Screw Pile Developments

Last Day of Term — Start of Summer: Year 1

The classroom had that particular quality of a room that can’t quite sit still. A warm breeze wafted through the open window bringing with it all the smells of summer. The final bell of the school year couldn’t come soon enough. Timo was already practically vibrating his chair clear across the floor.

Miss Vera was handing out the final results for the year. She paused at Lewis’ desk, handed him his result sheet and smiled.

Next was Hans. As she gave him his results, what was that look on her face? An imperceptible movement of her ears that only a Hunde would understand.

Lewis was still looking at his result sheet, and was sitting very still. Hans sitting next to him pulled himself up to his considerable full height and consciously turned in his chair extending his paw.

Hans then shook Lewis’ hand precisely once. He then turned back in his chair and looked at his own results as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. This however, was not quite true. Previously, Hans had topped his class every year since starting school.

When Miss Vera got to Seb, she noticed that as usual he had his notebook on his desk, but this afternoon, it was closed with his pencil laid beside it. The thing that Miss Vera really noticed however, was that despite the entire class primed and just about ready to detonate for the summer break; Seb—

Was sitting entirely still.

She gave Seb his results.

—Excellent results.

Seb couldn’t help letting out a very small smile.

The bell rang and the class erupted with noise.

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The Swim

Every school has its end of year traditions and the one that marked the end of term and the start of summer in Veldmeer, was the swim. The lake was still quite cold this time of year and the tradition was to see who could stay in the longest.

Anticipation had already been building long before the final bell even rang. The moment the bell sounded the charge to the lakefront was on. A blur of blue and gold blazers heading down through the old town and towards the water.

The locals of Veldmeer knew the sound and had prepared accordingly. They had heard the distant rumble approach and crescendo every year at the end of the spring term; the thunder of feet on cobblestones, the blur of blue and gold. Tables and chairs at the cafe, moved just slightly further back. A shopkeeper or two had stepped out into their doorways to watch. One old Hunde sitting outside the bakery raised his coffee in salute as they passed. He had seen it many times before.

At the grassy reserve, by the jetty, bags were literally just dropped anywhere, with blazers, shirts, ties, pants and shoes left in haphazard piles everywhere. Some changed into their swimming shorts right there and then on the grass, the Hunde boys completely unbothered, tails freed from tail holes in school pants, shaking their fur out of the last vestiges of the school year. The human boys who had not been uninformed as to the significance of this annual tradition, were also more than ready to hit the water.

Timo was first, he was always first. Timo was already half way down the jetty before most had even removed their ties.

He hit the water at flank speed. There was a moment of silence before he came back up gasping and spluttering for air.

Treading water, he yelled out to the others to encourage them all in.

Seb, still mid leg taking off his pants, lost his balance and fell over on the grass. Raven also in the process of peeling off his uniform, saw Seb, grinned, grabbed Seb’s flailing foot and laughing maniacally, helped to yank the rest of Seb’s pants off.

Something happened that Raven had never seen Seb do, ever.

He laughed. And it was not just any sort of laugh, it was one of those laughs that started deep down in the belly and burst its way out.

They hurriedly pulled on their swim shorts. Then laughing and yelling, Seb and Raven ran down the jetty, right to the end and jumped off, into the water together.

The sound of splashes intensified as more and more of the students arrived.

Lewis meanwhile, had carefully removed his uniform, folded it neatly, including his blazer, and carefully placed Dogger on top of the pile with his glasses. He calmly walked to the end of the jetty. Water temperature already calculated — 9°C, chilly. He considered one last time. He was fully informed. He made his decision and jumped.

The one student who was not in the water was lounging back on the grass, his head on his backpack, paws behind his head, and his long legs stretched out. He was drifting off to sleep in the warm afternoon sun, his tie loosened ever so slightly, the top button almost, but not quite undone.

Toby was back at his clothes pile. He had lasted exactly 7 minutes in the cold water before getting out.

Hans closed his eyes contentedly.

Hans had been known to drift off to sleep once or twice in class.

Toby proceeded to shake himself vigorously, sending a shower of water drops over Hans.

The other boys soon found their way back to reclaim their discarded clothing; some a little bluer around the lips than others.

Lewis’ teeth were chattering and his glasses kept falling back down his nose.

A chilly start, but summer had begun.