Shopping With Mum

‘Over here Chris!’1

‘What have you found?’2

‘I can see a leg but I’m not sure where the head is.’3

When I heard the voices I felt a bit better. It had been dark for ages and I didn’t know why. One minute I was standing outside Woolworth’s with mum and next thing I knew it was dark and very quiet. I couldn’t work out what was going on and thought the Woolworths bit must have been a dream and I was just about to wake up, but I tried to move and felt a massive pain shoot up my legs. That’s when I got scared because I couldn’t move and it was dark and really quiet. I tried to call for mum but no sound came so I just lay there in the dark trying to work out what was going on.4

I remembered getting off the bus at ‘Mark’s and Spencer’s’ and mum said let’s go to ‘Woolworth’s’ to get the Christmas Tree.’ There was a Brass Band outside ‘Marks and Spark’s.’ collecting for the ‘Sally Army’. They were playing ‘Away in a Manger’ and mum said;5

‘This is my favourite Christmas Carol’. 6

We got to ‘Woollie’s’ and looked at the Trees in the window. There was one with white branches, like it was covered in frost. It changed colour all the time – green, red, blue, gold …. The Band was playing ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’. I said to mum;7

‘I like that Tree’ and she said; 8

‘Let’s go in and take a look’9

I was following her into the shop feeling really happy and Christmassy when the next thing I knew was the darkness and the silence.10

I was getting very scared and feeling really cold; then suddenly, through the darkness I saw the Christmas Tree with its white branches and all the lovely colours. Clear as anything! So I watched it and thought about the Brass Band. In my mind I started singing ‘Away in a Manger’ and thinking about mum. The cold went and I just carried on like that for ages.11

Next thing I knew were the voices. One of them said he could see legs but no head. At first I felt great and thought someone was going to help me out, but then I started to wonder what had happened to my head. Why couldn’t they find it? 12

I heard Chris say; 13

‘Shift the rubble but go easy, and get a stretcher over here fast!’ 14

Then another voice called out;15

‘Hello there can you hear me?’16

There was the sound of stones being moved and thrown around, then more and more voices and sirens. Suddenly light shot through the dark and Chris. said; 17

‘Are you alright there lad?’18

I said, 19

‘I think so, but I don’t want to come out if I haven’t got a head!’ 20

There was a lot of laughing and more light. I felt a hand on mine and Chris said.21

‘You’re safe now lad and your head’s on right enough!’22

That was a big relief. 23