Page 47 of A Long Way Back
“A secret. Come on, let’s see what the place looks like and where we can put your crutches. I don’t know how slippery it will be, so watch out.”
Tay was relieved the place wasn’t busy. Even better, the pool was a walk-in with a non-slip dimpled floor.
“Wait for me,” Ink said and headed to the lifeguard’s chair.
He came back smiling. “We can leave the crutches under his lookout, okay?”
Tay handed them over. He thought about making for the water but decided to wait.
Ink came back to his side. “Want to hook your arm into mine? That’s you touching me, right? Not me touching you, so it doesn’t count.”
“Let me try and get in on my own.”
“Okay.”
Tay headed unsteadily towards the water taking small steps. When he realised how warm it was, he sighed and kept going. Ink waded in next to him. When they were in up to their lower chests and it was finally deep enough to swim, Tay hesitated.
“Look what I bought you.” Ink put his hand in the back pocket of his trunks and pulled out a small yellow duck.
Tay chuckled.
Ink threw it a little way ahead. “Oh no, Duckie’s drowning. Save him!”
Tay took a deep breath and launched himself into the water. He grabbed the duck and turned to see Ink splashing his way towards him.
“You saved him. You’re my hero.”
“Shut up.” But Tay laughed.
As they swam around the pool, Tay felt more and more confident. The water wasn’t deep, so if he did get into trouble, he could just stand up. Ink looked in more danger than him.
“Who taught you to swim?” Tay asked.
“A merman. Summer Splash School. Want to go on the slide?”
Tay gaped at him. “I can’t.”
“Who says? All you have to do is sit and slide.”
Tay looked up at the curving green and yellow tube. “And climb all those steps.”
“Take it steady. You can do it.”
“Okay then.”
It felt like a marathon, negotiating the winding stairs, every step an effort. Ink stayed behind him, and Tay was reassured by his presence, but he didn’t need to help. Kids raced past Tay, but he finally made it to the platform. He had a bit of trouble sitting down, but he was glad Ink didn’t step forward to give him a hand.
“Need to carry Duckie?” Ink held out the duck.
“You bring him.”
Tay pushed off hard and lay back. It wasn’t a fast ride, but it was fun. In and out of tunnels, around bends, down steep sections and moving faster and faster. All over in seconds. He flew out of the end of the tube into a small pool, surfaced smiling, and swam forward to the steps. When he heard the muffled sounds of Ink yelling as he came down the tube, he turned to see the duck emerge first, then Ink, with an almighty splash, arms and legs splayed. He swam over to Tay, collecting Duckie on the way.
“That was fantastic. Want to do it again?” Ink beamed at him.
Tay managed one more go before he couldn’t face another ascent of the stairs. Ink persuaded him into the exercise pool which had been marked off into lanes. Tay used the metal ladder to get in. Ink jumped. Once Tay found his rhythm doing the crawl, he felt as if he could keep going and going. Ink was much slower than him and only did one length to Tay’s three.
“Are you part fish?” Ink gasped. “Show me your gills.”
