Except for the fact, that the gap, over it's many decades of damage, had filled up. The hole, filled with broken twigs, fallen leaves, soil, and assorted natural debris. It made a stout fill. This meant that the tree, had created its own platform. A solid, fairly flat base, such as might be built deliberately, for a tree house. From that point, the branches multiplied, and spread out, as trees do. Giving the platform a degree of secrecy, and as the branches rose, spread, and flushed with leaves. This gave shelter from the weather. Be it rain, or sun, the platform remained a natural arbour, sheltered, and secret.
Of course, as is the way with children, two who lived nearby, discover the tree house, and make it theirs. From the time, they could first reach high enough to climb it, they used it for their games. This was several years ago, but still they used it. They were Tarzan in the jungle, or a submarine, ready to dive into the pool below. They were an aeroplane flying over the sea, looking for survivors. They played house, and had adventures, they spotted planes from the higher branches. Or watched for, or hid from pretend lions on the platform. They picnicked there, and shared secrets, but never did they share it with any of their freinds. No one else lived close anyhow. So it did not arise, it remained their secret.
It became a refuge too. At times, when the grownups were busy, or hard to understand, they hid there. Whispering, and playing their imaginary games. They watched the water, a lot. It fascinated them, the way the water rippled with small insects, and the swallows swooping low, over its surface to feed. Sometimes, it was water hens buildings nests, sometimes ducks came to swim. These, ducking down, with heads underwater, and tails wiggling in the air. Baby birds were born, moorhens, ducklings, took their turn swimming around the pool. Once they saw a rat, slithering through the mud at the edge of the pond, before disappearing in the direction of the nearby stream.That had been nasty, if fascinating. Mostly, they liked to see the life on, and around the water. They imagined something mysterious, lived deep down inside, where it was darkest. People said the pond had no bottom, it went on for ever.
One day, when it was cooler, and the wind blew, the younger child, a girl, balancing on a branch, fell. Her agile body, suddenly ungainly, splashed into the water. Immediately, the dark water closed over her head, cutting off the sharp, scared cry. The older child, a boy, slid down the tree, and balancing on the edge of the pond, calling for the missing child. Nothing stirred, only after what seemed a long time, did the small head break the surface of the water again. Hair, an arm, a pale frightened face, mouth open, sank again like a stone. The boy made an involuntary move towards her, calling her name. Feet now wet, slipping on the wet mud, realising he could not reach so far. The child had fallen far out into the pond. All that was left, was bubbles, breaking the surface. No further glimpse of head, or limbs. It was as if the water, had swallowed the small body completely.
Neither the small boy, nor his sister could swim, and did not know what to do. No grownups were close that day, nor did they know where the two children were. Not realising, that when they went to play outside, they went so far. For, it had been their closely gaurded secret. The little boy was terrified, and shivering, crying with fright. In shock already, with the surge of adrenaline the fright released inside him, causing his body to shake, and tremble. With no further sign of either body, or bubbles, the boy hunched down, hugging his knees oblivious of the wet mud underneath his hips. So scared, and shocked he could not frame a coherent thought of what to do next. Could not think where to run, who to tell, or what he could do now. He knew, with the certainly of all children, what trouble he would be in, returning without his sister. He waited, for what, he did not know.
After a while, so unbelievable was the whole incident, that he climbed the tree, to the platform, half expecting to see the girl still there. Except she wasn't, the tree was empty, and as still as the pond beneath. He did not know how long he sat there, but the light was changing, evening was approaching. What was he to do? He could not return home without her. He was meant to be her guardian, something he realised he failed to do. As she was now lost to him, but where was she? In all tales about people falling in the water, they had splashed, and fought to float, to be rescued.
As the dusk drew in, he still sat, soggy, and dirty from the mud, on the edge of the pool. Not knowing what else to do. His frightened brain, numb, and confused. Staring, at the spot in the centre of the pond, where he had last seen her. Suddenly, he saw first one bubble, then two, then a group, breaking the surface, bursting as they did so. As it did when a large fish was near the surface. He jumped to his feet, hope springing into his heart. Hair, there was hair on the water again, and the same small, wet head. Mouth closed this time, no terror in the face. As more of her body came into view, shoulders, an arm, pink tee shirt, he saw she was supported. Other arms were holding her, sliding her toward the edge of the water, over to where he now stood. Pale arms, long hair, small sweet face, another girl? How is that possible, neither of them could have breathed under water for so long, could they?
Nearing the edge now, he could see more of the strange girl, she was shiny, like a fish. Her hair was slick, and colourless, her eyes two deep, pale green pools in her face. The skin, was pale too, like the underbelly of a snake. He wondered if it were dry, or wet to the touch. He did not understand what it was that held his sister, but he felt no danger, to either of them. His sister was wet, water dripping from her hair, her eyes, and her clothes. She was not dead, not lost, she was smiling, and...breathing.
The boy was standing, by now, although it was hard to balance. Slowly, the pale girl, placed his sister at his feet, where he helped her stand. He grasped her hard, she was really there, really alive. The smaller girl protested at his tight hold, trying to turn towards the larger, pale girl still in the water. Reluctant to leave her, or maybe, for her to go. She was not speaking to her, it was as if they communicated some other way. Both girls smiled, as friends will, when they like each other. When they understand each other.
It was only now, the boy noticed the pale girl had stayed, half submerged in the water. Without him having the wits to say anything, his sister stood, and waved, as the larger girl turned away. With a splash, and a flick of her iridescent tail, she was gone.
A tail, she had a tail, like a fish, but different. She was a mermaid! Suddenly, the boy was sitting again, his legs unable to support him. He felt as if he were like his grandfather, who wobbled, and had to sit suddenly, sometimes, unexpectedly. He understood now, how he felt. As all the strength went from his legs, and his back. It was a strange sensation, in one always so full of energy. His sister was looking sad, staring at the water, musingly.
"Was that a mermaid", he said, "did a mermaid come out of the pond?" his eyes trying to bore into her brian, for the answer. "Was it!" he almost barked. The little girl, in her dripping clothes, looked at him in some surpise. "Of course it was, I know you saw her tail. She said she would show it to you"
The boy had so many questions, and suspicions, that only a splutter came out. How could it be, what he thought he saw. How did his sister survive under water all that time? Was she really here, or did he imagine it, as he was very afraid of going home without her.
Still, his mouth would not form all the words he wanted to say. "She taught me to swim" the girls said, very excited. "I can swim now, she's said I must teach you. Water is dangerous if you can't swim" Her brother held up his hand, palm towards her, a sign to stop talking. "Where did you go, why didn't you drown?" He said. "How did you breathe?". His sister, with a big sigh, because she was tired, said, "The mermaid caught me, when I fell into the water. She dived with me, really deep, into a cave, and I could breathe there. She said it's all a big, big secret, we must tell no one".
As they walked home, gradually, the small girl told him everything. How the mermaid watched them when they played there, she liked to see them happy together, as her own brother lived far away. Now, because the girlf fell, she knew she must show her how to swim. "It was easy", she told him, very proudly. "Tomorrow I will show you how to swim too." Continuing, telling him the whole story. She said all children, should learn how to swim when they were small. That way, she wouldn't have to worry about little children falling in, and drowning. Because she wasn't always close enough to save them, and she hated that.
"Will you let me teach you" the girl asked her brother. "Of course" he said, "it was scary thinking you were drowned" the girl squeezed his hand, pleased with his answer. As they slipped into their house, and quickly Into the bathroom to change for bed. They didn't want to lie to their parents, ano knew they must not speak of the mermaid. They were lucky, to slip in without being seen. Perhaps the mermaid was doing more of her magic.
During the next few days, she taught her brother to swim. Then, they both promised the middle of the dark pool, that they would teach as many children as they could, to swim. They knew the mermaid was watching them, and listening. Aftert that, they were safe near water, and neither of them ever forgot the mermaid, or how important it is for children to be able to swim.
Are there small children in your family who can't swim? Remember the mermaid, and teach them now.
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