Deep Water: Chapter 1

“So, no lingering issues?” Dr. Padderon was a sweet-natured older man with a ring of fluffy white hair like a nest around the bald egg that was his skull. His office smelled like some kind of wood that Douglas couldn’t quite place. The walls were lined with degrees and pictures of pleasant scenery, a stark contrast to the torrential rain pelting the window outside.

“Should there be? I was barely under for two minutes. Didn’t even need CPR.”

Dr. Padderon nodded, his pad of scratch paper going unused. Very rarely did he make a note, and usually about details that seemed downright innocuous. “Physically, we wouldn’t expect much lingering trauma, however you did suffer a terrifying experience. It wouldn’t be uncommon for bouts of panic, anger, or terror to come upon you. These sorts of frights can leave wounds of their own. The school just wants to be extra careful before they clear you.”

Coach hadn’t seemed too thrilled by Douglas having to miss practice until he was cleared, but in the end he hadn’t fought school policy that hard, so maybe that counted as sign-off.

“I appreciate it, but I’m doing fine, really. It’s been three weeks since the incident, and I’m feeling fit as ever.”

Again Dr. Padderon nodded, smiling gently. “Ah yes, the incident. Perhaps you can walk me through it once more.”

By Douglas’s count, this made the third retelling of the tale in just this session alone. He knew what was going on, the doctor was having him recount the experience to see if it brought anything bubbling to the surface.

“My friends and I were out on my bud Skiddie’s boat, down at Stermon Lake. Did the usual beach stuff, then decided to do some sunset tubing. By the time my turn came, it was pretty dark, but I decided to go for it.”

The cans of beer Skiddie brought along had certainly played a part in the decision making, not that Douglas intended to share such details. He could still recall feeling the pleasant fog in his mind, the cool breeze on his skin, and the lake’s smooth waters calling to him. The fact that the stars were already overhead was a detail he’d chosen to ignore.

“I tubed for a while and everything was fine, but then I hit the wake at an odd angle, shooting myself up a good few feet. When I crashed down, I must have lost my grip and fallen off. The whole landing is fuzzy, the next thing I remember is waking in the water, unsure which direction was up.”

The black water all around him, wrapping over him like viscous shadows, promising endless torment. Douglas breathed deeply and steadily, fighting back the waves of terror that bubbled up at the memory. He’d been so sure it was over, certain he was going to die, trapped forever in that pit of liquid darkness.

“Thankfully, Curt was smart enough to use the boat’s spotlight on the water when they looked for me, and I was finally able to find the surface.” Of all his memories from the water, that moment was the clearest. That big, bright orb of light promising air, life, and salvation. Douglas had never swum harder in his life.

“At which point your friends took you to a medical facility, and your journey to me began,” Doctor Padderon surmised. “Have you been back to Stermon Lake yet?”

The bolt that raced through Douglas’s spine would have jerked him fully upright if he hadn’t been on guard for it. It was a favorite topic of the doctor’s, the idea of Douglas facing the thing that had scared him.

“Haven’t really had a chance. My parents have essentially had me on house-arrest since the incident.” His mother had been worried sick… right up until the hospital told her there was alcohol in his system. The sympathy had dried right up at that point, and Douglas’s father had the same reaction upon getting home later that night. Outside of school, the visits to Doctor Padderon were just about the only time he’d left the house for three weeks.

“Well, let them know I think it might be a helpful step in a full recovery. And if they’d like to call in, I’m happy to tell them so myself.” Doctor Padderon looked up at the clock, which was perfectly on the hour. “Sadly, it seems time for our final session is up.”

Douglas really wanted to know how he did that. The man never checked the clock except when the hour had elapsed. He had to be keeping a hidden watch or looking in some reflective surface, but it was a nice gesture toward making sure the patient never felt like he was counting the minutes.

Still, at that moment he had more pressing concerns. “And? What’s the verdict?”

Clicking his pen, Doctor Padderon finally did write something down, tearing off the sheet and handing it over to Douglas. “You are officially cleared to return to practice. On top of that, I added a note for your parents, recommending they allow some outside time per day. It might sound hokey, but sunshine has been proven as a mood elevator. And it looks like today is an excellent afternoon to get a healthy dose.”

Doctor Padderon looked out his office window, which was why he missed the stricken expression Douglas’s face. “Bright one, huh?” All Douglas could see was water pouring down the glass. It came so fast; it wasn’t even like rain anymore. More as if a river were rushing along the other side, pushing against the barrier, ready to break through and flood-

“That it is,” Douglas lied.

Doctor Padderon stood from his chair, turning back to his patient and offering a handshake. Douglas accepted, hoping he’d managed to tuck away the terror surging through him. “If you ever need to talk, don’t be a stranger. I’m always here, should you need help.”

It was a sweet sentiment that Douglas in no way trusted. Even assuming Doctor Padderon had his best interests in mind, once he started talking about the aquatic hallucinations, it would get elevated to a specialist. And from there… well, Douglas had done a deep internet dive on the sorts of treatment he could expect for those issues, and it didn’t paint a pretty picture.

So he was doing what his parents had done, and his grandparents before them: shoving all the worry down and ignoring it. What did it really matter if he sometimes saw water that wasn’t there? Douglas could still function, so that was exactly what he planned to do. And eventually, the hallucinations would fade on their own.

That was what he kept telling himself, at any rate.