The Duck Pond

The pond shimmered and sparkled beneath the setting sun. A mother duck glided across the water, followed in tow by a string of ducklings; each one keeping pace with the sibling in front. The mother reached the sloped embankment, hopped from the water onto the muddied grass and began walking towards the dusty path that encircled the small pond, glancing back only once to check on her trailing infants.

  A car containing two people was parked beside the path. The dull hum of the engine continued to whir as the passengers sat in silence. A thin coat of dust from the country lane rested on the shiny metallic paint, reducing its vibrancy and leaving it looking dull and lifeless. The driver’s door clicked open and a woman emerged, placing her feet carefully upon the ground. Her hair was entwined in a multitude of colourful braids, with a single loose strand resting upon a delicate cheek bone. Seconds later, a heavy set man in paint spattered trousers appeared, slamming the car door with a thud that echoed across the deserted pond, causing the small ducks to hop in unison and chase after their mother.

 ‘I haven’t been here in years. I used to come here as a kid,’ said Chloe. ‘My Grandpa used to bring me, and we would feed the ducks together.’

 Harry nodded, took Chloe’s hand in his and locked her slender figures within his own. 

 Chloe spotted the family of ducks walking along the path and stopped, carefully observing each duckling in turn as their little miniature feet slapped against the ground. 

 ‘I wonder if they’re related to the ducks you used to feet?’ said Harry, attempting to brandish a smile, but failing.

 ‘Maybe, it would be nice to think of them still here, passing down stories of the little girl who used to feed their great grandparents.’

 Chloe and Harry stepped onto the path; small stones crunching under their feet as the walked. Chloe continued to watch the ducks, while Harry stared across the pond, beyond the scattering of trees, to where the hills rolled out on the horizon. Walking hand in hand around the small pond, they followed the mother and her ducklings, slowing their pace to a crawl when one of the ducklings fell behind, waiting for the miniature creature to catch up with its family.

‘Wouldn’t it be nice to take one of these little ducks home,’ said Chloe, her gaze remaining fixed on the smallest duck at the rear.

‘I think their mum might have something to say about that,’ replied Harry, glancing at Chloe.

  ‘We would promise to look after it. We could give it little baths and make sure we fed it properly.’

 ‘Yeah great idea. We could take it out to the park and push it on the swings,’ said Harry, letting out a snort.

 ‘It could even sleep in our bed if it got scared during the night,’ said Chloe, in a thoughtful tone.

 Harry winced and clenched his teeth. He had been doing that more and more lately and could feel the familiar dull ache in his jaw returning. He released Chloe’s hand from his own and stuffed it into his pocket. ‘I don’t think so, Chloe.’ 

  Chloe sighed and brushed the loose strand of hair behind her ear. ‘I wonder where the father is, probably making sure the nest is all tidy for when they all get home. Or maybe he’s sat eating bread and watching football,’ said Chloe, elbowing Harry in the ribs.

 ‘Maybe he’s realised that fatherhood is too much like hard work and has flown south already. Gone to get a bit of sun and some peace and quiet,’ said Harry, glancing down at his phone to check the time.

  Eventually the mother duck trudged back down the embankment and plopped into the water, the ripple she made was flanked by a dozen smaller ripples, like tail feathers on a large kite. 

 ‘I wish I’d brought a little bit of food for them,’ said Chloe. ‘Actually, I wish I was six years old again and I was here with my grandpa. You know I haven’t thought about that in over thirty years. He’s been gone so long, and time has gone so fast. I guess it will end with me.’ 

 ‘I know it hurts,’ said Harry.

 ‘Sometimes it feels like it doesn’t bother you at all.’ 

 ‘I’ve just found a way to make peace with it, or at least I’m trying to make peace with it.’

 ‘That’s all we can do I suppose,’ said Chloe, letting her eyelids rest over her eyes. ‘You sure you don’t want to take one of those ducks home, we could just borrow one for a few days.’

 Harry shook his head. ‘It wouldn’t be our duck.’

The sun continued to dip out of the sky and was now kissing the tip of the hill. The trees caste long, slanted shadows across the pond, encasing the ducks in their dim light. Harry picked at a bit of paint that clung to his trousers and flicked it away into the nearby bushes, as Chloe pinned the loose strand of hair into one of her colourfully tied plaits.

 ‘Do you blame me?’ said Chloe, stopping and turning to Harry.

 Harry held her gaze for a moment, before casting his eyes to the ground when his resolve gave out. ‘Of course not, but I worry that you will grow to resent me.’

 Chloe studied Harry, the boy she had fallen in love with had now aged and time was catching up with him: it had already caught up with her. Reaching down, she pressed her palm into his and pulled it towards her, placing a kiss on the back of his hand and leading him back to the car. Chloe took one last look at the ducks, digging her nails into the steering wheel and tapping her foot on the clutch. Finally, she slid the car into reverse and pulled away, rumbling down the potholed road and heading towards a horizon where the sun had almost set.