The Tank

Tuesday. 7:30 pm.

Rebecca stared in awe at the costumes Renee had left for her to try on. Had Renee really worn these? Of course she had, she was Renee.

"Oh, God, Renee, really?" Rebecca sighed. She didn't really have time to pull something together herself, and Trish had been very strict about the costumes rules for her party.

"So, the choices are slutty Snow White, or slutty greek goddess. Hmmmm." Rebecca had to laugh. The costumes were actually really well made, but did the innocence of Snow White really need to be besmirched by a super mini, tight bodice dress, over-the-knee white sheer stockings and red sequined stilettos? She thought not.

"Goddess it is!" Rebecca swirled the gauzy dress around herself. It didn't leave much to the imagination with it's thigh high double slit, and plunging neckline, but she could wear her own metallic gladiator style sandals from the summer and she wouldn't have to wear a wig. Her brunette hair was long enough that she could curl it and pile it onto her head in some Greek goddess way. Some gold eyeshadow and shimmery powder and she should be able to pass Trish's high standards.

Now. It was time to do what she had been putting off. She had to call Frank and ask him what the fuck. He had been calling her non-stop since Sunday night, but had not left any more messages. Creepo. She had avoided answering his calls until she could gather herself.

She called up his number on her phone, ready to get it over with. He answered immediately, sounding breathless.

"Rebecca? Wow, hi. I'm so glad you called!"

"Hey, Frank. What's up?"

"I, uh, just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the other night, and, well, I wanted to ask you if you wanted to, you know. Do that again. I mean, get together. Again. We haven't seen each other in a while, well, except for the other night, and it was cool. You know."

What on earth was wrong with him? He was usually a pretty confident guy. He sounded like a nervous schoolboy asking a girl out on a first date. And what did he think had happened the other night? Now she was just annoyed.

"Well, Frank. You're the one who stopped calling me. Stopped wanting to see me. So I think it's kind of odd that you suddenly ..."

What was that noise? It sounded like a cupboard banging closed in the kitchen. She was only half listening to Frank ramble on as she walked slowly through the dining room toward the kitchen. As she passed the dining room table, she noticed a glass of wine sitting on the table. Had she left that there?

Frank was still droning on.

"Well, obviously, that was a mistake, not calling you, and I'm really sorry. But based on your actions, you seem to have forgiven me, heh heh. And not to mention gotten over whatever sex issues you were --"

Just before she stepped into the kitchen, she heard what was absolutely the sound of the refrigerator opening and closing. What the hell?

"Frank? Shut up for a minute. I think there might be someone in my apartment. Stay on the line with me, ok?"

"Oh my god, Rebecca, maybe you should hang up and call 911? Do you want me to?"

"No." Rebecca whispered. She was hovering at the threshold of her kitchen. It was dark. She couldn't see if there was anyone lurking there. "Just hang on a second."

She stood there trembling for another few seconds, then reached in and flicked on the switch, tears of fear in her eyes.

Her bright kitchen lights illuminated everything there was to see in the kitchen. There was no one there. And no way out except past her. She let out the breath she didn't even know she was holding.

"Rebecca?" Frank's voice in her ear. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Frank. It was nothing. I have to go. We can talk later."

"Wait! Can we-" She disconnected the call and headed back to the living room. As she walked back through the dining room she noticed a plate next to the wine glass with what looked like the remnants of the Thai food she had brought home from lunch. Rebecca let out a little sob and decided to ignore it.

Wednesday. 3:45 pm.

Rebecca sat at her desk, staring at her computer. She couldn't concentrate. Everything she did, she would swear she could hear an echo of the sound of it. It was really starting to bother her. She felt this eerie feeling like she was being watched. But she would turn, and no one was there. It made her want to just sit in her chair, still, and not do anything. Even the sounds of her typing on her computer keyboard caused an echoing sound that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She kept finding things around her apartment that she would swear she had not touched, or left out. A glass on the table. A plate in the sink. A pair of shoes left by the door. And this morning? That vibrator Renee had left her was tangled up in her sheets, the plastic packaging in the recycling bin. She knew without a doubt she had not opened it. Had she? She decided to call Renee and tell her everything.

"Rebecca, oh my god, you should have called me sooner! You sound terrible!" Renee's voice had an immediate soothing effect on her. But she still couldn't help whispering back, like someone might overhear her.

"It's been so strange, Renee. It's freaking me out. I've been sleeping on the couch with the TV on, because if it's too quiet, I swear I can hear someone else breathing!"

"Aw, honey, you are just too stressed! That job is going to kill you. Sixty hour work weeks are enough to make anyone go a little batshit, you know?"

"I know. Maybe you're right." Could it be that simple? Was she just totally stressed out?

"You've got that appointment at the spa tomorrow, before the party, right? Just look forward to that and try get out of your own head."

She was looking forward to the spa appointment. Another hour in the tank. She hoped it would clear her head and relieve some of this stress that had been making her feel like a crazy person. She had even taken a rare afternoon off, though she had to practically bargain her soul to get it. Tomorrow. She could hold out until tomorrow.

Thursday. 1:15 pm.

Rebecca floated serenely in the tank. She felt totally at peace. All the worries and cares of the last few days had completely melted away. The water embraced her like a gentle lover, and she felt safe. She wondered, in her dreamy haze, what she had been so worried about, after all. A few strange noises? Her apartment was in a very old house, and anyway, she had water trapped in her ear all week. What a silly thing to worry about.

She must have drifted off then, and started to dream. The same dream as before, the water lapping over her, caressing her, her breasts, her nipples, how did the water do that? It swirled around her nipples in such a delicious way, causing them to tighten up, become two little stones of pleasure. Rebecca sighed deeply, inhaling the salty scent of the tank. She thought she heard an echoing sigh, but this time it didn't scare her. The water crested over her ribcage and ran in rivulets down her belly, over her mons and between her legs. Trickles of water teased her clitoris, her lower lips, and she could feel herself becoming engorged with arousal.

And then the waves, again, between her legs, pushing them apart, pushing into her, filling her, rolling in and out of her like the hardest and softest lover she had ever known. Water, everywhere, all over her, teasing her nipples, flowing over her neck, tickling her face and relentlessly, insistently pushing pushing into her until she felt like she was made of water. As her orgasm claimed her and stiffened every muscle, Rebecca reached out to brace her hands against the sides of the tank, but she couldn't find any purchase. There was nothing there. Echoes of her own moans reverberated around her, bouncing off the metal walls of the tank until she couldn't make a sound because the water was in her mouth, up her nose, the salt stinging her eyes and the back of her throat.

Rebecca tried to gasp for air, tried to sit up, but the water was pressing her down, her head was under water. Her pleasure turned to panic as she reached out for something, anything to help pull herself up, but though she should have been able to, she could not reach the sides of the tank.

The water got heavier against her body, penetrating her everywhere it could, every orifice invaded by the dense salty mixture. With one last desperate motion Rebecca grabbed again for the side of the tank and felt her hand close around something else. Something smooth and soft and slim. Something that felt like bones and skin. She didn't care what it was, she pulled hard and was able to pull herself to a sitting position. She felt something grabbing at her arm at the same time but shook it off and reached desperately for the door of the tank. It should only be inches away and it would swing open easily, it would it would.

Rebecca heard herself panting and whimpering and the familiar echo of her voice as she felt the palm of her hand hit the door of the tank and push it open. She scrambled out and only looked back when she was mostly out of the tank. All she saw was a glimpse of pale flesh, wet tendrils of brown hair, dark eyes and a mouth that gaped open in a silent scream.

Her scream was not so silent. She slammed the door shut and leaned against it, and didn't stop screaming until the shocked and frightened spa attendant came crashing through the door to her room.

Rebecca could only back away from the tank and point at it. She choked out a few strangled words.

"There is someone in there, in the tank!"

The attendant was at a total loss for words. Without hesitating he threw open the door to the tank and looked inside.

And he saw Rebecca, sitting in the water with her knees pulled up to her chest, mouth open in terror, pointing outside the tank.

Rebecca heard her own voice scream and echo from within the tank, "There's someone out there, outside the tank!"