I don't often tend to share this side of me on my blog too much. It's not that I'm ashamed, or bashful, but there is an innate fear within me that by bearing my soul, the world will judge me.
From early on, I knew that words were going to play a big part in who I was going to be. Forever writing stories, in the playground my friends begged to be a part of them, and I, only too happy to indulge their pleas. To them, I was a writer.
As I got older, I've become more protective over my stories. They are my babies - I have poured so much love into them that I am terrified of anybody criticising them. But stories are written to be shared. To be read. To be spoken. It's time to be brave, to open up!
So....*deep breath*.... here we go ....
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“Please, Bethany,
gerr’off him!”
“Why should I, Bogey Face?”
“You’re hurting him.”
Amy jumped up from her bed, trying to reach the captive
teddy bear that was dangling from Bethany’s arm. She missed. Bethany ran out to
the landing and began to swing the bear round and round her head like a
helicopter blade.
“If only you’d listened to me, Bogey Face.”
“But I told you, I wasn’t anywhere near the living room. I
couldn’t see what you were doing in there. I was up here.”
“You were spying on me!”
“I wasn’t!”
Bethany swung the bear faster and faster. Amy could just
make out his terrified face as it whizzed in front of her. Mr Tubbs was the
only piece of Dad that she had left. The poor teddy was tattered and frail. Mum
had suggested that Amy send him to a charity shop, but she couldn’t bear to see
him go. He still smelt like Dad.
“Bethany, please. You’re really hurting him,” Amy pleaded.
“Aw,” Bethany sniggered. “Poor Mr Tubby-wubs.”
Amy started to cry. All she wanted was Mr Tubbs back, but
she knew that Bethany would not give in easily. She could see the corner of Mr
Tubbs’ ear that was coming unstitched, straining under the swinging.
Bethany laughed again.
“Bogey Face, Bogey Face. Your dad is dead, so shut your
face.”
That was the last straw. Amy lunged for the captive teddy
bear. Bethany squealed in delight. Ever since Bethany and her dad had moved in,
Bethany had tormented Amy as much as possible.
Amy caught one of Mr Tubbs’ feet. It wasn’t a firm grip,
and she could feel Bethany trying to pull him up again, ready for another spin.
Amy started to tug on the bear’s foot harder, but she could see that the ear by
which Bethany had hold of him was starting to loosen. She had no choice.
She had to let go.
Amy
didn’t realise that Bethany was going to release her grip at the same time.
Before Amy knew, Mr Tubbs was up in the air. Well, at least his body was. Amy
swore she saw Mr Tubbs wink at her as he tumbled over the banister and
disappeared from sight.
Mr
Tubbs’ ear lay on the carpet next to Bethany’s foot, torn, and stuffing-less.
Bethany glanced down at the ear, and then Amy’s face, and then burst out
laughing again.
“Poor
Mr Tubby-wubs went for a ride. He fell downstairs and then he...”
“Don’t!”
Amy screamed. “This is all your fault. It’ll never be the same now
because of you.”
“Me?”
Bethany screeched. “If you hadn’t lied about being downstairs, I wouldn’t have taken
your stupid bear.”
Amy
had had enough. She stormed past Bethany, knocking her to one side. She hurried
down the stairs, following the trail of stuffing that had flown out of the
bear. She found Mr Tubbs lying at the bottom of the stairs, face down on the
carpet.
Amy
could hear Bethany’s laughter coming from behind her. Amy wished sometimes that
Bethany and her dad would just disappear. She hated them being here. All she
wanted was things to go back to how they used to be. But they wouldn’t. She
gathered up her bear and as much stuffing as she could and sat in the middle of
the hallway. Bethany had threatened Mr Tubbs before, but she had never followed
through. The damage done today could be irreparable.
“I’m
so, so sorry,” Amy said as she cradled Mr Tubbs in her arms, squeezing him as
tightly as she could. “Please don’t hate me.”
“Saddo,”
Bethany taunted, coming down the stairs and cowering over Amy. “Least now
you’ll know not to listen in on me again.”
Amy
covered her face with her hands.
And
cried.
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