They reached the pool with no trouble.

‘I’m so glad they don’t lock the doors at night’ Emilia spoke in a whisper, not wanting to disrupt the peace.

‘Let’s hope they keep it that way’ Gloria replied, closing the door after her and following Emilia to the locker-room.

Gloria flicked the switch as Emilia dropped her bag on one of the benches.

They got dressed quickly into their swimsuits, heading towards the water.

‘Careful!’ Gloria whispered urgently as Emilia began to totter.

Emilia’s prosthetic foot had very little grip on the smooth surface of the floor, and she wobbled slightly as she walked.

‘I’m fine’ Emilia insisted, even as her movements became a little more precarious. ‘I’m not going to fwaaahhh…!’

Ow ow ow.

‘Gosh Emilia are you ok?’ Gloria exclaimed, hurrying over to her.

Emilia slumped her body in embarrassment, momentarily hiding her face, before forcing herself to look up at her roommate.

‘Ha ha. I’m fine. Honest! I just wanted to see what the view looked like from down here.’

‘Oh my gosh Emilia’ Gloria sighed shaking her head. ‘Come on, let me help you up.’

Emilia tentatively gathered her legs beneath her, accepting Gloria’s help as she offered Emilia her arm.

Gloria helped support Emilia the rest of the way to the pool.

‘Think you can manage now?’

‘Of course!’ Emilia replied indignantly. ‘I’m not an invalid! I just have a problem with gravity sometimes.’

‘Don’t we all.’

‘It’s not easy being so tall you know?’

‘Yes, I’m sure it’s terrible, being able to reach all the higher shelves.’

‘You’re making fun of me now, aren’t you?’

‘Of course I am’ Gloria scolded. ‘Now get in the pool.’

She let go of her friend’s arm, crouching down close to the water. Emilia leant forwards and slipped carefully into the water face-first.

‘Ah, so graceful’ Gloria sigh, bending down and sitting at the edge of the pool, watching Emilia swimming deeper underwater.

Moments later Emilia broke the surface, taking a deep gasp of air.

Ahhh…refreshing.

‘Hey, aren’t you coming in?’ Emilia asked.

‘Yes. I was just watching you.’

Emilia took off her prosthetic leg, throwing it over to Gloria, who caught it with both hands.

‘Aren’t you coming in?’ Emilia asked, though her words could not be heard, as the lower half of her face was submerged in water.

She looked like a crocodile stalking its prey.

Not taking her eyes off Emilia, Gloria slipped into the pool, still holding the leg.

Then without warning she lobbed it across the pool, throwing it as far as she could.

‘Mah leg!’

Emilia swam below the surface, heading towards it.

When she reached it, she threw it back to Gloria.

It became a game, and the two of them wore themselves out pretty fast.

A time later, they sat at the shallow end of the pool, leaning against the side.

‘Ahhh’ Emilia sighed tiredly as her leg bobbed gently in the water nearby, that was fun.

‘Yeah…’ Gloria closed her eyes, humming to herself quietly.

‘No don’t fall asleep’ Emilia said to her, straightening up and slapping her cheek lightly.

‘I’m getting cold’ Gloria mumbled.

‘You need to move around’ Emilia told her. ‘Let’s swim a little longer, then go back. I don’t know about you, but I for one am going to rest very well tonight.’

 [END OF CHAPTER 8]