Like Sardines

This is for Rob, whose idea it first was. It's just the beginning.


Like sardines, packed close to one another. Oiled, gently broiling, their silvery skins shimmering in the heat. The resemblance ended at the left of the row as one of the women turned her head to face the other two.

“You still awake?”

“Mmmhmph.”

The grunt of acknowledgement came from the head on the right.

“Sweat’s trickling between my legs.”

The head on the left was clearly unhappy. There was no response, so the head on the left turned back. A breeze blew sand across the three, like a light dusting of salt. The figure on the left wriggled her legs and shook her feet. Her head turned again to address the other two.

“How long are we going to stay here?”

“As long as it takes.”

The head on the right had expressed its impatience. The head on the left slumped back, sighing.

A heavy thud, thud, thud and sigh of sand preceded the shouting child. The new arrival’s right foot fell close by the head on the left. The head moved quickly to look up at the child.

“Watch where you’re walking!”

The child’s laughter receded. The figure on the left turned her head to the left, lifted her left hand to her face and the flicked away the sand from her eyes and cheeks.

“Bloody children. Why don’t their parents look after them?”

Her head resumed its position so quickly that it seemed unlikely that she had been expecting an answer.