Theo and the Blue Swing

Theo was pumping his legs on the swing, up and up, when he saw the girl waiting by the fence.

"Is it my turn yet?" she asked.

"Nearly," said Theo. He wanted one more go high, high enough to touch the leaves with his trainers. The playground only had one swing. Its chain squeaked every time it went back. Eeek, eeek.

"Nearly" went on and on. The girl, whose name was Mina, sat down on the grass. She picked at a daisy. She did not say anything else.

Theo felt a bit funny in his tummy. So he tried something. "I'll count to ten, then I'll stop."

He counted. But at ten, his legs kept pumping. Eeek, eeek.

"You said ten," said Mina.

"I know," said Theo. "I just wanted a bit more."

Then he tried again. He dragged his trainers in the dust to slow down, but the swing was too quick. It swung him round and round, and he could not get off. His tummy went wobbly.

Then he noticed something. The squeak had a rhythm. Eeek, eeek. Eeek, eeek. It was like a clock ticking. He could use it.

"Mina," he said. "Count the squeaks with me. When we get to twenty, it's your turn. Then I'll count for you."

Mina looked up. "Twenty squeaks?"

"Twenty squeaks. Ready?"

"One," said Mina. "Two."

Theo counted too, and as the swing slowed down, he counted louder. "Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty!"

His feet touched the ground. Scrrrrape.

He hopped off, and Mina climbed on. Theo gave her a gentle push, and the chain began to sing. Eeek, eeek. Eeek, eeek.

"One," said Theo, sitting in the warm grass beside the daisy. "Two. Three."

The swing went up into the sunlight and came back down, and the leaves above it shook, just a little.