Another little piece of me.
I'm bowled over by the lovely comments that you are tweeting/messaging/sending me about my blog. It's a constant source of amazement to me that anyone wants to read what I write, and so a great big thank you from the deepest recesses of my very large heart for taking the time to ponder my musings and letting me know what you think.
This very short story is one that I wrote last May, after a tricky day at work. Hope you like. As ever, please tell me if you do. Or indeed, if you don't. I won't cry or sulk. Promise!
FOOTBALL SUN
Jack bit Sam's ear at school today. One minute they were fighting for space on the carpet, the next minute Sam's scream cut through the noise of the class getting ready for playtime. Jack was as shocked as Sam. He wanted to explain what had happened to Mrs Gates, but she was having none of it.
'It was by an accident.'
'How can Sam's ear accidentally end up in your mouth? I think we'd better go and see Mr Jones and you can tell him all about it.'
Jack stood in the Headteacher's office and looked out of the window. He could see the bright yellow sun high in the blue sky. Freddie was kicking a ball against the outside wall and the thud, thud, thud sounded like the noise Daddy had made last night.
'Open the f-ing door, Sandra. Let me in.'
Daddy's voice had roared as loud as a monster as he tried to get into Mummy's bedroom. Then he'd begun a slow bang, bang, bang with his fists and feet on the bedroom door. Jack had gone as far under his Spiderman covers as he could without his toes sticking out at the end and started his magic counting game. If he could get to one thousand before Daddy found him, Mummy would be safe. He got as far as nine hundred and ninety nine before Daddy came. Thump, thump, thump.
He looked again at the bright yellow sun and imagined kicking it as hard as he could between the white cloud goalposts.
'I'm going to write a letter to your Mummy and Daddy, James. And you'll have to say sorry to Sam.'
He was sorry. Sorry that Sam had told him that he smelled bad. Again. Sorry that the monster from last night had followed him to school and now roared loudly in his head. Sorry that he'd missed snack and break and that today was another day just like yesterday and tomorrow.
'Sorry Sam' he said.
'It was by an accident.'
'How can Sam's ear accidentally end up in your mouth? I think we'd better go and see Mr Jones and you can tell him all about it.'
Jack stood in the Headteacher's office and looked out of the window. He could see the bright yellow sun high in the blue sky. Freddie was kicking a ball against the outside wall and the thud, thud, thud sounded like the noise Daddy had made last night.
'Open the f-ing door, Sandra. Let me in.'
Daddy's voice had roared as loud as a monster as he tried to get into Mummy's bedroom. Then he'd begun a slow bang, bang, bang with his fists and feet on the bedroom door. Jack had gone as far under his Spiderman covers as he could without his toes sticking out at the end and started his magic counting game. If he could get to one thousand before Daddy found him, Mummy would be safe. He got as far as nine hundred and ninety nine before Daddy came. Thump, thump, thump.
He looked again at the bright yellow sun and imagined kicking it as hard as he could between the white cloud goalposts.
'I'm going to write a letter to your Mummy and Daddy, James. And you'll have to say sorry to Sam.'
He was sorry. Sorry that Sam had told him that he smelled bad. Again. Sorry that the monster from last night had followed him to school and now roared loudly in his head. Sorry that he'd missed snack and break and that today was another day just like yesterday and tomorrow.
'Sorry Sam' he said.
posted by Mary B Clarke @ 01:11
5 Comments
5 Comments:
Poor James! A sad story but, again, really well written. I liked the crawling into the spiderman quilt part - really captured the childish spirit :)
I'm a big fan of flash fiction and this is a lovely lil ditty. I too liked the crawling into the spiderman covers. well done
Hi 1 luv
That was a comforting masterpiece, It reminded me of my childhood....Thanks so much for sharing it
Paul Devine
Maybe I should point out that little Jack reminded me of my own childhood,and I found it comforting that I could relate to it, and that over the years of growing up my experiences as a child have made me compassionate and understanding person I am today...
Great stuff! I was completely immersed - amazing in such a tiny number of words! You draw upon great archetypes and clear situations, without muddying the waters with too much descriptive detail. Less is more they say, and this was exactly enough! I loved it.
Tony
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