The Fire Child by S. K. Tremayne Page B

happy.
    After you died
    Mummy it rained a lot since Cristmas now you are not here. I got some wellys. Then I splashed puddles with daddy then we made lasanya and watched that film you liked again. Daddy cryed a little bit it is the onley time I have seen daddy cry he doesnt cry and he told me it was because I was alone like him. and he said sorry to me and mummy loved me I musnnt dout this
und
    Why did you say that about Cristmas
    Why did you
    Anyway now I must go granny says we are having macarrony and cheese for tea. I hope you have a dog in heaven as you mite be lonely to
    I love you mummy. I want you to come back but you cant come back because you are dead daddy says. I miss you every day are you in the ground so deep no one can get you even with a bulldozer
    Jamie
    The letter trembles in my hand. It has dark spots on it. I think they may be dried tears.
    There are two more letters. Shorter. The writing is better in these; this is Jamie a little older, I think. I have to lean close to look at the words – then I realize the room has grown very dim. A glance at the window shows me that rainclouds have raced across the sky, in that startling Cornish way, turning day into darkness. The impatient fingernails of rain tap the windowpane. I reach across and switch on David’s angular brass desk lamp, then read on.
    Dear Mummy
    Daddy said I must stop riting to you cos it makes me upset. He said this in case you got angry and I was worried you wud came back as a ghost wich wud be very scarry.
    Ghost
    I dont want to stop riting to you because I can imagin you in my head when I rite. You used to kiss me on the nose to make things better
France
    Mummy I remember it was Cristmas and evryone was drinking their drinks and geting louder and louder. Im sorry and daddy said it was your fault and I ran out I cant rite it down I am sorry you died I am sorry if
    Saturd
    Here are the sentences we did yesterday
    I’m liking my book exceptionally
    I am not going swimming today it is too boring
    I’m hoping I will see my mummy once more
    I’m taking a toy robot to school
    I’m guessing you haven’t got a dog
    Daddy is shaving
    Mummy is waving
    Mummy some nites I dream of you floting in the water. Someone at school said that bodys come back will you come back? They say that if you drowned in the sea then your body would be washed up on rocks like a starfish why weren’t you washed up at Morvelan like a starfish?
    Bleeding
    THEY CUT YOUR FINGERTIP OFF
    BLOOD IN THE
    Fizzy drinks are bad for you and I remember at Critsmas I gave you a fizzy drink and I thought it was my falt you were dead and they buryd your coat but I don’t think this any more.
    I listen to the sea it sounds like a big man breathing, a big scarry man and mummy in the darkness and the blackness. I have fritening dreams about you with no fingers to Im sorry. you are smiling
    Jamie xxxXXXxxx
    One more letter to go. One more is enough. This final letter looks to be the most recent, the handwriting is significantly improved. I can see my name in the first paragraph, this letter must have been written after I entered his life.
    Leaning closer to David’s desk lamp, I take up the notepaper, and read.
    Dear Mummy
    Daddy’s new wife is here now and her name is Rachel Daly but she is now a Kerthen like you and me and Daddy. Are you angry with her for taking
yor
your place? Don’t be she is nice she teaches me photography but she is not my mummy YOU are my mummy.
    Sometimes I do not like to look at the mine where you fell down Mummy I know you are alive and alright now but the mines friten me. They look like monsters. Rachel is sad sometimes she laughs a lot but then she looks unhappy.
    I remember when you were sad a lot before the
accident
fall. When Daddy and then you said what you said I wont tell anyone?
    Today at school Miss Anderson showed us pictures of heaven but I do not think I believe in heaven any more because I used to think you lived in heaven with grandad. But now