Standing behind the blocks, heart racing, waiting for the first heat to finish.

The stands, once filled with cheering, friends, family

Now sit silent and sterile..

Whoever remains wears a mask,

The cloth sticks to their lips with Chlorine and humidity. 

The splashing quiets.They exit the pool. 

I’m next.

My body thrums with adrenaline as I feel the rough blocks beneath my feet.

“Take your mark”… silence…”BEEP”

I push off into a dive, undulating my body to glide through the air. 

I enter the water, the cold shock piercing every cell,

Moving like a rod through the liquid.

First my fingers start to tingle, then my toes.

Then my legs, arms, and face begin to numb.

I push forward,

One stroke at a time, one kick at a time.

The wall is nearing,

 but not fast enough.

Time has slowed; I feel stagnant.

Water invades my lungs.

With one last kick, one last burst of energy,

I reach,

My fingers stretching out, out,

Till I feel the joints start to crack. 

Closer, closer . . .

My fingers slam into the hard concrete. 

I break the surface, gasping for breath.

There are no cheers from the stands.

But my chest is still humming with pride.

The splashing of the water fades into the distance.