BABY - December 2007

This was set as English homework. To write a story about travelling back in time. I wanted to write about something meaningful and close to my heart. It took me about 2 hours to write for the simple reason I kept crying. It made both my parents cry and my friends thought it amazingly sad. I am so so so so proud of it.


I turned the corner and walked up the road looking at the sky; it was getting darker much earlier now. What was the point in that, I thought to myself, why would you want to be engulfed in the darkness any sooner than is necessary. I started to run up the slightly sloping path but slowed down as I came to my door. The knocker was pushed up so I tapped it downwards to show I was home. I pressed my face to the glass and saw my mother's shape coming towards the door. I could have simply got my keys out and opened the door for myself but I still enjoyed having my mum open the door and welcome me home. I guess that's my way of stopping myself growing up so quickly. I am dreading the days when I will live alone and have to open the door for myself knowing no one is there to protect me. The door opened and I noticed she was on the phone; she kissed me on the cheek and closed the door behind me. I gave her my dirty hockey kit and took off my shoes. As she went into the front room I ran upstairs and turned on my laptop. After it had loaded I signed into Msn and put on some music. I felt free and had no worries.
An hour or so later the phone rang; I looked at it to see if it was Kay-Tee for she always calls to speak to me. It was a number I didn't recognise straight away so I let it ring. Someone picked it up from downstairs and I carried on typing. I looked at the time and realised how hungry I was. I grabbed the empty bottle next to me and skipped down the stairs to find food since my mother hadn't bothered with dinner. I plonked myself on the sofa to ask if she actually wished to feed her children but she didn't notice me. She was talking softly into the phone, not like she had been before, as if something was wrong.
"Just look after yourself, and don’t blame yourself too much" she looked tired and sad. I listened for a little longer but couldn't decide what she was talking about. I gave up and walked into the kitchen to fix myself something unhealthy and in no way nutritious when my mum walked in, the phone detached from her hand.
"Becci lost the baby" she said sadly. My mouth dropped, the baby. I managed a weak "Oh, she must me so..." my mum nodded and I walked out of the room. I felt a tear slide down my face as it sunk in. My sister had lost her baby, a new life, my niece or nephew. I walked upstairs and Georgia had started talking to me on Msn. I realised that I couldn't handle a conversation especially about our usual jokes. I signed off and changed out of my school clothes. A thought struck me and I went downstairs and opened the front door. There was a pad by it so I grabbed a pen and wrote ‘Gone for a walk, need to think. Be back soon. x' and left it by the phone. I grabbed my hoody and slowly walked out. I shut the door behind me and walked down the path. I broke into a run and realised I didn’t have anything with me, no phone, no money, no bus pass. I couldn’t go anywhere. Then I thought of the park, I ran down three streets and up the hill. The dazzling white library came into view and I turned left into the park. My legs gave way and I sat on the grass. The tears came down thick and fast as my hands began to shake. What could I do, this was beyond my power. I got up and noticed there was a group of people my age laughing at each other. I wished I could go join them but I felt as if my world had fallen apart. I walked over to the trees and sat down under one, I closed my eyes. When I opened one there was a girl standing in front of me, one of the laughing teens. She was holding a bottle of vodka and swaying slightly. I looked at her expecting her to speak but she just handed me the bottle. She sat down and put her arm around me.
"You look like you need it," I unscrewed the lid and look a sip. The horrible taste hit my mouth and I shuddered. "It's a bit, well it will make you feel better" she added. I drank more and started to pour my heart out to this stranger. More of her friends came over and joined us, I realised how good it was making me feel and asked if they had more. With every sip I forgot more and more about the baby and my family and felt like I could do anything. Soon we were all laughing and there were empty bottles all around us. My head felt dizzy and I wanted to lay down, I gulped down more. I felt my head crash to the ground and someone said "Is she okay?"
"She fainted I think."
"What? Oh God we better get out of here."
"Hide the bottles."
"Run." I heard them run and then everything went black.

I opened my eyes and the movement stopped. Someone next to me said "Your stop love, Museum of Natural History you said?" My legs moved before my brain had a chance to acknowledge what was happening. I stepped off the bus and stood in front of the museum. Becci's museum, that's how I had know it for most of my life. What on earth was I doing here? The last thing I remembered was seeing the library, in Ipswich! I calmed myself down and looked at the newspaper stand next to me. The newspaper said 'Flood damage, insurance claims problems'. What floods, there hadn’t been any floods recently. I looked at the date, 2nd August 2007. My jaw dropped.
"Can I help you miss? You look a bit lost?" The newspaper seller said.
"Uh, what day is it? Please. No I mean month, date?"
"Second of August, you alright love?"
"No, no I'm not. What have I done? Where am I?"
"London, there's the Museum of Natural History." He pointed and I looked. He was right; I was in London at Becci's museum.
I walked into the foyer and up to the information desk. I realised this was about the time Becci would have got pregnant. An amazing thought hit me, if I could stop her getting pregnant she wouldn't lose the baby. If she hadn't lost the baby I wouldn't be here. I asked the woman at the desk where I could find Becci Chetley. Then I thought about what I had said.
"No sorry her name is Becci Cussens. I think she works in the media or journalism department. Something like that, oh why can't I remember. I'm her sister. I need to talk to her. It's urgent." The lady looked at me like I was insane but said she would try and find her and she took me to a waiting room. After what seemed like hours but was only a few minutes, Becci popped her head through the door. She came through and hugged me with a look of utter surprise on her face.
"What are you doing here? Wow, is dad here?" she looked around.
"No, just me. I need to ask you something."
"On your own? How? Have you travelled from Ipswich?" she seemed excited but then she looked at me and her face smoothed. "What happened?" she sounded so serious. I caught sight of myself in the mirror, I looked a wreck. I had tear stains and my hair was all over the place. Now I thought of it I could smell alcohol very strongly. No wonder everyone I had passed had looked at me so oddly. I turned to look at her and with all the strength I could manage I told her not to have a baby. She looked at me in complete shock.
"How did you know?" she gasped.
"You haven't? No please tell me you’re not pregnant yet" My heart sunk and I felt my eyes well up again.
"No, not yet. But Mark and I are planning it. Why?" A smile crept across my face. I told her all about how she would lose the baby and she looked at me like I was mental. I probably was. I was in London three months back from wherever I was before. Her face creased up and I knew she had smelt the alcohol.
"Are you drunk? How the hell did you get alcohol?"
"No, I'm not. Well I was, but then I travelled back here and I know you will lose the baby just trust me. Wait, just three months. Please, for me. I promise it will save the baby's life." I began to realise how stupid this sounded and she looked at me sadly.
"Okay," she said "We'll wait. But I don't have a clue how I'll explain this to Mark." She laughed. "I have to get back to work but if you want you can go back to mine?"
"No," I said "I have to go home now. I know where to go. Just remember what I said. Hopefully we will see you soon. I love you sis." I got up and hugged her again. I ran out of the room and suddenly felt the air beneath me vanish. My legs were controlling me again but then I felt ground. I opened my eyes and I was lying under a tree.
"She's still there. I think she's awake. Come on let's help her. It's out fault." I heard a girl's voice say and a few people came over. They helped me up and walked me to a bench. One girl took a spray out of her bag and covered me in it.
"Sorry, but you stink of vodka. Here have some water? How do you feel?"
"Amazing." I answered "I think you just solved all my problems." I got up and started running.
"You won't think that way tomorrow trust me!" a boy called after me. I laughed but didn't stop.
I knocked on the door. My mum opened it and she grabbed me.
"Where were you? Why did you run off like that? I was scared out of my wits!" I asked her how Becci's baby was and she said Becci didn't have a baby. She never had. The phone rang and my heart jolted. I reached for it and Becci's voice answered.
"Hey! Just a quick one, but are you all free this weekend?" I smiled and said "Oh I think so." My mum took the phone and I ran upstairs. It looked like my work was done.

"Well, we have some news," Mark said with a massive smile on his face, "Yesterday Becci took the test and it turns out, we are having a baby!" My mum looked at me and mouthed "How did you know?" I shrugged my shoulders and just smiled. As for the baby, well we will have to wait and see.


Written in memory of 'Baby', even though I never met you, you will always be a part of me. Rest in Peace.

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