Monster Legends - Volume 1: A World Of Monsters

10. Escape from Thorntree

"Happy birthday mum!" The room erupted with applause and laughter. I and everyone else in the room smile at Stephanie, as she wipes her eyes from happiness. It was the sixth of August. Mum's birthday, and Stella and I decided to come home for a visit. Well, Stella didn't want to come, but I persuaded her. I could tell that she was a little uncertain in the room with thirteen strangers. Strangers to her anyway.

There was Robbie and his parents, mum, uncle John, aunt Fray, Dr Kelly and six of mum's friends, two of which I didn't know. We congratulated her, and then ate the bithday cake. It was a big one, much bigger than the one I had last year. I didn't complain though. After all, there were eleven adults to work on it. It was in the shape of a heart, and had a delicious pink frosting, its inside filled with strawberries, cranberries, blackberries and bananas. We had a great time, and we celebrated with a disco. Even Stella joined in.

In the evening, I called Robbie and Stella to my room, and we settled on the bed to watch a film. When everyone except me, Stella and Robbie left, mum called me over and hugged me. "I love you." She says, and I could tell she was trying hard not to cry. "I love you too mum." I answer, returning the hug as much as I can. After five seconds she lets me go and hands me a box. "A little welcome home present from me to you. It was your dad's. He wore it on our wedding, and almost every day. Especially on his Monster adventures. I take the box with shaking hands. Like mum, I recovered from dad's death long ago, but it was still hard to think about him. He died when I was six years old.

I open the small blue box, and gasp as I see what's inside it. It is a beautiful, golden necklace, with a Monster logo, the claw tipped paw, at the end. I look it over with a smile on my face, remembering seeing the necklace on my parents' wedding photo. There's a D.T. inscribed at the back. Darren Thaug, that was his name. "It's...beautiful." I say, truly in loss for words.

I was never really a jewellry guy, but the though this was dad's, that's what made it a thousand times more special than anything in the world. "Thank you." I say, looking back at mum. I put the necklace on, and it shines in the light. Mum smiles at me, and hugs me once again. "Darren would have loved to see you wear it. I meant to give it to you for your fifteenth birthday, but I forgot." She says, almost sad. "No worries. You gave it to me now, and besides, forgetting is the brain's natural way of making sure it doesn't explode with information overload." She laughs, and I'm glad I made her happier. "Thank you." She says again, and leaves.

As I enter my room, everyone grows silent and the two friends watch me. "What's up?" I look at Robbie and Stella with a raised eyebrow. "Why do you have that smirk on your faces?" "Nothin'." Robbie says, smirking even more. Stella almost laughs out loud, and then says: "Robbie was just telling me a funny story about you." "Really?" I say, my eyes filled with suspicion.

"Which one?" "Mary." Robbie says, and I instantly groan with embarrassment. "Seriously dude? I thought you promised to keep it a secret? Even my own mother doesn't know about it!" Robbie shrugs. "Sorry. I had to tell your girlfriend a story so she wouldn't get bored. And lemme tell ya, it worked." He winks.

"Bloody hell man, you seriously need to learn to keep your mouth shut." He shrugs again. "I'm known for talking too much." He says. I just glare, and then shake my head. "Why Mary? Why not Jadie? Or Freya? Or why not even Maddie?" "Ooh, little Shay had lots of girlfriends, did he?" That was Stella, and I instantly realize my mistake. "Err, no." Stella grins, and I realize my second mistake. "Oh, I meant yes! I had plenty of girlfriends, lots of 'em." I say, my voice and face giving away my obvious lie. "Gosh can we just, I don't know. Go to sleep or something? I'm tired of this girl talk." I say, exiting the room as fast as I can. Unfortunately, I wasn't fast enough, and I heard Robbie's: "Poor, forever alone Shay." And Stella's giggle. Those two get on my nerves!