The Meldings (7) Revolution

When she was younger Sarah Midgen (affectionately known as Smidge) loved roller coasters; the exhilaration and adrenaline rush –there was nothing else like it. That was until her mother took her on The Revolution at Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach –a simple loop-the-loop with a twist that Sarah never saw coming.

After completing the first loop Sarah turned to her mother and said: “That was great! We’re getting off now, yeah?” Her mum just shook her head.

“You are about to experience the Revolution 360° looping roller-coaster…” went the sudden tannoy announcement. “BACKWARDS.”

Smidge looked over her shoulder in horror as the cars behind her juddered and then moved in a contrary direction to the one she wanted to go in. The worst part was when she saw the cars disappear, knowing that any second hers would be next.

This highlighted just how little control she really had over her life. True, there was no real difference between the two experiences; they were perfectly safe (if anything the reverse experience was even more thrilling) but it was the unexpected development and the fact that her mum had hidden that knowledge from her. It made her feel helpless.

All this was brought back to her in an instant as she now found herself falling backwards again; but into what? Things had been mirroring the Revolution ride recently: Sarah had been gifted with the ability to open doorways between places and while it had been helpful in escaping the school bully, Gert; there wasn’t much use for it at first. Then Gert took her revenge by trapping her mum and two friends in a fire; it was through quick thinking that Smidge had used the handle to escape once again. That was the last straw for Smidge, she forced a confrontation and pushed Gert into a newly formed ‘room’ to try and understand why all this was happening, but things didn’t go as planned. Gert now had a similar ability herself; one that had been given to her by another entity.

Gert also knew what happened to her mum (which was more than Smidge knew), she then disappeared leaving Sarah alone. It was then that the room started to putrefy quickly, too quickly for her to make the door outwards. The next thing she knew Smidge was falling.

The feelings of helplessness welled up again, threatening to overtake her once more, but Smidge realised that she had to keep things under control. Nothing untoward had happened yet and it was only the fear of the unknown that made things difficult… but that was what life was all about –living in the moment. It was only a fool who knew exactly what was going to happen from one moment to the next. Life was about living with the unknown, at least that was what her mum had said, and making friends with the darkness. Maybe her mum knew more than she had let on and in her own way she had been preparing Smidge for these ordeals.

Suddenly the sense of falling stopped… but there was no ground; nothing solid to fall on to. She was just suspended weightless. Smidge could move her hands, legs, feet; everything worked as it should do but there was no feeling of motion. All around her was creeping blackness and moving her limbs through it was like wading through treacle.

Smidge stopped trying and focused on what she knew. She had this special ability that allowed her to open doorways if there was something physical on which she could create a door. This was a gift that her mum had once possessed but something had happened and she either walked away from it or it had been taken away from her. Gert alluded to this, but what about Gert herself?

She started out as just another bully but Smidge had managed to get even with her and thought that had made them equal. It couldn’t be further from the truth, things had escalated fast and it now seemed that Gert had acquired a similar power to hers.

Wait a minute. It wasn’t a doorway that Gert created but a tear; a rent in the room which then caused it to disintegrate. It was an opposite force; the antithesis to her power which could be conceived as a joining of spaces.

Suddenly she had a flash of a single, simple image in her mind: a circle with two parts; one black fish swimming after a white fish. The black fish had a white eye and the white fish had a black dot for an eye.

“Sarah… is that you?” Came a soft voice from the nowhere, interrupting her vision.

“Mum?” Smidge asked with a shimmer of hope, but then she realised that although there was a similarity to her mum’s voice it was actually older; slightly harsher with an edge to it. She was also aware that she had just given away her presence to whatever was out there.

“No, I’m your Nana, dear. Nana Joesephine.”

“What are you doing here? Where is here?” Smidge had never met her Nan –on either side. Mum never talked about her mum at all, it was as if she never existed. So what was she doing here now?

“I’ve been here ever since your mum cast me down here fifteen years ago; and I need your help to get me back.” There was much that didn’t make sense: how did her mum send Joesephine here? Why would she? Was this linked to the bigger picture that no one wanted to tell her about? Someone owed her an explanation when she got out; Smidge needed to know the truth!

But getting out was the primary goal now; she needed something to focus on. There was too much… nothing around which made it difficult for her to focus her concentration; that was the source of her power.

“Will you help me, Sarah?” It seemed that, whatever it was, it didn’t want her to focus; but she could still work this to her advantage.

“How do I know that you’re my Gran?” Smidge didn’t want to use the word Nana just yet, it just didn’t feel right; it was too creepy.

“My name is Joesephine Bell; I’m your grandmother, Sarah. Even though we’ve never met you feel it to be true, don’t you?”

“Go on. Tell me about my mum and why you think she sent you here. Why would she do that? What did you do to her?”

“Don’t take that tone of voice with me, young lady!” The voice suddenly betrayed its true character, snapping that way. Smidge had deliberately bated it and now she was a little frightened by its reply. Whatever it was, she now knew it to be malevolent.

“I’m sorry… Nana…. Please tell me. I’ve never been told anything about you.” Smidge realised that it was best to play it safe now; find as much as she could until such time as she could escape.

“Your mother took possession of a power that was rightfully mine; one that I believe you currently weld, Sarah. It’s a wondrous power that opens all sorts of doors.” The voice chuckled and Sarah laughed along, even though she felt chilled to the marrow.

“Please can I see you, Nana; I so want to see you. It’s unfair that we’ve been parted for so long.”

“I don’t see why not –you’re right that it’s not fair that you’ve never seen your Nana with your own eyes.” A form materialised out of the darkness. Again, at first glance, it seemed to be the vision of her mum but the woman was far older, more haggard in the face and body; with a hollowness in her eyes. “The power you have allows you to pull together the Memory Palace; it will allow me to become whole. Your mother didn’t want that to happen; she chose her husband over me and damned me to this hell. You wouldn’t do that to me, would you, dear?”

It was obvious that there was much her gran wasn’t telling Smidge (if it truly was her gran); and she was speaking to her as if to a child, which really rankled her.  Seeing her gran in front of her made things around her seem more solid. For the first time since she arrived in limbo she knew she could get out.. and how.

“Of course not, Nana. What’s more I can help you get out.”

“Oh, dearest; if only you could.. Do you still have the handle on you?”

“No.. I don’t need it anymore.”

“Really? That is news.. good news, as well. You’re progressed more than we expected.” We, thought Smidge; this had suddenly taken a much darker turn. Smidge should never have mentioned not needing the handle. She had to get out; now.

“I can open a doorway that will help you back to the Memory Palace.” Smidge replied, not missing a beat. This would require firecracker timing; she’d never attempted something like this before. It was through her fear and desire to see her mum again that gave her the added focus she needed.

She felt the air around her become more solid as her gran walked towards her, the air shimmering around her like a petrol haze. Smidge opened the door and waited for her gran to start walking through it. Without warning Smidge suddenly pushed her gran through the open door before slamming it shut behind her. Her hands tingled from touching her.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she opened the next door, imagining her mum and Mrs Norn.  As she walked through she suddenly saw the fleeting image of her gran running towards her, her clawed hand swiping through Smidge as the door closed around her to blackness.

When Smidge opened her eyes she realised that she was back home in her own bed, with her mum staring intently at her.

“Thank God, Smidge! Thank God that you’re back; we were so worried about you!” They hugged, tears streaming down both their cheeks. How had Smidge managed to get back in her own bed like this, and why was her mum looking so relieved?

“What’s wrong, mum? Why the tears? How long have I been here?”

“You mustn’t worry, darling. Everything is going to be fine now that you’re back.”

“Mother… tell me!”

“You’ve been like this.. unrespon… away from us… for three weeks.”

Beast in the beauty

Stories are strange: what starts off as fact soon becomes fiction, and after repeated tellings even the most far-fetched yarn can begin to sound like truth. People are much like this too.

 He had been called beastly for so many years that Beast he became, and so he was shunned from all around him. He fled to the deepest part of the wild wood where even the bravest feared to tread and lived in shame and isolation; and soon he repented his actions, though his countenance changed not.

He changed his ways, learned to appreciate the solitude and became friends to the other wooded creatures, for they saw beneath his fearsome visage and saw the gentle soul; the ache behind his eyes. Yet whenever he stumbled upon those who wandered too far –either mistakenly through inebriation or a badly judged bet- he was always judged harshly before he even had a chance to speak, and so faced either fear or aggression; so he gave up even trying.

Until one day a young Beauty wandered into his very cottage: wide-eyed innocence, fair hair and deep blue eyes. At first he thought that she was lost and waited for her to leave, hiding as best he could, lest he frighten her too much. But she didn’t leave.

“I know that you’re there; I can hear you breathing. I don’t know who you’re trying to fool. I’ve come to see you; to seek you out.” He tried holding his breath but only started coughing instead. She found him easily, cowering behind the curtains. “That’s not very beastly.” She said.

“Not everything is as it seems.” He replied, his voice sounding hollow after having no one else to talk to for so long.

“No.. indeed. Well, you might try a little harder. I have a proposal for you.”

The Beast was perplexed. Initially he was intrigued by this beauty, then bemused and the more she talked the more bemused he became. “I could give you a home, companionship and fame. You are known throughout the land as the fearsome beast. Can you imagine how famous  we could become? The Beast and the Beauty who tamed him!”

The idea was ludicrous but the more she talked, the more he found himself listening; she was captivating: her eyes had a cold diamond hardness behind them that told him she was used to people doing what she wanted; and he felt himself compelled to do so as well.

Within three hours he agreed to be paraded in front of the village as the repentant Beast.

As she expected they flocked to see him. They gathered around him in fear initially; in awe at what had lurked in the dark woods: he was the stuff of legends. Many people came from far away as the stories spread. During the day he was caged and roared, striking out at the people around him as he had agreed to; until one day he grew tired of this behaviour.

He had attained a degree of peace and self-acceptance before this and that was now denied him. For sure, in the evenings he lived in luxury with Beauty but even then he was treated as no better than a pet. He had been happier on his own in the wood; but he had signed a pact so had to serve her.

One day the anguish of him being caged became too much and he began to cry; much to the shock of those that crowded around him. Some jeered but most were moved, so imagine their shock when he said three words in his deep, velvet tones: “No more, please.”

This was beyond all reckoning. More flocked to see him and wanted to hear him speak; and so his fame spread further, much to Beauty’s delight. She now dressed him in luxurious clothes that heightened the incongruity of such a beast.

People then began to feel sorry for him and question why he was still being caged. They had been led to believe that he was the Beast, but as time passed they realised that this was not so. They then saw who the beastly one was.

And, as if often does in stories, the tides turned; slowly, gradually: at first she didn’t noticed. The Beast slowly moulted and she became a little uglier each day; her hair becoming ragged, skin sallow and drawn; pockmarked and blotchy. She then developed fangs and grew fur where none should be seen in a lady.

She made the Beast’s life hell then, but he was no longer the beast and would stand for it no longer. When the transformations were finally complete she looked wretched and forlorn, truly beastly.

He was magnificent and noble, a true Prince. He offered her two choices: live as he had in the cage or go back to the wood. She did not appreciate the irony and chose isolation… and I believe she is there still.

The magical world of Baby Bear - a children's story

And one day Baby Bear woke up and realised that he could see and hear all the boys and girls who read his stories. And more… he could bring them into the stories as well, where they could have wonderful adventures.

He invited Tommy into his world first; stretched his hand across the magical veil that separated their worlds and beckoned Tommy to join him. At first Tommy was too sad to even acknowledge him but soon he saw the tiny bear’s furry hand and smiled before taking hold of it.

Together they crossed over from Tommy’s world into the world of magical stories where Baby Bear lived. In Tommy’s world it had been a drab day, drizzling with grey, wet rainy rain… but in the world of Baby Bear it was sublime blue skies with candyfloss clouds and a joyful singsong sun, spreading happiness everywhere. Tommy nearly cried with tears of joy at such a sight.

Baby Bear welcomed Tommy into his magical world: “This is the world of magic that borders your world. It is always with you and we are always with you. You need never be sad or upset again. You do get sad sometimes, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do sometimes.” Tommy replied. “I cry and I don’t know why.”

“Are you lonely?” Asked Baby Bear.

“Sometimes I am alone and It upsets me. I can not help but feel sad.” Tommy replied and a tear slid slowly down his cheek.

Baby Bear brushed the tear away with a furry finger and said, “You will never be lonely again. How can you be alone when you are but a heartbeat away from this?” Baby Bear outstretched his furry arms and held them astride. Tommy sniffed and looked around.

They stood in a beautiful wood with tall, tall trees all around them. Each of the trees were mighty and powerful and all grew wide, wide smiles and had wide blinking eyes. Each of the trees surveyed each other and then laughed with such delight that Tommy could not help but laugh with them.

“Why do they laugh?” Asked Tommy.

“Listen as they sing their song and you will understand.” Baby Bear replied.

Whoom Whoom Whoom Shoom Shoom Shoom

We grow tall with the love of the soil

The love of the wind and the love of the sun

We give love because of the sun, because of the soil

Because throughout it all we are as one

We are one because of the wind,

Because of the soil and because of the rain

And because of that love we’ll sing again.

Whoom Whoom Whoom Shoom Shoom Shoom

The water gives us love so we can grow

The sun gives us love so we can show

The wind gives us love moving our branches to and fro

The soil gives us love by letting us know

That we are all one, and that love will never go

Whoom Whoom Whoom Shoom Shoom Shoom

We show our love by growing so strong

Our roots grow so far, so firm and so long

Our branches reach and almost touch the sky

For we are always happy and never ever shy

With all this love around us why ever wonder why?

Whoom Whoom Whoom Shoom Shoom Shoom

Tommy joined in with the Whoom Whooming and clapped when the song was finished. Baby Bear turned to him and said: “Even in your world trees are always happy and sing songs in the wind. It is just you do not know how to listen. You will do now though.”

Baby Bear smiled to Tommy and Tommy smiled back. “Now, how do you show that you are happy and want to share that happiness with others?” Baby Bear asked.

“You hug them?” Tommy ventured forth with his uncertain answer.

“Yes, that’s right.” Baby Bear replied and Tommy smiled with pride. “And trees loved to be hugged and will always hug you back. Why don’t you try it now?”

And Baby Bear showed Tommy what he meant and walked up to the tree and hugged it with much love, for it came so easy to him to show his love, especially to the trees. The tree responded in kind and its branches moved around the baby bear and hugged him back.

Tommy walked up to the nearest tree and placed his arms around its trunk and hugged it. He smelt the rich loam of the bark and felt its soft furry texture on his cheek, and then marvelled when the trees branches hugged him back, very gently but full of love and affection.

Soon the hugs were over and Tommy was left smiling earlobe to earlobe.

“There are always hugs for you and trees will always hug you back; they love their hugs. How can you be alone when you have such trees around you?” Baby Bear asked.

“I don’t know…” Tommy replied.

“You can’t, because we are always with you.”

With that Baby Bear walked with Tommy away from the trees and out of the wood, waving goodbye as they did so. The trees waved goodbye back, singing their Whoom Whoom song.

Soon they reached an open field and a tall hill stood in front of them. The sun smiled down at them and the wind blew kisses at them as they climbed the hill. Both the baby bear and Tommy could not help but smile when they reached the top and sat down on the grassy knoll.

“How can you be unhappy when you are but a heartbeat away from this?” Baby Bear asked and Tommy could only nod in blissful agreement. From afar they could hear distant warblings as a small flock of wondrous Bluebirds flew to them.

“Listen.” Said Baby Bear. “Listen to what they are singing.”

Wirble Whorble Wurble Warble

We float and we flutter and glimmer and glide

We are one with the sky and never need to hide

For we are happy and show it from in to outside

Wirble Whorble Wurble Warble

The sky is our friend and we know we are one

We talk all our warmth and love from the sun

And flying is joyous and such wonderful fun!

Wirble Whorble Wurble Warble

You too can fly and it’s easy to be

Simply close your eyes, grow your own wings and see

Your happiness will guide you and help set you free

Tommy clapped his hands and sung along with the Wurble Warbles. He could see the wonderment of the bluebirds as they flit about around them both, and sang their song in churpy, chirrupy voices. When they finished they gently perched on both their shoulders.

“Would you like to fly too?” Whispered the birds in unison.

“Oh, yes please!” Replied Tommy, so excitedly.

“Close your eyes, allow your wings to grow through your happiness and we shall all fly together!”

Tommy closed his eyes and smiled, and through the smiling he could feel his wings grow. The wings were strong and feathery and lifted him into the sky with Baby Bear flying next to him.

“We’re flying! We’re flying!” Tommy exclaimed delightedly.

“We are!” Said the birds in unison. “And you can fly whenever you want, simply close your eyes and believe. Grow your wings through your happiness and keep you aloft.”

“How can you be unhappy when you can fly like this?” Baby Bear exclaimed and looped the loop in front of Tommy’s excited eyes. Tommy clapped and laughed in delight.

Soon the flying was over and Tommy’s face was now hurting slightly because he had been laughing and smiling so much, but he didn’t mind that at all. Baby Bear led Tommy back to down the other side of the hill after waving goodbye to the birds who waved goodbye back, all the while singing their warbling song.

At the bottom of the hill was a babbling stream and both Baby Bear and Tommy took their shoes and socks off and dangled their feet in the cool water.

“How can you be sad when you are but a breath away from all this?” Baby Bear asked.

“I can’t.” Tommy smiled as he looked around him.

“Now listen as the fish sing you their song.” Baby Bear said as he pointed down to the water. Sure enough there was a shoal of fish that darted around their feet.

Bibble bobble bebble babble

Swimming in the stream is like swimming in love

The water is so cool but there is warmth from above

And whilst in the water we can fly like a dove

How can you be sad when you’re surrounded by love

Bibble bobble bebble babble

We swim and we dash and we swim and we splash

We laugh and we sing as we love everything

And we dart and we shout as we blow water spouts

Life is so fun when we are all one!

Bibble bobble bebble babble

The water surrounds us and we dance and we sing

We love everyone, we love everything

There’s so much to do, so much fun to be had

And with so much to do there’s no time to be sad.

Bibble bobble bebble babble

Tommy laughed and clapped and splashed his feet in time to the song. The fish swam around them and tickled their feet. Then all at once they jumped up and spoke in bits and pieces. Somehow a sentence was formed.

                                Play                                                                        swim

                and                                        us,                          and                                        us!!!

Come                                    with                       come                                     with

Tommy and Baby Bear grinned and laughed and swam with the fish, playing wonderful games in the water with them. Tommy darted and dashed amongst the plants and water weeds, laughing as he did so. How he laughed. Baby Bear swam with him and they raced each other. They had so much fun with the fishes.

When it was over they lie back on the bank of the stream to dry their clothes. They could still hear the fish singing their song as they swam away. “Bibble Bobble Bebble Babble.”

When their clothes had finally dried Baby Bear looked at Tommy and said, “Are you still unhappy?”

“No, I am happy. It is impossible to be unhappy when I’m here.” Tommy replied.

“You know that you can always visit here whenever you are sad, for this wonderful, magical place is but a heartbeat, a breath away.” Baby Bear explained. “Just close your eyes and I will be there. We can fly with the birds or swim with the fishes; or ever sing with the trees!”

“Whoom Whoom Shoom SHooM!” Sang Tommy and Baby Bear laughed with delight at the change in Tommy.

“Now is the time that you must go back, Tommy. I must be there for other boys and girls.” Baby Bear explained.

“I understand.” Replied Tommy. “I know how to be happy now. Thank you, Baby Bear.”

And Baby Bear hugged Tommy and Tommy hugged Baby Bear back.

“Don’t forget that trees love to be hugged too.”

“I won’t forget.” Replied Tommy as he closed his eyes.

When Tommy opened his eyes he was sitting in his bedroom once again. But when it was once drab and grey and drizzling, it was now beautiful blue skies and whispy white clouds. He smiled and he laughed and ran outside.

He could see birds flittering and fluttering and chirruping aloud to their hearts content and Tommy laughed and danced with them singing the whurble warble  song. And then he saw a large oak tree. He ran up to the magnificent tree and walked around it, marvelling at its splendour.

Without further ado he put his arms as far around the trees trunk as they would go (which wasn’t that far) and gave the tree a big hug.

And you know what? The tree hugged him right back.

The Meldings (1) Escape

“I'm going to smudge you out!” Gert Stolid was a bully, everyone knew it (especially with a name like that) and they kept well away. Even Sarah Midgen, who had only been at Oathall School for five hours, knew that and yet here she was now running away with Gert in lumbering pursuit.

Sarah, nicknamed Smidge by her parents, had no idea what she'd done wrong. She'd been lucky until now, never bullied at her old school; but since her parents split and her mother moved to a new town Smidge had lost her sparkle. Normally nothing and no one could make a dent in her personality. But now? Now she was running.

Gert had taken an instant dislike to her. Smidge was an apt name; at just five feet she was small for a fourteen year old, but she did know how to stand up for herself, just not always when. She obviously picked the wrong time to refuse Gert's lunch money request. Luckily at the time there were too many teachers for her to make good on the threats but now? Now was home time and Gert knew exactly which exit Smidge was going to leave from and was waiting there for her, patiently.

Luckily she was a bulky girl -as bulky as her name- and Smidge was able to slip through her meatslab arms easily, but Gert was unrelenting and knew the area well. Smidge didn't and she was panicking now; she'd run into a rubbish tip hoping that there would be places to hide, but there wasn't and Gert was getting closer.

“Smudge time!” Gert hollered.

Ahead Smidge could see a door on the ground; maybe she could squeeze underneath it and hide. (She was one of the best at playing hide and seek as a child and could often get into the slimmest of places!) There was an ornate handle to the door and with a quick check behind her she simply opened the door and slipped inside without Gert seeing her.

The sight that met her eyes was amazing!

It was a small room that reminded her of home; the home she recently moved away from, her very own bedroom! There were posters on the walls; stuffed teddies on the shelves and a bed in the far corner.

She couldn't believe it and almost opened the door again to double check what was happening before realising that Gert could still be hanging around trying to find her. It didn't matter though, she was safe; somehow she knew that. She was safe.

She looked at the bed again and it looked so inviting and, just like in a fairy tale, she curled up in it and went to sleep.

It was hard to say what woke her, but wake she did in a panic. How long had Smidge been asleep? Would her mum be panicking over her?

A quick check on her watch gave her a sigh of relief, only half an hour had passed. Surely Gert would have given up by now.

Now… where was that door?

And that was when panic did settle in, fast! There was no doorway at all. Just four walls, three of them festooned with posters and shelves. The last was completely blank, bare; no cracks delineating a door and no handle. What was going on?

Smidge thought about ringing her mum for help but she realised that she had no idea where she was. She didn't even know the name of the dump she was in, let alone trying to describe her exact location so it was unlikely that anyone would find her!

Just as she was searching for the phone she found something else in her pocket, something odd.

It was the door handle, the same ornate handle that she had gripped to open this room.

Wait a minute….

Now children are possessed of the ability to recognise magic when they see it, and thus understand what to do. Logic has no place in this world and an adult -should they ever find themselves in such a situation, would never have figured out in their whole lives what Smidge did in the space of a minute.

Calmly she placed the door handle flush on the far wall and then simply pulled. That the door opened was a great relief, but the fact that it opened up to her bedroom in her own home was nothing short of miraculous. This wasn't her old house where she used to live, but her actual home! She whooped with joy and barely managed to shut the door and pocket the handle when her mum knocked on the door.

“You must have had a great first day, Smidge!” her mother said, giving her a big hug, which Smidge gratefully reciprocated. “I never even heard you come in!”

That night Smidge had a chance to use the handle some more. It didn't take her long to realise that it responded to her thoughts, her intent. It was magic, of that there was no doubt.

It responded to her wishes -her clearest intent. When she first used it, escaping from Gert, she wanted to go somewhere safe so the handle actually created the room for her and she knew that the room was hers now whenever she needed it.

The second time it responded to her wanting to be home, and so she was and, as long as her intent was pure; she was not going to be placed in danger; and there was a viable wall on the other side, then she could step through.

She couldn't walk into the middle of the ocean or the sky, but she could walk into an aeroplane. (She found that out when she tried boarding the plane that flew overhead. It scared all the cabin crew when the main door opened and she poked her head out saying “Wicked!” before shutting it again.)

There was still the problem of Gert though. Sure, Smidge could use the handle to keep escaping her but there must be something else she could do; as long as her intent was pure.

And then it dawned on her….

Now, Oathall had its own farm together with a horse, some cows, a few sheep and two pigs. Smidge let it be known that she had escaped Gert very easily due to her size and bulk. She also made allusions to her class mates that Gert belonged on the farm so Smidge would meet her there after school for a rematch, even down to exactly where and when: in one of the cowsheds. The one, to be more precise, that actually bordered the pigpens.

Of course, Smidge had no desire for a rematch and had neatly hidden herself behind the bales of straw waiting for Gert to come clumping in.

True to form, an audience had tagged along to see the fight. Gert shouted abusive comments about Smidge and her family and Smidge bit her lip waiting for just the right moment. Everything was ready, she had it all marked in her mind and all it needed was Gert to move a few more steps to the left…. NOW!!

Suddenly Smidge stood out in the open and shouted at Gert, one hand flush to the wall behind her with the handle. “With a face like that,” She shouted, “you've got nothing to laugh at! You're better off with the rest of your piggy family!”

Just as she thought, Gert threw herself at her but Smidge was more than ready. In one swift movement she jumped out of the way, opening the door to the pig-pens outside. Gert couldn't stop in time and went flying into the muck.

It had been raining heavily through the day and Gert was completely covered in swill, effluent and mud.

The rest of the children could not stop their screams of laughter. None of them had seen what Smidge had done exactly, it had all happened so fast, but they quickly ran outside to see Gert completely humiliated.

Smidge shut the door calmly and walked home. She knew that Gert would never dare anything like that again -at least not for a while, and Smidge would be ready for her.

This was wonderful magic, but in the wrong hands there was no telling what people could get up to. Smidge knew that herself only too well and she would never let that happen. Was that why she had been the one to find it?

Only time would tell.