'Elizabeth' by Jade M, Age 10, Class 3

The following story written by Jade M in class 3, reminds us that not all things scary involve fantasy and monsters. In this story the character 'Elizabeth' has to deal with some frightening and difficult events.

Elizabeth.

Hello my name is Elizabeth and this is the story of how I got to find my Mum. I’m not a real person I am a made up character for this story. I lived in a family of eight and am the second youngest. I am the only girl and have seven brothers. Mum has left us but we don’t know why she just left and Dad was left to look after us but he doesn’t really. Auntie Jill looked after us most of the time because Dad went to work at 6 o’clock in the morning and returned at 11 o’clock in the evening. Auntie Jill gave most of her attention to my little brother Michael. Michael is three years old and was just two when Mum left, he doesn’t remember much about her any more. It’s been one year since Mum has left and life is different now, we went everywhere with Mum, the Zoo on Sunday on Thursday we went to the farm and Monday the park, or was it Tuesday I can’t remember none of us can any more.
It was a nice day and all of us where outside playing bulldog when suddenly it started to rain we went inside and played cards Michael played with his toy car and I went upstairs to my room and started to draw, draw happy pictures of me and mum. The next morning Dad was at home he said he had a surprise for us. He said we were going on holiday, I had never been on holiday before neither had Michael. He said we were going to Scotland, my older half brother James had been to Scotland with his mum he said he saw the Lock Ness monster but none of us believe him.
The next morning we went to the airport it took about two hours to get there, I continued drawing happy pictures. When we got to Scotland we went to the hotel we were staying at, there was one big family room and two others, Dad had his own room Michael slept with me and the boys slept in the family room. We went down stairs to dinner we all had a menu each I chose the stew of the day, it was disgusting! I don’t know what day the soup was made, but I guess two weeks ago. I went back up to my room before the others, I took Michael with me and put him to bed. Then I sat down on my bed and got changed into my PJ’s then I heard a strange noise. At first I thought it was just Michael but then I realised it was coming from under my bed, I looked I could not see very clearly at first because it was dark. Then I realised what I was staring at was a rabbit, a small ginger rabbit. My brain the clever part of me was telling me to go back down stairs and tell the others but my heart was telling me to keep it and look after it, I did not know what to do. Then I remembered what Mum said to me the night she left she told me to always follow my heart, so I did. I got a old shoe box I had found in the drawers, I got Dad’s newspaper and ripped it up into little pieces then put it in the box. Then I got a sharp pencil and put some holes in the box with it, then I put the ginger rabbit in the box and put it under my bed. I got into bed and went to sleep.
That night I had a dream that mum came back everyone was so happy but then Dad started to shout at Mum, Mum went to the door and left us again Dad shut the door firmly and locked it then I woke up. I got out of bed and looked in the mirror I had tears running down my face, I got back into bed and looked at my clock it was 2:00 in the morning I tried to get to sleep it took me half an hour to actually get back to sleep.
I woke up at 8:32 I jumped out of bed and got the shoe box out I looked inside it was empty, I searched the room then I heard Michael giggling I went over to his bed he was sitting there with the little ginger rabbit saying funny bunny, funny, funny bunny. Michael always calls me Izzie instead of Lizzie and he said to me Izzie Mummy loves bunnies! Then I remembered Mum did love rabbits I felt like crying again but I did not. When I had pulled myself together I took the small ginger rabbit off Michael but he started to cry. Then I heard Dad coming up to the door, then he shouted out Elizabeth is Michael crying, um no that’s the cat outside. “Oh, ok!” shouted Dad again. I gave Michael his soft toy he loves it Mum gave it to him, it’s about the only thing his got to remember her by. It was Mums when she was little at one time I had it, well as a baby we all had it. I got dressed and took Michael down stairs then met Dad and the boys for breakfast.
“Elizabeth we are going to go to a nature reserve today and rocky beach.” Said her Dad. “Do we have to Dad ?” Moaned my brothers. “Yes.” said Dad. I ate my breakfast and went back up stairs and checked on the small ginger rabbit then put her coot on got my purse then went back down stairs and waited for her Dad and her Brothers. When we got there we all got in the rented car and we all drove to the nature reserve.
At the nature reserve we saw lots of different animals and plants and the only thing that the boys were interested in was the gift shop but I was fascinated by the lizards. When the boys had went to the gift shop and my brothers had nearly bought half of the shop with dad’s money we went to rocky beach. It was a windy and cold day and the boys just wanted to go home back to the hotel, I took Michal down to the sea and looked for pretty shells or pebbles. When dad was fed up with the boys moaning we went back to the hotel.
We had some lunch and I took some carrot and green beans for the rabbit that I named Lillie, which was my mum’s name. We all really miss her and are worried but we don’t even know if she’s alive. When I was finished with my lunch I went up stairs and feed Lillie. Michael stayed down stairs with dad while the boys played outside with Ollie, oh I haven’t told you about Ollie our dog we got him four years ago from the RSPCA. He’s a lovely golden haired spaniel with pale blue sparkle eyes and golden floppy ears. I love him the boys love him and mum loved him but Dad just is not that fond of animals. Auntie Gill loves animals and is always saying to Dad, why not get another dog or, or a rabbit or a guinea pig. If mum was here, she would just get one with out running it through with dad.
I went down and went outside and started to play with Ollie and my brothers. Then Dad called us in he said to start packing because we had to go… We didn’t know why but he sounded serious so I went up stairs and started to pack mine and Michal’s stuff, when I had finished I got the Old shoe box out and gave Lillie some food then cello taped the box and the lid together and went outside with the suit cases and the shoe box. “ Quickly now ” Dad said in a worried voice “ Come on now lets go to the airport ” Said dad again.
When we got to the airport we quickly got on the plane and I asked the lady serving the drinks were I could put my rabbit. She said that I could put her with the other pets and Ollie in the back of the plane.
When we landed Dad hurried us all out and Auntie Gill was waiting for us in her car. We all got in Auntie Gill’s tiny little car I had to have Michael on my lap, I felt like moaning and groaning but I didn’t I knew something serious was going on. On the way back Auntie Jill and Dad were talking about stuff, stuff that didn’t make sense, Auntie Jill kept saying “Oh it was terrible just terrible just terrible, oh just, just terrible.” And Dad was saying, “No, no, no, no, la, ah, la, la I’m not listening! ”
When we got home Auntie Jill and Dad ran to the front door and opened it followed by me and then Michael, “What’s happened!” I screamed. “Oh no.” Michael said. “ It’s terrible!” Dad Shouted. Then all at once the boys came charging in and all at once screamed like little girls. I walked into the front room there was scattered glass every where, I looked around the room and then I saw from the corner of my eye a piece of paper, or a letter. I quickly picked the letter up and ran into my room. I sat dawn on my bed. But my bedroom wasn’t trashed like down stairs! I read the letter and this it what it said…

Give me my children.

That’s all it said give me my Children.

Then I saw another letter on my dressing table I went over and saw what it said…

To my darling Elizabeth,
I hope you are ok, and are well. How is Michael and the other boys? You know I miss you all very much and wish I could see you again but I know your father would not let you.

Lots of love Mum.

P.S Please write to me- 73 Arch Lane, Surry, Croydon, London CRO 7PV.

I nearly cried, Arch Lane, only round the corner from my house. Then I started to cry, Tommy came in and asked me what was the matter. I showed him the letter from Mum. “Don’t cry about it Elizabeth, it’s just someone very cruel and nasty playing a horrid joke on us.” Tommy said. No it isn’t, no it isn’t, it isn’t, it isn’t! It’s Mum and I know it is I know it’s MUM! I shouted at him and then started to cry even louder. “Shosh, shosh, shosh, if Dad hears you he will come up here and if he sees the letter then he will be furious!” He said. I really do not care I just want to see Mum!
That night when everyone had went to bed I started to pack my stuff in my back pack and then put on my shoes and coat and carefully creeped out of my bedroom, down the stairs and out of the door. I walked up to Arch Lane and knocked on door number 73, I saw a light turn on in the top room and then heard someone coming down the stairs I braced myself and stood up straight, then a Man opened the door, I looked at him and then ran off back home up the stairs and into my bed.
The next morning I was woke up by some one knocking on the door, I went down stairs nobody else was up I put the kettle on then yawned and went to open the door. I opened it and looked up at the tall brunette haired woman she smiled at me and said my name, I looked up at her again, Mum? I asked she smiled once more, Mum, Mum, MUM! I hugged her and started to cry oh Mum I’ve missed you so much I said. We can run away! I’ll go and get Michael and I’ll pack my bags, then, then, then we can go and live in Canada that’s what you wanted Mum, that’s what you wanted! “Elizabeth darling your going too far, your Father still hates me!” She said. He doesn’t, he’ll understand why you left! Wait a minute… why, did you leave? “Elizabeth, you know sometimes people just need a break from stuff, well that what I needed.” Mum said.
“Elizabeth, who’s that?” Dad shouted from his bed room. Nobody Dad! I shouted up the stairs. Quick Mum you have to go! “I’ll see you soon sweetie!” Mum said.
I shut the door and ran upstairs. I got Tommy out of bed and told him who I had been speaking to and told him my plane… I told him that we would invite Dad and Mum to the same Dinner Party and then we would be a big happy family again. So Tommy gave Mum an invitation and I gave Dad an invitation as well. When Dad got back we all looked up at him smiling, he looked at us and then went up to his bed room. I waited a couple of minutes then I went upstairs and knocked on Dads bedroom door, I went in and asked him how it went. He told me that really all they had to do was sit down and talk to each over and me and Tommy had helped them do that!
The next morning Mum came round to have breakfast with us, it was just like before, you know, when we were one big happy family just like my happy drawings! A year on and we moved to beautiful Cornwall. Everyone was happy Mum and Dad got a new, better job, all of the boys actually got on for once, it turns out that Ollie was actually a Olivia and she had 11 cute beautiful puppies and me, well me… I feel like the most happiest little girl in the world!!!

by Jade E, Class 3, Age 10
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