Somewhere, in the bible it states that whenever someone closes the door, the Lord opens up a window. A line that was so elegantly dropped into the script for The Sound of Music. A film which my little sister, Casey was quietly engrossed in. She was sat in front of the television, her small button nose just centimetres away from the screen.
That statement makes no sense to me whatsoever. How can you climb through a window? It would be easy if it was low down, like the front room window of our Victorian house. But what if it was higher up? And what if there was no other way to move on, but that of a tiny window?
There was no one else home apart from Casey and me. Our mother had went out, not saying where she was going or what time she
We were used to her wanderings. That was all she ever did. Apart from sleeping and eating that is, but when it came down to us we were left to fend for ourselves. Sometimes we
I turned the page of my crumpled, tea stained copy of Romeo and Juliet. Mr Roteberry, my young and articulate English teacher had warned all of us Year Tens that he would be putting together a small quiz on Wednesday. Studying wasn
A movement was heard from near the television, then the pounding of footsteps followed on the red, concrete floor. I could hear Casey
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"Come and learn me." I sighed heavily.
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"I. Said. Not. Now.”
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This was how it usually went when she wasn
I hauled her onto my lap, placing my arms around her shoulders I gently rocked her. The sun appeared from behind the dark, grey and fluffy clouds which after five minutes broke apart and a patch of brilliant blue sky was visible. The ground was brown from the rain, large puddles were formed by the side of the curbs and on the pavements. Maybe… Casey
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"Why?"
"We’ve got to save the electricity. We don’t know when mum is coming back." Casey leapt off my knees and ran out of the lounge. Within seconds she was back with her Peppa Pig wellies.
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‘Yes. Would you get my Wellingtons?’ As soon as her right foot was in she bounded off and minutes later there was a huge clatter. I hurried out of the door and there was Casey. Her body jerking about frantically and blood bubbled from her mouth like a fountain. I’m going to jump in the biggest puddle and make such a splash." She declared as she slipped her left foot into the correct Wellington. ‘Are you going to jump with me?’ It shouldn’t have been something I’d have to think about. And the rain was the only reason I’d got the book out in the first place. I smiled at her. Are you sure?" She gave a nod. "It won’t be going back on mind if you go outside."Don’t want to watch it now." What about the film?" Her shoulders raised then fell. Can I play outside?"’s head tilted backwards.’t happy with time on our hands. An hour or so into our mother being absent and Casey would beg for her. This was the hardest part. Consoling a child who wanted to see her mum. But the devastating truth was that our mum just didn’t care enough. Well, mum’s not here so you’ll have to put up with me for now." One big, fat but tiny tear rolled down her left, rosy red cheek followed by another. And another. And another. They kept on coming as she began wailing. Don’t want to." She snapped. "I want mum!" I slammed the book shut. It’s not about that. I need to this right now"’ She ran her fingers through her long, blonde tufty hair. Her shoulders slumped forward as the music began, it was too late now. I looked at her again. "It’s started now. You’d best go and watch the rest of it." Her eyes didn’t blink as her left hand traced invisible patterns on the floor. I promise I’ll be good. I won’t mess about."Please Kim."Not now Casey, I have to read this." She stuck out her pink bottom lip, her eyes faced the floor. "Don’t look like that, your face will stay that way." She didn’t take any notice of me. I focused my attention back to the book. I was up to the part where Romeo seeks Juliet at the Capulet’s Mansion when, from the corner of my right eye, I saw her kneel down. And?"The dance is about to start." She said. My eyes met her large, blue eyes, they were brighter than any stars I’d ever seen. Even if she was only six and three quarters of age. ’s breathing, fast and furious, like a hundred birds flapping their wings in unison. The shadow of her small, thin body lingered over the book I’d been mulling over. ’t one of my favourite things. I hated reading, especially books that Shakespeare had written. The text was old fashioned and the words had no meaning to me because of that. ’d be glad that we were alone, and thankful that we had each other. Other times we’d long for her to spend time with us. Even if it was just for a few hours, that would be enough to satisfy us. ’d be back. She’d simply slipped the DVD into the player and ordered me to keep an eye on her. And then she’d left. The large, white glossed door slammed behind her, the sound of her heels which belonged to her Gucci black stilettos echoed off the grey, cracked pavement.
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