Hopelessness

I close the distance between myself
and the earsplitting sounds coming from the pool,
ignoring the “no running” rule.

As I reach the chlorine-water filled pool,
I notice a silent crowd watching some spectacle.
Dead center of the deep-end,
a young girl,
maybe younger than me,
flails her bony arms and legs with desperation.

Up and down.
The water swallows her head,
while she struggles to resurface.
Her wails and cries of help deafen me,
attacking my ears with freshly sharpened knives.

Her eyes holds my gaze,
full of panic and expectations.

I seek out someone,
anyone,
to come to the rescue.

Then the realization hits me like a discordant note
of a melodic harmony.
Not a single person in the crowd
attempts to aid the girl
to safety.

Except me.
I dive in.