Just Kids Playing

Part 2 of one longer story written for the Summer Challenge.

Scott goes to the Fair

The excitement at school the next day was tangible for the four friends and lessons couldn't pass quickly enough for any of them. Where they really wanted to be was back in the abandoned barn in Godolphin Woods. Scott and myself shared our lessons but Charlie and David were one year below us and were educated in a different part of the building. The strange thing was that whilst at school, Scott and I weren't really best buddies and didn't even sit close to each other yet when the school end bell rang it was like we connected. Maybe it was because we lived just a few doors apart and had known each other for pretty much all of our lives.

The whole school sat for lunch together in the dining hall and today the four of us made a point of sharing one table that was the farthest from both the teachers, who dined at a special table right at the front of the room and facing everyone, and also any prying ears. One of the boys who chummed with Scott during school time but didn't live in the village tried to join us at our table and was told to clear off in no uncertain terms. He went with a small bit of resistance and a curious look on his face. As we sat picking over what looked like a piece of chicken pie and creamed potato (mash, in English), Scott spoke about going back to the barn and what he wanted to do when we got there.

"I see Sithney Common Fields when I look through that window. Charlie sees something else and David sees his old playing field in Taunton." he said in summary. "So, what's going on?" his summary had turned into a question.

"I see what looks to be the right thing location wise. It's the meadow at the back of our terrace, it just seems bigger." I said.

"I can't wait to go there later on," Scott affirmed. "I want to find a way to get through that window."

Scott got his wish later that afternoon as we pushed through the copse and came across the abandoned barn once again. Scott was driven by his own enthusiasm and went inside without any doubts or further questions. Charlie, David and I hung back for a few seconds and I even thought at that moment to just leave them to it and go back home and build that Lego car that I had meant to start the next time it rained and I couldn't go out. In the end, we summoned up enough courage to follow Scott inside.

The main problem that we found was that Scott wasn't anywhere to be seen. We all called his name but to no avail and then the thought occurred to me to look through the window. I went over to it and peered through, hoping beyond hope that I would see my friend Scott beaming back at me in that mischievous way of his. Sadly, all I saw was the meadow from behind my house and my house in the distance as before. I was now concerned and getting very frightened, not only for myself but for Scott too.

Scott had entered the barn and gone straight to the window with no care or afore-thought at all. He looked through the dirty glass for a moment and then climbed through, disappearing from our world as he did so. On the other side he could instantly sense that he was far away from Godolphin Woods, from the barn and, definitely, from reality. His nostrils were filled with the delicious smells of the fairground, the hotdogs, frying onions and chips with vinegar. He stood stock still and breathed in these aromas with gusto. Next came the smell of candy floss and all things sweet and sticky. He looked around, fully expecting to see a window behind him that would allow him to get back but there was nothing there apart from the fairground perimeter. Scott was the bravest kid that went to Godolphin School by a long way so if anyone was going to go with this bizarre fantasy then it was him. He took a deep breath and walked further into the fair.

As he approached the main rides, he put his hands into his pockets. He knew that he had left home without any money at all, mainly because his mother had refused to give him any due to his lack of doing chores, so was absolutely amazed and chuffed when he pulled a crumpled five pound note out of his pocket. Five quid! he thought to himself, struggling to do the maths as to how much that amount actually meant. He found out quickly enough with a go on the Dodgems when the Ride Controller had to go rooting around for the change, eventually handing Scott four pounds and seventy pence in coins. Scott had a blast on the ride and when he had finished there he headed straight for the Carousel and climbed aboard. He had a cabin to himself and as the ride got up to full speed and was spinning dizzily, Scott looked down and saw his dad standing there and waving at him. Tears filled his eyes instantly and the fun of the ride disappeared down a plughole of hurt feelings, so much that Scott wished for the ride to stop immediately. Once it had stopped, he jumped down and ran to where he thought he had seen his dad standing. When he got to the spot, all he found was a wooden post protruding from the ground with a note pinned to it. Scott looked at it with disgust, he could've sworn that he saw his dad and felt how he missed him. He plucked the note from the post and saw that it had his name written on it. Ok, that's random! he thought to himself, unfolding the piece of paper. The note written there made him cry again, so much so that he had to squint to finish reading it. It said;

Scott my boy. I know that I left you and your mum far too soon and far too quickly. I couldn't help that son; you must believe me. Sometimes your own fate is taken away from you and placed in the hands of someone who is not so careful with it. Just believe me that I am watching over you always and I want you to be the best that you can. I left you the money to enjoy and I know you love chocolate cake, so go and get some before it sells out. Love Dad.

Scott wiped his eyes with angry fists and cried harder for a moment. The note was crumpled in one hand and when he opened them again the note was gone. He looked at the ground and all around where he stood, almost dumbfounded. The note was gone but the message remained very firmly in his mind. His stomach rumbled at that moment and the thought of that piece of chocolate cake became a very real and very good idea. Scott looked around quickly and saw a stand just off to his left. He walked over to it and almost burst out into laughter. The hand-written sign behind the stand said 'Scott's Homemade Chocolate Cake. Don't tell Mum! 50p a portion.' Scott bought a piece; it even came in a little plastic tray with a lid and a little plastic fork. He paid the lady and walked off, descending into his own little world. It had been a wonderful day out.

I was really starting to panic about Scott, it felt like he had been missing for ages. Suddenly, there was a rustling sound from up on the first floor of the barn and I jumped up, thinking that maybe an animal had got in here and had been disturbed. What I saw was Scott's face peering down at me and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Where the hell did you go?" I asked, beginning to relax a bit. I saw the plastic box in his hand at that point. "And what the hell is that?"

"Been to Sithney Fair." he replied casually. "This is chocolate cake. Do you want some?"

I laughed out loud and the other two lads laughed too, although they weren’t too sure exactly what they were laughing at.

We sat on the hay-bale underneath the strange window and shared Scott’s chocolate cake. When it was finished, he looked around and said something quite startling.

“I went through the window and came out at Sithney Fair.”

I looked at the others and then back at him. The pieces of this particular puzzle where way above the intelligence of your average ten-year-old but I was willing to give it a go. Firstly, it had crossed my mind as to exactly where Scott had got hold of a plastic tray containing cake and secondly, how he had appeared up on the first floor because the ladder that was the only way up was still broken and in pieces.

“I came in here ahead of you guys and looked around, thinking that you were right behind me.” he explained. “When I saw that you weren’t I just jumped up on the hay, got hold of the frame and climbed through. I don’t even think that the window was open.”

We all looked up and confirmed that the window was indeed closed.

“When I bought the cake at the fair, I walked off to find somewhere to sit and eat it. There was a gap in the hedge and a large stone in the next field so I headed for that. Next thing I know, I’m back here in the barn, covered in hay and then looking down at you three.”

We sat quietly for a moment of contemplation. David and Charlie looked at each other with trepidation, remember that they are both a year younger than Scott and I, worried that they were into something that could mean big trouble. That’s not to say that Scott or me had any idea at all to process what had just happened either. Suddenly, Scott looked at us with his eyes shining from old tears and fresh ones imminent.

“I saw a note from my dad!” he said sadly. “I know now that it wasn’t his fault that he left.”