Short(ish) Story!

I thought that I’d post in keeping with the majority of new threads here – sadly … it isnt a poke at any regs etc .. its a short story I wrote for my little girl when she was smaller!!! There is a moral to the story – I just wonder if it will be picked up as quickly as those in the other stories posted at the moment ……

Lily sat on the step and pulled on her favourite bright pink wellington boots. She grabbed her little watering can and walked over to the water barrel to fill it with the rain water she’d collected. She was gettin so excited – it was almost Halloween and she had the most wonderful pumpkin.

Her Grandpa had given it to her as a seed. He told her where best to plant it, how to water it and when the fruit would be ready to harvest … just in time for it to be used as the main attraction at the Hallowen party her parents had organised.

Every day before and after school Lily cared for the pumpkin. It was the only fruit that the plant had offered up but it was magnificent. Perfectly round. The skin was blemish free – it was going to look awesome. Lily couldn’t wait. Her Mum was going to help her hollow out the pumpkin and carve it. Lily wanted to do it by herself but her Mum had explained how dangerous it could be using a knife. Lily planned out the perfect face in her mind and she even knew exactly where she would ask her Mum to carve out the eyes, nose and smile. Her Nan had given her a candle to place inside once finished.

Lily climbed down from the yard into the garden. Jump! Landing in the middle of the first stepping stone that made up the path down to her own little vegetable plot. Lily often imagined she was a Princess in a magical kingdom as she hopped from one stone to the next. Under the wooden arch her Mother had placed in the garden. Looking around for trolls she dashed underneath and out safely the other side with a huge sigh.

Past her Fathers canes laden with beans she twirled – this was the enchanted forest – tall plants entwined … peeping round them she heard a shuffle …. she wondered what it may be – moving closer she held back the plants. Half expecting to spy a unicorn! There was the noise again… delving a little deeper – she sensed something moving towards her … moving back just in time. Pounce!!! Oh silly …. It was only the neighbours cat, Bruce! He’d probably been basking in the sun. He’s a very lucky cat – the fright he gave her – she almost dropped her watering can on him!

She’d reached her garden …. opening the little gate she stepped inside – there in the far corner was her pride and joy, almost glowing – her pumpkin!!! She closed the gate behind her and made her way over to it. She watered the plant …. then placed the watering can on the ground and set about moving leaves from around the pumpkin! It was autumn and the giant chestnut tree that stood at the bottom of the garden was shedding its leaves! She looked closely at them as she picked them up. Golds and reds, she decided to keep some of the better ones for later – her Dad had shown her how to make pretty patterns from placing paper over the leaves and rubbing with a crayon!

Her attention came back to the pumpkin by her feet …. as she moved around to take in its beauty … she saw it … a hole. A HOLE!!! A hole in her pumpkin? How on earth did a HOLE appear in her pumpkin??? Her heart began to race – her eyes filled with tears and she slumped to the ground! A HOLE!!! Poor Lily just sobbed and shook her head!

Then … something grabbed her attention …. what was that? She saw something wriggling around in the hole ….. a caterpillar? THATS WHAT HAPPENED!!!! The caterpillar .. had eaten her pumpkin! Of all the things in her garden ……. it ate HER pumpkin! Lily was becoming angry! And the caterpillar just continued to wriggle! ‘YOU HORRID LITTLE CATERPILLAR!!!!’ she yelled.

As she began to calm down – realised the caterpillar probably didnt really mean to ruin her pumpkin…. he was probably just hungry! She felt mean for having got angry at the caterpillar and began to explain – not that he would understand of course … after all – this was a caterpillar! And the garden really wasnt magical – he wouldn’t understand!

‘You see Mr.Caterpillar – this pumpkin I grew – from a seed. It was very special to me. I was growing it to use as a light for my Halloween party – all my friends we’re going to come and see it! I was going to cut out the biggest spookiest eyes you had ever seen, and a little button nose and a BIG wide toothy smile. Mum was going to help me and then when we’d finished …. we had a candle you see … anyways – that doesn’t matter now! I’m sorry I got angry – I was being selfish – I realise you get hungry – and you probably have a family in there with you! I shall let you have my pumpkin. I shall think of something else to surprise my friends…’

With this she got up and walked away …. her mind on other things. She passed the beans – and never once looked. Walked directly under the arch – there never was a troll – it was all make believe. The garden wasnt a magical place … it was a garden. A garden that was home to cats and caterpillars not trolls and unicorns … nothing special!!! She sat back down on the step and took off her boots and set off for school!

She spent her whole day thinking about the pumpkin and what she might do now it was ruined …… maybe her Mum would take her to buy another – it wouldn’t be nearly as magnificent – but right now it seemed like her only option! Oh well!! She had another two days to find a solution!

Later that day she explained to her Mum what had happened and asked may they please go and buy a new pumpkin and Mum agreed, they would fetch it after school the day of the party – they would have plenty of time to carve it before the guests arrived….

Halloween came around and Lily ran all the way home – she didnt want to be late …. she had to go to the shops with her Mum – they HAD to get a pumpkin. They must. She hadn’t told her friends what had happened – she feared they might not believe she had ever had a pumpkin at all. All the way to the shop she prayed there would be a pumpkin ALMOST as amazing as hers ….. it wouldnt be as amazing obviously but right now – she would have to settle for the best they had. The shop doors opened and thats when she saw it …… right before her eyes a HUGE sign ‘PUMPKINS’ … All was going to be saved ….. Moving closer she saw a smaller sign …. she couldnt quite make read it …. moving closer – the letters became clearer … it read …. SOLD OUT!! OHHHHHHH NO!!! What was she going to do? She pleaded with her Mum to try another shop… then another and another … till there was no time left – everywhere had sold out! They had to go – the guests would be arriving soon.

On returning home Lily was feeling very sad indeed … what would her friends think? What would they say? OH my, she would be the talk of the school on Monday morning … ‘Lily and her imaginary pumpkin’. It was all too much for her to bare. She sat herself down on the doorstep – head in hands and waited for her friends to arrive. At that moment Bruce the cat came towards her and began to rub himself along side her leg whilst purring very loudly. Lily began to feel better just as Mr Wells next door came out to shout Bruce for his dinner. It was routine …. and Lily waited for Bruce to run through the hedge to get his meal. Today however – he didnt he just continued to cuddle closer to Lily.

‘Come on you silly cat, dinner time!’ Lily said to Bruce but he just ignored her and continued to purr. What was wrong with this cat? He never missed a meal. As Lily bent to pick him up he jumped down onto the garden! Meeeow! And there he sat – in the middle of the stepping stone … and purred some more! Very strange. Lily followed … and again he moved… to the second stepping stone …. Meeeeeow – again Lily followed. Bruce would allow her to get close enough to touch him and again he’d move away!!! Lily did’t know why but this game was taking her mind off the guests due to arrive anytime. They made their way down the garden – stop, start..stop, start!!!

Bruce looked around when he reached the arch … and rather than going under – he went over! Then jumped down the otherside – right in front of Lily! EEEK! she squeeled – that made her jump! At least it wasn’t a troll! Bruce then moved toward the bean canes and again sat down and purred … THEN he jumped!!! What was that noise Lily thought? Whats in those beans … she stooped low … and there scurrying around on the ground … a hedgehog! Lily giggled. ‘See Bruce … no need to be scared – it wasn’t a unicorn – nothing as mystical – just a little creature saying hello’ Bruce purred but his fur was still stood on end from his fright! Lily wished it had been a unicorn – now THAT would have surprised the guests! She so wished – now more than ever that her garden was a magical place … but alas it wasn’t. Sigh!

Bruce now fully recovered jumped over the little gate to Lilys garden and ran across it – swiftly followed by Lily. He sat beside the pumpkin … meow meow MEOWWWWWWWWW!!! Lily was close enough to reach him …. and as she leant forward she saw something wriggle …. THE caterpillar!!! Well not just one ….. but LOTS of caterpillars! And all looking very very FAT! She smiled – they were moving on… they’d had their fill of pumpkin. She should really move whats left to the compost bin! She lifted the pumpkin and as she turned it round ……….. she saw something truly magical ……. a HUGE smile – smiling at HER! It was perfect … just how she had imagined it would be ….. but how? WHO? She looked around … there was no one around – just Bruce and the caterpillars. Hmmmm!!! Maybe – just maybe – there was magic to be found in her garden?

There truly was – but you had to look really hard to find it …. around the edge of the eyes, nose and mouth of the fabulous pumpkin …. the little bite marks left by a whole family of caterpillars! The ones who felt that one good turn deserved another and for Lily’s kindness in allowing them to stay in their home – they felt they should give something back. Kindness causes magical things to happen.

Lily ran up the garden clutching her pumpkin ….. ‘look Mum… Just LOOK!’ Her Mums eyes grew wide …. ‘How on earth …?’ Lily smiled at her Mum ‘I dont know Mum – really I dont – it must have been magic!’ Her Mum cleared a space on the table and sat the pumpkin down. Lily passed her the candle her Nan had given her and her Mum carefully lit it and placed it inside. The room glowed. It was a fantastic sight to be seen and Lily began to daydream about what had occured. She was suddenly brought back to reality with a BANG! Someone was at the door … she opened it to see her friends smiling back at her. ‘Come in! I have something to show you all!’

Lily was the talk of the school as she thought on Monday morning …. the WHOLE school was talking about her pumpkin – the REAL, splendid, awesome pumpkin with the HUGE smile that had been the center of attraction at Lily’s party. As an extra treat for Halloween Lily handed all her friends little envelopes over lunch that day ….. all containing …. their very own pumpkin seed!