The River

Flash fiction by KJ Satchel

Toby Hamish McDougal, 10 years old, wakes up with sun piercing through the gap in his blinds. He feels annoyed at past him for not closing the blinds properly until he remembers it’s Sunday, and he has no chores or commitments. Today is a day for adventure. He messages his friends while he scoffs down breakfast – left over tacos, no time for making anything fresh – and is on his scooter, beach towel over shoulder, heading to the cluster library before his Mum wakes up.

It’s too early for the library to be manned, so Toby keys in the code and makes his way to the water accessory section. He’s pulling down a collapsible bamboo raft, wondering if he’ll manage to carry it on his scooter, when Em taps him on the shoulder.

‘I’ve brought my bike,’ she signs. ‘Syd and Ivo are grabbing a trailer, so let’s get one of the big rafts we can all fit on.’

‘Plan!’ Toby signs back, and they haul down the biggest raft they can manage. Toby checks it out as the others arrive with the trailer. With the loaded trailer attached to Em’s bike, they whizz off through the still quiet streets towards the river, making pit stops at a few fruit trees to grab snacks for later, plus the skate park for a quick buzz around the bowl.

They get to the river, wide and slow flowing, with a bend shaded by lush mangroves hiding who knows what creatures within. Toby and Ivo hurriedly unfold the raft while Em ties up her bike and Sid scopes out the perfect spot to launch.

“Over here looks good!” Sid calls. They wrestle the bamboo raft down the muddy bank. Em grips the ropes tightly as the boys clamor aboard, nearly tipping the whole thing over. Once steady, she pushes them off with a splash.

Cool river water envelops Toby’s legs as they drift along, watching the city glide by in a drowsy haze. Water dragons sun themselves on the river banks. A heron sits in on a tree branch, wings stretched out in the sun to dry. The sun bears down but a lazy breeze keeps the worst of the heat at bay. Kingfishers zip between mangroves chattering loudly. They pass nesting platforms, with proud black swans keeping an eye on their fluffy grey signets.

Sid asks Toby about the new community garden he’s helping with. Toby excitedly signs about the different crops they’re putting in. Em listens contentedly, trailing a hand in the water. ‘Maybe we’ll float all the way to the sea,’ she thinks.

The raft jolts as something big knocks their suddenly precarious bamboo platform. Toby whips his legs up onto the raft as realization dawns.

‘We forgot oars!’ Toby signs.

‘YOU forgot oars.’ Ivo signs back. ‘How did you think we’d get back to the shore?’

‘You didn’t think of it either, Ivo.’ Em spoke and signed together, something she only did when she was making a point.

The children look anxiously into the water. The water is hazy. They can make out a school of silver bream, but no sign of any big, dark shadows. They drift down the middle of the river, the sluggish flow moving them but not delivering them to the bank.

Toby tries to lie back and enjoy the ride, but the contentment of drifting has gone. He sits back up.

‘We’re going to have to get in and push the raft.’

‘I’m not getting in.’ Ivo announces.

‘Don’t be such a sook.’ Toby takes off his t-shirt and slides off the side of the raft. Ivo mutters under his breath looking away so Toby can’t read his lips. Sid stands undecided. Em joins Toby in the water, and they start kicking. The splashing might attract whatever it was that bumped them, but it feels less vulnerable than just dangling in the water.

Sid makes a decision, and pushes Ivo off the side of the raft before jumping in to help kick the raft. They watch for Ivo to pop up above the water, but there’s no sign of him. They stop kicking, waiting for him to appear. Sid suddenly screams, and the water goes wild with turbulence. Toby and Em scramble to get on top of the raft and watch as Ivo pops up, hand high above his head, brandishing Sid’s shorts, before swimming crawl headed towards the shore, slapping down the shorts every time his right hand comes over. Sid gives chase, while Toby and Em cheer them on.

They finally all drag themselves out the river and flop onto the bank. Soon, hunger will give them the energy they need to push the raft up the river to the trailer so they can head home for lunch, but for now the four friends sit in the shade and tell stories, each one more elaborate and exaggerated about the creature which bumped their raft.