In Deep with Janine

By Vaughan Stanger

Originally published in Stillwaters Journal (2002), In Deep with Janine is a short story that might just send you diving into the deep end. So, hold your breath and take the plunge. But be careful down there...

In a review of this story, Marshall Payne wrote: "Most of Vaughan Stanger's short fiction is SF, but this piece is a slice of urban fantasy, told in his warm style and with characters who come alive. A moving, compelling character study. I really enjoyed this one. You might too!"

In a review of this story, "Runmentionable" wrote: "If you like Fritz Leiber's "Smoke Ghost" or Jerzy Skolimowski's "Deep End", you'll like this, and if you like 'em both, you'll love it, as it's the place where they meet. You'll like it anyway. An authentically creepy tale, a darkly humorous tone and a unique setting - what's not to like?"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vaughan Stanger
• Release date: Sep 10, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301904617

Vaughan Stanger

Until recently, Vaughan Stanger worked as a research manager at a British engineering company. From 1997 to 2011, he wrote science fiction and fantasy stories in his spare time, effectively setting himself homework. The results of this head-scratching were published in Nature Futures, Interzone, Postscripts, Daily Science Fiction and Music for Another World, to name but a few. Translations of his stories have appeared in nine languages.In January 2012 Vaughan became a full-time writer. Currently he's busy writing an SF novel. The head-scratching has got worse if anything. There are also some new stories in the works, plus further e-book compilations of his previously published stories to come.

Book preview

Introduction

Most of my stories are science fiction. In Deep with Janine is one of the few exceptions. Originally published in the June 2002 edition of an on-line magazine called Stillwaters Journal — and in fact my first story to be published anywhere — this slice of urban fantasy remains one of my personal favourites.

In Deep with Janine was inspired by observing at first hand the replacement of a rather dilapidated, old-style municipal swimming pool by a leisure centre facility. It offered the same size pool and was undoubtedly a lot cleaner, but I wasn't impressed by its sanitised, child-friendly modernity. Still, that's progress for you.

If you enjoy swimming in an indoor pool and like your fictional mysteries spiced with a splash of erotica, then this story might be just your thing.

But no, I've never met Janine...

(Honest!)

Warning: This story is not suitable for minors

In Deep with Janine

Sean Devlin's eyes were stinging so badly that it seemed as if they had been pierced by splinters of razor-shell rather than immersed in chlorinated water. Swimming blind, he misjudged his stroke and jarred his left hand against the concrete wall of the swimming pool. He hooked one arm over the lip of the drainage channel and wriggled his fingers in the flow. With his other hand, he flipped his goggles upwards and allowed the water to drain out. Having adjusted the strap, he took a deep breath and ducked his head beneath the surface of the pool.

Winter sunlight streamed down into the blue trench of the deep end, highlighting the streaks of muck and fluff that had accumulated there since the pool had last been cleaned. To Sean's eyes,