Swim

'One for you, one for you, and two for me,' I murmured. Grubby little hands stretched out to snatch the promised chocolate from my own. I handed it to them, then shovelled two larger pieces into my already brown rimmed mouth. It was cheap, bad chocolate, bought in the sale after easter.1

We sat on the hot park bench together, short skirts stuck to our legs, dusty feet swinging. Insects buzzed around our heads. We licked our fingers. 2

'Can we go now?' Lydia asked me. Her whine drilled into my head, but I nodded and got up.3

'Let's go and have a look at the lake.' My sisters looked at me, shocked. Mom had banned us from anywhere near it, years ago. 'Well, come on, then!' I snapped. I was angry at their uncertainty.4

We shuffled down the path between brown grass, to the brown lake by the brown trees. It was really a little concrete-floored pond, but to us it seemed huge. 5

'It's so hot! Let's swim.' Marie jumped with impatience.6

'Yeah - why not?' I said, and began to peel off my sandals.7

'Oh no, Sandy, don't... I was only joking!' She was frightened! I laughed - Marie was always scared. Swaggering toward her, I put on a baby voice.8

'What's the matter? Don't you want to swim?' She backed away from me. 'Go on!' I said, and pushed her. She fell into the water, floundering in the shallows. I jumped in after her, and started to tickle her. She giggled, wriggling away from me. Lydia joined the scrum, and we were all laughing now, enjoying ourselves. I pushed Lydia away, to get at her better, but she lost her footing and fell. She came up angry, and shoved me. I pulled her hair, but she grabbed my head and held it underwater as I kicked and struggled, holding my breath for as long as I could. Then I could not, and I breathed in, a huge gulping gasp. The dirty water flooded into my mouth and into my lungs, and before my watery vision petered out altogether, I saw her laughing.9