I blink my eyes open in fright. My movements feel sluggish, like the air around me is thicker than it should be; I feel sluggish. I blinked again. My eyes feel misted over, like looking through a dirty window or glasses that have been smudged.
I lift my hand to touch my head; I feel a golf ball-sized egg beneath my fingers. A slight pounding throbs in step with my heartbeat as I take stock of my surroundings. Something is very wrong, but my brain is sluggish, and I can't think clearly.
I'm in my car stuck with my seat belt on. I watch my hair float around me, getting in my way, and it's then that it clicks. I'm completely submerged! The water is everywhere! I reach for my seat belt frantically, panic setting in fully now, once more trying to loosen it and fumble around to no avail. It's jammed, and I can't get the stupid release button to work. I reach the roof trying to feel for an air pocket; there is none. Just more water, and my panic level has now reached outright hysterics.
I thrash about silently screaming, watching the precious oxygen bubbles float towards the roof of the car, wondering how much air I could have possibly had in my lungs or trapped in the car with me that I am still alive. However much was in here is gone now, and my lungs are screaming for breath.
At any moment I expect to start convulsions like they do in the movies when your body shuts down and takes its last breath. It's been 5 minutes as per the clock in the car dash since I woke up, and I still haven't run out. I also don't know how long I was under before I woke up; it would have taken a few minutes for the water to completely push the air out. Strangely I start calming, realizing that I also don't feel the cold. I know it's the start of winter and the lake had just started to freeze, so landing in this should have caused me hypothermia, but I feel fine, almost like the temperature is just right.
I start thinking a little clearer, taking stock of everything but still confused. I look for the knife I keep in the side of the car door; my hand moves around, and I am glad to feel it's still there. I slowly start cutting the belt loose to get out of the car, all the while wondering how I am going to get the door open. My eyes have started coming more into focus the past few minutes, almost like putting contact lenses in to clear the haze. I realize now it was stupid to think the air could be trapped in here; the windscreen is completely gone.
I look to my right and freeze as I see two sparkling blue glowing eyes locked on me. Eyes that should not be here, eyes that are constantly in my dreams and thoughts, driving me crazy with irrationality at times. A scream leaves my lips yet again.
Michael shakes his head and swims closer to me. "Will you stop?" He demands. "You're going to wake up the whole neighborhood, and some folks are trying to sleep," he continues.
"You can talk and breath under the water," I state, really not thinking as I blink up at him.
"Yes and so can you" he tells me. As if it wasn't obvious already. "You can't tell me you only found this all out now? How is this possible? Do you even know what we are?" Michael's ink-black hair glides from side to side as he shakes his head again in frustration as I stare at him open-mouthed.
"Why do you think I have been trying to talk to you at school? Couldn't you feel it?" Michael goes on a full rant as he takes the knife from my hand gently and cautiously, finally cutting me free from the belt. He offers his outstretched hand for me to take so he can help pull me from the wreck and passes my knife back to me. I reach over and grab my purse not wanting to leave it behind.
He looks back at me as we float out of the car, brushing his fingers through his hair. "You really have no clue, do you? Do you?" He genuinely asks now, and I shake my head. I know I'm crying now, I go to wipe my cheek only to realise how absurd it is, I'm under water, there are no tears down here.
Michael takes my hand and guides me along. I'm still in shock over everything. I remember I was driving back from Chelsea's; there was black ice on the hill, and my car went through the barrier and into the frigid iced-over lake. I shudder remembering the sound of impact.