Hey diary…wow this feels really weird. It’s kind of like I’m talking to myself. But I really need someone to talk to, so here we go.
The worse thing ever happened last week.
Can’t do this.
Wednesday
Let’s try again. Last week my Mom died. She gave me one of her big kisses, combed my hair and said, “Have a great day, love you.” Then she got into her car and drove off.
That was the last time I ever saw her. It’s NOT FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!! Why did she have to go? I WANT her BACK! I NEED her BACK NOW!
I feel really sad.
Friday
Everything is dull. I miss her smile. She was the funniest person ever. She could make anyone laugh. Dad is really sad too. He pretends he is okay, but I hear him crying at night. The days dissolve into each other. I feel so alone. Sometimes my heart actually hurts and my throat feels sore and closes over. It’s kind of like I’m in a horror movie and all the humans have turned to ants, so busy running around, making noises, going through the motions of life.
It has been two weeks now.
Monday
I wasn’t looking forward to school today.
You see, I’m not that special. Actually I am pretty average. I’m not a jock, in fact I don’t really like football at all. Football is really big at my school. The boys on the footy team are like heroes and don’t they know it.
I only have a couple of really close friends at school, James and Jeremy. We hang out at lunchtime and talk about movies and the latest games. We all play on Xbox Live and our favorite game is Halo.
Mom was really proud of me. She told me that I’m smart and kind. Dad is really into sport - footy, basketball and baseball are his passions. I don’t really relate all that well to Dad. We have different interests and sometimes I think he is disappointed to have me as his son.
I also like computer graphics. Last year I got an A!!!! Mom was so proud; she made me a computer shaped cake to celebrate.
Oh, something funny happened today. We got a new girl in our class. Her name is Madonna and she seems really nice. You should have seen her entry into the classroom. It was classic!
Our teacher kept going on and on about how much fun our classroom is and then she sat her next to Burt. Now I don’t want to sound mean, but Burt is a little different. Last year he tried to set a record for the biggest number of boogers he could stick onto the bottom of his desk. And his breath always smells of tuna. Gross!!!!
This poor new girl sat down next to Burt and slumped her shoulders. Then she peeked around the room and that was when our eyes met. I smiled. And she smiled back.
Tuesday
Swimming Day. Oh joy! Remember how I told you I wasn’t that good at sports, well that includes swimming. I’m in the average group; yes we try to swim up and down, up and down, while our swim coach flirts with the lifeguard. All the girls think he is handsome, he’s tall, blonde, tanned and it is obvious he works out at the gym…a lot!
Once I asked my swim coach how I could improve my stroke and she told me not to worry about it because, “You’ll never be any good anyway.” So I just put my head down and do my best. Up, down, up, down….
Even though I am quite tall, I haven’t gone through puberty yet. Yep, you know what that means - no hair. There is a really mean boy in our class called Damian and he is really hairy!!!! He even has some growing on his chin. The worst part about the whole swimming thing is the change room. I don’t like stripping off in front of other people, so I always try to sneak into the toilet to change. We aren’t allowed to do that. The teachers reckon that we are hogging the toilets and someone might actually need to go. There are only two cubicles and today they were both taken. So I stripped off as quickly as I could and kept the towel around my waist.
Damian grabbed my towel and horsewhipped my butt with it. He yelled, “Well check out our little boy, when are you going to grow some hair and be a man like me!”
I cracked. I pushed him and he fell back, just as Mr Albert walked into the change rooms. So now I have to do a detention with him tomorrow after school. Great!
One of the girls dropped their undies on the way into the pool. They had Dora the Explorer on them. Of course NOBODY owned up. When are teachers going to learn that holding up a pair of undies and asking who owns them NEVER works!!!!
A few moments later, the loud speaker blasted across the pool area that Madonna’s undies were at the canteen. That poor girl! All the cool girls laughed, they can be so mean and cruel. Then the jocks joined in, they can be so dumb and horrible. A few of the nerdy kids were wondering what all the fuss was about and the rest of us just felt sorry for her.
Wednesday
Some days are worse than others. Today was a really bad day. I feel sad. I miss my Mom.
This morning I decided to clean the house. Seriously, I think we need to buy a whole heap of plastic plates, cups and cutlery. Then we can eat and throw away the mess.
I went into Mom’s room to dust. I can still smell her. Dad hasn’t put away her clothes and belongings yet. Everything is still laid out on her dressing table. Today I looked through her drawer. She had kept everything I have ever made for her. You know all those drawings and cards for Mothers’ Day, Christmas and her birthdays. She even has a little case with all my baby teeth and a pasta bracelet I made for her at Kindy.
I also found a silk purse with a message on it. It said, ‘For Richard’. My heart pounded as I carefully opened the purse. Inside was a beautiful and very old fob watch and a note.
I read the note:
My Dearest Richard
If you are reading this note, then I have passed on. Don’t be sad my beautiful boy. I will always be with you in your heart. You are special in so many ways, be strong and enjoy your life.
This watch was given to me by my mother. It has been handed down through the generations and is over 100 years old. Please take care of it. It is very special and my Mom told me it has special powers. I haven’t worked out what those powers are yet and it may just be a myth. Your Dad didn’t want me investigating it, he said it was all a bunch of baloney, but I’m not so sure.
Do you remember Grandma Mary? When I was young, she would sit around the fire with me and tell the most amazing stories. My favorite was a story about her visiting ancient Egypt and working in the Pharaoh’s harem. She served the Queen and saved her life when the Romans invaded the palace. She really was an amazing woman and an incredible storyteller.
Just before she died, she told me that one day I would be in charge of the family heirloom, a fob watch that I could use to travel the world and find my own stories.
My plan is to do this when you finish school. But if something should happen to me, then this precious watch will become yours.
Please don’t ignore it like I have so far. Explore it. It may all be a story…but we won’t know until one of us tries it.
Grandma Mary told me to rub it with my fingers, while closing my eyes and focusing on where and when I want to go. She told me not to be scared.
I love you Richard.
Mom xx
I read the note four times. It didn’t really make sense…what did the watch do? But just knowing it was part of my Mom and her wacky family made it the most valuable possession I have ever laid my eyes on.
I took it into my room and put it under my pillow.
Wednesday
Last night was one long dream. My Mom a
nd Grandma Mary visited me. They told me that I was the chosen one. In my dream I had the fob watch around my neck. It was warm to touch and sparkling.
I travelled to Ancient Egypt in the blink of an eye, with Grandma Mary and she introduced me to the Queen of Egypt. I worked as a guard for the Queen and her two children. We travelled in a camel caravan to inspect her husband’s latest pyramid. I rode beside her on a chariot with a spear in my hand. When we got there, the guards lifted her onto a litter and carried her to inspect the workers.
I actually thought she was pretty lazy! This is a picture I drew that shows the Queen being carried.
There were hundreds of workers, carving rocks and boulders into bricks and loading them onto carts to transport to the pyramid. It was boiling hot, the sun beat down on me and sweat ran down my back. I felt really sorry for the workers; they were dressed in rags and had no protection from the glaring sun.
Then a horn sounded. Everyone stopped and pointed to the horizon. There was a low brown cloud. But it wasn’t a rain cloud, it was dust and it kept rising higher and higher. The workers started to run away and the Queen and her children were quickly put onto horses so they could be rushed to safety. The guards and some of the workers formed a line and waited. I had no idea what was happening.
Then I started to hear a thud-thud noise. Out of the dust came hundreds of men on horses and chariots racing towards us. The men had round shields, long sharp sticks and armor on their bodies. They were