Categories > Original > Drama
BEEP BEEP BEEP
I roll over, quickly shutting off the alarm with a thump of my fist.
It’s only 6am, but I am already wide awake. Waiting.
Laying on my back in the darkness, I have time to collect my thoughts.
Today’s the day. My day.
I can feel the soft heat of the sunlight as it begins to stream through my wind, the gentle breeze that lifts the curtains, not even cool enough to lower the temperature in my room.
Not mine.
After laying still for several moments, I give up on the inclination of sleep, and roll out of bed. The whole house is silent, everyone else still asleep. I know no one else will wake until at least 7.
I won’t see them again.
I’m tempted to run from room to room, throwing open their curtains, forcing them to greet the sunlight and heat pouring into the building. It fills my soul, I feel the warmth bubbling up inside me, along with my excitement.
So happy.
I scramble around the room, digging into the bags scattered around. My room is bare now, only empty furniture stops the chill of loneliness from filling it. All my possessions removed from the walls, the shelf. The indents in the walls from nights alone, boredom that ensued. Chunks of plaster missing from above the desk, where I’d pulled down my movie poster last night. Lord Of The Rings. I haven’t watched the film in years, but for some reason the poster had stayed there.
It will never hang there again.
I’ve finally found some clothes, and I slip them on, the soft cotton against my skin. I barely notice what I’m doing, my excitement is at boiling point, I can’t wait much longer. The t-shirt sticks as it catches on my hair. I pull it without a second thought, and it envelops me. It’s not mine.
I should give it back to him. But he’s mad that I’m gone.
I pull it back over my head, the softness gone. The shirt feels rough now against my skin, and I yank it quickly, keen to get away from those memories. I fish back in the bag for another shirt, finally finding one that fits. I slip into it, and feel the familiar smell envelop me.
I’ll never smell that scent again.
I’ve taken so long over my dressing that people have begun to awake. I race out of my room, dashing for the bathroom. I want to be clean, they won’t want to see me if I’m not perfect. I don’t want them to reject me now.
But what if they did? I’d have to stay then.
Ann’s knocking on the bathroom door. There are other people who need to use it, she says, and I’m quick to finish up. I don’t want them to get annoyed with me today. I can’t mess this up.
They can’t reject me. They can’t.
I wander around for hours, getting in everyone’s way. Sue tells me to go away, and stay in my room until they arrive. I refuse. I want to be waiting when they get here. I want them to know how keen I am to see them.
They know how much I want them.
I end up perching on the window seat in the play room. No one else comes in. It’s almost like they’re afraid of me. Or they want to give me privacy. It’s already 9:05. They said they’d come at 9.
What if they aren’t coming? What if they changed their minds?
Little Sally-Ann joins me at 9:15. She doesn’t say a word, just sits by me. She’s comforting, even if she doesn’t say anything. She’s on 6, almost half my age. But she still understands how I feel.
I should give up. They aren’t coming.
It’s 9:23 when I see their car in the drive. They came! I dash from the window seat, rushing to answer the door before anyone else can. I know they don’t belong to me, but I feel special. It’s my day today. My turn.
They would never just leave me. They must have got held up.
I rush into their arms. They both hug me, apologising for being late. We got stuck in traffic, they say. I believe them. I’m just glad they came. I’ve collected all my things by the door, ready to be loaded into their car.
I’m finally free.
Joe comes to the door. He can’t look me in the eye. I know what he wants to say, I can see it in his eyes. I just give him a hug, and we both understand. I’m sorry we can’t both go.
I can go happy now. He’s not mad anymore.
I jump into the back seat, waving to everyone. They are all smiling, one or two are crying. Ann hands me a chocolate bar. We’ll miss you, she says. I know she means it. She helped me get this far.
I love them, but I need to leave. This is for me.
We drive out the grounds, and as we hit the road I cry out in delight. I’m finally free, I’m finally there. They came for me, just like I knew they would. They want me.
I watched them sign the final papers. I’m theirs now, and they are mine. From now on, I have a family.
Authors Notes: Although it may not be clear, the intention of this piece is a girl who is being adopted, and leaving her brother behind in a Home. Sometimes it is interpreted differently, I had someone suggest it was like going to college.
I roll over, quickly shutting off the alarm with a thump of my fist.
It’s only 6am, but I am already wide awake. Waiting.
Laying on my back in the darkness, I have time to collect my thoughts.
Today’s the day. My day.
I can feel the soft heat of the sunlight as it begins to stream through my wind, the gentle breeze that lifts the curtains, not even cool enough to lower the temperature in my room.
Not mine.
After laying still for several moments, I give up on the inclination of sleep, and roll out of bed. The whole house is silent, everyone else still asleep. I know no one else will wake until at least 7.
I won’t see them again.
I’m tempted to run from room to room, throwing open their curtains, forcing them to greet the sunlight and heat pouring into the building. It fills my soul, I feel the warmth bubbling up inside me, along with my excitement.
So happy.
I scramble around the room, digging into the bags scattered around. My room is bare now, only empty furniture stops the chill of loneliness from filling it. All my possessions removed from the walls, the shelf. The indents in the walls from nights alone, boredom that ensued. Chunks of plaster missing from above the desk, where I’d pulled down my movie poster last night. Lord Of The Rings. I haven’t watched the film in years, but for some reason the poster had stayed there.
It will never hang there again.
I’ve finally found some clothes, and I slip them on, the soft cotton against my skin. I barely notice what I’m doing, my excitement is at boiling point, I can’t wait much longer. The t-shirt sticks as it catches on my hair. I pull it without a second thought, and it envelops me. It’s not mine.
I should give it back to him. But he’s mad that I’m gone.
I pull it back over my head, the softness gone. The shirt feels rough now against my skin, and I yank it quickly, keen to get away from those memories. I fish back in the bag for another shirt, finally finding one that fits. I slip into it, and feel the familiar smell envelop me.
I’ll never smell that scent again.
I’ve taken so long over my dressing that people have begun to awake. I race out of my room, dashing for the bathroom. I want to be clean, they won’t want to see me if I’m not perfect. I don’t want them to reject me now.
But what if they did? I’d have to stay then.
Ann’s knocking on the bathroom door. There are other people who need to use it, she says, and I’m quick to finish up. I don’t want them to get annoyed with me today. I can’t mess this up.
They can’t reject me. They can’t.
I wander around for hours, getting in everyone’s way. Sue tells me to go away, and stay in my room until they arrive. I refuse. I want to be waiting when they get here. I want them to know how keen I am to see them.
They know how much I want them.
I end up perching on the window seat in the play room. No one else comes in. It’s almost like they’re afraid of me. Or they want to give me privacy. It’s already 9:05. They said they’d come at 9.
What if they aren’t coming? What if they changed their minds?
Little Sally-Ann joins me at 9:15. She doesn’t say a word, just sits by me. She’s comforting, even if she doesn’t say anything. She’s on 6, almost half my age. But she still understands how I feel.
I should give up. They aren’t coming.
It’s 9:23 when I see their car in the drive. They came! I dash from the window seat, rushing to answer the door before anyone else can. I know they don’t belong to me, but I feel special. It’s my day today. My turn.
They would never just leave me. They must have got held up.
I rush into their arms. They both hug me, apologising for being late. We got stuck in traffic, they say. I believe them. I’m just glad they came. I’ve collected all my things by the door, ready to be loaded into their car.
I’m finally free.
Joe comes to the door. He can’t look me in the eye. I know what he wants to say, I can see it in his eyes. I just give him a hug, and we both understand. I’m sorry we can’t both go.
I can go happy now. He’s not mad anymore.
I jump into the back seat, waving to everyone. They are all smiling, one or two are crying. Ann hands me a chocolate bar. We’ll miss you, she says. I know she means it. She helped me get this far.
I love them, but I need to leave. This is for me.
We drive out the grounds, and as we hit the road I cry out in delight. I’m finally free, I’m finally there. They came for me, just like I knew they would. They want me.
I watched them sign the final papers. I’m theirs now, and they are mine. From now on, I have a family.
Authors Notes: Although it may not be clear, the intention of this piece is a girl who is being adopted, and leaving her brother behind in a Home. Sometimes it is interpreted differently, I had someone suggest it was like going to college.
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