Wereduck by Dave Atkinson

Author:Dave Atkinson [Atkinson, Dave]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nimbus
Published: 2014-09-05T12:52:08+00:00

Bea raised an axe above her head and brought it down with one fluid motion. A length of wood split in two pieces with a crack and fell to the ground.

“You still haven’t said when you’re heading back to Ontario,” said Marge. She picked up the pieces and set them on the growing pile of firewood beside them.

“Not sure,” said Bea, setting another piece of wood on the block. “I kind of like the idea of spending the rest of the summer here. Maybe I’ll stick around a while.”

She split the wood with a single chop.

“Because of us or because of Marcus?” asked Marge.

“Mum, he’s nice,” said Bea. “I wish you would give this a rest.”

“I just don’t understand what they’re doing here. I think you should keep your distance.”

“Mum, I’m a grown-up.”

Bea leaned the axe against the block and walked away. She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the sweat from her face.

Kate lay face-down in the water, peering through the murk to the muddy lake bottom. Clumps of grass swayed in the current. In the shallow sections, the tips grew to within a few inches of the surface. Kate tried to imagine plunging further into the water to grab bits of grass with her teeth.

She raised her head to take a fresh breath of air and found herself staring into the face of Wacka. “Hey there,” she said, treading water.

Wacka tipped her bill into the water, letting her bottom dangle in the air. She came back up and shook the water from her face before dabbling again below the surface.

Kate drifted on her back with her eyes closed. She loved the feeling of the sun on her face while the rest of her body was immersed in water. Her ears heard nothing but the low rumble of the water around her.

She opened her eyes to watch clouds pass overhead. One looked like a horse’s head. Another looked like Newfoundland. Or was it Cape Breton? Just as she was trying to decide, something emerged from the water next to her. Kate gasped.

“Wacka,” quacked the duck as she climbed onto Kate’s body and made herself at home on her chest.

“I’m not a boat!” laughed Kate. She let the duck hitch a ride for a few moments before tossing her playfully into the water. Wacka made a big production of flapping and quacking, but she was clearly having a good time. Kate smiled and wished that humans were as easy to get along with as ducks.

She rolled over and swam with slow strokes toward the shore. Sometime in the last few minutes, her aunt had arrived at the lakeside.

“Oh, hi,” said Kate.

“Hey,” said Bea, forcing a smile.

“What’s wrong?” asked Kate, stepping out of the water.

“Nothing,” replied Bea. “Just parent stuff, y’know?”

“Tell me about it,” said Kate, rolling her eyes. Bea handed her a towel.

“Some other time, maybe,” said Bea. “Hey, you want to do something with me tonight?”

“Sure, what?” asked Kate.

“Marcus wants to go bowling.”

“Okay,” said Kate suspiciously. “Just the three of us?”

“Yes,” said Bea.

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