Year 8 short story

The Baptism

The smell of hotdogs and grass was the scent of a normal Friday, but nothing about the afternoon at youth church camp felt normal. Maya stood inside the humid indoor pool room, the edge of the concrete pool glowing under the vivid lights. Her white t-shirt clung to her arms in the heavy heat as she stared down at the water where she was about to be baptised.

Her stomach did slow, sickening flips. She could feel the eyes of the Year 9 boys on the back row, just staring her down. In two weeks, she would turn thirteen. A teenager.

A real person.

The ripples on the surface blurred into a memory of last week's corridor in school. That had been the day she finally decided to be baptised because growing up in church over the years, she had understood what being a true Christian means. Maya wanted to live a holy, devoted life to God. Just then, she'd heard some older girls talking about "labels" and "reputation". If she did this, she would become this "Church Girl that's perfect". There was no undo button once you got dunked in front of sixty people, looking like a drowned rat.

Time didn't just crawl; it grew teeth.

"You're thinking so hard I can practically see your head bursting," said Leo, waist deep in the water already, his cargo shorts visibly darkening. He was the camp's trusted youth pastor of thirty years and would be baptising her.

"It's just too much," said Maya, her face turning red. "Everyone's watching. What if I change my mind tomorrow or if I'm the exact same when I come up, just wetter and more... awkward?"

Leo didn't give the rehearsed speech that Maya thought he was going to give. He just looked at the horizon.

"Maya, look. Baptism doesn't ask you to carry the weight of a whole new identity. It's actually the opposite. It's a reminder that you don't have to build a new person as a teenager; you just get to rest in your true identity as a child of God and simply be the real you. Trust God without worry."

The transition was a quick blur. One moment, she was shivering on a tile looking at Leo, already in the water; the next: the wet cold was biting at her waist. The embarrassment was uncomfortable. All the noise of the camp faded, and the 'what ifs' took over. About upcoming birthday parties, secondary school, the relationships that would connect to her. All of a sudden, everything felt small. Leo's hand steadied her.

"In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

She took a deep breath, held it, and let the world tilt.

Underneath, time turned into a silent, silver cathedral. Bubbles were now lanterns. She felt the 'weight' of her reputation, the fear of being seen, the worries of the future, all simply dissolve.

'Trust God,' 'Be the real you.'

Maya sprang up, water plummeting off her face. She didn't check to see who was laughing or care if her mascara was smeared all over her cheeks. She just looked at the exit ladder, then at the bright, clear sky and smiled. Huge burdens were now gone. Thirteen was coming and for the first time she was not afraid to meet it.

by Eunice Akintode (Year 8)