FB3-54 "Problems At The Pool"

A Chapter by dw817

"If I lose the contest, you can string me up there ... hanging by my underwear !" Mettle smiled, "Yeah, I would like to see that. And you get to hang there all the while we have our pool party."

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F U T U R E B A R R I E R
( The 3rd Novel )
Secret Technology, Unrequited Love, Absolute Vengeance

© June 2018 Written by David Wicker
Please do not reprint without permission

CHAPTER 54 - "Problems At The Pool"
[ CHOOSE A DIFFERENT CHAPTER TO READ ]

* * *

This chapter is Rated: TEEN

I had finally caught back up to Tyr where Lilly and her were still talking away.

Tyr saw me, hugged me, and asked what Mr. Gershwyn wanted.

I didn't want to worry Tyr so I just said he had a question about a project I did recently. And in a way that green goo that came out from the floorboards in the gym, as it was my doing, so too might it be a 'project.' At least this is the way I thought of it without telling Tyr too much.

She seemed satisfied with that answer. She came to visit me back upstairs in my bedroom and strangely we never talked about her telekinetic powers or the fact SIM was now a part of me and I could do 'tricks' to reality.

No, instead we both studied in our school books and got ready for what we knew would be several pop tests tomorrow.

It was late when she headed out. I followed her down the stairs and the air felt - well, sort of different was the best way to describe it.

"Mom ?" I called.

"Yes dear ?" she asked from the kitchen.

"I'm gonna go outside for a bit. Just get some fresh air and walk."

"Okay, honey, but don't you be too long. Remember you've got school tomorrow."

I nodded, stepped outside, and was immediately thrust into a starlit yet moonless night.

My keen hearing picked up the sound of an argument taking place. I went to go investigate.

As I got closer, strangely the sound of the argument was less and less but the raucous sound of noise and unpleasant music got louder followed by mean laughter.

Finally I had arrived. It was a retirement village not too far from where I lived. I knew it was senior living there as I had visited my uncle there one time. So - what on Earth was making such an awful din ?

I followed the sound behind the residents quarters to see a massive swimming pool, and it was filled with all sorts of teenagers. I shook my head. That isn't right. This was reserved only for the senior tenants there, mostly to help in their mobility.

The 'music' if you want to call it that was now easy to pick out. A boom box, at least 2-feet tall was by the side and other teenagers were sitting in the lawn chairs and talking loudly with each other.

At once I recognized the leader. He eyed me suspiciously as I went to one elderly tenant who had stepped out of his residence and was leaning on a cane looking very frustrated.

I approached him. "What's wrong, sir ?" I asked in concern.

"It's those damned teenagers ! They do this every weekend. They come here in droves to take over our swimming pool and make noise enough to wake the dead till 2am."

"Have you tried calling the police ?" I offered.

He shook his head. "We have, many times. When the police arrive they are already vanishing out of sight. They've got lookouts, see ?"

I turned my head to look and sure enough on all edges outside the swimming pool were more teenagers, watching parking lots and messing with their cellphones between. There would be no way the police would ever catch these hooligans in the pool as well prepared as they were.

He staggered slightly, almost to fall. I caught him. "I bet you'd like to get some sleep now ?" I asked in a worried tone.

He nodded, "Yes, we ALL would. But not when these inconsiderate teenagers take over our pool like this !"

I smiled. This just might be the perfect opportunity to make use of SIM and end a bad situation.

I nodded sincerely. "I'll see what I can do." I told him and started to walk away.

But then he got upset, "No, don't do it ! You're just one against so many. You might get hurt !"

"I'll be fine." I called back and looked around for the entrance. Little wonder the lock was on the pool so then these teenagers clearly just vaulted over the gate despite being 6-feet high. Inside I saw blocks of wood they brought obviously to help the girls climb the gate as the guys assisted them.

The "leader" watched me approach.

Seeing everything truly was locked up I went to the gate and, young as I was, it was pretty easy to jump over it using the crossbeams of metal that intersected the vertical posts.

Seeing I was approaching, the leader spoke out in earnest, "This is adult swim kid. Scram !"

I ignored his words and got closer. Someone immediately lowered the volume on the boom box for what clearly would be a confrontation between him and me.

He snarled, "Fine. You're here. Whaddya want, punk ?"

"Who are you ?" I asked simply enough.

* * *

He smiled evilly, "You can call me Mettle. Good enough for ya ? Now what business do you have here, shrimp ?"

I smiled innocently. "Well, Mettle, I was hoping you and your friends would clear out. This isn't even your swimming pool and it's already past midnight. You're making a lot of noise and these folks would like to sleep."

"Is that so." he said, an evil grin, snarling up on his lip.

He motioned with his hand and the music got turned up again, but this time louder than it was.

"Is that better ?" he grinned.

I shrugged, went over the the radio and turned it off. Strangely no-one stopped me although everyone was making an "ooh !" sound like I was really in trouble.

"You're about two seconds from getting thrown in the pool !" Mettle said, angrily approaching me.

I looked at the water. Now I could swim, but not very well, and I certainly wasn't dressed for it.

Mettle snapped his fingers and two much bigger teenagers bodily lifted me and threatened to throw me in the pool when I spoke. "Wait ! How about a contest ?"

He snapped his fingers again and they set me down.

"What kind of contest, shrimp ?"

"A swimming contest." I said, and then couldn't bite the words back quickly enough when I realized, once again, I was not a good swimmer.

Apparently my voice trailing in panic at the end was all he needed to hear.

"You're a good swimmer then, right ?"

I held my resolve now and betrayed no fear, "You'll have to find that out for yourself, Mettle."

A teenage girl approached, politely introducing herself. "Let's make this official. I'm Melody, by the way. And what is your name ?" she asked me.

"Dev." I told her.

She nodded, grinning, "DORK is it ? Okay, that's fine. Now listen you two. How about a single lap, from the kiddie side to the deep end and back again. Winner takes all."

"What do I get if I win ?" I asked.

Mettle spoke, "If you win, we'll leave here and never return to this pool."

I was quick to ask, "Are there any other swimming pools at this complex ?"

Melody spoke then, "No, Dork. We'll go somewhere else. But what do WE get if YOU lose ?"

I fingered my pockets finding only a handful of change. They wouldn't be interested in that.

I thought about teenagers, they always liked to make fun of others it seemed.

"You can string me up THERE," and I pointed to a hook about 10-feet off the ground apparently used to wrap a water hose that was absent at the moment. They didn't think that was a very good stake so I spoke again, "You can string me up there ... hanging by my underwear !"

Mettle smiled, "Yeah, I would like to see that. And you get to hang there all the while we have our pool party."

I nodded, not really liking the stakes I put up, but I couldn't back out now.

Mettle approached and looked down at me, "You'll need a swimsuit. If you can't find one, I win by default."

I jumped to attention, "I can get one back from home."

He shook his head suspiciously, "Naaw, you'll just call the police on us or something. That's not going to happen again."

I smiled and asked myself internally, "So they had gotten caught trespassing before ?"

The girl approached again. "Come here Dork. I'll help you get ready for the contest."

There was a dark area off in the bushes where no light was shining.

She reached out and held my hand. And it was right then, like I always did, my brain turned to melted butter. "A girl is holding my hand." is all my brain could say.

She giggled to herself seeing the sudden change in me. "Come on, Dork. Let's get you dressed for swimming. It'll be fun !"

She led me into the bushes and with no resistance from me at all she coaxed me to take off my clothes except my underwear whereupon she put a swimsuit on me she had stashed in her hand. I couldn't see anything, only feel her delicate cold hands around me - and it was wonderful.

Seeing I was putty in her hands she smiled and spoke quietly, "Come on, Dork. It's time for the contest."

We stepped out and at once I was met with a round of grins and downright leers from the others. I didn't know until I stepped in the direct light to see that she had dressed me in a girl's bathing suit ! A flattering one like a skort with a pretty flowery design both front and in back.

Then there were catcalls and appreciative whistling - all from the girls of course, "Looking good !" one of them yelled out and there was mean laughter.

I looked down at my feet in embarrassment when a heavy hand clapped on my shoulder. It was Mettle. "You ready to lose, shrimp ?"

I nodded. Despite how I looked, I couldn't back down now.

Both of us stepped into the pool starting at the shallow end. While Mettle dived under the water to get his hair and face wet, he visibly noticed that I did not.

"Whatsamatter ? You don't like the water or something ?" he asked in curiosity.

"I don't like being underwater." I explained.

He smiled calculatingly, "Is that a fact."

Then Melody who dressed me earlier stood at the edge. "Okay guys ... and boys - " (at which point she flashed a smile to me). "Let's make this a good clean race. No crossing into each other's path, no trying to drown the other player, and most important, no CHEATING, Mettle !"

Mettle splashed the water in askance and spoke, hurt for the accusation, "Since when have I ever cheated, Melody ?"

She rolled her eyes, "Since when have you NEVER cheated I think is the more appropriate question, Meddler !"

Everyone laughed. They were all good friends here, but nonetheless, it really did look like I was going to get pantsed and hung up where I couldn't get down. And if that happened it might get even worse from there. My thoughts unbidden went back to Buford's party where I was imprisoned in the bathroom.

I grimaced, uncomfortable for the awful memory. That didn't help to any of my enthusiasm.

"Get ready." she said.

We immediately took our positions. I noticed Mettle was slightly ahead of me, but I wasn't going to complain about fairness now.

I looked at him and he looked at me. "Don't worry about getting wet. We're gonna hang you out to dry once we're done here, runt !" he said, clearly trying to unsettle me. It was working, my left leg started shaking slightly.

"Get set." she said. We each waited, poised for the last word to begin.

"Go smoke a cigarette !" she said, laughing, as I jerked forward at the false start.

Those watching booed and hissed at her. One of the girls cried out, "Come on, Melody ! Do it right !" Another girl's voice spoke earnestly, "Yeah, I wanna pants this twerp !"

She held her hands up defensively, "Alright alright, calm down will ya ?"

She started over, "Get ready. Get set."

There was a long pause before she finally spoke again.

"GO !"

END OF CHAPTER 54