Need A Friend?

• Kaelin Glancy, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2021

“Everyone into the water!” The voice of my crazy Brazilian instructor, Jake, flooded my ears. On his left foot, he had a pink sock pulled up to his knee and on the right, he had a flip-flop with the Aussie Flag and a green and gold boxing kangaroo, which according to him was about to become the next fashion trend.
Running towards the water, I forced myself to a halt. The water had a green mystical tinge to it as though it was desperate for something. I wondered off into thought…
‘Is it Sad? Angry? Hungry? Desperate??’
With a tap on my shoulder, my thoughts came to an abrupt halt. Startled, I eased my body into the icy water. My bones throbbed like falling into the coldest parts of the arctic sea. The coarse sand stung the soft tissue underneath my feet. A chilly breeze swept up from behind me nearly knocking me off balance. Goosebumps swallowed my body whole. Adrenaline pumped through my veins like never before.
Sliding into a canoe, I felt the puddle of water start to seep into my swimmers. Now I was drenched from head to toe, no way of getting out. Waves lapping over the edge, threatening to take us down at any second. Paddling left then right, I could feel the paddle slipping out of my grip. The muscles in my arms started to throb with all different emotions. My lactic acid built up, making every stroke harder than the last.
Balancing my paddle across the canoe, I began to stare into the depths of the water. The soft ripples were a sweet lullaby, swaying me off into sleep. Awakened from my slumber, a thousand pins and needles crawled down my spine. My neck felt the same and I had no feeling or sensation in my legs.
Something caught the corner of my eye. I jerked my head around trying to get a glimpse of the mysterious object. It circled the canoe continuously. Without doubt, I had become dizzy. My head was pounding at a million miles per hour. Until. Our eyes met each other’s. The moment of truth was not far away. My heart beating out of my chest. A lizard leaped over the canoe. It was not a Piranha; like I was told; it was a harmless lizard trying to find a friend. A lizard was all I needed to brighten up my day. Though it was a green, scaly, and ugly creature it needed love, like all of us do.
From that day, I was no longer afraid to branch out and meet new people. I will encourage all to do so, as meeting new people is something that you may need. Just please, never tell Jake I called him crazy, as he states, “I’m not crazy, I’m just special.”