Last Call to Summer

Summer of 04

Dodger watched Masie’s pale yellow Mustang kick up gravel from the Swensons’ long, rugged driveway. The top was down, allowing him to see her companions, Melody and Sarah, who were animatedly bopping and singing along to something. Billie’s smile was wide as she came running out her house, the screen door swinging behind her, she vaulted like a gymnast into the back seat. 

He lifted his hand to wave, but knew it was useless. Even if she saw him, she’d never acknowledge it in front of her circle of friends. Ever since Chord noticed her breasts had grown, Dodger had been demoted to “neighbor”. Still, he would always admire how she held his seven-year-old hand at his mother’s funeral. He shook the image before he could conjure the memory, then started up his old Chevy. The girls sped past him at the stop sign on their road; the wind carrying their words, “to the best last summer!”

….

“Okay, okay,” a college-aged male hushed. He wore a sky blue polo shirt and khaki cargo shorts with several objects attached to his belt, including a walkie-talkie. His hand raised high in the air, then dropped several degrees, indicating for people to lower their voices.

A group of chatting forty or so teenagers sat in a circle of fold out chairs in the same multipurpose room they used for their CPR class. 

“I know you’re all excited, and I want to welcome you to the 2004 season at Wild Waters! For the new faces, I am Randall, your manager. This is my sixth and final year. I’ll be taking a position next year with Ellis and Associates, a company I am sure every one of you will remember from your two-week training. Buuut as a refresher, does anyone want to remind us what they do?”

“Yo, those are them dudes that’ll bust yo ass for slacking off and shiiit.” Chord threw a pen at the speaker, Dusty. 

“How did Dusty get a job here,” Sarah questioned with disdain. 

“Yeah,” agreed Masie. “Like don’t you have to pass a drug test?

“I don’t smoke dope Narc,” Dusty retorted then threw Chord’s pen at Masie. 

“No he just sniffs glue like a complete loser,” accused Sarah. 

The group broke out into loud chatter again, and it took several tries before Randall could gain control over the room. 

“Ellis and Associates is who you completed your lifeguard training with, and as Dustin so eloquently stated runs multiple safety and operational exams across the world at all aquatic parks.”

“That’s why Rebecca got fired last year,” Masie whispered loudly to Melody. 

Randall was getting annoyed and cleared his throat with a pointed look to Billie. She had not been sitting with her friends and instead was seated directly to his left. She rolled her eyes, but stood anyway, walking toward Masie, Sarah and Melody. She bent down and the girls pressed their heads in close to hear as Billie whispered to them. Whatever said they seemed to agree and she went back to her seat. 

“This,” Randall directed with his hand, “is Billie. She is our lead guard. My right hand lady if you will. As we go around the room, say your name, how many seasons you’ve been here, and Billie will then give your assignments for the season. Please know these positions are based on your scores throughout training along with your physical and written exam. Billie, take it away.” 

Billie looked around the whole circle, widely grinning and stopping at each face, “Hi yall, like Randy,” he coughed, “Randall,” she corrected, “said I’m Billie. Billie Swenson. This is my fourth season at Wild Waters, and I am going to miss it so much.”

“Why aren’t you coming back next summer,” a tiny blonde asked. 

“Good question,” Billie gave a small smile. 

“She’s too big for this town. She’s got a first class ticket out of here to study fashion at Parsons,” exclaimed Masie, but no one caught the cross of her eyes. 

Billie continued to smile while addressing the girl, “we usually go in order, but since you spoke first, I don't mean that as a jab, promise. What's your name?”

“Tonya,” the tiny blonde responded. 

“Hi Tonya, and what season is this for you?”

“My first,” Tonya replied.

“Awesome. Welcome! You’ve been assigned the TadPool. Those little toddlers are so fun to watch!” 

“And ‘torious for Code Browns,” laughed Dusty. 

…

By the time the lifeguard meeting finished, the waterpark was already teeming with life. 

Dozens of different divisions began their operations. The smell of pizza, fried foods, and the sour-sweet smell of the ice cream wafted throughout. MmmBop blared from the speakers as retailers opened up their shops and the staff began pulling out inner tubes, setting up white adjustable beach chairs, and organizing the life vests and inflatable toddler wings. 

“Guards!” Randall shouted into a megaphone, " Fanny packs, gloves, CPR masks, Stingray bags, sunscreen, whistles, and water bottles. YOU HAVE THEM ON YOU AT ALL TIMES! We prevent incidents; not contribute to them. Got it?”

The crowd muttered their agreement with him as they lined up at the guard shack to receive their uniforms and safety gear. 

Billie assigned each guard a number, which Melody then wrote on their fanny packs that contained their equipment. Masie handed out red lanyard whistles to everyone while Sarah cooed over the new American Flag razorback one-piece they got to wear this year. 

“Those red TYR ones washed me out,” Sarah stated as she twisted toward the mirror. 

“Next,” Billie announced to the waiting line. Dodger took his place as Masie responded to Sarah, “Speak for yourself. I have a perfect tan, so it looked divine on me. But I will say that these do have a certain sex appeal.” 

Melody looked up from what she was writing. “So you think looking like the 4th of July is sexy?” 

“Of course it is! It reminds me of the movie, "I Know What You Did Last Summer.” 

“Where most of the cast gets sliced and diced? How’s that, sexy Maze?” 

Masie grunted, “Well, not that part, but like the parts before it all goes to shit. You know,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows, “a bunch of hotties? Fireworks on and off the beach?!” The girls broke into a fit of giggles. “Speaking of Bill, did Randy give you a set of keys or what?”

“About that,” Billie started to say before Masie interrupted, “oh nooooo. Bill, don't tell me you’re chickening out? You promised.”

“I never said yes or no. I said maybe, and I guess, I’m not so sure about it. I. I don’t want to get in trouble. What if Randy found out? He’d fire me?” 

Sarah and Melody pursed their lips, letting Masie take the lead on the argument. “Why are you such a puss? How is he going to figure out anything? It’s just gonna be the other senior guards and us. No one else, not even the other returnees are going to know.”

“What if someone talks? Dusty will be there. You know?” 

“Dusty’s an idiot, and no one believes half of the damage that comes from his mouth.” Masie lowered her eyes and voice, seductively leaned in close, “Besides, Chord told me he packed an air mattress for y’all’s tent. You won’t have to lose it on cold concrete.” 

Billie didn’t say anything, just stood with her mouth slightly agape. 

“Jared already bought a keg,” Sarah said with pouted lips. “You know what he had to do to get it?”

Melody finally spoke, “I brought trash bags from home, so we wouldn’t have to use the work stash. And my brother’s gonna drop off any Hot and Ready’s that don’t sell tonight too. It’s gonna be great.” Sarah and Masie shook their heads in agreement before, in unison, singing, “puhleeeeze!”

Billie rolled her eyes in mock annoyance. “You all did promise me the best last summer. So yeah, okay, let’s do it.” They began jumping up and down before huddling together to howl, “best last summer!” 

…

The sky had turned into variations of orange and pink, announcing the closing of the day. Billie had collected all the guards' rescue tubes, the long red equipment used to assist in a save, and waited for Randall to finish his paperwork in his office. 

“Hey, kiddo,” he called as a way of greeting when he saw her lingering outside his office door. “Almost done. We had one Code Brown today, and just made sure I documented it correctly.” 

“Yeah, no worries. I think everything is done here. Oh,” she said as if just recounting, “I need a copy of the key.”

He snorted, “As if I’d ever miss a day. You know, I think sick is for the weak,” he chuckled, but then pointed to a hook, “but yeah, kiddo, on the off chance it’s needed, your key is hanging up right there.”

…

An hour later, a group of cars pulled onto an abandoned lot near the waterpark. There was a path in the woods that led to a closed entrance that they used to bring in their tents, sleeping bags, boxes of liquor, snacks, and a keg of Bud. Billie unlocked the padlock with a heavy sigh as she let them in. 

“Hells yeah,” Dusty curtsied to Billie. “You’re fuckin rad, Swenson.” 

Billie ushered everyone in, but kept her finger to her lips. 

“Babe,” Chord put an arm around her, “ Chillax. We are in a national forest at a park that’s closed. It’s all good.” He poked her in her side abdomen, making her squeal. “No one can hear you scream,” he said as he bit at her ear. He picked her up, then fireman-carried her past Dodger. 

Someone had turned on the speakers, but after Billie protested, they settled on a portable stereo Jared kept in his flatbed for the music instead. She was dancing in a small circle inside the shallow end of the Wave Pool with Masie, Sarah and Melody when Dusty interrupted, “Scrots, we got a problemo. The water is turned off on the slides.”

“So turn them on, doof,” Sarah responded. 

“Uh yeah, about that, none of us know how. Mr. Jameson is in charge of that stuff, and he ain't shown no one how to do it. That’s why that old fart still has a job here.”

“Why do you need to go down the slides?” Billie asked. “You’ve gone a million times. Just swim in the pool, Dusty.”

“Or,” Melody injected, “go down without the water?”

“Yes, and no, chicas. Yeees, I have been on them a bunch, but never after hours! And nooo, you can’t just go down like a regular slide. Seriously, major calamity."

A debate broke out as Chord approached them. “Chillax, dolls. Chill Dusty. I think I saw Dodger here. I bet that smarty can get them going. And if not,” he said, looking at Dusty, “I’m sure there’s something here to sniff out to occupy your time, bro.” 

…

“911 what is your emergency?”

“Hello, hello, yes, this is Randall Madder, manager at Wild Waters off Silver Springs BLVD. We. We just came in to open, and there are two bodies here.”

…

Summer 2014

Billie paused, feeling a sudden dread, as she wheeled Dodger toward the dilapidated entrance of their youth. 

It was a ghost of what it was, Billie realized. All the water had been drained from the pools, leaving behind greenish-brown mildew discoloration; the vegetation was overgrown, abandoned lockers, and signs throughout the park were worn, with peeling and fading paint. An echo of promises long made. She shuddered as she batted away at memories she had tirelessly tried for a decade to forget. 

Dodger broke through her reflection, “Baby, are you okay?” 

Billie took a moment before she responded, knowing to tread carefully. “Are you sure THIS is what you wanted to do with the settlement?”

The two had had the same disagreement numerous times. She wanted to make the park something completely different, anything else, while Dodger had wanted to renovate and have a grand reopening. He had won, of course, which was why the damned reunion was happening. 

“Billie. Baby,” Dodger answered, “this could be our last call.”

She had grown accustomed to his call to action. He nearly died, had survived, and now had purpose. She knew what he meant; that life was too short to ignore. She gifted him one of her smiles before continuing to push him toward the crowd.

….

Billie left Dodger to speak with the party planner after he encouraged her to mingle. She didn’t want to, but since the incident, she had vowed to do anything he asked of her. It didn’t matter if she was unhappy as long as it was enough amends for her role in his injury. 

A food truck had pulled alongside the perimeter of a slide serving street tacos and corn, so Billie got in line for some. She was thinking to herself when a couple she wasn't paying attention to got behind her. 

“OH EM GEE!” A voice said excitedly, “BILLIE!!”

She turned to see Masie, holding hands with Chord. 

“Maze! Chord! How awesome to see you.” 

Chord fixed his eyes on Billie. “Bill, what are you doing here?”

Dodger answered, “Why wouldn’t she be here, Chord? She was our assistant lead that summer. And besides, she’s my wife.”

“Wife,” Masie and Chord parroted with confusion.

…

Summer 2004

“Don’t be such a buzzkill,” Chord taunted Billie, pulling her toward him. “Lookit, just over there I set up our own private tent.” He made a face before he stopped suddenly, then vomited into the shallow pool of the slide ride named Pioneer Plunge.

“You're drunk,” Billie started, but something floating on top of the pool caught her eye, catching the rest of her sentence in her throat. 

“I. Wa. Wa. Wan. Wan’t it to be. To be special,” he hiccupped then fell over onto his side which illuminated a bucket labeled, "Industrial Grade Tile and Filter Solvent.” 

“CHORD!!!”

…

Dispatch, EMS Bus 352 is en route with male, 18, conscious yet confused, possible injury to spine. 

Dispatch, EMS Bus 350, en route with male approximately 17-21 years of age, unconscious. 

…

Summer 2014

“Thank you all for attending,” Dodger spoke into the microphone. “Just ten years ago tragedy struck this place. I should know,” he paused as he looked down at himself in his chair, letting a small laugh before he continued, “from what I was told when awakening from my coma, I was at the right place at the right time.”

…

Summer 2004

SILVER SPRINGS NEWS: Memorial Day Edition 

On Monday, May 31st, 2004, the sheriff’s taped off the long-standing attraction of the community, Wild Waters, due to inappropriate activity of staff. 

SSN has learned that two guards were taken by emergency teams to the hospital while numerous other guards are being held for questioning. 

So far, we can confirm one minor is in critical condition, with sources saying the young man, presumed hero, is rendered paralyzed. The other is stabilized; however, the Sheriff’s Department verified he is comatose due to an apparent drug overdose. 

A source only identified as Tiny told SSN that, “[REDACTED NAME]! It is so like him, because he like huffs pool cleaner. And [REDACTED NAME] would be the one to try to save him. He’s grade A awesome-sauce. Randall was like super late. And we can’t go in without him. Maybe it could’ve ended differently.”

…

Update July 15, 2005

After a complete investigation, it was determined that Wild Waters and its entities are not criminally liable for the incident that occurred on May 31st, 2004.

Sources close to the accident report that, upon arrival that day, their manager was not present. Their assistant manager had not yet retained her key to open so another guard, now identified as Dodger Calhoun, decided to jump a fence so they ‘could open in a timely manner.’

Yet Calhoun failed to return in a time acceptable to the group, so other guards also began to “jump the fence,” which is when they located two unconscious persons.

One, presumably Calhoun, was found contorted in an empty pool, after what is believed to be when he jumped into it to revive Dustin Prickle. The latter was determined to have suffered brain damage due to inhalation of a chemical. He is not expected to recover. 

The Calhoun Family has settled outside of court for an undisclosed amount due to Dodger’s extensive injuries.  

Summer 2004

Billie stood off to the side while Dodger spoke. A crowd gathered around, lapping up his speech rightfully, but she couldn’t stop her body from reacting when Chord joined in on the praise. 

It was like being jerked back in time; Chord was leading her to where she was meant to lose her virginity. He was drunk and boisterous, like always. She could hear herself protesting and bargaining with him. Then, he was upchucking pizza into the pool. 

That’s when she first recognized Dusty's already blue face, and next to him sprawled like a broken superhero, Dodger’s body. She let out a wail which sobered Chord up quickly. His plan swiftly became actionable. 

...

“Listen,” his voice trembled as he spoke to the partygoers a couple of minutes later. “Everyone, listen. If you still want this to be the best last summer, you have to do what I say.”