Closing Time

Text 1: The Last Lane, by Miriam Vale

An original short story extract.

At nine, the pool was empty. Mara pulled the last lane rope from the water, hand over hand. Drops tapped against the tiles. Above her, the clock’s red second hand moved without a sound. She glanced at the rows of plastic chairs, all facing the dark windows.

The key ring knocked against her hip as she crossed to the office. She had been given the closing shift for a month, but the building still seemed larger after everyone had gone. In the changing rooms, a locker door clicked shut in the draught. Mara stopped. Then she heard the ventilation fan shudder back into its steady hum.

She checked each door, turning the key twice. At the entrance, she paused beneath the bright sign that said SWIM SAFELY. Outside, rain blurred the streetlights. She switched off the pool lights one bank at a time. The water became a dark sheet, then disappeared. Mara locked the front door and listened to the key settle in her palm before walking home.

How does Miriam Vale use language and structure to convey Mara’s feelings as she closes the pool?

You could consider:

• the descriptions of the empty pool and its sounds
• the order of Mara’s actions

You should use relevant subject terminology to support your answer.