Swimming

In situations like this, Charles had the habit of pretending the room was filling up with water. It seemed to seep through the floor, collecting in puddles among the white tiles.  It rained from the ceiling and spurted through the cracks of the walls steadily. The magazines in loose piles on the table grew damp as water streamed out of their pages. He did nothing; it was like a game, trying to act normal in such unusual circumstances. Geysers erupted out of the seats of the empty chairs spraying water on everything that was still dry. He had to remind himself to breathe normally and not look so tense. It wasn’t real; this water that splashed on one of his finer suits, and besides it was barely a few inches deep. Someone would take care of it before it became much trouble. He eyed the receptionist (whose fountain pen was acting like a hose) as she talked on the phone, (which was acting like a sprinkler); water was coming out of her mouth in foamy bursts.  His thoughts came in commands now: Close eyes, Deep breath, Tap fingers in agitation. Even then he could not block out the sound of water as it sprang into existence and landed on the linoleum floor. He could feel it climbing up his legs. Opening his eyes, Charles could see water cascading off the receptionist’s desk and the windows were now shooting gallons of water into the room. He found it funny that he had never come up with a source for the water. He looked down in time to watch the water swallow his lap. He wanted to shut his eyes, and cover his ears and scream, and it took time to regain control of himself. The urge returned again about the time the water hit his chest; about the time he could hear footsteps coming down the hall. Water was coming out of his own eyes now. When the doctor threw the doors open and came into the room it had the effect of breaking a dam. A great wall of water came at him, clawing at his lips, forcing itself down his throat. The taste was salty; bitter. There was no longer air. He could not contain himself. He was drowning. He sobbed and gasped as the doctor told him the news he has already guessed. Then the water consumed him.