Written for Pancreatic Cancer UK to help raise awareness and fundraise after losing my dad to this awful disease November 2020

Part one of a five part story

Fireworks

As the flames jump higher, the stuffed guy at the top begins its descent.  I look over at the children smiling happily at the figure, now lashed brutally by the orange tendrils. As the fireworks whizz and pop, the cheers from Hannah and Joseph reinforce that they are enjoying this more than me.   I’ve never enjoyed large crowds, tonight was no different.  Counting down the hours, minutes, I want to go home. Jamie next to me is excited at the rocket crashing overhead.

My family always come first, before anything, in this case me.  I would have been happy watching fireworks from our garden, but Jamie insisted we go to the display. Standing here, rocking from one leg to the other, most of the village must be here tonight.  As the bangs and crashes fill the sky, I can’t help but wonder just how much money has burnt here tonight, all for the sake of a good time.  All in recognition of a man who tried to burn down the Houses of Parliament.  Why do we celebrate this?  Guy Fawkes did indeed make history with his misdemeanour; I wonder what he would think of us sacrificing a copy of him every year. Would he be proud of his actions?

It was just days ago that the children insisted on trick and treating. I had said no as don’t agree with scaring people to give them sweets. Jamie gave in telling me, it’s just once a year and they have worked hard at school this year and deserved it.  He went out with them, supervising and ensuring they didn’t play any cruel jokes.  Not everyone wants to contribute towards my children’s teeth rotting away.

Missing children

I’ve always found Halloween creepy, as it is supposed to be, but this year children went missing. The thought of losing my kids makes me feel ill, but at Halloween somehow makes it worse.  The stories being told are not amusing and the thought that we are starring in a poorly scripted horror movie makes it worse.  The children have their own version of what is happening, me I’m full of dread.  Jamie says there is a logical explanation, the police have not said much, it is just the media that are making it sound terrifying.

Distracted by Hannah, pulling on my sleeve,

“Mummy we are going, its finished.”  Awoken from my thoughts, I took her hand, relieved,

“Come on then.”

A few days later

November 5^th is over, October 31^st should also have been.  The pumpkin remains are long gone; the Pumpkin pie eaten.  However, the headline on the daily newspaper sent a cold chill through me.

‘Boy missing from North Park School’

Another child and this one I knew.  Billy was sat at our dinner table a week ago and now he has disappeared.    Do I send the children to school? Is someone watching it?

As Joseph appears on the stairs, Jamie makes my decision for me.

“Kids, we are all staying at home today”.  Hannah and Joseph whooped at a day of television. Then he whispered.

“Someone took Billy, they are not having our children.”

Is this a Halloween joke? What is happening? Where are the children?

Written for A story a day for Pancreatic Cancer UK – Just muddling through life

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