Luke tastes something salty.

And he couldn't breathe.

He spit out water as everything came back into focus. What was going on?

He was in the water. Then . . . then he started drowning. He breathed in water and . . .

A lifeguard hovered over him, looking relieved. He saw his mom near him too, and dozens of other faces he didn't recognize. His mom was thanking the lifeguard. "Just doing my job," the man said.

Luke stood up and was able to recover quickly. He didn't go back in the water, but watched the children playing in it. Their parents were always near, holding their kids hands as the shuffled into deeper sea.

Something suddenly came to mind. He remember when he was in the water, he almost made it to the surface, when something had tightened around his leg. Like a tentacle. But it was thick. It couldn't have been a jellyfish.

"Lucás. Do you want a soda or water?" his mom asked.

"Oh. Um, I guess a soda." She tossed him a can of Manzanita Sol and he opened it, the drink fizzing. As he gulped the drink, he thought about what happened in the water. What grabbed hold of him? Why? Thinking of the memory made him shiver but he thought about it anyway. Nothing else could be on his mind.

He looked to the water, and felt inclined to go back into it. He had to know what it was. He turned to his mom and said, "I'm going to find a restroom, Mamá. I'll be back."