lagoona (3 page)

“There has to be!” I protested. “I watched him dive in just a few minutes ago! He never came back up!”

The lifeguard smiled. “He probably swam underwater to the shallow end and climbed out. Or maybe he got out when you were looking for help. You just didn't see him.”

I shook my head. I knew he hadn't gotten out at all. All that came up were those bubbles.

The lifeguard patted my arm. “Don't worry. I'm sure the guy's fine. Honest.”

I wanted to believe him. “Maybe you're right,” I agreed reluctantly.

“Tad! Are you okay?” Mom called. She and Dad rushed over to us.

“We were having a snack at the Sand Bar,” Dad huffed. “We heard you shouting. What's wrong?”

“It was just a mistake,” the lifeguard explained. “Your son thought he saw someone in trouble. But it's okay. No one has drowned.”

“Thanks for your help,” Dad told the lifeguard. “Sorry for the false alarm.”

“No problem. That's my job,” the lifeguard replied, and jogged off.

“Nice to know they're on their toes,” Dad said. “Well, I think I'm ready for a swim. How about you two?”

“Good idea,” Mom agreed. “Let's get Polly and go put on our suits.”

I didn't say a word. There was no way I was putting even my big toe in that water. Not after that diver disappeared in the deep end.

I suddenly remembered the strange little man. Didn't he tell me to watch out for the deep end?
Could the vanishing diver have something to do with his weird warning?

I shook my head. Too many thoughts were spinning around in there! Then I heard a small splash from the pool behind me.

Something grabbed me by the ankle.

Something cold and wet.

It pulled me closer to the edge of the pool!

“AAAAGGHHH!” I shrieked, shaking my leg loose. I glared down into the pool.

A big, wet, grinning face gazed back.

“Hey, it's okay,” the guy said, hauling himself out of the pool. He wore a wet-suit top and dark shorts. The words “Swimming Instructor” were embroidered on the top. Underneath that it said “Barracuda.”

“Didn't mean to scare you there, fella.” He laughed and patted my back. “Just thought you might want to
get wet!”

I chuckled hesitantly. “Uh—sure. Thanks,” I told the guy.

He stuck out his hand. I shook it. “The name's Barry.”

“I'm Tad,” I told him. Barry's hand was soaking wet. I wiped the water off my hand on my shorts.

He pointed to the “Barracuda” embroidered on his wet-suit top. “Barry's short for Barracuda, my Club Lagoona name. Everyone who visits here gets a Club Lagoona name.”

“Cool!” Polly's voice came from behind me. She darted over to join us. “My real name's Polly, so what's my Club Lagoona name?”

Barry smiled at her. “That's easy. You'll be Pollywog.”

“Pollywog,” she repeated. “I like it. My mom's name is Catherine. Bet you can't think of a special name for her.”

Barry gazed at Mom. “Catherine. Catherine,” he murmured. “How about Catfish?”

Mom laughed. “Well, I don't have whiskers, but I like cats. Okay, I'll be Catfish.”

“Dad is Raymond. Ray for short,” Polly explained. “I know a good one for him.”

“Stingray!” Polly and Barry shouted together.

Ugh! How dorky! I thought I was going to puke.

But Dad seemed pleased with his name.

“Tad's next!” Polly shouted. “What's his Club Lagoona name?”

I knew they'd get to me.

Barry rubbed his chin and looked me up and down. His eyes twinkled.

I braced myself for the worst. I had a good idea of what name they'd come up with.

“Tad can be—Tadpole!” Barry exclaimed.

“Just what I was thinking!” Polly giggled.

Yup. Tadpole. Exactly what I figured they'd call me. Talk about corny. Maybe Polly didn't mind being named for a fat baby frog, but I did!

“Say, have you guys heard about the big race?” Barry asked.

Race?
I could feel my stomach tighten.

We all shook our heads. I shook mine hardest.

“It's kind of a Club Lagoona initiation,” Barry explained. “We call it Sink or Swim.” He punched my arm lightly. “It's where we separate the rocks from the jocks.”

“Huh?” I asked.

“Rocks and jocks,” he repeated. “The rocks sink. The jocks swim. But here at Club Lagoona, everyone takes lessons. We feel there's always room for improvement, whether you're a rock or a jock. Right, Tad?”

“Yeah, sure,” I agreed weakly.

“Sounds like fun,” Dad told Barry. “Tad here is sure to be one of the jocks. He's his soccer team captain, you know.”

Sure. I'm a jock. But only on land, Dad, I corrected him silently.

“Tad,” Mom said. “Why don't you stay here with Barry while Dad, Polly, and I change into our bathing suits.”

“Great!” Barry cried.

My parents and Polly headed for our rooms. Barry grabbed my shoulder and steered me over to the edge of the pool. “Come on, jock!
Let's get wet!”

My brain went numb with panic. Barry moved me
closer and closer to the edge of the pool. There was no way out of this!

I glanced around. There were hundreds of people in the pool. Hundreds of people who would see that
I couldn't swim!
Well, at least when I started to drown, there would be enough people around to save me.

I bent over and gazed down into the aqua water. The image of the disappearing diver floated before me. What would happen to
me
down there in all that water?

And what about the little man's warning about the place being dangerous?

My heart beat faster. I started to tremble.

Give up the act, Tad, I ordered myself. Confess you can't swim. Or it's all over.

I had to get out of there. I straightened up, ready to bolt.

Then a hard shove came from behind! Right in the middle of my back!

I grabbed armfuls of air. My legs kicked.

I hit the water in a giant belly flop.

The skin on my face and stomach burned from the slap of the water.

I sank. Like a rock. Deep into the water.

I shut my eyes and held my breath.

Everything I hate about the water started happening. Water seeped into my ears. It shot straight up my nose.

I panicked and opened my eyes. The saltwater burned so much, I could barely see. My mouth opened and water rushed down my throat, choking me.

I flailed around, trying to touch the bottom with my feet. But I couldn't! The water was too deep. I was in over my head!

I'm going to drown! I thought, wild with panic.

I struggled to the top for air. When I got there, I could see Barry standing calmly on the side. He smiled down at me, watching. Waiting for me to prove what a jock I was.

I knew I'd have to fake it. And maybe I wouldn't drown.

Maybe.

I gulped a big breath of air. I tried to move my arms and legs the way I'd seen swimmers do.

I stretched my arms out in front of me and brought them around. They pulled me forward a little.

Then I kicked my legs out behind me kind of like a frog. But instead of moving forward, I somehow went backward!

This wasn't working at all.

I'm in big trouble! I thought.

I gasped for breath again. I felt myself sinking.

My shoulders dipped below the surface. I tilted my face to keep it out of the water.

I opened my mouth to scream.

And swallowed what seemed like a gallon of water.

I sputtered furiously as I plunged to the bottom of the pool.

Oh, no!
I thought. I'm drowning!

I
fought with every muscle against sinking. But I was so tired from struggling.

My lungs were ready to burst. My arms and legs felt heavy. I could barely move them through the water. I tried to stroke. I tried to kick. But I didn't seem to move any closer to the surface.

Then I heard the noise. That same strange whirring I'd noticed before. The whirring that I heard when the diver vanished. It came from somewhere in the pool.

My eyes adjusted to the saltwater. I caught a glimpse of something large and green in the pool with me.

It was long and thick. Maybe I could grab it and save myself! I tried to paddle toward it.

Luckily it was heading my way!

I tried to focus my eyes on it. What could it be? A log? No, it wiggled too much.

The strange green thing moved closer. Suddenly it lashed out! It wrapped around my arm.

That's when I realized what it was.

A tentacle.

An enormous sea creature had me in its slimy, powerful grasp!

My arms and legs jerked into action. I had no control over them. My hands reached out as if I were clutching the water ahead of me. My legs shot out behind me and kicked like crazy.

I couldn't worry about drowning. My only thought was to get away. To get out of that pool!

I plowed through the water, my heart pounding. The tentacle slid off my arm.

My body kicked into high gear now. The water split in front of me.

I broke through the surface so fast, I rose out of the water. I sucked in giant gulps of air. I caught a glimpse of the side of the pool.

Barry still stood there, watching me.

I didn't waste any time. I flung myself through the water.

A minute later my knuckles scraped against cement. I grabbed the side and locked on. In one smooth motion I pulled my body right out of the pool.

I lurched onto the sand, gasping for breath.

Barry stood over me. “Your form needs some major work, Tadpole. But, boy, was that fast!” he said.

My heart pounded. I struggled to catch my breath. I had to tell Barry. I swam like that only because I had to escape a monster!

I panted and wheezed.

Finally, I stood up. “Barry.” I coughed. “Listen, I have to tell you. There's something weird in that pool. Some kind of—monster!”

Barry stared at me. Grinning.

“I know this sounds crazy,” I continued, “but I saw a diver disappear in the deep end. He went down and never came back up. I heard this weird whirring noise. And that's not all.” My words came faster and faster. “Something came up from the deep end just now. It was big and green. It looked like a tentacle. It reached out and grabbed my arm!”

Barry smiled. “Big and green, huh?” he asked.

“Yes!” I nodded.

“And kind of long and squiggly?” he continued. I nodded again.

“Tad, what grabbed you wasn't a monster. It was a piece of seaweed.” Barry laughed.

“Seaweed?” I demanded. “No way. What would seaweed be doing in a pool?”

“Club Lagoona promises to give you the water adventure of a lifetime. Right?” Barry asked.

“Yeah . . .” I said uncertainly.

“So we try to make everything as realistic as possible. Our saltwater Atlantis pool actually has seaweed growing from the bottom. Neat, huh?” Barry punched my arm.

I thought about the thing that grabbed me. It was big and green and kind of slimy. Maybe it was seaweed.

Maybe.

“Lighten up, Tad!” Barry shook his head at me. “That's what Club Lagoona is all about. Having fun, relaxing, and
getting wet!
” He dipped his foot in the pool and splashed me.

“Don't forget, Tad, your Sink or Swim trial is first thing tomorrow morning. That's where we separate the rocks from the jocks! The ‘sinkers' from the ‘swimmers.' Your performance in that race will determine which swimming class you'll be in,” Barry explained. “From what I saw just now, I doubt you'll be swimming with the Sharks, but—”

“The
Sharks?”
I interrupted, my eyes wide.

“The advanced swimming class,” Barry explained. “They're called the Sharks! But remember, no matter how good—or bad—you are, Club Lagoona will make you a better swimmer. So on your last day we have another Sink or Swim relay. We like to see how much everyone has improved. Cool, huh?”

“Yeah.” I gulped. “Cool.”

Barry jogged off. I gazed into the pool. Okay. I
might be wrong about the monster. But one thing I knew for sure.

Where water was concerned, I was no jock. I was definitely a rock!

And I was about to sink at the Sink or Swim!