Jamie's Day

Wake Up

Jamie was a regular healthy strong 11 year old boy. He liked tv, toys, computer games and sport, just like any other boy. He went to secondary school, spent lots of time playing at break yet despite being a popular child, he spent the best part of his time at school and at home, alone. 

He may be popular with the other kids but that didn't mean it was easy for him to communicate with other people. He never could get people, they just didn't make sense. As a result Jamie spent most of his time day dreaming, something which ended up with him being sent to detention on more than one occasion at school and earned him a exasperated ticking off more than once at home. 

It was just as annoying for himself as it was for his frustrated teachers and parents. Don't be mistaken though, he enjoyed school, he liked all his teachers and loved his parents. The problem was that he couldn't help it. He just seemed to drift off into a different world. Today Jamie was determined not drift off into that world. He may not have school, but one day where it didn't just take over his every spare moment, infecting, hijacking his thoughts would be nice. 

Jamie pushed the cover down away from his body as he sat up and pulled the corner of the duvet over so he could slide round and sat on the edge of the bed, feet dangling mid-air. He still remained a couple of annoyingly short inches away from reaching that all important milestone of being able to touch the floor whilst still sat on his bed. He jumped down off the bed and grabbed some clothes to wear from the wardrobe and made his way to the bathroom. 

His dad had obviously not long been in there, the usual tell tale signs were everywhere, such as an abundance of toothpaste in the sink, rogue hairs from his beard littering the plughole and the strong odour of deodorant and aftershave making a heady but invisible fog that always made him cough a little. Jamie ran the cold tap, brushed his teeth and washed his face before making his way down for breakfast. 

Sherry was already on the phone to her friends, probably about another boring shopping date with the girls. She was obsessed with clothes and looking good, all a bit flakey for Jamies idea of fun, but despite this he knew she would always be around to see he was ok. She maybe a top shop obsessive for a sister but she was still his sister, she still loved him and he her. She was just a bit annoying. His mother was busy washing the weeks bundle of dirty clothes, grumbling about the state of them, he could never be sure if she was complaining at the state of his clothes or his dad's. Both would get pretty nasty to be fair. 

Jamie grabbed a bowl from the cupboard, using the nearest chair as a stool and pulled a box of cereal down. He measured it out exactly three quarters of the bowl before adding milk and devouring it with gusto. Cinnemon cereal, it was just too nice not to rush it. He got to two thirds through, when he felt his mind drifting again. Oh god, no. But hard as he try, he just couldn't stop it. The kitchen began to dissolve before his eyes, slowly being replaced with trees and other foliage, the sound of his sister Sherry's voice replaced with the sound of birds chirping and singing in the trees. Soon the entire home environment was gone and he found himself standing on the pavement beside the road outside their home, with the family dog Charlie, a 4 year old king Charles Spaniel, on the lead beside him. 

This time it seemed much more real than usual. He couldn't just hear the sound of the birds singing, he could also feel the cool breeze blowing across from the direction of the woods, he could even smell fresh cut grass, the flowers in neighbours gardens and the soft fresh pine coming from the trees themselves. Even the ground felt solid and sturdy. Jamie looked around for a few moments, checking the accuracy of this scene that his mind had forceably created against his will. Then he felt the urge to move forward, to start walking. 

He wasn't sure where his dream was taking him but it seemed to him that the woods had something to do with it. It made him feel uncomfortable and he began to want the day-dream to end now, yet it suddenly occurred to him that maybe, if he followed this dream through to the end, instead of breaking out of it in a panic attack, it might help stop them from happening again. Maybe he had to see it through in order for them to be cured for good. So he began to walk, Charlie tugging at the lead and pulling Jamie onwards. Almost as though he were guiding him. 

They kept walking, past the other houses they went, past the shops, past the T-junction and over the crossing they went. On and on they walked, Charlie always leading the way, until they reached Church Road, so named for the big Catholic Church that sat at the end of it. They turned and walked down the road to the old church and stopped for a moment. Both taking the chance to rest for a minute and catch their breath. The church was an eerie place. It always gave Jamie the creeps. It stood there looming over the town like a disapproving headmaster.

©Copyright Rob Shepherd 2013