The rope had probably been there since the stone age he told them. Cave kids probably swung on it, he said. The branch tied to the end was worn smooth from the grip of a gazillion swingers. The pool beneath was deep and murky. There were rumours of water snakes, he said. The gang had gathered on the slope by the tree, jostling for position awkwardly, no-one really wanting to be first. Lewis had been here last summer, with some older kids. It's all in the takeoff, he said, and timing the release; not too early, not too late. He kicked off his shoes and pulled in the rope, backing up the slope as far as he could go. He launched himself and swung with a whoop, letting go and flying out into the water. His success gave them confidence and the others followed, scrambling back out after each jump, eager for another turn.
Ben lingered by the tree, shouting encouragement and cheering each leap. "Here, it's your go," someone said thrusting the rope into his hands. He took it and faced the water, the others paused and watched, waiting. Without warning he felt a shove from behind and the water was below him, the world turning upside down. His hands released unbidden and he flew...
(Words for my flash fiction A to Z supplied spontaneously by Monkey)
Wow! Great writing! I love how you're working on this A to Z challenge. Such a great idea. I need to work on writing, and something like this I'll think about for next year. If you have time, and want to, you can check out my D post.
ReplyDelete