Kevan Smith - Jump

Crouching low he looks around pensively, not blinking, just staring through the reeds.  He shivers slightly in anticipation, excitement and fear.

Everyone else can do this; every one of his dozens of brothers and sisters have been merrily, actively springing around for weeks now.  He shuffles, re-balances, squats again, raises his little bottom up, sits down, shuffles, squats, re-balances, raises his bottom again, shuffles, then sits down again.

‘I can do this.  It’s easy, everyone can do this, we are made to do this’ he gushes in his mind.  He tries to speak, clears his throat, but can only let out a tiny croak, then another.  He blinks, stares, watches them all, but falls silent again.  Shuffles again, but lets his bottom flop down again.  His shoulders flop and slightly shiver.

“Come on brother, join us, it’s easy, come on.”

“If only” he mumbles.  ‘I’m not sure what’s wrong.  I can see it.  I’ve been watching for days.’ He stumbles across his mind.  Exasperatedly, ‘I don’t know what it is?  My mind can do it; my muscles tense, I can feel it!  But, nothing happens, I lift up, go to push off, my toes grip, my back webs tighten, my front webs tighten, my bottom lifts up….then nothing.  I watch, I sigh, I watch again, but…but…but nothing happens.’

His mum is sitting behind him, silently.  She has dozens to fluff over, to support, to encourage, to praise.  But this one, this one she feels for.  She knows, knows he cares, she can feel him, she can see him try, and try, and try.  She can feel him strain, she watches his legs tighten, his back haunches, tiny muscles strain, his legs tighten and strain, his bum lifts up….but, nothing.  He sinks down again, even lower than before.  She gets real close, leaning on him, pressing slightly, nudging, nudging a tiny bit harder, a bit more, more.  He rises up….and topples over his front legs and does a three point faceplant in the dry reeds.

“Can I help mum” croaks his bigger brother.

“Shhh, he’ll get it”…she whispers “Come on darling.  A bit higher.”

His brother guffaws and plows into him.  He splutters and splatters, faceplanting again.  “Higher, harder ya green toad.  Come on, watch me” as he bounds and bounces onto a patch of dry reeds ahead.  “Come on, follow me!”

Small tears, he closes his eyes really, really tightly.  His legs stiffen, his back arches, his mind grips his soul, he squints as hard as he can….

And

                    JUMPS….!!!!

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