THE SWIM

THE SWIM

~ HER SOUL WAS TOO DEEP TO EXPLORE BY THOSE WHO ALWAYS SWAM IN THE SHALLOW END. ~

- A.J Lawless


What seemed like a million lights flashed non-stop, as Cathy left the headquarters of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation. Journalists were hailing her name, desperate to meet the scientist who had discovered the new super grain that was expected to wipe out world hunger.

Cathy kept her head down and made her way through the myriad. She had never been one for the spotlight and most certainly not one for crowds. Even as a child, she preferred the quiet solace of the wilderness, the rich ecosystem of the forgotten lake behind her school.

Finally breaking free of the gathering, Cathy was approached by a young girl and her father. Shyly proffering her autograph book, the child introduced herself as an avid fan, “I’m Emma Reynolds, and this is my Dad, Peter.”

Cathy looked from Emma to Peter. Peter Reynolds. It had been 32 years since she had last seen him, but she could have recognised him anywhere. And by his hesitation to look directly at her, she knew he recognised her too.

“How are you, Peter?” asked Cathy, amiably, with a soft smile on her face, “How are your friends?”

It would be hard to forget Peter Reynolds. He and his popular clique had bullied her through school. They could never understand what anyone could see in the mires of the natural environment. They thought it strange that Cathy would prefer to plunge into the depths of her favourite lake, rather than hang out like a typical teen.

But even all those years ago, Cathy had known. She saw the beauty and the wonder their eyes could not. In her wanderings and swims, she discovered a world rich with possibilities.



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