Tuesday, December 23, 2008

fly like the eagle bird...

The swing was bright yellow in colour. She and her friends would take turns on it every day, trying to swing faster each time. It was she who came up with the idea. According to her, as the swing went high in the air, at the precise moment, in the precise position, if one jumped, one would fly... “just like that eagle bird Mama pointed out that day.” And of course everyone believed her. She was, after all, the one who made that ‘flying saucer thingie’.
She wanted to be the first to fly, so she mounted the swing. Feeling the familiar surge of energy (or adrenaline, as the grown-ups would say), which came every time she embarked on one of her adventures, she pushed off and kicked her legs to and fro with all her might. The swing rose high and for some reason, the image of her favourite chocolate truffle cake (“the one my Mama makes!”) came to her mind. She pumped her legs with as much energy as she could muster. The swing went faster and faster. She could hear her friends cheering, somewhere far below. At the precise moment, in the precise position, she let go. She flew for precisely 2.3 seconds before she crashed. She whispered to herself as her friends ran to her side, “Next time, I should jump after about five more seconds. Then I’ll fly like that eagle bi... Mama show...” And then, she lost consciousness...