GETTING READY TOGETHER

Toby and Zak have been out in the flower garden all afternoon.

" And legs together , arms up and hold!" says Toby

"Then swing your arms down and lift your legs higher and hold!"

Toby looks over to Zak " Your legs are not high enough , lift them more !"

" My legs are tired!" complains Zak," We've been doing this all afternoon!"

Toby sits up " If we want to be the best we have to practice practice practice !"
"well I'm too tired to practice any more"

Toby lays back down and raises his arms " We'll just do one more then finish "
" One? "
"Promise "
"Alright"

Toby rolls to the side" Keeping arms and legs straight and.. "

" On to the other side and ..

finish ! Now you do it!" he tells Zak.
Zak raises his arms and straightens his legs

He rolls to the side
" NO no Zak not that way! "

but Zak keeps on rolling!

finishing on the grass !

"Totally the wrong way and too far over !" says Toby

"We'll just try it on.e. "
"No!" says Zak " I'm going inside and getting a drink and a biscuit because I'm tired and thirsty "

"Don't you want to know why we've been practicing all afternoon? " asks Toby
Zak thinks for a moment " Okay tell me then I'm going in "
"Better still I'll show you!" smiles Toby looking very pleased with himself " Come on!"

Soon Toby and Zak are standing on the side of the pond.
"Why are we here? " Zak asks " Mum told us never to play near the pond!"
"I know but follow me " Toby totally ignores Zak warning.

"No " says Zak " Mum said no playing by the pond!"
Toby looks annoyed " We will not be playing ! We will be training!"
"Training? "
"Yes training!" says Toby " Now come on!"

Reluctantly Zak follows after Toby being careful to watch where he steps.

Toby stops at the middle of the pond edge and smiles at Zak "Ta rah !"

"That pond looks very green!" states Zak
"Not a problem , green water is actually great !"
"Really? " wonders Zak thinking it looks mucky!

"Never mind the water Look up there !" Toby tells him

Stunned Zak looks at what Toby's making such a fuss about! Excitedly Toby starts talking nineteen to the dozen

" Eat your heart out Bailey and Goodboy ...
"Daley and Goodfellow " corrects Zak automatically
" ... move over Loudly and Sneers ...
" Laugher and Mears " Zak corrects
"It's Toby and Zak O....my god their fantastic!" he laughs

"Are they ..... diving boards? " asks Zak finally managing to speak about what he's seeing
" Yes they are ! " crows Toby " so we can win Olympic gold together !"

"We only stopped using arm bands last week! "
" Well we don't need armbands to dive off the board and do a double twist and enter the water with barely a splash! " states Toby rolling his eyes" if we wear armbands it will make a big splash and we'll lose points!"
"If we wear armbands it will mean our bodies will float to the surface where Mum and Dad can find them and fish us out to bury us!"

"Zak don't be silly " scoffs Toby " do you think when Tom Bailey asked Dan Goodlad to be his partner , he said I'll have to wear my armbands !"
"I bet he wanted to!" argued Zak "and their names are Daley and Goodfellow! "
"Whatever " shrugs Toby " no one will even remember their names once they see us in action!"
" That because they'll never have seen two little boys fall off a board and die a terrible death in mucky green water!"

"Where are you going? " demands Toby as Zak starts walking away
"I'm going to get a drink and a biscuit and stay alive!" mutters Zak as he keeps walking
"Don't you want to win a gold medal? Don't you want to be famous? "Toby calls after him
"No thanks " Zak shouts back getting further away " I want to get a train for my next birthday !"

"We need a diving pool not a train set " shouts Toby after a vanishing Zak...
he hears the back door slam shut and reaslises that Zak's not going to return.

He stand for a while remembering all the fabulous diving he saw on the Olympic's, he so wants to have a go but he needs a partner...or does he?

Thinking hard about what he'd heard , he seemed to remember something about Dan Daley.... Tom Daley ( he hears Zak correct him in his head ) going to be diving for a medal on his own.. .... So he does not need a partner! Whoo Hee Gold medal here I come!!



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