The Creature from Club Lagoona Read Online Free Page A

through the water. I tried to stroke. I tried to kick. But I didn’t seem to move any closer to the surface.
    Then I heard the noise. That same strange whirring I’d noticed before. The whirring that I heard when the diver vanished. It came from somewhere in the pool.
    My eyes adjusted to the saltwater. I caught a glimpse of something large and green in the pool with me.
    It was long and thick. Maybe I could grab it and save myself! I tried to paddle toward it.
    Luckily it was heading my way!
    I tried to focus my eyes on it. What could it be? A log? No, it wiggled too much.
    The strange green thing moved closer. Suddenly it lashed out! It wrapped around my arm.
    That’s when I realized what it was.
    A tentacle.
    An enormous sea creature had me in its slimy, powerful grasp!
    My arms and legs jerked into action. I had no control over them. My hands reached out as if I were clutching the water ahead of me. My legs shot out behind me and kicked like crazy.
    I couldn’t worry about drowning. My only thought was to get away. To get out of that pool!
    I plowed through the water, my heart pounding. The tentacle slid off my arm.
    My body kicked into high gear now. The water split in front of me.
    I broke through the surface so fast, I rose out of the water. I sucked in giant gulps of air. I caught a glimpse of the side of the pool.
    Barry still stood there, watching me.
    I didn’t waste any time. I flung myself through the water.
    A minute later my knuckles scraped against cement. I grabbed the side and locked on. In one smooth motion I pulled my body right out of the pool.
    I lurched onto the sand, gasping for breath.
    Barry stood over me. “Your form needs some major work, Tadpole. But, boy, was that fast!” he said.
    My heart pounded. I struggled to catch my breath. I had to tell Barry. I swam like that only because I had to escape a monster!
    I panted and wheezed.
    Finally, I stood up. “Barry.” I coughed. “Listen, I have to tell you. There’s something weird in that pool. Some kind of—monster!”
    Barry stared at me. Grinning.
    â€œI know this sounds crazy,” I continued, “but I saw a diver disappear in the deep end. He went down and never came back up. I heard this weird whirring noise. And that’s not all.” My words came faster and faster. “Something came up from the deep end just now. It was big and green. It looked like a tentacle. It reached out and grabbed my arm!”
    Barry smiled. “Big and green, huh?” he asked.
    â€œYes!” I nodded.
    â€œAnd kind of long and squiggly?” he continued. I nodded again.
    â€œTad, what grabbed you wasn’t a monster. It was a piece of seaweed.” Barry laughed.
    â€œSeaweed?” I demanded. “No way. What would seaweed be doing in a pool?”
    â€œClub Lagoona promises to give you the water adventure of a lifetime. Right?” Barry asked.
    â€œYeah . . .” I said uncertainly.
    â€œSo we try to make everything as realistic as possible. Our saltwater Atlantis pool actually has seaweed growing from the bottom. Neat, huh?” Barry punched my arm.
    I thought about the thing that grabbed me. It was big and green and kind of slimy. Maybe it was seaweed.
    Maybe.
    â€œLighten up, Tad!” Barry shook his head at me. “That’s what Club Lagoona is all about. Having fun, relaxing, and getting wet! ” He dipped his foot in the pool and splashed me.
    â€œDon’t forget, Tad, your Sink or Swim trial is first thing tomorrow morning. That’s where we separate the rocks from the jocks! The ‘sinkers’ from the ‘swimmers.’ Your performance in that race will determine which swimming class you’ll be in,” Barry explained. “From what I saw just now, I doubt you’ll be swimming with the Sharks, but—”
    â€œThe Sharks?” I interrupted, my eyes wide.
    â€œThe advanced swimming class,” Barry