The Boat Ride

Martina jumped, as her Aunt Linda gave her a sharp rap on the bottom to encourage her into the boat.  Realising the inevitability of the dreaded trip, Martina climbed on board, gripping the rails tightly with her clammy hands.  Her jaws were clenched together because she didn't want her aunt to notice her lips wobbling; the humiliation of being thought a coward would just make everything worse.

Alexa glowered at Aunt Linda.  "Bitch," she whispered to Martina as she sat down next to her at the back of the boat, "she knows you hate the water.  Mum would be furious!"

Martina felt a rush of gratitude for her sister's support, though she felt too sick with nerves to reply.  Alexa (at 13 older by two years) was a fit and sporty tomboy who Aunt Linda seemed to feel more comfortable with; having her to stay while Mum recuperated from the operation was no problem for Linda.  Martina on the other hand, seemed to irritate Aunt Linda just by being there, and remaining herself.

"Come on girls, you take the first turn with the oars - you can have one each - while I organise the picnic stuff.  Great way to work up an apetite for when we get to the island!"

Getting on with it seemed to be the only option, and Martina didn't do a bad job of trying to match her sister's rowing.  Aunt Linda, to Martina's relief, refrained from any sniping about her lack of technique, perhaps realising she should not push her luck any further.  She felt pleased with her victory today, and looked forward to telling her sister how firm she'd been with Martina - exactly the approach needed to help her grow up a bit, in Linda's opinion.

The exertion of rowing seemed to help Martina keep the panic under control a little.  Martina didn't know, any more than Aunt Linda or anyone else, why the water held such fear for her.  She'd never had any bad experiences in water, it just seemed to be a phobia she'd been born with.

"If only this was a river or even a like, and not the sea" she couldn't help thinking, as it was the sea that was the setting for her recurring nightmare. 

"No, I won't think about it, I won't let it into my mind!" she determined - not realising she'd spoken aloud until Alexa paused in her rowing and briefly squeezed her arm in support. 

Alexa knew all about the nightmares, having always shared a room with her sister.  She knew exactly how terrified Martina was each time the nightmare came, and how hard it was for anyone to comfort her for hours afterwards.  That was why she was so angry with Aunt Linda today.  She had tried to avoid this trip just as much as Martina, but unfortunately their Aunt was the kind of person who wouldn't take the opinions of an eleven year old and a thirteen year old seriously at all.

Then Aunt Linda screamed.  The girls looked up and saw a vast long dark shadow approaching fast under the water.  It was heading for the boat.

"Hold on girls, hold on tight!  It's a whale!  My God, what is a whale doing so close to shore!" Linda screeched. 

Martina felt herself go rigid and looked with horror into the shocked eyes of her sister.

"Hold on Martina!" said Alexa, grabbing Martina's hand and clutching the side of the boat.  Martina did the same.  Both the oars dropped away.

The little boat juddered in the wake of the fast moving whale as it swam beneath them.  Martina clung on to the boat and to her sister's hand so hard it hurt.  She felt as if the world had come to a stop as the boat reared right up.  She held her breath, and heard her aunt's piercing scream.

"Shut up!" she heard Alexa yell, "How's that going to help, you silly bitch?"

Then the boat dropped into the trough left in the wake of the whale, and Martina took a shuddering breath.  They were still afloat!  Maybe they would make it! 

But a huge wave was following the trough, and without the oars there was no way to turn the boat.  The wave would break over the side and engulf them.  Aunt Linda had stopped her screaming and was throwing the picnic equipment overboard to lighten the boat and give them more height. 

But Martina could see it would not be nearly enough. 

"Too late," she said under her breath, "this is it!"

Martina turned to Alexa and in the moment before the wave hit, locked eyes with her sister.  Suddenly Martina's terror gave way to a surreal calm.  Her fear dropped away.  This was what she'd been dreading her whole life, and now the moment was here.  Martina could almost have laughed from the relief of knowing she would never have to dread the water again, for soon the nightmare would be over.  Soon everything would be over.

Then the wave hit.