Free Fins 4 Ur Sins by Naomi Fraser

the lounge
room with the plate of food and mug of coffee, Mum has spread out on the sofa
and is lightly snoring. “Mum,” I call out. “Mum.” My heart races, and I think , I need her to protect me. I need my mum.
    “Hmmm? Oh right.” She sits up, pushes away her hair and reaches for the coffee and
then puts it on the floor. She pulls the plate of warm food into her lap. “Thanks, angel.”
    “I’m going to bed now,” I say.
“Goodnight.” I lean down to kiss her cheek.
    “Sweet dreams,” she says with a
little frown. “Thank goodness, I have a half day tomorrow. I love Fridays.”
    I laugh, then remember Bethany’s
request.
    Mum’s eyes are stuck on mine,
blue in white. “You know, you look different. Has your hair grown? It looks a
lot longer than I remember.”
    The smile on my face wants to
surface, but cannot. “I don’t think so.”
    “ Mmm . But no, it’s not that. Did you hurt yourself at
sports today? Your body looks a little out. You’re moving differently. Are you sore ?”
    “No,” I say, hoping she won’t go
any further. “Don’t worry.”
    “Oh.” Her gaze roams over my body
before she meets my eyes again. “OK. Well, there’s muscle cream in the bathroom
cabinet if you want some.”
    Somehow, I don’t think that will
cut it.
    “There’s something about you
that’s not quite the same,” she persists. “Are you sure nothing’s wrong?”
    “Stop worrying, Mum,” I say,
trying to smile and wishing she’d drop it. “But Bethany wants to know if I can
have a sleepover at her house tomorrow night. I’ll catch the bus home with her
after school, and we’ll go shopping on Saturday morning. Then you can pick me
up at five from her place.”
    Mum’s brow knits. “All right, so
long as you stick together, you should both be safe by now.”
    “I’ll text Bethany.” I pull my
phone out of my pyjama shorts and text Beth. She answers back: Awesome
    Mum nods. “That’s sorted. Remember
to take your phone. You probably need new clothes anyway.”
    “I do.” Even if I want to deny
what’s happening to me internally, the outside world rarely lets me forget.
    “The strangest thing happened to
me today,” Mum says and weakly smiles at me. “The man I showed around asked me
out on a date.”
    I almost drop my phone. “What did
you say?”
    “Well, you know, I can’t. It’s
business. But . . . I never expected that.” Her gaze drops to her stockinged
feet, and she pulls her arms close by her sides. “He did keep me late, but he
seemed nice.”

14
     
     
    “ELOISE! GET UP,” the voice of doom barks. “You have to wake
up.”
    It can’t be. It just can’t be
morning. I roll onto my back and groan. Remnants of weird dreams push into my
brain, festering, making reality seem so out of place. The blackness of water,
deepening blankets of cold liquid closing in around me and then big, pale
monsters chasing me. The type that eat people. Sickly, sallow teeth and a hunger for human flesh.
    Breath shudders in my lungs.
    “Eloise,” Mum calls out louder,
no nonsense.
    I crack open my eyelids. “Yes.
OK. I’m up,” I croak.
    “Good. Here’s a drink.” Mum walks
to my dresser and sets down a glass of orange liquid. “I want you to have fun
at Bethany’s. I have Carrie’s phone number, but make sure you keep your phone
on you. And take your charger.”
    “I will,” I say, rubbing sleep
from my eyes to clear my blurry vision.
    “Lock up before you leave. I’ve
left some extra money on the table for your weekend or if you want to catch the
bus to school this morning. Have fun. Bye, honey.” Mum comes back to me, kisses
my cheek, and then leaves my room, her feet shod in elegant cream heels, legs
scissoring beneath a blue pencil skirt. She seems more dressed up than usual.
    I blink again and then look at
the tall glass she left on the dresser. The vitamin fizzes in the water, a flat
disc floating, reminding me to get up with purpose. Orange-coloured bubbles
burst at