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16-1 and the whistle blew; it was over now.
We burst out of the water and let our butts hang loose, running across the deck with hot coals under us and doffing black numbered caps into a cartoonish skull pile. Hair now free of the silicone cage, we huddled under the makeshift shade as white streaks of sunscreen dripped down our shoulders and cream cheese dribbled down our chins.
My shirt got wet in patches, and so did my skin. I reapplied more Zinc. From here, the pool looked like a boiling pot– I was a carrot, Maddy was celery, Allison was a sweet potato, and Coach Myers was the evil witch.
It was time for the next one. I removed my human clothes to reveal the skintight suit underneath, halfway unzipped to reveal a maroon Jolyn top. We waded back into the shallow end and transformed into highway traffic to share cramped quarters with the opposing team. Yellow balls launched back and forth, sometimes hitting heads, sometimes hitting the lane line.
The pool had one of those deep gutters that seemed endless and made it hard to get out. Like a graceless Ariel, I pressed myself up over it and flopped like a dead Flounder onto the tile. I peered back into the grotto; no Dinglehopper, but a hairtie and two blue kickboards. I was looking for goggles.
I rushed back to the team and in doing so nicked my foot on the edge of the large metal reel; I pushed it back slightly so I could sit in front and the black rusk of the bright blue pool covers got all over my hands. They now smelled like the taste of beef.
The whistle blew and we jumped back in. We filled the gutter with noise, which overflowed onto the bleachers. I drank chlorine and snapped my head back; we were ready.
We burst out of the water and let our butts hang loose, running across the deck with hot coals under us and doffing black numbered caps into a cartoonish skull pile. Hair now free of the silicone cage, we huddled under the makeshift shade as white streaks of sunscreen dripped down our shoulders and cream cheese dribbled down our chins.
My shirt got wet in patches, and so did my skin. I reapplied more Zinc. From here, the pool looked like a boiling pot– I was a carrot, Maddy was celery, Allison was a sweet potato, and Coach Myers was the evil witch.
It was time for the next one. I removed my human clothes to reveal the skintight suit underneath, halfway unzipped to reveal a maroon Jolyn top. We waded back into the shallow end and transformed into highway traffic to share cramped quarters with the opposing team. Yellow balls launched back and forth, sometimes hitting heads, sometimes hitting the lane line.
The pool had one of those deep gutters that seemed endless and made it hard to get out. Like a graceless Ariel, I pressed myself up over it and flopped like a dead Flounder onto the tile. I peered back into the grotto; no Dinglehopper, but a hairtie and two blue kickboards. I was looking for goggles.
I rushed back to the team and in doing so nicked my foot on the edge of the large metal reel; I pushed it back slightly so I could sit in front and the black rusk of the bright blue pool covers got all over my hands. They now smelled like the taste of beef.
The whistle blew and we jumped back in. We filled the gutter with noise, which overflowed onto the bleachers. I drank chlorine and snapped my head back; we were ready.
