Noah Barleywater Runs Away by John Boyne Page A

asked, but instead of answering she simply unlocked the door with the key she had been given and they stepped through into the hotel’s swimming pool area. Noah had been in pools before but never one like this. For one thing, there was no one else around, which was a big surprise in a hotel like this. Usually the pool was filled with middle-aged men splashing around in the water like whales as they powered their way through their lengths, or terrified-looking children bouncing nervously in the shallow end in case they lost their footing and the ground went from beneath them. But instead there was just the two of them, Noah and his mum.
    But if he thought this was unusual, it was nothing compared to the way the swimming pool looked. Half a dozen small piles of sand had been brought in and built into dunes, and although it looked nothing like a real beach, it was probably the closest thing you could find at a swimming pool. Noah’s mouth fell open in surprise and he looked up at his mother in wonder.
    ‘All right, it’s not
quite
the real thing,’ she admitted. ‘But we have the place to ourselves and we can pretend we’re at the beach, can’t we? One more beach holiday together. Let’s make the best of it, shall we?’

    ‘Well, it’s not just
one
more,’ he replied. ‘I mean, we can always go to Auntie Joan’s next Easter, can’t we? Or even later in the summer?’
    Mrs Barleywater opened her mouth to reply but it seemed to take her an awful long time to find the words. She swallowed and looked away, and then leaned down and hugged Noah to her so tight that he thought she had gone mad.
    ‘What’s the matter?’ he asked nervously, pulling away from her. ‘Why are you acting so strange?’
    ‘Me? Strange?’ she said, clearing her throat and turning away from him. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now, how about we take a swim?’ she asked, walking over to the side of the pool. ‘Race you to the other side.’
    And with that, the two of them dived into the cold water and reached the other side almost neck and neck but it was finally agreed that Noah’s mum had just edged it, although it was the only race she won for the rest of the afternoon, for Noah was a very strong swimmer and his mum seemed to get very tired quite quickly. Sandcastles were built, more swimming took place, and at just the right moment a picnic of sandwiches and fizzy drinks was served by a young man from the hotel staff, who seemed entirely unimpressed by what was taking place there.
    ‘Well?’ asked Noah’s mother, throwing a few grains of the sand in his sandwich so it would taste even more like they were at the beach. ‘Did youhave a good time?’
    Noah nodded quickly and looked at his mum, smiling widely. He wondered whether maybe she had some sort of allergic reaction to the chlorine in the water though, for her eyes seemed to be very red around the edges, as if she had been crying while she was in the pool. He was going to tell her that she should wear a pair of goggles in future, but his mouth was so full of egg sandwich at the time that he couldn’t get the words out without spitting it all over her, and a moment later, when it wasn’t, he’d already forgotten.
    ‘We have to make the most of days like this, Noah,’ she said quietly then, trying to pull him close to her again, but this time he pulled away because her swimsuit was too wet, and instead he jumped back into the water for another swim. He liked this new side of his mother, these unexpected days out. It was almost as if she was a different person.

Chapter Twelve

Noah and the Old Man
    ‘Well, I’ve heard some things in my life,’ said the old man, putting his chisel down for a moment. ‘But I’ve never heard of a mother who made a beach out of a swimming pool before. What an extraordinary thing!’
    ‘I told you she was full of surprises,’ replied Noah.
    ‘You did indeed. But I suppose it just makes me wonder why you’re running away