JUST A LITTLE PULL

Jayia Matree

Noah ran to the monkey bars – it was the first thing he always did when they reached the playground. He grabbed the neon yellow structure and pulled himself up effortlessly, he cackled like a king.
            ‘Come on, Michael! It’s easier than it looks,’ he encouraged and reached out with a calloused hand. Staring, Michael thought of the trouble he would get into if he accidentally fell.
            ‘I can’t, it’s way too high for me.’ Michael muttered, his stomach already beginning to do flips.
            Snorting, Noah extended his hand further. ‘We’re the same height, nothing is too high,’ he reassured. ‘Grab my hand, don’t think about falling!’
            Michael hesitated; all he could think about was falling. How can Noah not see the dangerous side of climbing monkey bars?
            ‘It’ll be fun! Grab, grab!’ Noah insisted.
            Finally giving in, Michael gripped Noah’s hand and was hauled upwards, unharmed.
            ‘See? You did it!’ Noah clapped.
            Meanwhile, two kids across the playground stared, confused at the interaction.
            ‘Grownups can still play on monkey bars?’