The High Dive

“Come on, Alex, I bet you’re too scared to go off the boards!” Zack teased, pointing over towards the empty, far end of the pool where the diving boards sat stuck into the ground, hanging over about twelve feet of water. The only one near the spring boards was a volunteer lifeguard—whom the boys had come to befriend and know as Rian—and he sat dozing off in the hot Baltimore sun, not having to worry about anyone going near the dreaded planks. No one ever did anyway.

“He ain't scared, right, Lex?” Alex’s best friend, Jack, encouraged as he climbed out of the pool to stand on the edge next to the other two boys.

“Course not,” Alex said, “bein' scared is fer babies.” He lifted his chin and pushed out his chest, arms back, in order to seem manlier. Of course the boy was scared, but he couldn't let Zack know that; it was too late to back out as it is.

Alex took off towards the other end of the pool, feeling the eyes of the other boys and girls who were wading in the water follow him in awe and horror. Was Alex really crazy enough to do something like this? They’d all heard stories about the boy’s escapades, but had never been able to witness one go down first hand.

“Hey, Rian,” Jack greeted the lifeguard upon reaching him. The young man jumped a bit, frightened just the slightest by the sudden sound of the boy’s voice.

“Afternoon, boys,” Rian replied, flashing a blindingly white grin at the three in turn once he’d slowed his heart rate back down to normal. “What brings you to my end of the pool?” The boys had often walked over to sit with Rian to talk about things like his girlfriend Cassadee, or the music that was now being played on the radio and how they all thought they could do better; they knew they could do better. Today, however, Alex, Jack and Zack all seemed to be on some sort of a mission. Rian knew the three, and one thing he’d come to understand about them was that they didn't do anything, ever.

“Alex here’s gonna jump off the boards,” Zack informed Rian, nodding his head in the direction of the gently swaying wood.

“Is that so?” Rian hummed, looking Alex over. He was a good swimmer, no doubt, but not the bravest.

“Yes, sir,” Alex said with a gulp, risking a glance at his impending doom.

“Well, then, which height do you want?” Rian questioned, standing and stretching from his slightly taller-than-average lifeguard chair. There were three heights—small, medium and large—and each was blocked off in case something happened, like someone who couldn't swim thinking it would be fun to climb up and look down, only to fall into the water when there was no one around.

“I think I’ll start with the small one, please,” Alex said, following Rian to where the little set of stairs leading to the board itself were placed.

“Aw, don’t be a baby!” Zack cried from where he and Jack were still stood next to Rian's lifeguard tower.

“Shut up, he ain't bein’ a baby, he’s just showin' you he ain't afraid a no height, no way!” Jack yelled, smacking Zack in the arm. While both boys had been arguing, Rian had unlocked the small gate and moved it out of the way for Alex, who had walked up the three little steps and was now standing near the middle of the diving board.

“Any day now, Alex,” Rian called, sounding only slightly amused.

With a deep breath, Alex ran the rest of the way off the board, nearly slipping off the end of the plank. He splashed into the water and immediately kicked his feet in order to make it back to the surface before something out of the depths grabbed for him.

“Great job, Alex, now just make your way over to this ladder here,” Rian said, pointing to a half plastic, half metal ladder that was stuck on the pool’s edge. “Should I go open up the gate to the medium sized one now?”

When Alex had pulled himself out of the pool and to his feet, he shook for only a moment before nodding, “Yeah, I’m ready for the medium one now.”

“Why not jus' go fer the big one then? What are ya, chicken?” Zack scoffed, crossing his arms.

Alex bristled at the younger boy’s words, letting the adrenaline coursing through his veins decide his next move.

“You know what, I will!” He shouted, storming after Rian. “No, the big one,” the boy fumed, face turning to a nice shade of beet red.

“You sure about that, buddy?” Rian asked skeptically, not believing the boy was actually ready for it.

“I’m sure, just open up the gate already!”

Rian did as he was asked—well, told—and stood back to let the boy through.

Alex climbed to the top, his anger still telling him to move forward; prove Zack wrong. He wasn't scared and he wasn't no chicken.

The eldest of the three young boys made it into the center of the high dive before reality started to settle in. He couldn't make this jump. He couldn't climb back down either.

“Well, come on then!” Zack shouted, waving his arm in the air for the boy to see.

Fear suddenly surged through Alex. The boy flopped on his belly, ever so gently, and crawled to the edge of the board, wide eyes looking down at the water below. He wasn't going to do it; he couldn't do it. Let Zack call him what he please, he was not moving from this spot. Right now, Alex’s pride was the last of his worries.

“Are you okay, Alex?” Rian called, backing up to be able to see the boy from where he was stood on the ground.

“I’m stuck,” the boy squeaked, starting to shake gently in his bright yellow swim trunks. His eyes never once left the clear water below him, and the light reflecting into his eyes started causing hallucinations. Alex would have sworn on his very life that he’d seen a dark figure swimming in the depths, waiting for him to make the first move.

"Alright, Alex, fun's over, come on and get down now," Rian said with a sigh, shaking his head at the boy's shenanigans.

"I ain't budgin'," Alex whispered.

The three on the ground saw his lips move, but only young Jack was able to understand what was said. He turned to face Rian, ignoring Zack's jeers from beside him, and said, "He can't move, Rian. He's really stuck. Scared outta his mind, I'll bet."

Rian looked down at Jack, forehead scrunching together lightly. "I can't go up there; the wood's old and can't handle that much weight. Think you can talk him down?"

Jack nodded and walked closer to the edge of the pool, calling out Alex's name.

"What do you want, Jack?" Alex mumbled, voice sounding more strained than before.

"You gotta move or somethin', Lex. Rian can't help if you're stuck up there. Just jump in the water an he'll be inta save ya." Jack called up, hoping his best friend would listen.

Alex didn't respond for a moment before he started vigorously shaking his head, stopping abruptly as the board began to sway.

"Aw, come on, Le—"

"I can't do it, Jack!" Alex cried, feeling the fear start to push tears into his eyes.

Jack sighed and tried again.

And again.

And again, each attempt having the same effect as the last. Rian sat staring up at Alex, racking his brain for ways to get the boy down. So far, he was coming up blank, and he was more frustrated than he'd ever been before. Was it really that difficult to coax a ten year old boy down from a diving board?

Meanwhile, Zack had done nothing but laugh and mock Alex from the ground, no one trying to stop him. He was having the time of his life when he got an absolutely brilliant idea.

Stopping his hysterical laughing, he straightened himself up and casually walked towards the ladder that led up to the high dive. Rian had been too preoccupied to reclose the gate, and he was too lost in thought now to notice the other boy climbing up.

Upon reaching the top, he slowly and carefully slunk his way towards Alex, making as little movement and noise as possible. Jack was so focused on Alex that he didn't even notice his other friend coming up behind him.

In a matter of seconds, Zack had jumped straight in the air, screaming out a loud, "Boo!" Alex was propelled into the air, half from fright and half from Zack's own jump. He threw himself over the edge, not even having time to cry out before he hit the water.

Pushing his arms and kicking his legs, he swam towards the surface as fast as his little body would carry him, praying that the thing he'd seen earlier would decide to leave him alone.

When he broke the surface, his ears were hit with various sounds. Above him, Zack's hysterics could be heard; to his right, Rian and Jack were calling his name.

"You alright, Alex?" Rian questioned as he pulled the boy from the water by his arm instead of letting him climb up the last two steps of the ladder.

"Ow, I was. What'dya do, dislocate my bone? You're too strong," he complained, rolling his arm around once he was stood on his feet.

"Sorry, pal," the lifeguard apologized, ruffling his dripping hair.

"Well... you got down," Jack said, beaming.

"I guess so," he shrugged, taking a look around. How come he didn't hear laughter anymore? "Hey, where's Zack? Didn't he come down after me or something?"

"I don't know, I thought he wa—"

"Guys," Zack's voice suddenly came from above, sounding small and scared, "I'm stuck..."