Ruyton Girls’ School - Scripsi 2013

of saving Timmy, I eventually lose all hope. I bury myself in my

hands, weeping and quivering. All it takes is a small cough for me to

rise from the depths of this darkness. It’s Timmy; he’s going to be

okay. My father sweeps him into his arms and cradles him like a baby.

‘Daddy!’ Timmy gasps.

‘It’s okay. I’m right here. You’re okay, you’re okay.’

‘Where’s mummy?’ Timmy’s face is filled with concern.

I look around to where my mother had only been a few moments

before, she isn’t there. I turn frantically, searching in every direction

for her, but she is nowhere to be found.

‘Mum’ I call, ‘Mum!’

That’s when I see it, her lovely straw hat floating on top of the

river innocently. The scene is so deceptively peaceful, the river

masking the crime it has just committed. I slowly walk towards the

hat and kneel down by the river. Realisation sweeps over me, as I

pick it up with shaky hands. There I lie, clasping the hat, weeping for

my mother.

A new image consumes me. The room is silent apart from my soft

sniffling. All I see is a sea of darkness, nameless faces dressed in black.

I hate the colour black. It drains life from anything it can get its evil

hands on. My mother wouldn’t have liked this. She would have

wanted to be farewelled with beautiful flowers of all colours, not like

this at all. My father is standing next to me, his face completely

impassive. I tug on his arm, but he brushes me off absent-mindedly. I

decide to hold Timmy’s hand instead.

I am now kneeling around a game of Chinese checkers. It’s Timmy’s

turn. I look over to my father, who is sitting lifelessly on our small

couch, staring out the window. I follow his gaze, but there’s nothing

there. Sorrow has drained his soul. Despair has changed him. I

remember a time when he would be playing with us, his eyes dancing

with life, a happier time.

I awaken from the darkness of my memories, willing myself to get up

and fight this monster. But that’s when I realise, there is no monster.

The real monster is my own fear and sorrow, eating me up from the

inside. I still clutch the straw hat in my arms; its ribbons now faded. I

begin to walk. I walk and walk, until I finally reach my destination.

Gone Forever