Art

December 6th 2004

My mother reached over to me, stroking my cheek a little to wake me from my drowsed state. I smiled at her the way a 6 year old would have at been woken up. She smiled back, sticking out her tongue a little and patting my head.

"I'm sorry Elaine, but we need to leave the car now." My mother said, her voice quiet so she wuldn't upset my ears. I smiled, stretching my chubby arms towards her and waiting to be carried. At 6 years old I still depended on my mother who was all too happy to be of use to me. She thanked the driver briefly before attempting to climb out of the car with me in tow. After we left the car, she set me down and crouched down in front of me.

"Now Elaine, I don't want to frighten you with what you are about to see, okay?" She said quietly, her hazel eyes sparkling. I nodded, wearily rubbing at my eyelids, already starting to feel sleepy again.

"I'm a big girl mum." I answered back grinning at her. She reached out and pretended to tap my wobbly front tooth.

"The tooth fairy will not visit cheeky children." She sternly warned me, smiling to show she was only joking. I latched on to her thumb and we made our way towards the house that we would be visiting. My mother had briefly explained her work to me, how she was "helping children feel better." I admired her greatly when I heard those words and ever since then I demanded to be taken with her to her workforce. Although at first, she was reluctant to take me with her to work, she eventually agreed. I was excited as we stood outside the door and my mother pressed the bell.

A smell of freshly baked cookies wafted in to me from inside and I licked my lips greedily hoping that once inside I would be offered some. I knew my mother was glancing at me even without looking up at her. Judging by how nice the cookies were smelling, I didn't understand what could possibly frighten me inside the house. After waiting for what seemed like ages, the door finally swung open, revealing an elderly lady with a smile plastered on her face.

As a child, I did not know what it was about that smile that frightened me so as she seemed friendly enough. But as she invited us inside and offered me cookies from the plate she was holding a bit too tightly, I found myself saying no and clutching closer to my mother's thumb. She smiled down at me and we were lead into the living room.

I sat down as close to my mother as I could as she reached into her briefcase.

"Mrs Thornwood. It has come to my attention that there are a few things that are not right." My mother said and then she turned to me.

"Elaine, would you mind running off and playing? Mrs Thornwood has a wonderful swing in her backyard." I knew that tone and I didn't protest as I quietly exited the room and went towards Mrs Thornwood's backyard. I never heard what my mother had to say and even as a child, I knew I didn't want to.

Once I was in Mrs Thornwood's backyard and I saw the swing, my mind wavered away from my mother and what she was discussing with Mrs Thornwood and I ran towards the swing. I stopped an inch away from the swing with the sense that I was being watched and I turned around to see a boy staring back at me. I stuck at my tongue at him as a way of greeting him, accidentally hitting my loose tooth.

"Ouch!" I exclaimed and the boy rushed forward.

"Are you okay?" He asked me and I saw he had a few loose tooth as well. I grinned.

"Yes." I replied and he smiled back.

"You ought to be careful with lose tooth." He said sitting on the grass. I sat with him, thoughts of the swing completely forgotten.