beware the evil snowman

In case my entry to the CBC literary awards flash fiction contest doesn't win, I've posted it below.

The rules:
250 words max.
Must start with "The snowman grinned malevolently as.."
Must end with with "...buried alive.

_______________



The snowman grinned malevolently as you walk past him to the change room. Festive blow up figures crowd the entrance. A polar bear and his sidekick, a penguin wearing a red hat, the evil snowman.

It is December 28th and you need a swim. Too much gorging on homemade truffles and Spanish coffees at the in-laws.

The water is warmer than normal because they offer physiotherapy classes here. You think it’s decadent. Your friends think it’s gross. You think you need new friends. There are three lanes — fast, slow and medium. In September you were fast. Today, medium. The water is like honey around your bloated body and you think about the New Year. You will volunteer more. You will exercise. You will not be so hard on yourself.

You do a flip at the end of the lane like a pro. Everything goes black. Your skull has cracked in half. Is there much blood? The pool will need to close for days. You are not a pro. You are a fool. You pull yourself up and cling to the edge.

There is no blood. The pretty young lifeguard gives you a bag of ice and makes you sit in the office. She suggests you go home.

You shower, change and put your toque on to hide the growing bump. The penguin, the bear and that smirking snowman all watch you leave. Soon enough, you think. You jokers will be removed, deflated and stuffed in a bin, buried alive.