text: So, how did I end up on a sprawling oasis in the middle of the Kalahari Desert? It’s a wet story, and it starts with a waterslide. A waterslide in a waterpark, to be exact. Now, I’m not a bad guy, but that day I somehow ended up a felon. Go figure. But probably the youngest, fittest, handsomest felon those small-town cops ever saw. I mean, the way my dark curls must have shimmered in the sun that day! Sorry. I’m regressing. I used to be an arrogant son of a bitch. I was young. Testing the waters. Anyway, I marched right up those perpetually wet concrete steps to stand in front of the highest, most epic slide in the park. Looked at the bored slide attendant and said, “Do you want to see a real waterslide?” She chewed on her gum and blew a bubble that popped loudly. “Cross your arms in front of your chest and keep your feet together.” “No, wait. Let me show you.” I stepped up to the slide and grinned at her. “I can turn things into water.” “Sure, and I’m a debt-free College student. Cross your arms in front of your-” She stopped as I touched the slide and the entire thing transformed to shimmering water. It was wet under my hand, but still kept its shape. Her mouth fell open and her gum dropped unceremoniously from it. “See!” I shouted, as the people on the stairs turned to look. “Just figured it out, yesterday!” I thought she’d be as enthusiastic as I was, but she just looked at me stupidly. “Can you change it back?” “What?” I had no idea. Hadn’t tried that, yet. “Cause, you know, my boss is gonna kill me if a slide turned to water on my watch.” “But...” I stuttered. “Don’t you see how amazing it is?” Tiny people far away on the ground were tilting their heads up to look. The girl shrugged. “It’s alright. Not as impressive as say, turning things to gold.” “Water is worth more than gold, miss,” I said. “It is the essence of life!” Without another word, I plunged into the slide. Rocketed down it with the shimmering sides rushing past. It was like shooting through the centre of a roaring tidal wave! I whooped and shouted, “I’m a superhero!” Then shot out of the tunnel and flew head-over-heels through the air. I flew too far and too fast. Right over the tiny pool meant to catch sliders. “Woa! Shit. Shit!” I shouted as I plummeted toward pure concrete. In a split-second decision, I squeezed my eyes shut and thought of water. Hit the ground with a harsh jar up my arm, before the concrete gave way and I plunged into cool wetness with a splash. People shouted and cheered. Ran over to me and pulled me out of the little pool I’d created. “How did you do that?” they said. “That was amazing!” “Can I try it?” I puffed out my muscular chest. “Yes. You can all try!” I looked down at the tiny hole of water I’d made, then back up at the slide, and cursed. Someone else was already shooting down it, clearly visible in the tube of glittering, aqua-tinged water. “Shit” I pushed everyone away. “Move. I gotta...” I had to make more water. I surged into a sprint, concrete transforming to water under my bare feet. Water that grew and rippled outward as people quickly backed away. I ran in a circle until I had a sizable pool in the concrete. At the same moment, the person shot out of the slide and through the air, brown hair flying around her. Landed in the middle of the new pool with a squeal of delight. I sighed in relief. “Okay. Now everyone can use the slide.” Some people were glaring at me, but most were racing toward the slide to have a turn. The next person shot through the air and hit the pool with a mighty splash a second later. I ginned as I was soaked by the powerful spray. “Most epic waterslide ever!” Then I turned, and a red-faced man with a big belly was an inch from my nose. “ What did you just do, you little hooligan?” Little? I was just as tall as him, although decidedly less thick. And who used the word hooligan, anymore? “I just made this the best waterpark in the country.” “You made my slide disappear! ” Do you know how much one of those costs?” I looked to where everyone in the park had gathered round my waterslide. “Are you kidding?” “You wish.” He jabbed a finger in my chest. “Change it back.” I shoved his hand away. “I don’t know how. And why would you want me to? Look at your customers.” “Some cheap trick,” he boomed. “A novelty that will wear off quicker than the heat in this concrete. Change it back, or I’m calling the cops.” “The cops?” I took a step back. “Really now, sir. That’s hardly...” He pulled out his phone and dialed 911. “...necessary. Shit.” I spun and bolted. Now, I know what you’re thinking. What a stupid thing to do. But I was young. Reckless. Vain. Along with this new epic power, I was the fastest kid at my college, and here was the perfect opportunity to test out my speed and powers. So, I ran. “Hey, get back here!” the owner shouted. I glanced back and stuck out my tongue. Immature, I know. I was, back then. “Catch that kid!” the man yelled dramatically. Kid? I was twenty-two. Hardly a kid. Although, I did have a springy youthfulness that was easy to mistake for a surly teenager. I turned back to my front and picked up speed. “The chase begins!” Ahead of me, security was closing the exit gates. Crap! I darted left and leaped onto the tall fence. Climbed that thing like a lemur until I reached the barbed wire at the top. The owner was shouting into his phone. Security was racing to ambush me at the other side of the fence. Humm... could my power work on metal? I touched the barbed wire, and it instantly turned to shimmering water that my hand could pass right through. Yes! I vaulted over the top and splashed right through the transformed barbed wire. Then dropped down the other side. “Heads up!” The security guards stood back, then rushed me when I hit the ground in a crouch. I turned the ground to water as they raced in, and we all plunged in at the exact same moment. I was ready. They weren’t. As they thrashed in their heavy uniforms, I, light in my swim trunks, glided to the edge, vaulted out and ran. Sirens blared in the distance. I knew, even then, that I was being reckless. Running guaranteed that the cops would chase me down like hunting dogs on the trail of a fox. But I was young and stupid and though I was invincible. Light in bare feet and trunks, I raced like a cheetah. Swerved onto the road just as a police car skidded into view behind me, siren blaring. In the distance, I heard a great splash and screams. Had my waterslide collapsed? I didn’t have time to think about it. Too busy sprinting over concrete as the police car raced up behind me, loudspeaker blaring. “Stop! You’re under arrest!” Not I’m not, I thought, as I turned the ground at my feet to water. It spread out behind me and transfromed the road to an aqua river, On the sidewalk, people stopped to watch and shout. Cars ahead of me pulled up with squealing tires and swerved onto side roads. The siren behind me cut off abruptly, and I spun to see the police car pull up at the edge the new, urban river. Ha! Stopped him in his tracks. Now everyone was shouting and staring. Mobile phones and freaking news cameras appeared out of nowhere and followed me as I turned back around and kept running. Kept turning the road to a glittering clear river. Then a freaking helicopter appeared in the air. The blare of at least six sirens sounded from ahead. Crap! I was stuck, now. I skidded to a stop as the police cars swerved into view and cops surged out with guns drawn. Wind from the helicopter beat over my head. “Run, and we’ll shoot!” they shouted in booming unison. Could I turn bullets to water before they tore through me? Would turning them to water stop their destructive force and speed? I didn’t want to find out. Gasping, I raised my hands. Now, I don’t want to generalize, but I have a feeling some cops take out their insecurities and repressed aggression on anyone they can nail with a crime. They were unnecessarily rough with me. Rude and belittling. Let me tell you, it was a bruise to the ego. But I co-operated. Repressed the urge to turn their handcuffs to water. Or, better yet, their uniforms. I just quietly laughed to myself as I imagined them all wearing see-thought wetsuits. But I was afraid of those guns, so I behaved. “What elaborate hoax was that?” they shouted. “A magician never reveals his secrets.” That comment got me a right twist in the arm that made me scream. I still feel the ache in my shoulder to this day. “Tell it to the judge,” a cop growled in my ear. My eyes were watering, now, but I smiled as they hauled me away. If they thought it was just an elaborate trick, then I still had the upper hand. They threw me in a cell and stationed a guard outside it. A big, scary-looking guy who stared at me like a giant Rottweiler, ready to pounce if I made a single wrong move. It made me tense, at first. But after a few hours, I got used to his menacing presence. I casually turned on the TV and lounged on my bed to watch. I was all over the news, of course. Footage of me running over the road as it transformed to water behind me. “Tahir, last name unknown,” a voiceover commented over the images, “has been charged with mischief, vandalism, destruction of property, and manslaughter.” “What?” I sat up straighter. The image changed to show the waterpark, and my waterslide crashing down like a waterfall while someone was clearly inside. It must have collapsed the second I was out of view. My stomach dropped as I watched the tiny figure plummet with the water down to pure concrete, below. A news reporter appeared and spoke beside the image. “Sixteen-year-old Maya Sands sustained serious injuries and later died in hospital. Other spectators suffered minor...” The voice became distorted in my ears as I gripped my head. “Died?” I staggered to my feet and slammed the TV off. No, that didn’t happen. I didn’t just kill a teenage girl. “Yeah,” said the deep voice of the guard, slamming me with a reality I didn’t want to face. “Thought it was all games, didn’t you? Now you’re going away for a long time, motherfucker.” His voice sounded distorted and far away, like I was listening to it from underwater. I groaned and collapsed onto the hard bed. Closed my eyes and tried to drown out reality. I felt sick. Dizzy. Wished I had the power to turn back time, instead of turn things to water. I stayed like that for a long time, in a daze. Barely even noticed when the guard left to do a round of the prison. How could I ever make up for what I’d just done? I certainly couldn’t do it rotting in a cell for years. I had good intentions, but would never convince a judge and jury of that. In the middle of the night, I sat up and decided. I would escape. It was quiet right now, only sound, the periodic jangle of keys as a new guard did his rounds. When he came my way I quickly covered my head with my thin blanket and lay still, facing the concrete wall on one side of the bed. I heard a squeak of boots as the officer stopped outside my cell. Could feel him glaring at me. I twitched and made to mutter in my sleep, then grew still, again. After what seemed an eternity, he walked on and his keys resumed their eerie clatter. I stayed still as a statue until I was sure he was gone. Then crawled out of the blankets and arranged them back into a shape more or less like they’d been when I was sleeping under them. Climbed out the side of the bed, slid under it on my belly, and touched the concrete wall. Instantly, it turned to water that spread until it was wide enough for me to fit. I pulled myself through the veil of cool water. It separated easily for me. Flowed over my clothes and soaked me. The rest of it seeped into the earth on the other side. Wet and muddy, I stood and nearly whopped in triumph, before I shut my mouth. Idiot. I still had to get past the gate. It was easy, though. And I’m not saying that to brag. I was beyond arrogance at this point. All I could think about was making amends. But when any barrier can turn to soft water, well, escape from anywhere is pretty easy. So, I crept along the wall to the barbed gate, turned it to cool liquid, and slipped past it out into the night. From there, I hid in the woods during the day and raided stores at night. Yes, it was wrong. No, I didn’t take more than I needed. I left the places as untouched as I could. My face was all over the news. I couldn’t risk being seen by anyone. I made my own pools to drink and bathe from (in that order, thank you very much). My water was fresh, clean and uncontaminated. A precious resource we always take for granted. Through stealth, and my elusive ability to pass any barrier, I made it to Mexico. Then stowed away on a ship headed for sub-Saharan Africa. I won’t bore you with the details. Let’s just say it was a long and painful trip, before I was standing in the middle of the Kalahari Desert, looking out on rippling waves of sand. I threw off my sweaty shoes and socks and walked in a wide circle, water rushing from my feet and rippling outward, until I had an oasis of pure, fresh water. My first new friend found me while I was at it. “Hey!” I spun in the direction of the voice and saw a dark man in a white robe and colourful hat. “You’re the waterboy from America, right? Tahir?” Waterboy? Was that what they were calling me? I glared at him. “So, what if I am?” He laughed. “You showed those coppers who’s boss.” I stood still and tense as a statue. “Are you going to turn me in?” “Hey, what you did in America is not my business. “ He nodded at the water. “That drinkable?” “Best you’ll ever taste.” I waved him over. “Come on, try some.” He smiled and strode up to me. “There is a poor village just a few kilometres from here.” “I know,” I said. “That’s why I chose this spot.” “You came halfway around the world, to give fresh water to a country you’ve never been to?” I shrugged. “Just heard this place has limited fresh water.” “Well you can’t always trust what you hear. Most of us are fine. Some of the poor villages don’t have access to clean water, though.” “Exactly.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “There is poverty in every country, including America. Why come here?” I knelt and ran my hand through the glittering water. “My country doesn’t want me. I thought my skill would be more useful in a place like this.” “You weren’t wrong about that. You seem like a good man, Tahir.” “Not yet.” I stood and looked at him. “But I start, now.” He smiled, and knelt to take a drink. It wasn’t long before plants started to grow around my Oasis. I built a series of huts with help from some builders. Put up a watering station and bathing station. People are constantly coming from nearby villages to gather water, and I love to talk to them every day. I created my own little paradise in this hot, unforgiving desert. And this is where I sit, now. In a handmade wooden hammock, on a boardwalk that stretches over the blue water of my lake. The plants are so thick and vibrant, you’d never know this was a desert. Eventually, I’ll get my friend to take over, here, and I’ll go somewhere else. Set up a new oasis outside another village. Maybe someday, my work will be enough for me to go home without being arrested and thrown in jail. Until then, I’ll use my ability the best way I know how, and spend the rest of my life making up for that one, horrible mistake. My first oasis is called Maya Sands. Everything I do now, is for her. It will never be enough, but a lifetime is all I have. I’d give it all up to turn back time just once. But we can’t choose our abilities. We can only choose how we use them. I know I’ll make the most of mine.