Forever Five
I Feel So Alone. Again.
“Daaaaaaaaan!” Teddy sceams for me, “Dan!” He's only in the room next to mine but I leap up and sprint next door all the same.
“What's up Teds?” I ask desperately, worried about him, All I ever seem to do nowadays is worry...
“Mr Elliot had the dream again.”
“But Teddy, it's the middle of the day.”
“Mr Elliot fell asleep. It's not true is it Dan? Mr Elliot's dream, it's not true! Tell him.” I sigh, Teddy's eyes are desperate for my lie. He's so desperate to believe me that bad things don't happen, All little children are.
“Mr Elliot,” I smile, picking up the teddy bear, “Your dreams are true.” I sigh and Teddy's eyes widen in horror.
“No!” He screams. “They're not true! They're not! You're lying! I hate you!” He screams at me, smacking me like a spoilt five year old, only Teddy's not five, he's a grown man, and when he punches, it hurts like hell.
“Teddy...” I start but he throws me off, “Teddy!”
“You're a liar! I hate you!” He screams, his eyes brimming with tears. “You said it was bad to lie but you're lying now!”
In an act of desperation I pick up the teddy bear, Mr Elliot, once again, “Mr Elliot, I was only joking, Your dreams are all lies.” I say so that Teddy can hear me.
He walks back over, snatches the bear away from me and runs off downstairs to turn on the television. Great, now I'm going to have to go out and buy some lollipops to make it up to him.
“Teddy?” I ask cautiously, how could I have come so close to ruining everything? The doctor had told me that it would be better not to tell him about it! Why do I never learn? As I'm cursing myself internally I almost miss the small 'yeah?' that my elder brother sobs out. “Teddy? I'm sorry, you were right, lying is naughty and I lied to Mr Elliot.”
What kind of dufus do I sound like eh? I lied to a stuffed toy, big whoop...
“And I have a surprise for you and Mr Elliot.” I grin, wandering over to the under stairs cupboard and pulling out the bass in its case. Teddy's head peeks around the doorway curiosuly.
“What is it?” He asks, taking the case by the handles I offer him.
“Open it and find out.” I grin and follow him back into the room He quickly unzips the case and throws back the fabric.
“Wow a guitar! Cool!” He smiled appreciatively and puts the strap over his shoulder. He plucks at a few notes and then plays the bass line for one of the songs that our band used to play. “Parallel Worlds”.
Oh gosh.
“Teddy, what was that?” I ask him tensely.
“I dunno.” He shrugs, “It just happened!”
“Oh.. okay.” I frown, he still remembers perfectly the bass line for Parallel Worlds? What else does he subconsciously remember? Other than the crash of course.
I know that we could never go back to how we used to be, that at least is obvious, but maybe we could make our lives slightly more normal?
“What's up Teds?” I ask desperately, worried about him, All I ever seem to do nowadays is worry...
“Mr Elliot had the dream again.”
“But Teddy, it's the middle of the day.”
“Mr Elliot fell asleep. It's not true is it Dan? Mr Elliot's dream, it's not true! Tell him.” I sigh, Teddy's eyes are desperate for my lie. He's so desperate to believe me that bad things don't happen, All little children are.
“Mr Elliot,” I smile, picking up the teddy bear, “Your dreams are true.” I sigh and Teddy's eyes widen in horror.
“No!” He screams. “They're not true! They're not! You're lying! I hate you!” He screams at me, smacking me like a spoilt five year old, only Teddy's not five, he's a grown man, and when he punches, it hurts like hell.
“Teddy...” I start but he throws me off, “Teddy!”
“You're a liar! I hate you!” He screams, his eyes brimming with tears. “You said it was bad to lie but you're lying now!”
In an act of desperation I pick up the teddy bear, Mr Elliot, once again, “Mr Elliot, I was only joking, Your dreams are all lies.” I say so that Teddy can hear me.
He walks back over, snatches the bear away from me and runs off downstairs to turn on the television. Great, now I'm going to have to go out and buy some lollipops to make it up to him.
“Teddy?” I ask cautiously, how could I have come so close to ruining everything? The doctor had told me that it would be better not to tell him about it! Why do I never learn? As I'm cursing myself internally I almost miss the small 'yeah?' that my elder brother sobs out. “Teddy? I'm sorry, you were right, lying is naughty and I lied to Mr Elliot.”
What kind of dufus do I sound like eh? I lied to a stuffed toy, big whoop...
“And I have a surprise for you and Mr Elliot.” I grin, wandering over to the under stairs cupboard and pulling out the bass in its case. Teddy's head peeks around the doorway curiosuly.
“What is it?” He asks, taking the case by the handles I offer him.
“Open it and find out.” I grin and follow him back into the room He quickly unzips the case and throws back the fabric.
“Wow a guitar! Cool!” He smiled appreciatively and puts the strap over his shoulder. He plucks at a few notes and then plays the bass line for one of the songs that our band used to play. “Parallel Worlds”.
Oh gosh.
“Teddy, what was that?” I ask him tensely.
“I dunno.” He shrugs, “It just happened!”
“Oh.. okay.” I frown, he still remembers perfectly the bass line for Parallel Worlds? What else does he subconsciously remember? Other than the crash of course.
I know that we could never go back to how we used to be, that at least is obvious, but maybe we could make our lives slightly more normal?