By JANE TOMEK

Hot buttered sun dripped into their skins ‑ melting, bronzing, sizzling. The girls ran awkwardly through the smouldering air. Two skidded into the creek, knee deep in water, feet sinking into the sandy floor.

The other, unsuccessful in finding shade, plopped into the tall grasses of the bank. Halfhidden, she fanned her sweated face with her hands. Splashing and letting the water oooze into their raw skins, the two girls called to her, "Come on in!"

"Nah," she muffled through the grasses and the clotted heat. Puffing, she wiped the sweat from her face. She did not care to become wet, sandy, and dirty solely for some more so‑called fun. "It's probably polluted anyway."

"Aw, come on."

Pushing the grasses aside, she squinted ‑ glared at the two. Twinkles plumed from her eyes. The two turned away and once again laughed and splashed in the cool wetness. They tried again: "It feels so good in here. Why don't you come in?" She answered by fanning her face and studying red ants swarm inside an empty coke bottle. And she sat.

Clothes sopping, jeans and feet caked with sandy mud, teeth and eyes glinting under their grimy, fried faces, the two finally left the creek. "You should've come in. It felt good." Silence. "We're going now. Coming with?"

With great effort she said, "Nah, later," and fanned her face. The two stared at her, then squished through the creek to the other side, and pushed through the grasses. She listened to the rustle of their running steps until they vanished.

And then she sat. Puffing.

And she thought. Puffing. She sat trying to block out all voices, even those from her own soul. Trying . . . Suddenly she stood up, forgetting to puff, forgetting to squint, and looked.

She discovered that her surroundings were bursting, dancing, reeking. She laughed aloud, feeling the sticky grasses, the coarse sand, and the drooling sun with her skin.

She raced to the creek and spread wet sand over her arms and face. Then she plunged deep within the creek, letting the liquid seep into her skin, into her soul. And she laughed.

Because suddenly it felt good.