thankyou if you took your time reading this. i understand its not .. good. but. its worth a try. xx this is what i have so far ...
The sun was being forced out of the sky, as the grey clouds towered over the small town, there were dead flowers stirring at the filthy ground, with moss growing from the cracks in the broken concrete. The first day of infant school; where the playground was jam-packed with stressful mothers, and children waiting to watch their childhood fly in the classroom, finding friends within people they never even knew existed. This is were fun began. This is were friendship and love formed.
The bell echoed in the playground, and the children raced to their teachers, serving a delicious smile whilst feeling the nerves stab their growing hearts like daggers. The little girls and the little boys hands were trembling in the fierce weather, while trying to create a line in front of their new teacher.
Miss Case, a dreamy and child-like teacher, with plump rosy cheeks with sparkling white diamonds planted in her perfectly-pink gums. She had enormous brown eyes, like a whirl-pool of chocolate, with the smallest of pupils sitting in the centre. Her smile was never removed, only when a disaster truly moved her, or when she deeply felt another persons feelings. She had a fair skin-tone, like a doll, snowy white skin with rosy cheeks, a fairy-tale princess. Her clothes were very sensible- a white shirt with frills surrounding the buttons and sleeves, tucked into a deep brown pencil skirt, with a golden or beige cardigan- very old fashioned. Her legs were protected in skin-tone tights, and she walked around in brown stilettos. Her awakening, eye-opening brown hair was like a jungle of elegance, always soft and shiny, glossy and glamorous. Miss Case always wore her hair tied neatly back into a bun, with a side fringe waving over her left lens in her smart glasses. Her hair was naturally curly, more like wavy. Just amazingly angelic in its own way. Miss Case spoke with a indulging and bright voice. It was always at the right tone, at the right time. She rushed with her sentences, and had a very strong and posh old-English accent. She hardly spoke, never shouted, and didn’t really have any friends. Miss Case lived with herself and her dog, a German Shepard called Simba. She was in-fact a teacher with no reputation of being talkative or conversation-friendly. She was in-fact a women who was very lonesome, and longed for a life like everyone else, just her body, soul, mind and heart wouldn’t allow her to give up her foolish and childish ways. She was in-fact a burning flame of energy, a burst of creativity and a fountain of imagination, only instead of splashing our her true self, she splashed out emotionless drops of boringness and carelessness. Of course Miss Case wanted people to know what she was really like, instead of hiding behind the ‘I don’t care’ expressions she wore on her gracious face, but she couldn’t because she wouldn’t be excepted in the cruel and uncreative world, were there is simply no place for the minority of people still living in make-belief and fantasy.
Miss Case fiddled with the loose thread on her worn-out and over-used cardigan whilst watching the pleasant children’s faces fly towards her. The children’s laughter and giggles sang like a melody in Miss Cases ears. It reminded her of a time were she was allowed to laugh over things that aren’t real, and lash out her imagination, but she discovered long ago that when you get to a certain age, and you have a job, you have to save the real you until you get home. Miss Case gave a confident cough, to release her envy over the children. “Come on, kids. We need to get inside. I’ll learn all your names and we’ll just play around. Okay?” The children didn’t know right from wrong, and skipped in merrily, humming to them selves. Once they reached the classroom, Miss Case gave them a small and simple set of instructions. “Children. Now, now. Let’s not get over excited. Just take of your coats and sit on the floor, where ever you like. I am going to tell you what this school will be like, and I want you to listen carefully and I don’t want any one talking while I am.” The children put their blood and sweat into being the first one to silently sit down, eyes and ears at the ready. After all the children had settled down, and were ready to listen, Miss Case began to speak. “Kids, my name is Miss Case and I will be your teacher for the rest of the year. I understand you are only four years old, but I will teach you new things, and we can have fun learning. Okay? Now, we have got to remember, that school isn’t just for fun, because when you are grown up you will need a job, and to get a job, you need to be clever. Now, if you listen in school and be your best, you will definitely be clever. The best is all we ask, no better than the best, just the best. Now, make a circle. I am going to go around, and ask your names. Remember to have a friend you have to be one.” The class formed a rigid circle, and Miss Case pointed at the children for their names. She launched her finger in the direction of a little girl with blonde, curly hair in pigtails tied with pink, fluffy bobbles. Her eyes were like the un-touched ocean, no ripples or waves, a deep and energetic blue. She was very thin, and average height for a four year old. The little girls lips pursed as she began to announce her name, which turned into almost a life story. “My name is Daisy Bold. I am four years old, and live with Mummy and Daddy. I love smiling, because, smiling is fun. I love pretending things, and I cant wait to have my very own friend. I’m tired of imagining friends, it would be much better to have a real one. People say I talk an awful lot, and I should hold my tongue, but I can’t help it, I’m just chatty. I speak with a very posh voice, because it makes me seem much more pretty, and I only speak fast because I have so much to say.” Miss Case was speechless. She had found a child, very similar to the child Miss Case once was. Miss Case was desperate to run up to Daisy and hug her and squeeze her, and colour her heart in the colour of belonging, but then she remembered. She was a teacher. She had to give the children instructions, and they had to follow them. She had to be friendly, but not be their friends. Miss Case gave a loving and welcoming smile, showing her dazzling teeth, “Daisy. Nice to meet you. Although I did only ask you for your name, it was a pleasant little speech.” A little boys hand raised, on the right hand side of the circle. “Miss Case. What is a pleasant little speech, and before you ask, I‘m David.”
“Oh, David, dear. I’m sorry. I was getting away with myself. Forget I said that.” Miss Cases mind was getting muddled up, confusing her self with what she had to pretend to be and what she was. Just that short and sweet paragraph that little Daisy Bold had said, had took Miss Case to the real world, the world were she belonged, with big and fancy words, and pretend objects and people. The world of imagination. She had to remember that the kids were only four years old, and no matter how charming Daisy Bold was, Miss Case was still acting out as the boring teacher that everybody saw her as.
Ten minutes later, and Miss Cases finger had pointed at every single child on that itchy, red carpet, and had learnt their names. There was twenty two children in that class, and already she had them in groups. The chatty ones: Ryan Walker, Jane Bates, Casey Topping, and Leon McCann. The shy ones: Christopher Bell, Sophie Daniels and Jack Willis. The willing-to-learn ones: Amy McCarthy, Jennifer Allen, Michael Spry and Joshua Spry [the identical twins], Lilly Starkey, David Burns, Dylan Shone, Ricky Andrews, Leo Freeman, Elly-mai Watson, Jack Durkin and Shannon Roberts. The ‘I can’t be bothered’ ones: Claire Evans and Diana Cross. The one that stood out of them all: Daisy Bold. Every little soul in that classroom was interesting, but no one compared the sweet Daisy Bold. She was like a dream, a dream you would want to live for eternity. Every sentence just hit you with a handful of love for the child, and her smile blew you away like a gush of wind. Daisy Bold inspired you to stay happy. She came out with the wildest of things, and had the most vivid yet the best imagination in the class. Her creativity smothered everyone’s heart, and sealed it with a kiss to never forget.
From Monday to Friday, the time in between went as quick as a heartbeat as it seemed that all the children fell softly asleep on the Monday, and woke up on the Friday morning. Miss Case guided the children from lunch into their classroom, which already seemed like home. “Kids, sit down. Back to your places and carry on with your colouring. Be nice and put your hand up if you need help. Oh Ricky, I wish you wouldn’t make such a mess at dinner, and Shannon I wish you would eat at dinner! Ryan and Jack sit down, now! I don’t want you stood on chairs like animals. Lilly let go of Diana’s hair!.”
The usual chaos was going on in the classroom, and now Miss Case never had a moment to mark books or do her own work. Miss Case straightened her glasses, and pulled back her fringe behind her ears, which were bleeding with the irritating sound of children’s moaning and wailing. As her eyes examined the room, looking for the usual ‘I didn’t do it’ disaster, she come across the lonesome Daisy Bold sitting in the corner of the room, happily colouring and speaking to thin air. Miss Case listened in. “Oh, Elizabeth! You are very silly. You shouldn’t say such things. It’s wicked of you to think like that, although its true.” Daisy giggled, and flicked back her glamorous hair behind her bony shoulders. She made a face which looked like she was listening to someone, as if the air was literally speaking to her. The silence finally broke. “Oh, Elizabeth! I shouldn’t be listening to this, but you do make me laugh. I wish everyone could see you, because everyone would love you. Your so funny and clever.” Miss Cases mind erupted. Who was Elizabeth? Did Daisy really see her? Miss Case was eager to find out. “Daisy, love. Who are you talking too?” Daisy looked disappointed, and Miss Case felt uneasy. “Miss, I know you wont believe me, but, Elizabeth is my best friend. She’s been with me for a whole year now. She agrees that the other girls and boys are nothing like me, so I can’t get along with them. I wish I was Elizabeth. She’s so pretty. She’s got pretty ginger hair, with green eyes. She’s so funny. Would you like to see her? You probably wont be able to. Only I can. That’s why I’m different- because I can see things other people cant. Want me to teach you?” Miss Cases eyes widened, as she gave a disturbed nod. “Okay. Here we go. You ready? Just close your eyes, and imagine her, then when you open your eyes, she’s here!”
The playground sang with the merry instruments of the children’s laughter. The winter air delicately danced with the joyful singing of the giggling little girls. The playground was full, but the school building stood abandoned and lonesome, its only friends were the dust and the dirt. The school drooped in misery whilst stirring at the playground - heart the colour of envy. Yet it wasn’t one hundred percent lonely, because in one corner, perfectly ideal for hiding away, sat Daisy Bold on a three legged chair laughing and joking with thin air - which turned out to be her best friend. Her voice echoed in the empty room, bouncing off all the walls which were normally bouncing off more than one lonely voice. Daisy chuckled, “Oh Elizabeth, how do you do it? How do you do it? I could never do anything so nasty. I know what you do is nasty, but you make it look funny, you.” The thin-air stirred at her and silently responded with something that made Daisy frown. “Now, Elizabeth. I think that’s a little too nasty. Don’t you?”
If any other person would have entered the room at this point, they would have just seen an innocent child sat on a three legged chair talking and laughing to herself, with nothing but the silence answering her questions. However, in Daisy’s playful eyes, it was completely different. Whilst she was wriggling around on that wobbly and unstable chair, in front of her she saw a friend. Not just a friend, a best friend. She was a girl who helped through all of Daisy’s troubles and worries. She was a girl that made her laugh and kept her smile on her face. She was a girl that had a voice only Daisy could hear, a face only Daisy could see, and a heart that only Daisy could love. This thin-air friend was only a figure of imagination, but too have a friend so close and so real meant that Daisy’s imagination was running wild and free, and was very lucky to have a creative mind to build such a character and introduce them into the real world. Daisy called her Elizabeth. She had long, glowing, ginger hair. Freckles were painted on her snow-white skin, and they were the first thing Daisy noticed on her. Her nose was pointy, with a little ball of shine on the end. Her lips were perfectly pronounced, and had a voice so deep and beautiful. Elizabeth’s eyes were like an Autumn wonder-land, green and glistening, they could light a lonely and dark house into a bright and friendly home. Elizabeth always wore dungarees, with a little peach top lying beneath them. With that, she wore red pumps with a white sole. She was very skinny, but her face was plump and chubby. Elizabeth was the same age as Daisy. When Daisy grew - Elizabeth grew. When it was Daisy’s birthday - Elizabeth’s birthday came on the same day. Daisy and Elizabeth were inseparable. In other peoples eyes - Daisy and thin-air were inseparable. Although Elizabeth was Daisy’s age, she had the mind of a very positive and inspiring person. She gave advice not even a mother could give. This was all out of Daisy’s imagination - which Daisy saw as reality.
The school day had very quickly ended, and so had the first week of school. As the school bell murdered the children’s ear-drums, their little legs sprinted to the playground to find their mothers awaiting them with a warm hug and a caring smile. While the children ran, Daisy walked. While the children screamed with excitement, Daisy moulded a concerned look on her face. “Elizabeth. What’s the matter?” The air gazed at her, and replied, “Daisy, just leave it. I just feel sick, that’s all.”
“No. You don’t look sick. You look sad.”
“Well, I’m not. Okay? I just want you to go home, eat your tea, sing, dance, read, whatever. Then go bed. Then everything will be just fine. I will have my smile back, and you will have Elizabeth back. Simple as.”
“You still haven’t told me what’s wrong, though! And you cant keep things from me.”
“Daisy, I’m just not in the mood so leave it. Please.”
Daisy’s lips gave a furious pout, as she strutted down the corridor out into the playground were she saw her mother gesturing for a hello-hug. Daisy’s voice croaked, “No. I don’t want a hug.” Daisy’s mother dared to ask what’s the matter with her, and why her mood was so dark. That idea was simply outrageous, because when Daisy was angry or upset or even just the tiniest bit of annoyed, it went on for days, and no-one (with the exception of Elizabeth) was aloud to interfere with her emotions and feelings.
When Daisy and her mother reached their house, Daisy sighed as she looked to her right. Her eyes surrounded with a place only a dream could provide, which was too good to be true, as she was forbidden to climb those thrilling hills of green and inhale the naturals smells of the forests that she saw. Daisy turned her head back towards the door, and plodded her way inside. Her mother yelled, “Daisy, take your shoes off I’ve just mopped up! Tea will be done soon.” Daisy didn’t answer. Elizabeth wasn’t with her right now. Daisy walked up the stairs and entered her room. The flashing pink hit her cheeks and made her soft skin glow. She examined the room, making sure that everything was in perfect position. She looked at the fluffy, white carpeted floor, and then took one last glance around the room, then randomly lay down, all by herself, in complete silence, on the blanket-like floor. She sang to herself ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’ She soothed her soul with the tranquil sound of her very own voice. After a few more nursery rhymes, she sat up and climbed up onto her baby-pink bed. She gazed dreamily out of the window to her left, falling into a deep trance with the forbidden hills. Daisy imagined what lay beyond them. What was so bad that she wasn’t aloud there?
Daisy’s day-dreaming came to a halt and she raced downstairs. When she reached the bottom, she started tip-toeing around the edges of the sparkling, laminate floorboards, and calmly opened the front door. Once on the other side of the door, she breathed in the smell of damp and soil. Her nose tingled, as a sneeze attacked. She wiped away the tingling, and skipped out of the garden. The gate screeched, and Daisy scrunched up her face, not wanting her Mother to know she was out of the house.
“Elizabeth, Oh just look at that!” Elizabeth’s invisible eyes widened, and she gasped hard. She spoke with that heavenly voice, under thrilled breath, “Oh! Shame your Mum won’t let us up there, they are awfully nice. Nice isn’t the word- beautiful- those hills are utterly beautiful.” Daisy’s heart sank, remembering those ‘beautiful hills’ were out of bounds. Daisy’s mind flamed up in anger, seeing what she was missing out on, and her heart told her no whilst her burning mind told her yes. “Elizabeth I do not care! I cant miss out on these. Come on” Daisy went happily skipping along the empty, lonesome road. Elizabeth got grip of her hand. “Daisy. Your mum said no. So that means no. Those hills are amazingly stunning and from this day, known as The Hills of Glory. Your mum said no. I’m awful sorry because I want to go up there just as much as you do. ”
“Elizabeth let go, your always looking for an adventure, and we’ve found a really good one, so let go please. The Hills of Glory are waiting for us.”
“Daisy. No!”
Daisy’s eyes rolled in utter disappointment and she turned around and denied The Hills of Glory and plodded back towards the gate. She opened it with a squeak and opened the front door. Daisy’s mum bellowed. “I didn’t know you where outside. Daisy warning me might be nice. You could have been anywhere. Oh do tell me next time, Daisy. You frightened the life out of me by slamming that door, you did, child!” Daisy and her frustration ran upstairs and wept sympathetically in her bed. Her tears drenched the duvets. The Hills of Glory stained her brain as he shook her head getting rid of the broken memories. Such a little let down was such a dramatic disaster to Daisy. Her poor heart was broken over hills. Just hills. Hills that have been the same for a long time and will remain the same. Hills that you could find anywhere. Hills that were just lumps with grass on - like most hills, of course. They were just ordinary hills that she passed in her car too and from school every day. Why were they so important?
Daisy was in her room alone, no Elizabeth, no imagination. Just Daisy and her sorrowful tears of disappointment. Daisy crawled over to the mirror slouching on the wall. She stirred at her self evilly, and put her hands to her head and screamed silently.
Elizabeth suddenly returned. She was nowhere to be seen, but she was in Daisy’s head. “Daisy, why did you miss out on a thing like that? Who cares what I said.” Daisy shook her head, and crawled up in a ball on the rug. “Daisy don’t ignore me! Daisy listen . I can do what I did last time. Remember? When you didn’t listen, and I ragged your hair until you cried? I can do it again. Don’t test my limits. You should know them well enough by now. Go and explore. That was my mind talking, this is my heart. That’s why you cant see me. Your not crazy, this is your conscience speaking. My heart - is your conscience.” Daisy’s tears banished and dried into sticky trails down her flushed cheeks. “Elizabeth. They were just hills. Let me go too sleep, maybe tomorrow.” There was a few silent seconds were Daisy looked around the room, praying for the mind of Elizabeth to come back. “Okay. Deal.”
