Before the Artful Dodger

Fatal birthday

Jack opened his eyes. "Me fourth birthday today, Lil," he spoke quietly to the half asleep eight-year-old across the room. When his sister did not reply, he pulled a face, checked if he could hear his father- he couldn't, meaning he'd already left for the pub- and bellowed at the top of his lungs: "LIL, WAKE UP, IT'S ME FOURTH BIRTHDAY, AND I NEED YOUR 'ELP UNWRAPPING ME PRESENTS, COS I ALWAYS SIT ON THE TAPE, AND I 'AVE TO GO ROUND WIV TAPE ON ME BUM, AND I DON'T LIKE DAT, COS IT'S EMBARRASSIN', so yeah." All this in one breath is, as you realise, quite an achievement for such a young boy. Young Jack Dawkins knew this, and felt rather impressed with himself. He threw his chest out in pride, and strutted over to Lil's bed.

The girl rubbed her eyes, grinned sleepily at Jack.

"Hey birthday boy. My, have you grown that gorgeous overnight, or have you always looked like that?" She exclaimed, making her brother giggle. "Here's your present, big one." Lil handed him a rather lumpy parcel, tall in one place.

Eagerly, Jack kept at it, forgetting about the issue of tape, and attempted to rip off the paper. His carelessness resulted in him landing on the floor, covered top-to-toe in tape.

"Lil......" he whimpered.

Shaking her head, Lil calmly went over to the groaning boy, ready to help him.

"Ow......Lil, no! Ow........oooooo..........watch me eyebrows, will ya? Ah!"

After de-tangling Jack from the tape, Lil handed him the remains of the parcel. Gently picking off the last of the paper, Jack's eyes widened. In his hands he held: A white shirt, pinstriped trousers, a red and blue and white checked waistcoat, a fine blue tailcoat and, to finish the charming affect, a black top hat.

"Aaaaaaeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!" squealed the little boy in delight, hugging his beloved Lil. He instantly put them on (although they were quite big non on him).

After devouring a breakfast fit for a king, Jack and Lil played many party games. During blind-man's-bluff, Lil his behind the curtains, whilst Lord Birthday (what Jack insisted on being called) managed to knock over so many expensive or valuable things, that anyone would think he was trying to do so. It was only when he wondered over to their mother's favourite vase, that Lil rushed out of her hiding place, crowned him the winner and moved on to the next game, wink murder.

One may ask themselves, how do two go about playing a game such as this? The way the Dawkins siblings went about it, was using various household objects as the other players. One round, the deadly Dr Broth Pot was the murderer, and Lord Birthday was the detective. Poor Mrs Rubber Glove was the first to be 'murdered', before Lil gave a cry, and flopped onto the floor.

Having had a good giggle, the two entered the dinining room, to get some sausages out of the oven. Lil picked up a wet cloth, intending to wipe the table, when she gacpve a suspicious sniff.

"Jack.......*cough cough cough cough*"

"Lil! What's that smell? Li- *cough cough cough*"

"Jack! H- *cough* here!" Through a cloud of smoke, Lil hurried over to Jack and slapped the cloth over his mouth.

A terrified, muffled voice sounded- "But Lil, what's- Lil!"

The girl fell to the ground. "I love you Jack......." she whispered.

"Lil!" Suddenly knowing what to do, the boy (with extreme difficulty) dragged his sister outside. "Lil......" he sobbed, it being the only word he knew at that moment. "Lil......." Jack buried his face in his sister's still chest. It would gave taken a lot to coax him out of there. As far as Jack was concerned, things were so much better in the dress. He held his minute doll-bracelet and put it on. And then he became alert. Above the smoke, and ashese that once been his house, Jack could smell a familiar smell. A stink of beer. In that moment, Jack Dawkins knew he was done for.

💩'Ey me flash mates! 'Ow ya likin' da most excitin' chapter of 'em all? Took me ages to write it! Gimme your views in da comments section, will ya? Gotta go now, but I'll be back soon! So long, fare thee well, pip pip, cheerio, I'll be back soon! 💖💋