Running Shoes (The Shades of Northwood) by Wendy Maddocks

wanted to have plenty of time to grill her
housemates about the people who would be coming. No-one could
really tell her anything, though, because it was just pot-lock who
had gotten wind of it and decided to come along.
    As the sun
dipped towards the horizon, Jaye grabbed Katie by the shoulders and
propelled her out of the front door. By the front door was a tall
lifeguards chair, the like of which she had only seen on TV when
guards were keeping watch over a beach. This was what the noise
must have been. “Please tell me you’re not planning to climb that
thing.”
    “I do it every
day.” Jaye was half dressed in her shorts and a t-shirt so tight
and short it was definitely not regulation uniform. She climbed the
rungs to the seat and gazed around. “Your shift starts at eight.
One hour, then it’s Adam and them me again until midnight. It was
meant to be Dina but she’s scared of heights.”
    “You didn’t
know that?” The pair had given the impression they were best
friends.
    “She never used
to be,” Jaye shrugged. “I think the Grand Canyon did things to her.
Maybe I shouldn’t threaten to throw her over.”
    “Probably not.
We do an hour each, right, so what happens at midnight?”
    “It’s a free
for all for those who haven’t flaked.”
    Jaye gave a
short blast on her whistle and ordered Katie inside. She went and
not long after, the first few people arrived. Adam stole a few
dances with her before her shift on the tower. It was her job to
make sure she only let the sober ones in – drunk students tended to
wreck the place – but she couldn’t quite keep track of who was
going in and out since everyone had also dressed up. There were
doctors and nurses, more lifeguards and drowning victims, even a
couple of people in suits with a sticker that read GOD. Well, he
was the ultimate saviour she supposed. One poor sod had gotten
completely the wrong end of the stick and turned up completely
kitted out as a piggy bank. At least he was a memorable one.
    “Hey, guardy
guard. Girl,” some-one hollered up at Katie, slurring words and so
well-costumed she couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl. “Come
down. I’ll buy a drink.”
    “I’m fine,
thanks.”
    “Okay.”
Suddenly swept away by a group of friends or maybe other random
drunk people, the person wandered happily away.
    Drunk people
were best happy. Katie spent quite a while just sittingon her tower
and watching people whooping and wailing. A party was happening a
few streets away too, nearer the academy, she had heard a few
people talking about it down at the pool. No doubt there were quite
a few students there but there seemed to be plenty here too.
Definitely many more than she would remember in the morning.
    “Hey. Time to
clock off.” Adam was climbing up the wooden slats, squeezing into
the guard seat with her and looking suitably idiotic in a Superman
costume, complete with underpants on the outside.
    “Already? I was
kind of enjoying it up here just looking at everything. I guess I
felt like I was in charge.”
    “Must be the
uniform. Scoot over.”
    Katie shifted
over s far as she could on the platform, breathed in, watched him
trying to figure out if he could get into the space without hurting
something vital. He couldn’t. “I really don’t think this is made
for two.”
    “Sure it is.”
He moved so quickly that Katie was perched on his lap before she
knew what was going on. “See? Perfect fit.”
    “Adam!”
    “Hey, I’m just
being Clark to your Lois and stopping you from falling.”
    “I don’t like
falling.” Katie peeled his hands from her waist with a smile she
prayed would stay there just long enough for her to make her
escape. “But ladders I like.” Adam had let go of her easily enough
and she knew he had only been messing with her but the experience
had shaken her to her roots. Back in the house, a hand held out a
plastic cup filled with something fizzy and sweet looking. She
downed the drink in three long