Read Bad Dreams for Free Online Page B

wall.
    Her wet palm slapped the tiles—
    And a split second later—
    Dawn hit the wall.
    Maggie was first.
    Tiffany arrived a full second later.
    And a stroke behind her—Andrea, who finished fourth.
    Holding on to the wall with both hands and gasping for breath, Maggie gazed up at Coach Randall with a happy grin. The coach was studying her stopwatch and making notes on the clipboard.
    â€œFirst place, Maggie Travers,” she called. Maggie didn’t bother to listen to the rest, she just pushed off the wall into a lazy backstroke as she started to unwind.
    Then she swam back and dragged herself out of the pool. After swimming so hard, her arms ached and her body felt like dead weight.
    â€œNice finish, Maggie,” Coach Randall told her, and smiled.
    Maggie beamed. Compliments from Coach Randall were like gold.
    â€œNext time I want to see you pick up the pace on your butterfly and backstroke,” the coach added.
    She never let you have a pure compliment. There was always a catch.
    â€œWhoa! Time out!” Dawn cried. She was out ofthe pool now and charging over to Maggie and the coach. “There was interference! Didn’t you see it? Maggie shoved the line right into me.”
    â€œShe didn’t shove the line,” Coach Randall replied firmly. “Her wake pushed the line over.”
    â€œWell, so what?” Dawn continued. “You’re not going to allow that, are you?”
    â€œSave it, Dawn,” Coach Randall replied sharply. “You came in second.”
    Andrea picked up a towel and wrapped it around her broad shoulders. Maggie gave her a sympathetic glance. Andrea turned away.
    Some congratulations!
    Tiffany sat on the edge of the pool, kicking her feet in the water, shaking her head unhappily.
    â€œOkay, girls,” Coach Randall said with a smile. “Let’s not get down. That was just one race. We’ve got three more.”
    Maggie glanced up to see Dawn glaring at her, breathing hard. “Dawn,” Maggie said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
    â€œOf course not,” Dawn replied, rolling her eyes.
    Maggie glimpsed Andrea watching them, obviously enjoying the argument.
    â€œAll right,” Coach Randall called to the girls in the bleachers. “Everyone in the pool!”
    Maggie groaned. The race had been so intense. She had forgotten they still had an hour of practice!
    By the time practice was over, Maggie was exhausted. Every muscle ached.
    She took a really long shower.
    Some girls talked excitedly about the practice andthe races. But Maggie dressed in silence, lost in her own thoughts.
    She was the last one out of the locker room.
    She walked out through the pool.
    Most of the lights were off now. Maggie’s eyes were still burning from the chlorine. They kept blurring, watering over.
    So it wasn’t until she got right up to the water that she saw the body floating facedown in the pool.

chapter

7
    â€œD awn!” Maggie shrieked.
    In the middle of the pool Dawn’s body was slowly drifting with the water’s gentle movement.
    Maggie hesitated for only a second. Then she dove into the water with all her clothes on.
    Please—let me be in time! Maggie prayed. Please!
    When she surfaced, Dawn was still several yards away.
    Please—be alive! Be alive! Maggie prayed.
    Dawn raised her head.
    â€œDawn!” Maggie gasped, swimming over and grabbing her.
    Dawn’s face twisted in surprise. “Let go,” she said, shoving Maggie away. “What’s your problem?”
    Maggie treaded water, staring at her in disbelief.
“My
problem? What do you think
you’re
doing?”
    Dawn blinked water from her eyes. “Practicing breath control, what do you think?”
    â€œI—I thought you were dead!” Maggie stammered. She grabbed Dawn’s arm again. It was hard to tread water with her clothes weighing her down.
    Dawn laughed. “Dead?”
    Maggie