The Boy in the Union-Jack trainers

Part 2: If Only...

The sun shone behind his closed eyelids. Yet the beams of light did not highlight his golden curls, nor did it illuminate his high cheekbones or his curved jaw. He struggled to open his eyes. A battle between the promise of endless sleep and waking up to the chaos around him. Curiosity got the better of him.

As his eyelids finally flutter open his gaze was met by such a strong burst of light, that his strained eyes were made to squint. He had to blink several times before they focused, morphing the blurred obscure shapes, sharpening his vision.

Toby was lying horizontal, the long grass tickling his neck. His clothes were damp from the dew the grass carried - but otherwise his clothes were fairly dry. It had stopped raining and it was surprisingly pleasant, no clouds cluttered up the sky. He could hear the steady beat of the waves against the chalk. It was just a dream. But it had felt so real.

"Toby? Toby where are you?" It was his mother's high pitched cry that brought him back to the present.

"I'm coming Mum." He yelled as he raced down the crumbling cliff path, back the way he had come, stumbling a little as he went. Mum was standing in the cottage's doorway, her hair falling loosely down her back, her dressing gown wrapped around her. Toby ran to her. "Mum I'm alright." But his Mum didn't even look at him, instead her eyes were fixed behind him, scanning the cliff path.

"Toby? Toby!" It was as if his Mum could see right through him.

"Mum I- I don't understand. Mum can't you see me? I'm right here!"

Mrs Knight shuffled out of the door in her bright pink fluffy slippers and pushed past her son. To Toby's astonishment she began to run away up the cliff.

"Mum!" Toby screamed carelessly after her. "MUM!" There was no reply.

He didn't understand. What on earth was going on? Had his Mother gone mad? Or was he still dreaming.

He pinched his skin between two of his quivering fingers. Nothing... "Come on..." He muttered under his breathe. "Wake up Toby, Wake Up!" He wasn't dreaming, this was all very real.

"Toby! Toby!" There was a bloodcurdling scream that cut through the air like a knife. A Screech like car wheels spinning out of asphalt.

"Mum... MUM!"

Toby leaped over the brambles letting them rip his trousers, he didn't care. He urged his legs to go faster. "Mum where are you?" All he could hear was the unsteady beat of his heart against the drumming of his feet. He reached Dad's bench. Mum was nowhere in sight.

"Mum?" Toby could not hide the fear in his voice. Maybe she'd gone to the beach. But why on Earth would she go there?

The beach was tiny, barely six metres of sand, Mum always warned him not to go down there as it was dangerous how fast the tide came in.

He ran on down the cliff, he was getting closer, he could now hear his Mum's heavy sobs. Finally his feet sunk into the sand making it erupt around him. And there she was, she had fallen to the ground. Her whole body was trembling, her head bowed as if in prayer.

"Mum what is it? What's wrong?" He stepped closer trying to comfort her, that's when he noticed the pair of legs sticking out from behind his Mother's rigid form. A sodden, ripped material clung to the pale, lifeless legs. the trainers were ruined, yet you could still see the pattern on the side of the shoe, a union-jack. No... It couldn't be.

He edged around her he didn't want to look too scared at what he knew he would see. Knowing didn't prepare him for what he saw next. Nothing could have.

His limp body was cradled in her arms, tears rolled down her cheeks, as rapid as waterfalls, the drops fell off her chin before splashing on the innocent, young face below. His face was stiff his mouth hung open, his lips cracked, his almond eyes were wide open, glazed over, staring up at the heavens. His greasy hair clung to his dead face.

His Mum rocked him backwards and forwards, clutching him to her tightly, Forever repeating that word over and over. "Toby... Toby..."

"I'm so sorry Mum. I'm so sorry." Toby sank to his knees.

What was the use in speaking? He knew she couldn't hear him. He was dead after all. If only his Dad hasn't left. If only he hadn't left the house. If only...

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Hello, :) <--- I thought I'd try add some happiness to this story...

That's all you're going to get!

I'd love to here any comments/suggestions you guys have.

- KP