Adventure Holiday

It was her first time away from home. At seven, she was still very
timid and the thought of being sent away for a full week daunted her to
say the least.

"I'm giving you these blank postcards so you can draw us a picture and
write on the other side," her mother told her. "They've got stamps on
already, so all you need do is write them and then post them. We'll
really look forward to hearing from you!"

Sarah nodded.

"I think you've got everything. Are you excited?"

Again, she nodded, eyes fixed on her mothers'.

"It's natural that you're a bit nervous, Darling - it's your first time
away from home. But you'll have such an exciting time. Just think, all
those children you will meet, and all those things to do! And anyway,
Alex will be there, so it's not as though you will be on your
own."

"I know," said Sarah. "I'm not nervous. I'm looking forward to it. It
will be fun."

The drive was long, with Alex's mother and Alex's mother's boyfriend
talking all the way, and touching each other in a silly way when they
really didn't need to touch, like at traffic lights. Sarah didn't like
Alex's mother's laugh much. It was very loud and came unexpectedly and
pierced through the air and then seemed to stay there long after Alex's
mother's face had returned to normal, non-laughing expression.

"What are you going to do when you get there?" asked Alex. "Because you
know what I'm going to do, and that is to go water skiing. Water skiing
is brilliant. Have you ever done it?"

"No."

"And I want to horse ride as well. I love ponies. And did you know
there's a treasure hunt? That's on the day before the last one, and on
the last night there's a disco."

Sarah looked across the car at her friend. "I know. It will be fun,"
she said. "I've got a new dress to wear to the disco."

Outside the car, trees flashed past. Cows in a field beyond the trees
passed by more slowly, and the hills beyond them just slowly
trundled.

They were off to a PGL holiday. Play, Games and Laugher, it stood for,
or something like that.

But that week Sarah drowned. It turned out to be not such an adventure
after all, and on the way home Alex had the whole of the backseat to
herself, and annoyed her mother by talking too much, asking questions
such as "When will Sarah's funeral be? Is her body all blue? Will I get
to see it? Does she know what happened to her? Will she see us at the
church?"

To which her mother had no answer.