The Small Things

Author's Note- I got this idea while watching some lifeguard show on TLC. See, TV can be edumacational! Enjoy, and this is a true condition.

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It was a bright, warm sunny day in Orlando, perfect for going to the beach. This was Nsync's first day off in a month, and they couldn't have planned it better. They been excited since they woke up, and after eating breakfast, they practically ran down to the beach, surf boards and credit cards in hand.

They waited impatiently as Joey and J.C. rented two jetskis from a place on the dock. Chris and Justin kept their eyes glued to their target, the ocean. When they got the okay from J.C., they took off in full sprint to the beach. As they ran, they shed their shirts, throwing them in a pile on the sand. The sun warmed their smooth, muscular chests as they ran into the water.

"You'd think they had caught on fire or something," Lance mumbled to J.C. They smiled as they walked behind the others.

"Yeah, well the beach isn't going anywhere," J.C. replied.

"Come on, I'll race ya," Lance said, the other's enthusiasm rubbing off on him.

"Oh yeah?" J.C. said, smiling. "Bring it on."

He and Lance took off for the water. They raced al the way in the water, then playfully began wrestling in the cool saltwater. Justin and Chris went by on their surfboards, riding the waves that this perfect day had brought them. Chris was giving Justin some pointers as they went, trying to improve the kid's ability. Off in the distance, Joey was jetsking, and impatiently waiting for someone to join him.

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After two hours of swimming, wrestling, jetsking, and surfing, they were finally starting to wear out. They were getting hungry, thirsty, and their fingers and toes had gotten wrinkly.

"We better round up the kids," J.C. teased, yelling to Joey.

Joey looked over and saw Chris trying to teach Justin how to surf standing on his head. "Don't they ever get worn out?" Joey teased, starting towards them on his jetski. "Hey guys, we're gonna head in now," Joey said, pulling up next to them.

"Why?" Chris asked, upside down.

"Because we're hungry and I know you two are too," Joey said, wondering how Chris could stand on his head for so long. Suddenly, a huge urge to tip his friend over overtook him. He reached out and pushed Chris over, making him fall into the saltwater, headfirst.

He and Justin cracked up as Chris was submerged in the water. A few seconds later, he came back up, coughing and rubbing his nose. "Hey man, I'm sorry," Joey said, laughing. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Chris said, grabbing his surfboard. "Just got some water up my nose and it stings," Chris said. Then suddenly, he lunged for Joey's leg and grabbed him, pulling him in the water. The two wrestled for a few minutes while Justin cracked up. Then the two figures disappeared.

"Guys?" Justin called, his smile fading. The next thing he knew, he was flying through the air then landed in the water. He was vaguely aware of his swimming trunks being pulled off as he resurfaced. "Not fair!" he yelled, seeing Joey and Chris laughing as they swam to the jetski.

"I know," Chris laughed, holding up Justin's red and purple swimming trunks. Then he and Joey got on the jetski and started it.

"NO! Don’t even!" Justin yelled, watching his friends drive off. "Shit," he mumbled.

~>~>~>~~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>

"That was cruel," J.C. said in seriousness, looking at Chris holding up Justin's trunks. Then he burst into laughter. "But hilarious!"

They were standing on the dock, returning the jetskis. Off in the distance, they could see a very pissed off Justin floating next to his surfboard.

"Yeah, I guess someone better help him before he has a heart attack," Chris mumbled. He tossed the swimming trunks to Lance. "Here. Go give these to him."

"Why me?" Lance asked.

"Because he hates me now," Chris said, smiling. He knew Justin didn’t really hate him, he was just very mad right now.

"Fine," Lance mumbled, heading back down to the beach.

"Let's go get something to eat while we wait for them," Joey said. "I'm starving."

"I'm thirsty," Chris added, still tasting the saltwater from when Joey pushed him.

J.C. looked at them. "Okay, you guys go find a place to eat while I finish here. Then we'll up to you guys, okay?"

"K," Joey agreed, then both of them took off to find a place to eat.

They stopped at a hot dog stand that had a few tables set up around it. They each ordered a Pepsi, then sat down to wait for the others. At the table next to them sat a lifeguard, probably on lunch break. At another table sat three guys, judging the girls as they walked by.

Joey secretly joined them, judging the girls in front of him in his mind as Chris began drinking his Pepsi.

Suddenly Chris felt as if a ton of bricks fell on his chest. He couldn't breathe anymore as he motioned for Joey. He stood up after not getting Joey's attention. Then things grew black as he fell to the ground.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Man, she is fine!' Joey thought, agreeing with the table of guys that were watching the perfect redhead pass in front of them.

He saw Chris get up but only realized he was in trouble when Chris fell unconscious to the ground. "Chris!" he yelled, catching the attention of the lifeguard next to them. They were both instantly at Chris's side.

"What happened?" the lifeguard asked. The embroidered name on his jacket read 'Sanders'.

"I don’t know," Joey replied, in shock. "He was fine, then he just passed out." He watched as the lifeguard felt for Chris's pulse.

The lifeguard pulled out his radio and announced, "Tower, come in. This is Nick Sanders, area five. I got a code red at Jim's hot dog stand. Requesting back up and ambulance immediately!"

"I'm guessing he's not okay?" Joey asked, his throat tight.

"No," the lifeguard said, beginning CPR. "Did he inhale any saltwater today?"

"Uh…Yeah, I think so. That's why he got a Pepsi, because it made him thirsty."

The lifeguard continued the CPR, breathing into Chris. "His lungs have collapsed," the lifeguard said, concentrating on saving Chris.

The ambulance pulled up, along with two more lifeguard trucks. When they came over, Nick told them, "Parking lot drowning."

The others nodded, and placed Chris on a stretcher, then loaded him in the ambulance and sped off. Joey turned and saw Justin, Lance, and J.C. running towards him. "What happened?" J.C. asked.

"It's Chris…" Joey started, looking to one of the lifeguards that stayed behind.

"Come with me," the lifeguard said, heading to his truck. "I'll take you guys to the hospital."

~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>~>

"Good news gentlemen," the doctor announced as he approached the four young men. "Your friend is going to be okay."

They breathed a sigh of relief as Joey asked, "What happened?"

"It's a condition called parking lot drowning. It happens when a person inhales saltwater. The water can cause the lungs to collapse up to three hour after it gets inhaled. When your friend drank the Pepsi, it reacted with the saltwater and caused the lungs to collapse immediately. It's a good thing you were sitting next to lifeguard Sanders, or Mr. Kirkpatrick would have died."

"Christ," J.C. gasped as the others sat with their mouths wide open.

"He's stable and awake now, you can go see him if you wish," the doctor added before leaving.

The others got up and filed into room 403. They were greeted by Chris's teasing, "Hey Curly, found your trunks?"

They all smiled at Chris's energy. "Yeah Crisco, I got them, " Justin replied.

"Guess you're feeling okay," Joey said, smiling.

"Of course, nothing could keep me down." Then Chris thought for a minute. "Except for a pretty girl."

"God, now he's talking like Joey," Lance whispered to J.C.

Joey laughed as he said, "That's my man!"

"So, when are we heading back out?" Chris asked, eager to get back to the beach.

"Soon," J.C. replied, smiling and thankful for the safe return of their friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finnis

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