Tangled Yarns: Breath-taking

"Care for a swim?" said the first man.

"You're dressed right for it!" said the other.

"I'm not allowed," said Edna.

"But you were going to anyway, weren't you? It didn't seem to bother you before."

"I was just going to stand in it, up to my knees. Its too dangerous to go any further."

"You might drown," said the man, "Suppose you happened to drown. That wouldn't be very nice, would it?"

"No," said Edna.

"Your mummy would be most upset, wouldn't she?"

"Yes."

"I'll tell you what I'll do," said the man, turning the knife over in his hand, "I'll spare this penguin of yours, if you swim out to that rock."

Edna looked at the poor little bird, tied and panting at her feet and the distant rock.

The men exchanged another knowing glance.

Elbee waited under the weight of the man's foot. She kicked her feet, running against the air. She did not understand what the people were doing.

"Look," said the man, "I'll even put the penguin back into her nest hole." Edna turned her head and looked again at the rock far out in the sea. It was called the Needle because of its shape. It was a long, black ridge, encrusted with barnacles, which rose out of the green ocean about a hundred meters away. Only a fool would try to swim to it, unless they had flippers, or floats.

"I can't," she said. Please... not that far."

"Might as well get it over with," said the man, pressing the sharp point of his knife into the penguin's neck.

"Alright," said Edna, "I'll do it. Just don't hurt the penguin!"

"Deal!" said the man.

The man pushed the penguin back into its nesting hole, still with its legs tied.

Edna walked down to the sea and stepped into the surf.