The Worst Day Ever
THE DISTANT BEEPING had been going on for at least a minute before Jake realised it was meant for him. Morning had barely broken through the clouds that loomed outside his window, but nothing was going to dull the excitement that grew in his stomach from the events of the night before.
He had already decided he wasn’t going to tell Paul about the hole in the river until the evening. Yes, he would lead him to it blind-folded and then tell him the story of how the strange figure had disappeared and not returned. Of course, it would be only right to invite Arianna, too, even if they had made a pact never to take a girl to their den. But there was a whole day of school to get through first.
By the time he arrived, a first year in a pinafore with her socks pulled up to her knees was running around the edge of the playground ringing the bell, her white plaits flapping behind her reminding Jake of the tells on his boat. Judging by the otherwise deserted playground, it was the second bell. He hurried into the classroom. As he went through the door, the incomprehensible noise hit him like someone had switched on a stereo at maximum volume. The first thing he saw was Benny rushing past him sporting a huge grin with Rosie Williams, his favourite target, in hot pursuit.
‘Give me back my pen, you pig!’ she screamed, gripping her pencil tin like it was a dagger.
‘You’ll have to catch me if you want it.’ Running backwards and waving the pen inches from her face, he collided with a chair that had been discarded between desks, sending both him and Rosie crashing to the floor.
‘Right then, you two,’ Mrs Barton hollered. Where had she come from? ‘That’s quite enough of that, thank you. Come and see me right now.’
‘Hey, Jake,’ Arianna said. Her whole face seemed to smile at him. He felt his face redden as he smiled back.
‘Hey,’ he said casually.
He looked over to where he and Paul sat, expecting to see him cramming a few more seconds of his book in before he was told to put it away, but there was no Paul. His heart sank. He was always at school before Jake. Where was he?
‘Sit down now, everyone. Can I have your attention, please?’ Mrs Barton called from the front of the classroom. Jake sat beside the empty chair, his eyes glued to the door. Mrs Barton started taking the register.
‘Kate?’
‘Yes, Mrs Barton.’
‘Arianna?’
‘Yes, Mrs Barton.’
By the time she got to Paul, there was still no sign.
‘Paul, off sick,’ she murmured as she marked him off for the day.
Well that was that. It was very unlikely Paul was going to be staying over now, let alone be able to go out and play in the woods. Jake opened his exercise book. The excitement that had been bouncing around in his stomach turned to a heavy weight.
‘Psst!’ Arianna whispered from two desks away.
Jake looked up, only to be hit by something perfectly in the centre of his forehead. A screwed up piece of paper dropped to the floor. Arianna chuckled. Jake gave a quick glance around and ducked under his desk to pick up the paper.
Would you like to go into the woods again with me tonight?
Yes ( ) No ( )
Love from Arianna x
The kiss fluttered like a butterfly inside him until he felt that at any moment he might actually float up into the air. He put an over-sized tick in the ‘yes’ box and screwed the note back up into a ball then, forgetting to check that Mrs Barton wasn’t looking, he threw it over to Arianna.
‘Jake!’ exclaimed Mrs Barton, popping his happiness like a balloon.
‘Sorry, Miss!’ He sunk, hot-faced into his chair.
As his thoughts returned to the note, he smiled to himself, fully aware that it was going to be a very long day.
Mum was already waiting for him when it was time to go home and Bruce was waving his tail hopefully at everyone that went anywhere near him.
‘Hi, Mum!’ Jake said cheerfully.
‘Hello, my love,’ she replied rather flatly. She put her arm around him. Her eyes were red and puffy.
The walk home was much quieter than usual and Jake started to feel a tinge of unease building in his stomach. As they approached the little thatched cottage, he noticed a strange car parked outside.
‘Have we got a visitor?’ Jake asked.
‘Yes, it’s just someone for your dad. He’ll be gone in minute.’ Her voice was barely more than a whisper, like she was trying to comfort him, but why? She opened the door to the two men sat around the kitchen table. The stranger had his back to Jake, and when he turned, his face was kind and felt familiar even though he had never seen him before. Bill Summers, ashen-faced and with glazed eyes, smiled at his son.
‘Go and get changed, then come down for some tea and cake.’ His mother gently steered him out of the kitchen. He desperately wanted to ask what was going on, though he wasn’t sure he wanted the answer. When he came down, the man had gone and his parents were sat waiting for him at the table. In an instant, he was taken back to when Grandma Summers had died. A feeling of dread wrapped itself tightly around his body.
‘Sit down, Jake,’ Dad said, his voice trembling. ‘I’m afraid we have some very sad news.’ Jake sat next to his mother and she put her hand over his, straining a smile.
‘What is it?’ Jake said, now wanting the discomfort to be over as quickly as possible. He prepared himself for the worst.
‘Last night,’ Dad started, ‘Grandpa passed away.’ His eyes were brimming with tears and he rubbed his nose, snuffling. Jake felt his mother’s hand tighten around his. What! No, it couldn’t be. Jake’s heart thumped so hard it felt as though it was inside his head, and his face felt hotter than ever. He thought any moment he was actually going to be sick.
‘How?’ he just about managed to get out.
‘He passed away in his sleep,’ Mum said softly. ‘He died very peacefully.’
‘No, he can’t have done!’ Jake blurted in disgust. ‘It’s not right, it’s not fair.’ Tears streamed down his hot cheeks.
He shot to his feet, sending his chair flying backwards and onto Bruce, who jumped and took cover under the table. Mum stood up and put her arm tightly around him, as if she were trying to squeeze the pain away, but he twisted from her grasp and ran upstairs, slamming his door behind him.
He threw himself onto his bed and scrunched his pillow up in his fists, his face pressed firmly into it as though if he held his breath and counted to ten, it might all go away. Instead, the grief filled his lungs, spitting out every trace of oxygen. He sat up, gasping for air. His mind raced and he couldn’t focus clearly on anything. He cried more in that hour than he ever remembered crying before. His head thumped painfully, but there was nowhere to hide from the suffocating realisation that his beloved Grandpa had been snatched away from him.
He didn’t leave his room that night, nor eat. Why should he enjoy food when Grandpa was lying in a forced eternal slumber? But he was joined by a friend who was always there when he needed him. Jake rested his arm over Bruce’s golden coat and let out a heavy sigh. It felt like he was breathing away some of the deep ache he had been feeling. At least for now, anyway. As the silver moonlight caressed his room, he closed his eyes and let himself slip into a deep sleep.
