Meanwhile...

The waters glinted and dazzled under the same white hot sun that also beat down upon his shoulders as he walked across the green grass. The cloudless blue sky seemed to expand from the heat and stretch in all directions forever even over the distant hills that turned shades of baked gold and browns every summer. The hyperactive laughter of children fluttered wildly opposed to the languid buzzing of adult conversations. With each step he felt the warm blades of green grass between his toes and with each step he crushed one of the various small, white and yellow flowers. A little distance away there was a birthday party where music thrived across the heat stricken atmosphere.

Each step brought him closure to his campaign to beat the constant heat. Rehab thought about the up coming school semester that was still months away even as he kneeled touching the water with a light brown hand. Waving his hand back and fourth through the water, he brought his hand up and let the transparent liquid seep through his fingers. Out across the glimmering surface laid the red buoys, bobbing up and down lazily like reluctant sentinels. He stepped in and a chill ran up from his ankle, through his calf, jolting his knee, climbing his thigh, passing his groin and shooting all the way up his spine. Taking a step back with a shiver, Rehab laughed before braving the first step once more. There came the second step, then the third, which led to the fourth and the fifth. His calf submerged into the clear, awaiting water before his knees and thighs followed. The fabric of his shorts began to soak up the water and the color began to darken.

The quiet mechanical buzz of a small plane cutting across the bright summer sky caused Rehab to look up at what appeared as nothing more then a glinting silhouette. Just a little ways away a group of children splashed and played near the waters edge, their dark and light skins glinting with the water that they frolicked in. The scent of water and barbeque hung on the dry summer air and Rehab waded in to the water until his waist sunk under its depths, each step caused his toes to sink into the perpetually wet sand. The kids caused water to suddenly leap and slap against his back as they ran past still chasing one another, their laughter dancing higher and higher into the air as the game grew in fever but became more and more distant.

Rehab frowned before turning back to the water, his mind drifting to the people he was suppose to meet up with later that evening and the bridge that would serve as the perch. Deeper into the waters, it ran cold over his stomach and finally submerged his chest. Then he was off, splashing through the cool waters before cutting across it more smoothly as he began to swim. The day was beautiful and the water felt good against Rehab's nearly sun baked skin. It invited him in a cool embrace from the fire above. Peering through his watery vision that seen in-between the splashing water, he could see the red, lazily bobbing buoy. Rehab's limbs stretched and his muscles flexed as they pulled him across the surface of the lake.

Contracting, sharp knotted and contorting pain erupted in his lower side; the pain caused him to take a sudden sharp breath that was met only by the transparent liquid he was surrounded by. His eyes exploded wide open at the realization of a cramp as it gnawed viciously at his side like an internal beast. Rahab's limbs began to rabidly lose power and staying afloat became a difficult chore instead of a leisurely pleasure. The water was steadily trying to rise above his ears, kicking only caused him to bob; more water routed the air from his lungs when he took another sharp breath. Meanwhile...

Bronco Billy's Pizza Parlor was nearly empty on that lazy afternoon and Alanis Morissette's "You learn." was playing over speakers hidden some where in the rustic, polished wood ceiling with its tremendous beams. Near the arcades the scent of sweet perfume and hot pizza lingered on the air. My arms were about Danisha's small waist as she leaned against me while I leaned against the wall. Brandon fought a Filipino kid furiously in Street Fighter Alpha. It was their 5th match and Brandon's 3rd quarter. The almost celebrative theme of horns and faux jazz from Ken's stage flipped flopped on the air. I brushed my thumb over Danisha's naval causing her to laugh. Meanwhile...

Rehab's struggle was desperate and the combustible solution of air and water in his lungs burned. The gnawing pain in his lower side became hideous as his muscles struggled to keep him at the surface. The scenery from his viewpoint was a mixture of splashing water and beloved blue skies where the sun stared down callously. He managed to turn himself towards shore where he could barely make out people, no one seemed the wiser. It was his personal struggle as the kids still rushed back and fourth in a feverish frenzy as they squealed and laughed. Another breath burned of water and filled his mouth when he hoped to screamed for help. Meanwhile...

Bobby lay on his family room couch with the sheets of sunlight coming through the sliding floor glass and blinds; they painted a shadow of a tree along the brown carpet. CD cases glinted like flat diamonds along the dark floor. Bobby was asleep on that large gray couch, the oversized earphones resting on his head playing track after track aimlessly, having spun out of control from the few song he wanted to hear originally before falling out of orbit and into sleep. In front of him Little James laid on his stomach with his legs bent at the knee, the black controller of his Sega Genesis aglow by the sun light that only reached his hands. He played one game after another, lost and content in the colorful adventures each cartridge splayed across his screen. Meanwhile...

Rehab's head went under several times and his limbs was growing weak despite the intense fear and panic, despite the tremendous will to want to live on. He could feel the water creeping over his face and the gnawing pain in his side seemed to only intense. His light brown hands made it over the surface above the elbow a few times, trying to gain a hold on something, anything that would end the horror. The sky was vanishing, becoming a shimmering image deluded by the constant encroaching water. He tried to hold his breaths the struggle demanded air, but his breaths swallowed only liquid, his mind panicked, he thought of his family, of his fear, of scriptures of the Holy Qu'ran, his friends, his family, the need for help, the want for air. It all mingled together in one unimaginable thought. Meanwhile...

Music from E-40 played over large speakers that had been turned down only an hour ago. Reshad, Al and my brother Sean were sitting around a large white table outside under the shade of a large gray roof of a gazebo. The scent of freshly cut grass hung heavy in the air and danced with the music even as the piercing whistle of a distant train could be heard passing. They played cards and Sean was in the lead, they joked, talked of the past and dreamt of the future. Meanwhile...

Rehab had gone under and only water responded to his pleads for air, he could feel it all around him. The beloved sky and sun was gone, the heat of the day was a distant memory and he struggled less but still the fire burned hotly in him and the need for escape continued. He kicked and panicked. Rehab thrashed and tried to reclaim the surface, his world had become cold, watery and painful. The thoughts were all still gathered in one unintelligible quagmire of scriptures, faces and fears. Meanwhile...

Most of the light gray, cement basketball court was hidden by the shade of the tremendous trees that lightly waved in the hot, and very limited, summer breezes. The neighborhood of Meridian Court was quiet as almost always. Alvin, Antonio and their friends continued to play their game of basketball as they had been all afternoon. The sunlight filtered through the branches. The flowery, watery and familiar scent of the creek stood still against the constant heart beat of the ball striking the court and the scuffling of sneakers. Meanwhile...

Rehab couldn't think anymore, the thoughts lessened, the fears began to reside and the water burned all the less as it poured inside of him. His lungs didn't ache and the water just wasn't very frightening or cool anymore, he felt his feet touching the bottom and the beloved blue sky let rays of light reach into the watery depths. Though his eyes were open, Rehab couldn't see anything more. The water that filled him quenched the fire within and the struggle ceased along with his heart. The gates to Allah's kingdom opened...

The sun made its journey across the big, bright blue sky and kids continued to play every where. Some people received and gave kisses, others continued to play games, while others still carried on their conversations about things passed and things not yet to come. The train continued down the track intimidating cars to a stop with the blinking of lights and hollering of whistles The warm summer breeze kept the sun on its journey across the beloved sky until it turned gold and the pearl white moon arrived dressed in a gown of twilight and shimmering stars. Upon the bridge a group gathered under the cover of night and talked and laughed, their eyes sometimes straying to the big white moon. Then finally someone laughed and asked the question that the sun had seen but the moon had not been told.

"Where is Rehab?"