Playtime in the Summertime

‘Private Jimmy, join your comrades in the sand!’ Said, Sergeant Davidson. ‘Yes, sir,’ I said, my right arm boomeranged to my head, my fingers extended on my forehead. Beads of sweat trickled down my fingers, they felt like my only companions. The liquid horizon crested and receded like waves of heat, distorted by the scorching air. ‘Focus on the mission, defend the water,’ I told myself, sprinting to the heaps of rock on the battlefield. An unwelcome blanket of heat wrapped around my body, and what felt like a noose of fire snaked around my neck, vaporising any air left in my red, hot lungs. This wasn’t the kind of embrace I wanted. The sand was getting closer. Sparks of light glinted off the earthy, golden pearls, and danced like fairies of light. I focused on their beauty to distract myself from the monster that was waiting for me. ‘Maybe I should be grateful,’ I thought, ‘I’ll have the opportunity to make some new friends.’ It’s getting closer. 

The hot, grey rocks were two ladders tall by the looks of it. ‘Get down!’ A nameless soldier pulled me down behind a rocky barricade, making me but one drop among the sea of anonymous soldiers. ‘Hi, what’s your name?’ I asked, ‘There’s no time for that, soldier,’ his voice was panicked and forceful. ‘Take this,’ he shoved a heavy, green gun into my chest, the thud of the impact scrunched my face, making it even more difficult to breathe. 

Breaking News: Global Evacuations Underway as Deadly Heatwave Intensifies. 

‘Hey, you, climb over and take a look for us,’ one green man said to me. ‘No, you do it,’ his friend replied. Maybe he’ll like me if I do it. 

My legs slowly pushed off the floor, and I clutched the rungs of the ladder, pulled myself up. I needed to see for myself. Time slowed down as my eyes peer above our defence. A garden of thorny roses scraped against the inside of my stomach. Coldness washed over me, and my shaking legs lost their grip. The blistering sand caught my face on the landing, ‘Are you okay? What did you see?’ Endless faces stared me down, their eyes interrogated me, curious for answers. I knew they were all as scared as I was, but I couldn’t let them know that. 

Waves of apocalyptic fire rippled from the mass of burning gas, setting the air alight. Hues of deep orange stretched across the horizon, oppressing everything in its wake. Flares of yellow lashed from its body like whips, slicing through the air. We knew it was miles away, but its presence was undeniable, even from here. 

The soldiers’ wide eyes locked onto mine, shock possessed their faces. I continued explaining what I saw, trying to be clear but my words were confused. They were all looking at me. 

‘We have to fight that thing?’ There was worry in his voice. ‘I’m not doing it,’ another said. Panic spread along the fighting lines like wildfire, and they were looking not at me but at each other. But I didn’t mind, I was only thinking of my father. 

I let myself collapse and pressed my back against the hot rocks. Sitting there, the world fell silent for a moment, and I pulled out an old photograph: frayed at the edges, and dirty and creased, but seeing myself with my father, smiling, there was beauty underneath that damage, memories of a lifetime long gone. The smell of fresh bread in the morning and the feel of his warm laughter took over my body. I gravitated towards its warmth like it was the first time I had ever felt the sun on my face. 

‘Okay girls, on your feet!’ His voice was commanding and compelled my body to stand, I hide the photograph. Sargeant Davidson stood in front of us and stared us down with brilliant blue eyes, clear and focused, underneath furrowed brows.

‘Behind this barricade is an unrelenting enemy, and it wants to steal your water!’ His eyes fixed onto mine and he strode towards me, ‘Do you know what that means, Private Jimmy?’ He asked. ‘No, sir,’ I replied, trying to keep my composure. ‘It means no more water balloon fights with daddy, are you gonna let that happen?’ ‘No sergeant,’ I made sure my voice was loud and clear, so he didn’t ask me to repeat myself. ‘Good,’ he said, ‘so, get on those ladders, and climb over that barricade…’ Boots hit the rungs and thunder roared through the landscape, green men with guns in hand facing death, ‘… and shoot the sun.’ 

A sea of men washed onto the scorching sand and rushed towards the sun like a tsunami, their focus sharp and cold, or at least it appeared that way. ‘Fire!’ One man commanded. An ocean of bullets exploded forth and arched through the sky with dreadful speed. ‘Keep going!’ 

‘What are you still doing here, Private Jimmy?’ said Sargeant Davidson, each word dripped with fury, ‘climb that ladder now!’ Pointing at the barricade, his red anger competing with the redness from exhaustion for dominance over his face. 

‘But I wanted to stay with you, Dad,’ I said. 

Footsteps flew up the stairs and my creaky, white door swung wide open, ‘Jimmy! I told you we have to leave, get ready,’ said Martha, she brought her fingertips to her nose, rubbing away her frustration. ‘God, you’ve gotten sand everywhere,’ there’s a hint of fear in her voice, but I can see she’s mostly annoyed. ‘Clean your toys away,’ a line of small, plastic army men stood facing a crumpled orange piece of paper, and behind them: a row of pebbles and behind those: a red plastic cup of water. The sandpit hosting the battlefield was square with a wooden red boundary. 

‘Can I play for five more minutes?’ I asked. ‘No,’ said Martha, ‘this is serious, we need to go.’ 

A sharp knock echoed through the house; Martha’s eyes darted behind her. ‘Who’s that?’ I asked. ‘Come on,’ she pulled at my arm. 

She opened the door and a tall man dressed in camouflage forced his way into the house. ‘Martha, I’m glad you’re okay,’ his arms wrapped around her tightly and worry plagued his face. ‘I tried calling but the power’s out all across the country,’ he said. ‘I know,’ said Martha, ‘I put the backup generator on, but Stewart-’ she took a moment to process the situation, ‘I thought you weren’t back for another year?’  

My smile was unrelenting and bright, ‘Daddy,’ I said, and ran to him, hugging his waist. He kneeled, my face in his hands, ‘I missed you, Jimmy,’ he said. ‘I missed you, too, Dad,’ I said, ‘or should I say Sergeant Davidson,’ and I gave him a salute. He giggled. 

‘Can we play today?’ I asked. ‘Of course we can Jimmy. I’m sorry I haven’t been around much’, he said, his voice now softer, ‘but my army buddies are outside, and they said you can sit in the driver’s seat of the Jeep,’ his thumb brushed over my cheek, and he looked up, throwing a concerned look at Martha. ‘Okay,’ I said, excited. 

He stood, ‘Go get the emergency suitcases, darling, we can’t stay here anymore.’ ‘I still don’t understand,’ Martha said, ‘is what they said on the news really that bad? They said to evacuate.’ ‘Yeah,’ sorrow washed over his face, ‘they’re flying us to Greenland, but we need to leave now.’ 

I stood on the hard steps outside the front door and watched plumbs of black smoke in the distance float into the sky, and fights between neighbours’ spill into the streets. The world was burning, and people were scared, but at least I didn’t feel lonely anymore. I’m with Dad now.