Teeny's writing prompt #1

Chapter 2. It’s called something Del Mar Kristie exclaimed! It’s right on the ocean, it’s beautiful! Greg was laying on his back, trying to fix the broken garbage disposal under the sink. He figured it must have been 20 minutes by now listening to Kristie praising the air b&b and narrating all the things they could do there. Greg wanted to look at the web page Kristie was excitedly clicking through. He never, and I mean never agreed to a plan without a good careful look, but she was so excited and it really did sound like the perfect getaway. So it was this day that Greg broke free from his rigid habit. Ok, ok, ok we can go he yelled. Kristie was dancing and singing in joy at Greg’s agreement. Greg giggled a bit and was happy that Kristie was so excited and he was relieved at the prospect of a getaway. The wrench he was holding slipped from his hand and landed violently on his forehead and partly nicking the corner of his eye. From the surprise he sat up violently hitting his head against the garbage disposal! Damn it and some other choice words came from under the sink! Trouble comes in threes.

Chapter 3. Greg punched the code into the smart lock on the air b&b. The door opened smoothly. The place was immaculate and stylish. He couldn’t believe the great price or that this place was even available so early in the season. Stepping into the door he could see through the living room and out the large back windows, a narrow beach, the ocean waves gently lapping against the shore. A portion of the elegant swimming pool also visible from where he stood. He felt like a king. This was definitely going to be the rewarding oasis he was craving. He wished Kristie was here to see this. He turned back, out the front door and grabbed their luggage. Kristie would be here the next morning. He might as well settle in an go for a swim in the pool. He would prefer the ocean but it was late and he just wanted a few relaxing laps before calling Kristie and then heading for bed. Stripping off his cloths he headed for the pool. This spot was super private. No neighbors so no need for swimming trunks. He dove in something about this pool reminded him of his dad. Dad would have liked this place, I wish I could of spent more time with him he thought. He began his laps and while he was happy the feeling missing his dad began to slow down his swim. Sadness comes in threes.

Chapter 4. Coco Del Mar was built in 1959. It was born of the real estate dream of a fast and loose gambler. Smooth talking Harlan Dobbs sold his vision well. Well enough that this luxury paradise grew quickly and maybe a little too quickly. Greg might have researched this place better that day he let Kristie and the garbage disposal and his own weariness win out. Trouble comes in threes.

Chapter 5. One more lap and time for bed. Greg thought he saw a flash from the bottom of the pool. WTF Greg thought. No sooner had Greg dismissed it as a figment of his imagination, he saw another. He stopped swimming and stood up in the pool. Now looking from above the water he worried it migh have been some kind of electrical short and he started to panic and move toward the stairs and out of the pool. As he pulled himself out of the water he calmed down. He convinced himself it wouldn’t be electrical or he would be dead or at least in pain from electrocution. So he turned and dove under toward where he saw the light. He continued down into the deep end of the pool. No more flashes. He began to doubt his sanity, or was his blood sugar low? It had been a daylong drive and he ate hardly anything except for some almonds around noon and a danish with coffee in the morning. Still, he was going to stay under just a few more seconds. Greg noticed a strange vacuum feeling toward the bottom of the pool. This was stronger than a pool pump. He was curious at first and then began to panic. It was pulling him down fast and he started to feel like it wouldn’t let go. Suddenly the pull vanished. He had enough of this weird pool and swam to the surface as fast as he could. Another flash and he was violently pulled downward. It pulled and pulled and he felt a terrible panic because he was not anywhere near the bottom of the pool, at this rate he would have reached the bottom by now. It felt like he was being pulled into the abyss and indeed he was. Terror comes in threes.

Chapter 6. Kristie had been calling for 15 minutes. She became worried after leaving the 5th voicemail. It was not like Greg to miss her calls. Ever! She loved that he was always there for her. They were not just vacationing this time, they were also going to brainstorm about their wedding. Even though it was a couple of years away, Greg never gave her the feeling he ever had any doubts. A flash of panic gripped her. Could he have met someone down in Coco Del Mar? Oh that’s silly she thought, he’s only been gone for 5 hours. She calmed down for a few seconds only to have a yet more terrifying thought. Gasping and hyperventilating she suddenly felt alone like Greg was gone! Panic comes in threes.

Chapter 7. Greg stopped fighting the current. His ear drums felt like someone had thrust a hot long metal rod all the way through his head and out the other ear. This was it. The pain was unbearable and he was ready to die. He imagined Kristie could hear him saying goodbye. He felt almost guilty for leaving and for wanting to leave because of the intense pain. The pain stopped. Silence comes in threes.

Chapter 8. Coco Del Mar was a unique sandy resort community on a wide peninsula. But the grift of Harlan Dobbs and the greed of his investors made some of the land surveys a little less than rigorous. The peninsula sat atop some volcanic crust and below that some salt caverns with branches miles wide and in some places almost a half mile deep. Greed is deep and also comes in threes.

Chapter 9. Greg felt relief and a cool breeze. He starred up at the dark clouds. They looked a little like the bottom of his sink and garbage disposal. Greg felt the pain in his ears and it radiated all throughout his skull. Even his teeth hurt. He began to reason about what must have happened. I smacked my head so hard on that garage disposal that I must have passed out. Kristie was telling me about this resort town while I was unconscious. The whole thing was just a hallucination. A wave splashed his face. Oh I broke the water pipe on the sink. Another wave splashed. Greg suddenly became aware of the intense pain in his torso. Another wave. Greg gasped. He began to flail and it was then he realized he was floating. The water was salty. Wait, I was in a swimming pool. Confusion comes in threes.

Chapter 10. Kristie saw him floating a few yards away from the air b&b. Half of the mansion was sheared off. It looked like the place had been hit by a bomb. Furniture and clothing, garbage and wood, and other debris floated and washed against the shore. Kristie wailed as she ran toward the shore. She jumped in and began swimming toward Greg, pushing the floating junk out of her way. As she got closer she could hear Greg mumbling something. She was relieved he was alive but terrified he must be injured and dying. Kristie, oh Kristy am I glad to see you, Greg weekly mumbled. Kristie cried in relief and resisted her impulse of lunging and hugging him. Relief and fear, happiness and horror. What had happened to my Greg? Three days later Greg was recovering nicely in the hospital. Kristie heard the doctor talking to the nurses in the hall. He’s doing well, the injuries are minor and I think we can release him in a few days. Kristie smiled, leaned over Greg and kissed him tenderly. Greg stared back at her. She’s my miracle he thought. He asked Kristie what the doctor was saying out in the hall. Beaming she said, your coming home in a few days and…she paused, still beaming, I’m pregnant. Greg felt a pull of gravity as if the bed had become that terrible pool. He was excited, overwhelmed, terrified and ecstatic and all at the same time. This felt seismic, like the universe had saved him! He was saved the first time when he met Kristie. She saved him a second time from the water, and now she was having his child! Greg felt a warm glow and incredible peace and he thought to himself, families start in threes!