THE SHOES IN THE SAND...

Reader Gemma has written a stunning fan-fiction about Summer Tanberry... a must-read to brighten up your January!

It has been so long since I have properly danced. I've had a few lessons at the dance studio, but I haven't been able to lose myself in the music... until now.

It's the school holidays, and we're staying at a beach far away from Tanglewood. But just like at Tanglewood, we wander up and down the beach as we please. That's what I'm doing now. A pair of pointe shoes, discoloured from the ocean, are buried in the sand. I walk over to have a look. I try not to think about it, but... imagine if these are the ones I threw into the ocean last year when I got home from hospital? I pick them up, tip the sand out of them. It couldn't hurt to try them on...

I walk up to the wharf and slip the shoes on. The sand is uneven, not good for pointe work. Even though the wet sand that covers my feet feels gross, I like the familiarity of how these shoes feel. I walk around a little, trying to get a feel of them, then decide to raise up en pointe. I fall over almost immediately. Before I got ill, I trained every day. My ankles, legs and toes were strong, capable of bearing my whole body weight... but it has been a long time since I've danced en pointe, and I am weak.

I try again; years of work can't just disappear. I fall again. And again, and again. I sit down on the wooden wharf in defeat. I see a familiar figure running across the sand. 'Summer!' my twin sister calls. 'Are you all right?'

'No!' I sob. 'I found these pointe shoes, and I can't use them!'

'Yes you can,' she says firmly, jumping up onto the wharf. 'Stand, Summer. Just normally.' I get up onto my feet, and Skye holds out her arms.

'Hold onto me and go en pointe,' she says softly.

I wobble, but I don't fall this time. Skye is keeping me balanced. We walk a bit. My toes cry out in pain, but I ignore it. I try a basic pirouette. I fall out of the pose too soon, but still, I did it. Skye and I leave the shoes under the wharf and go back to the hotel we're staying at.

I return the next day, without Skye, and this time I've bought a CD player. I put in my copy of The Firebird CD, choosing one of the slower songs. I put on the shoes and then I'm dancing. Not as well as I used to, but still, I'm dancing. I am leaping and turning and twirling across the wharf.

I remember now why I loved ballet so much. I don't think I ever really forgot.

(I have no credit for the pic but if anyone knows the photographer please let me know, I will happily credit)

Cathy says:
I LOVE this fantastic fanfic story, inspired by the evocative picture above. Awesome work, Gemma! Did YOU enjoy the story? COMMENT BELOW to have your say... and if you love writing, watch out for my picture story challenges on the Cathy Cassidy Facebook fanpage... the very best responses may be featured on DREAMCATCHER!