Lost

The sun beat down on the green grass speckled with daisies. Rosie loved summer days and today was out walking with her family at Blades Castle grounds. The park on the grounds offered plenty of excitement and Rosie, along with her older sisters Beth and Lucy sprinted to the play area. Rosie went straight to the aerial slide which for a change was free from kids eager to push their way on. Eyes wide with anticipation, Rosie positioned the circular seat under her and then kicked backwards to get the full momentum of the zip wire, the sound of air whooshed past her ears as she zoomed through the air.

After a few goes, Rosie got bored and looked for her sister Lucy. The park was a sea of endless kids running around, chasing each other, screaming and shouting to gain as much attention as they can. Rosie looked everywhere to find her sister. She spotted Beth first (it’s hard to miss her oldest sister who was as a thirteen year old looking too tall to be there). Rosie walked around looking in all directions trying to glimpse Lucy, her heart racing like a race horse. Finally she saw her high on the blue roped climbing frame waving at the top.

Relieved, Rosie went to join her sister, but before she started to climb, she noticed a boy sitting on the ground at the bottom of the climbing frame crying loudly. From the tears rolling down his cheeks which were mingled with dust and snot, Rosie felt sorry for him. Rosie approached the lad with concern.

“What is the matter?” Rosie asked lad. The boy lifted his head, looked at her through tear blurred eyes and blurted aloud “I’ve lost my Mummy!” Rosie sat next to him, put a comforting arm around him and said “Don’t worry! We will find her!” The soft words turned the sobs into sniffs as the boy started to feel more hopeful. “Come on…. Let’s see my Dad. He might be able to help!” Rosie led the lad over to the park bench where her Father sat smiling. “Hi Rosie! Are you enjoying yourself? And who is your new friend?” “I’m not sure what his name is, but he has lost his Mummy” Rosie replied. “I’m Luke”, the boy choked. “OK Luke, what does your mother look like?” Luke shrugged and then described just about every mother in the park. Both Rosie and her father scanned the park but could not see anyone searching for their lost son. Rosie’s face was a picture of worry. Eventually, on a picnic bench on the other side of the park, a mother sat alone. Rosie led Luke across who eventually ran to his mother yelling “Mum, Mum!”

Rosie’s father was about to explain that Luke was found lost and crying, when he noticed the tears in Luke’s mothers eyes. Holding Luke close, the mother whispered “I am sorry I lost you. I Love You”.

Rosie smiled!

New Shoes

It was my birthday today and for a present, my father was taking me shopping. Beth was wise to the fact that when shopping with her father, if she dragged him through countless stores looking at similar things at similar prices, he becomes more tired, moody and unresponsive. I made a bee-line straight to the shop and pointed out the wonderful shoes. The sleek high heels and the plain design of the low cut black leather really made them look dainty for her elongated feet.  Already I was tall for my aged and towered above classmates, but the extra heels would make me dominate the landscape even further. Nice to have people look up to you! After the banter about having no oxygen that high in those shoes, my father paid and I thanked him graciously!

As soon as I got home I went on Facebook, shared a picture of me wearing them to my friends Georgia and Lucy and then suggested we met in town the next week to do what we normally do (look in shop windows, sit on benches and giggle at the world walking past, perhaps show off a little when a cute guy walks past).   

We met at our usual spot outside McDonalds and I paraded my shoes gracefully, when suddenly the world span ever so quickly in a blur of colour like a kaleidoscope. Instead of standing outside McDonalds, Georgia, Lucy and I were standing in a muddy street. The air smelt of dust, dirt and cabbages which I admit is not my favourite of smells. A sign was squeakily swinging outside a nearby inn displaying The Cobblers Arms. The sky was grey and people were dressed in old fashioned dresses and suits with thick blankets wrapped around them.  Horses galloped the streets as all three of us stood motionless with our mouths gapping!

I took a step and the world whizzed around. This time instead of a dingy dirty street, we stood in a clean and bright room. Everywhere we looked was colour, but it was not the colour of bright furnishings and walls, it was the colour of millions of different sweets. Both the sight and the smell hit us all like a sugary hammer.  Bright balls and cubes and twisted coloured shapes, soft squidgy shapes of pink and white, some on sticks ready to be sucked to death whilst some sat with scoops ready to shovel into bags.

As I took two steps back in awe the world span again (which is totally unfair!) The world lurched to a stop and we was all back outside the same McDonalds we started at. Georgia and Lucy were exactly where they was before my world changed, admiring my shoes as I strutted. I stopped in confusion. What had just happened? Was it real? Was it my shoes? Can I do it again? Where will my shoes take me next? A wide grin grew on my face. I like my new shoes!