I done this story last year, it's about a young, neglected boy called Zack. Sorry about the spelling, and the fact that the bulletined bit is improperly formatted. Quite a bit of it i had to rewrite... so sorry if a bit dosen't make sense... For some reason i like doing stories about neglect... man... i seem to imagine stories with familiar cartoon characters starved, neglected, ill, injured or really fat... the last one is kind of wired, anyhoo, if i continue i might go a bit crazy... read on... if you dare!:
I sat on the chair, in the big dark waiting room; silence flowed all except the tick of the clock and the beat of my hart. I stared at the Doctor’s room, lost count of how long, some ware around and hour. My father died five months before I was even born, I never really saw him, but there where stories that he died as a pilot in WW2, but he would only be a child then. I sat there waiting to see if my mother had survived, suddenly something happened in the doctor’s room. The doctor came through into the waiting room, he didn’t look to happy. “Zack,” He said “I’m sorry”…
I had to stay with my grandpa, he had got married three times, first to a mean lady called Lisa Sampson, Who have birth to a boy called Maxell, tough Lisa left when he was born, Max was quite a guy, he always rubbed my hair up, that’s how it got spiky in the first place. Then only two years after the divorce, he got married, giving birth again, to my dad. Now, he’s married to Marina Layout, she’s very strict, and she’d never let me play - She always acted nice and kind when Max was about. Max was clearing out the attic. “Hay,” he said to me “Zack, I’m goanna miss ya.” I sat there wondering what he was talking about. “You haven’t heard the news, have ya?” I shook my head. “I’m moving!” Fear split in my head, it felt almost as if my veins had burst, and laid a massive egg in my throat. Max was my only joy in the world, and now he was about to go forever. “Yea… bad felling I guess, still, I have some stuff for you.” He showed me an old tatty box. “Help?” I asked “Sure, no never know what you can find in here,” Max said We looked trough the stuff, many of the stuff was going to get chucked out; I was allowed any of that stuff if I wanted it. Then I found and old box, it said ‘DOG STUFF’ on the side. I looked in it, a collar was in it with some old toys, and I pulled out to photographs, yellow with age. The first one was a picture of me, as a baby, next to a Dalmatian pup. I remember that photo, and the dog, she was Doti. Doti died when I was about seven, it was a terrible day, and rain never stopped falling. I would visit grandpa often then, that’s where Doti lived, and that’s where she’s buried. The second photo was of her alone, when she was a lot older, when I was five; I probably took the photo then. I loved taking photos and I got a digital camera for Christmas the last time I spent it with mum. Also in the box was a long lead, extendable with a built in collar, I dug further and found her old tennis ball, how she loved it. I threw the ball up and down, that’s about when max noticed me. “Ah, Doti, she was one cute dog, one ear white one black, one eye blank, one eye dark. You can keep the lead and maybe a toy, I know you always wanted a dog, so they’re just in case.” I took the ball and the lead. “Put them in the box, you haven’t opened it yet.” I opened the box it had various things, I pored them all out, there was a big blue bag, in it was a piece of crumpled paper. The paper had on it:
Limed Town Alan Street 52
I had just read it when Max took my hand. “Take care of it. If you need to find me, if you’re lost, this is where you should go.”
Once Max left, I’ve:
They might as well get a slave. Anyhow, it was cemetery night, I had to stay up late and do the shopping afterwards. I looked down at mum’s grave, if only she could see this. Midnight struck as my family struggled to get through the door, they where all so fat, even the baby could barely fit in its quilt. In fact, I’m nearly a tenth of their weight; I’m so thin you could barely think I’m in the family. I walked the five miles to the shop, and when I was coming back with £350 worth of chicken, chocolate, Cake, beef, sweets and 99% sugar baby food. I saw a car drive away from the house, and it looked just like Uncle Max’s. When I got back grandma looked at me. “There you are, you missed Max.” She yelled sharply I dropped the shopping and ran into the attic, I rubbed my face into my pillow. Fury and Rage exploded in my mind, somehow I fell asleep. A rude awakening stroke me, as I was punched in the shins my grandma. Within seconds I was yanking weeds out of next doors farm. It gave me time to think how I could get out of this, I could run away. I had everything I had in my bag, which was with me, I had also saved up three cooked carrots. The final urge pushed me as a wasp found a nest in my arm and wondered if it was alive. I screamed in pain but everyone told me to be quiet and keep working. Anger that had been stored up made me run, as fast as my legs could carry me, and grabbed the bag as grandma chased. She couldn’t keep up and yelled words at me: “You can run all you like; you can leave a poor old women that loves her son so much” Yea right, as I ran further I herd the faint words between pants: “Leave me, but I won’t be here when you come back.” Before I was born, my dad died, when I was 6, my Mum died and Max left, now that I’m ten, I’ve ran away from my grandpa, uncle and grandma. I found a patch at the top of a hill, below a tree, I sat down, and the good thing about living in the countryside is that no one will see me. When at the top of the hill, I could see a small town not to far away, but I was worried, if someone found me out, they’d take me home, or to an orphan Arian. I couldn’t risk it, so I made an identity:
Name: Ronny Age: Nine Mum and Dad’s location: In the town Reason I’m out: I went for milk and got lost
It wasn’t good, but it was better than an orphan Arian, or that old house. It was next morning that I plucked up the bravery to go into the village. I was walking down the early village road when I tripped, the dog toys came flying out my bag. As I collected them up an old whiskery man came up, “Do you have a dog?” he asked, I shook my head “Had one,” “I see, Do you want another one?” as he said that I noticed a giant black dog, and a few Scotties, I nodded; i couldn't go out here alone, i wanted a partner.
As we walked down the street I wondered if I had done the right thing, “My names the Noak the dog keeper” he said, no wonder, his house’s garden was full to the brim with dogs. “I breed and sell dogs to people all over the world, and then I froze “No money,” I said “Don’t worry,” Noak said, “There’s one that I need to find a home; so, do you live in this town” I shook my head “hmm” We went into the house and I was greeted by an old bony lady, “Why hello, what’s your name?” she asked, “Zack,” I answered. “So,” said the woman “Boy of few words… You must be here for the dog, come,” she led me and Noak into the garden “I’m Minre Soun and that’s Noak Soun. The garden was full of dogs, big dogs, small dog, Skinny Dogs and scruffy dogs. As we sat down a small fluff ball with ears and a nose, came up and licked me. The two Souns smiled, “So, where are you headed” Minre asked, I showed her the piece of paper, as I done so, Noak wrote it down, “Want a hand to get there”, he offered, but I shook my head; before I went he said “Promise me you’ll take care of him”. When I got back to my house (a.k.a tree) I groomed the dog as I thought of what to call her, Pappy seemed a good name. “Pappy” I called, she seemed to respond; I took the tag off the collar and put it on pappy, I wrote on the back of the address ‘Home to Me’ and stuck it onto her, I put on the lead and watched her leap onto me. The Sun had hidden once again and I stared at the stars. It was a rude awakening when someone tried to eat my ear, but it was just pappy. I got up, I knew I was going to leave some day, then I noticed a note in the floor, it Said: ‘Follow the main road and don’t turn at the bend, keep going past the grass and hills until you come to another road, follow that road and only turn when you have to, if you do, turn North and follow the river, by 20 days you should be home. If you do not find a horse statue by 3 days, you have gone the wrong way.’ Instructions, how nice of him, 20 days was a long time, though. As I picked up the paper I saw three biscuits and a dog treat, I tucked right in.
After about two days I saw a
small town, on the sign it said Dowsly Village, A friendly area. Once there,
there was an old Horse statue, then I saw two kids walking down with two
lollipops. I suddenly felt hungry, I had eaten all the food I had already. I
sat and got out some old coppers (so many stuff comes in 99p in shops, it’s
easy to smuggle some pennies) but I wouldn’t have enough. I counted them up, 20
pennies and 3 Two pennies and a 5 penny. Which made 31p. I walked into the
nearest shop, the two children that had lollys where called back and their mum
was buying more lollys. I looked at them amongst the fruit: Mum: Don’t go out there,
Poppy, look, Rake is following you, he’ll learn bad manners off you. Poppy: But you told me to take
him out. Rake: goo-goo. Mum: No I never. Rake: goo-goo. Poppy: But… Mum: No buts, or no lolly Rake: GOO-GOO! Rake was pointing to me, I
grabbed a 29p apple to show I wasn’t watching, their mum walked up to me, “You poor boy” she said “You
poor, poor boy, you must be lost, and broke, buying the cheapest apple on the market”
She handed me a lolly. I stood there, “so, aren’t you going to eat it?” she
asked “After” I replied then I
walked back to the apples “See that children,” the
Mother said “He saves his food.” “Yes, because he has to save
his food, he’s going to ration it or he’ll starve!” replied Polly, who was
outside and next to her was Rake who was playing with Pappy. I ran out to back
him away, “so that’s your dog” she said “What’s its name?” “Pappy” I said without
thinking, I didn’t really want to talk to her. “Pappy, that sounds like my
name; is it a girl?” I snarled and walked off. It wasn’t until eight until I
came back to untie Pappy, the shops where just closing. When I passed the TV
shop, I sat down; it was a news program. It had been a long time since I had watched
TV, then it made me think about my mum and dad, well my mum actually. It made
me think about the times that we spent together, all the days we laughed and
smiled. I began to cry, Polly came up carrying Pappy by the scruff of the neck.
I snatched her off her. “Oh, your crying, what’s the matter?” she asked, I sat
up “My parents”, Polly looked
surprised, the just managed to open her mouth when I saw a picture of me on the
TV. “This young 10-year-old son ran away form home three days ago” Polly looked
at me, “You’re a runaway,” she said. “Yes,” I said, suddenly
felling confident to talk for the first time in four years, I explained what
had happened, every thing, every bit of this story so far. “But now people will
be looking for me, I have to go” I turned and ran, Pappy following close behind. As I went I couldn’t stop
thinking about her, my first friend in 10 years, were we going to meet again? I walked on, looking at all
the houses, a child was there taking his first steps, as it toppled it was
caught by his dad. I sighed, I couldn’t go back into the town, and I could be
seen by anyone and be taken back into my house. As I thought a woman saw me.
She screamed “Zack” at me, I ran as fast as
I could. It was evening and the hills had gone to sheep by the time she lost
me, but I went on going, when the most terrible thing happened, my foot slipped
by the river. Within seconds I was into the whisky waters, Pappy yelping,
moments before I was truly into the water, my bag was caught on a bush next to
the river. Pappy offered the lead so I grabbed it, as she pulled onto me the
bag straps broke and the weight was too much for Pappy. I managed to grab onto
the branch when Pappy slipped into the water, the lead then was pulled straight
out my hand. The backpack and Pappy where gone, I closed my eyes and thought. I
thought of the promise I had to Noak, the love of max and the dread of my
grandma in-law. Then I heard the branch break and the waters got into my coat
before I could even open my eyes. As I went down the water I
managed to get the bag by I could only see the brown of Pappy when she bobbed
above the water. I closed my eyes hard, everything I had done, the things I
promised, the love and the hate, and my first and only friend. It was all going
to go in a couple of moments. As I closed my eyes a rock bashed my pelvis, then
more rocks started to hit me, then I picked a floating rock… “Wait a minute, floating rock”
the lead, I gathered it and hugged Pappy. “You shouldn’t have done that, Pappy,
you could have just ran and grabbed help” Pappy’s eyes grew sad in an ‘I’m
sorry’ kind of way. “I know” I sighed as a nice pointy rock scarred my arm.
Slowly I closed my eyes, everything got quieter as it slowed down, then
everything…seemed… to stop. As I woke up I felt the
wondrous felling of land below me; a long man came up. “Ok Zack?” he asked “H... How do you know my name?”
I said “Zack, I know many things,
your name is just a starter.” “B… But how.” “Zack, I a fragment of your
mind, I know everything you do.” I stood up “U… Maxel.” the shadowy figure
slowly turned to max “Zack, to go to my home you
must follow your hart.” “H… How.” “Zack,
I am a fragment of your
mind, I know what you do but nothing more, I cannot tell you anything
new.” a
picture of Zack before he ran away appeared, it came to life and walked
to him,
it was different to now. The Zack disappeared and Max turned to a Hyena
“I ran away from my pack just how you ran away from yours, Zack.” “I… I’m not a Hyena.” “You are not me, Naquen, but
you are you, Zack, and Zack has dreams to follow. Unlike Naquen, who is
a dream, just a dream” “So, to get home I must follow
my hart, how?” “I AM A FRAGMENT OF YOUR MIND, Zack, Nothing more.” The Hyena disappeared and everything was dark, I woke up in the same place by a lovely supporting lick! Pappy was a bit tangled but otherwise alright, the bag was gone but just ahead I could see a town. I knew this was going to be a
big chapter. As I headed to Limed Town I
seen Noak, I hid behind a bush and watched. “Pappy?” he said “O dear,
you’ll know were Zack must be” he walked up to me “ZACK” the entire town heard.
I had no option but to run as a huge German Shepherd came and stunned me witch
made me stop; the dog pinned me down. Noak came up, “Good boy Natso,” he said.
As he began to grab me the dog let go, Pappy came to the behind and done a good
old fashion chomp on the ass. He let go of me in the pain “Right, you asked for
it, boyo; Matso, Ratso, Patso.” Three younger dogs began to sneak up on me,
they began to advance on me, was I going to go home? I closed my eyes, Naquen
rubbed onto me like a cat. “Stop” yelled a familiar voice,
Polly! “You don’t know what he’s been through. Grandpa, let him go” she
screamed. “I do” he answered “He’s been
trough a river, two towns, stole some biscuits, a dog and runaway from home” “Stole the biscuits and
dog… you can’t steal a dog, it could runaway to you or not leave you but you
can’t steal one,” I went back to the plot by the bite of Natso (these are the
kind of time I wish Naquen was alive to bite everyone’s but!) “I never stole
them anyhow, you gave them to me” “Posh nosh” Polly jumped in
front of him. “He’s had to survive on
lollys, go to bed at midnight, make over a dead mother, go for three days
without food, five days without shelter, look after a dog and run with the
wind.” But Noak ignored her. He grinned and said, “Any last words, your days of freedom are
going to be over, your going to stay with your mother, she’ll scrub you clean
as a whistle and she’ll never let you outside. She’ll never let you out ever,
ever… again” He turned back to deal with Polly when I noticed... the dogs where thin, their ribs where showing, their
knees were weak and their collars hung loose. I looked down, there was a van,
‘Dog’s trust’ it read in bold letters. I reached into my pocketand pulled out a
biscuit, and threw it towards the van. Closing my eyes I hoped for it
to work, then a few moments later there was a scream: “Are these your dogs?” a woman
asked, Polly was filled with delight, “Yes” Polly answered “My
grandpa’s a kennels owner, he’s loads of dogs like that!” Come with me, the
woman dragged Noak off. A man came up to me, he told
me he saw what had happened, he seemed to know everything and that I could have
the dogs! When I found Alan Street I saw the very house I was looking for the
dogs never seemed to flinch at the sight of to cats, a black one called Snowy
and a white one called Panther. I opened the door, hard
beating, but there he was, Max was standing there. “Zack?” she said, I showed him
this book, then he put it down… “Welcome home!” I turned around the four half famished dogs were sleeping and Pappy was met by a good looking Yorkshire terrier. |
