Tale of a Tooth

by Rogers, Allie;

  After long of waiting I went under the seat. Meemaw asked me two times to come out but she wasn’t really meaning it. It was just a saying thing.

  I heared them talking Meemaw and Karen but I closed my ears of the words and did counting. All to a thousand. Then I finded a crack in the floor inside was grey fluffy fluff for picking. At the last Karen leaned down. Too close. Big face in my under table place.

  Come on then, Professor, one more stop before we go home.

  Her breath air stinky.

  One more stop was Argos a very big Argos. I like all bits of Argos it is very good. Find the number Danny and we check it on the machine then write it on the paper. Meemaw pays then we wait.

  We are a number then me and Meemaw sometimes good with a zero sometimes a fivey number not so good. Our number comes green on a high up screen and then it’s time for go to collection point A.

  Karen did all of it herself. No sharing. Karen did numbers and the little pen and pay and holded the paper I didn’t even know what our number. I didn’t know! All wrong in Argos.

  I kicked the underneath of my chair. Kick kick kick kick.

  Enough, Danny!

  Meemaw still invisible colour and Argos all wrong.

  Karen went bouncy to collection point B came back with a bag. Big and blue of Argos.

  Right then, you two, ready for surprises?

  Karen gived me a big box. It was of all colours a truck inside. It was bigger than Spiney. She putted it on my lap not even asking. I holded up my two arms for not touching.

  I hate trucks cars trains all the playing things that aren’t alive. I looked at the box of the truck. I thinked about dinosaurs. In the catalogue might be dinosaurs. A T-Rex which moves or a whole lots of predators in a collection. Maybe a pterosaur.

  Wow, Danny! Wow, look at that lovely present Karen got you! Thank you so much, K.

  Meemaw holded the box on my lap. Inside me feeled sore like a tumble down in the park. Like a knee all scraped in me.

  And then this for you, beautiful lady.

  Karen taked out a small box of a heart. She holded it on her flat hand. It was soft darkly blue.

  I just knew it was for you.

  She opened up the blue heart. Inside was a twinkly golden thing. Shiny in the whiteness light of Argos.

  Take it. Put it on.

  Meemaw taked it out. A trickly chain curled up on Meemaw’s hand. A word of loopy writing. Angel. I thinked it was maked of gold and was treasure.

  Here, let me.

  Karen putted it round Meemaw’s neck.

  In a sudden fastness Meemaw flashed her colour. Meemaw flashed the ruby red.

  She kissed Karen’s mouth. I looked at the Argos numbers all going on and on.

  Number 473 to your collection point, please.

  A man near coughed a phlegm cough. Karen speaked words quiet to Meemaw but I heared.

  Well you are an angel. You’re my angel and I’ll show you what that means later.

  All was wrong in the big Argos of Brighton.

  ***

  On the train I falled asleep. I missed the long tunnel and the windmills again Meemaw had said of.

  I waked up getting off at our station. Meemaw carrying me.

  Hello, sleepy-head. Down you get now.

  I squeezed my legs tight.

  Noooo! Carry me! Carry me Meemaw!

  Come on, love, You’ve had a little nap but now you need to walk.

  I squiggled around. Karen reached out her arms.

  I can carry him if you want.

  I went to still.

  Get down.

  Meemaw putted me down.

  Karen didn’t go away. She came back all the way to our flat and in.

  Karen sitted talking to Meemaw while Meemaw maked pasta for tea. I did drawing on my stegosaur comic. I waited for the time of Karen to go. It didn’t come time.

  How about I get your new truck out?

  Oh, that’d be kind. Isn’t that kind, Danny?

  I drawed a sharp tooth big. A big sharp tooth even though stegosaur is a herbivore. Karen getted the truck out of its box.

  There ya go, Professor!

  She putted it beside me. She pushed a wheel on my comic. I moved it away.

  All the time Karen and Meemaw did talking. I went in my comic. More accidents for the stegosaurs. And mountains. Mountains and mountains to far away.

  There were three plates. Karen staying for tea in our flat. Meemaw had the bendy prong fork we don’t ever use.

  Mmmm, very nice! You’re a great little cook, Nat.

  Thanks.

  I eated lots of pasta because good and tasting right of home. I did a hum to not hear Karen. I eated my last five pasta tubes one on each finger for finishing.

  Ahem, Professor, what’s wrong with your fork all of a sudden?

  Meemaw did a laugh not a real one.

  It’s just what he likes to do with his last five pasta tubes. One for each finger isn’t it, Dan? It’s not the sort of thing I mind.

  Karen gulped gulped her water down.

  Right, I’ll wash up. That was gorgeous, babe.

  Karen taked the three plates. Her back by our sink and hot tap on. Squeezy squeeze the washing up liquid that has to last.

  Meemaw standed up.

  Come on, Danny. Bath time, poppet.

  We went in the bathroom she shutted the door. Meemaw turned on the taps putted blue shower gel in. All smelling right but everything wrong at bedtime.

  I went to a stone statue for getting undressed.

  Come on, don’t go all stiff… Danny! What’s up, love?

  All my clothes off and Meemaw lifted me up putted me in. Meemaw not getting in.

  Sit down. Come on, sit down… Do you want Spiney?

  Meemaw gived me Spiney I sitted down dived him in the bubbles. Meemaw crouched by the bath looking crowy like on a post sitting. She leaned over swooshed her hand in the water. Swooshed it.

  Danny, there’s another surprise tonight. Karen’s brought you a special puffy air bed and a sleeping bag so you can do camping. You can do camping here in the bathroom tonight.

  I looked at Meemaw’s hand in the water. It was nonsense. Nonsense Meemaw talking because bathrooms aren’t camping. Camping is tents.

  Karen’s going to share the big bed with me, Danny, and you and Spiney can have an adventure in here.

  Up up from my tummy came a great and roary rage. It comed up but stopped right in my mouth like a stopped sicky that wouldn’t come out.

  I was all in the nude. In the nude in our bathroom Karen in the other room. There is a little lock a slidey metal lock but Meemaw hadn’t slided it. Karen could come in. Karen could right now push the door to open.

  I thinked of Karen’s big hands her eyes on me nude. I didn’t want Karen eyes on me nude.

  I bited my teeth hard together hard. I taked the wet flannel I bited that too. I sucked the bluey soapy flannel. I pushed my teeth in squeak.

  Danny, don’t suck the flannel. The soap’s not good for you. Give it to me.

  Meemaw tried to take it I bited it like a dog. Like the piano dog. No like the tiny dog of the silky and skull. Real and real.

  Grrrrrr!

  I know it’s a bit of a change, sweetheart. It’s not for every day, just for sometimes. It’ll be fun for you and Spiney to have an adventure, won’t it?

  Fatness of hot tears comed up and over. Only four tears comed.

  Grrrrr!

  Come on, love.

  My teeth went to chattering. Meemaw taked it away the flannel. Chattering chattering and time to shut my eyes. Meemaw sighed.

  Oh, poppet that bath’s gone cold, hasn’t it?

  Meemaw lifted me out wrapped me in the yellow towel. We did pjs. One leg and the other leg.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  I reached out. No Meemaw. Bump on my hand. Thonk of edge of the bath. Cold. I remembered in the bathroom.

  The bathroom window pattern was broken orange of street lights outside. Still ve
ry night-time.

  All the bathroom was dark but a little line of light at the bottom of the door. A glowy line and voices underneath.

  Spiney was gone low down in the sleeping bag I finded him with my toes. I catched him with my feet lifted him up. Holded him in my two hands.

  You’re all right sunshine.

  I wanted Meemaw. Wanted wanted. But not Karen. I wanted no Karen. I closed my eyes tried to make sleep come back because best to go back in sleep not this awake.

  Meemaw had gived me her woolly socks in case of cold feet. But my feet were gone to bare. Socks gone lost in the sleeping bag. I squiggled all around feeling. I finded them each one. Slided them on my feet. Big and soft Meemaw paws.

  I closed my eyes and then was a noise. The noise was a uh. Then another noise. A moan. It was a moan of a Meemaw headache or starting a bad dream.

  I getted out of the sleeping bag quick as I could. Pushing it down wriggling out.

  If a Meemaw bad dream I must be there Danny to wake her up. If Meemaw is talking all out loud Spanish I must say its okay Meemaw you were doing Spanish. Meemaw rubs her face says god knows what that was about. Karen doesn’t know of Spanish talking and wake her up. Meemaw doesn’t want it Spanish talking. Not ever. I know. Danny knows.

  The bathroom floor was slippy of Meemaw’s woolly socks. I holded on the door handle. All my body shaked. My hand jumped. Another uh and uh uh uh. A great strangeness of sounds.

  I thinked about the other side of the door. It was hard but I thinked it to be ready. Karen in our bed curled. A Karen dog gone in the bed with Meemaw. I didn’t want to see.

  The door handle fat too big in my hand and cold cold. I letted go. No noise of Spanish talking no noise of anything. I standed my hands dangled down.

  My eyes had gone to seeing in the darkness. I looked on the floor. The sleeping bag was dark but wrinkles were shiny lighted orange. I thinked get in back in. Maybe Danny. I didn’t know. I didn’t like it the choosing.

  Sudden came a terrible noise. Meemaw my Meemaw.

  Ah ah AH!

  I grabbed the door handle two hands. Twisted pushed hard. It swinged wide open and I falled onto the floor.

  Karen was in the nude. I saw her Karen bot. In the nude is for at home just bath time with your Meemaw. Private parts Danny. I saw.

  The bed went tumble. Duvet buffetty dancing.

  Danny! Danny, sweetheart, it’s okay.

  I standed up. Karen pushed her head under the pillow. No Karen just a lump in the bed. Meemaw sitted up tucked the duvet round.

  What’s the matter, poppet, did you have a bad dream?

  Meemaw crackly sharkly. Ruby flashes shooted off Meemaw into our flat. Wasps of the sharkle. Meemaw eyes all round awake shiny.

  It’s all right, sweetheart, you go and get back into bed and I’ll come and tuck you in.

  Meemaw’s shoulders were bare of a hot day not bedtime. A stripe of Meemaw leg too. No baggy laggy joggers. She had taked them off.

  I turned round quick and runned. Fast in the bathroom. But all went sideways in a long slide. A clonk loud and heavy. My head.

  I heared it a mighty wail. It comed first then pain. It flashed. It flashed a loud flash and it was in my head. I putted my hand up. A terrible thing of lump coming big and softness there. Very wrong. I screamed out a fear.

  Aaaaaaaaaah!

  Meemaw swooped down. Meemaw a circle of arms all around. On her lap.

  Show me! Show me, Danny.

  Meemaw’s hand pulled my hand away.

  Oh blimey! Oh blimey, you’re all right sunshine. It’s just a bump.

  I scrunched my hands in Meemaw’s hair. Crying loud.

  Meemaw picked me up runned water in the basin. Cold cold flannel on my head.

  No no no!

  I pushed her hand. The wet of the icy and the cold flannel. Cold finger trickles in my pjs wet.

  No!

  It’s what your head needs, Danny, come on!

  I slided my nose on Meemaw in her neck. Snot on Meemaw. I kicked.

  Two more minutes. Just two more minutes, come on.

  I heared my crying going quieter wobble. I heared my breathing in Meemaw’s neck. Feeled the warm and snotty of me snuzzled in. Meemaw sitted on the edge of the bath. Rocked me.

  Is he okay?

  I peeped. Karen feet bare and then jeans going up.

  He’s okay he’s just got a bit of an egg. He’s done worse.

  Meemaw taked the cold flannel off.

  Ooh, yeah.

  She putted it back. Karen did a cough.

  Best thing for him’s probably sleep. Back to sleep, Professor, yeah?

  I pulled tight in Meemaw’s hair she grabbed my wrist of stop.

  Yes.

  Meemaw standed up again. Carrying me. I pinched in hard my knees. Little monkey Dan.

  I heared Meemaw’s breathing in.

  Honey, I think…

  Oh! Yeah, sure, of course. Of course. Take him in the bed. I’ll crash here.

  I heared the kiss of them. Karen kissing my Meemaw. I shutted my eyes hard. Inside was flash flash of yellow lights.

  Meemaw still in the nude she putted me in the bed. There was my Meemaw the boobies long legs hairy fanny triangle of my Meemaw. She finded baggy laggy joggers holey t-shirt putted them on I watched her getting in.

  It was warm in our bed warm but smell of the Karen perfume. All the smell on my pillow I turned my head but ow. I slided away from Meemaw. Far to the edge. I lied with the sore place pointed up.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  When I opened my eyes there was smell of breakfast. Karen’s back by our cooker. I sitted up looked. It was flat eggs cooking splittle pop.

  Morning, Professor. Your mum’s in the bathroom.

  All the things of the night-time were coming back in my mind. Coming in pieces and then a tumble together. I touched my head on the bump. Big and enormous it feeled. I needed to see in the mirror to know of it. I getted out of bed.

  Meemaw came rubbing her hair with the yellow towel.

  Morning, poppet. How are you feeling?

  I didn’t say anything of words just hurried into the bathroom.

  In the bathroom was no puffy air bed and sleeping bag they were disappeared like just in a story. It was the floor like usual.

  In the mirror I was normal Danny too. But not when I lifted up my hair. It was a purple lump smooth. It was the bony plate of pachycephalosaurus but slipped sideways on my head. I pressed with my one finger and it hurted.

  Danny, breakfast’s ready!

  I looked at mirror Danny telled him in mind words soon she will go.

  On the table three flat eggs one two three all very completely wrong. Yellow very bright means slimy over like a eyeball of egg. I don’t have it ever.

  Toast cutted diagonal that makes triangles. Triangles is sandwiches and four squares is toast. Four squares like windows is toast.

  I sitted down on the chair sideways legs not under the table not properly Danny. I holded the chair looked at wrong flat egg and wrong toast.

  Karen was big mouth crunch and chewing.

  So what’s the plan for today?

  Chew chew.

  How about the park?

  That was not take in turns. That was ask and answer all yourself. She looked at Meemaw nostrils big. Chew chew.

  I looked at Meemaw. She was hiding her colour again. She cutted a small small piece of toast.

  I think it might be a good idea for Danny to have a quiet day just to make sure that head’s okay.

  Karen did a gulp of tea. Yucky big swallow noise.

  How about I go back to my flat and get my laptop and we could watch a film?

  I keeped my eyes stuck to Meemaw. Not on her face just her arm her elbow. I sended in mind words of secret. Make her go away make her go away. Meemaw didn’t say words. She eated one bite of white part egg.

  I’ve got loads of stuff he might like. Some Disney or something?

  She pointed at my egg.

&n
bsp; What’s wrong with that, Professor?

  Thump came in me. I sitted very still for safe.

  Oh, he just usually has his egg flipped over. He what?

  He likes his egg turned over in the pan.

  Karen had her last bit of toast spiked on her fork. She wiped all around getting eggy yellow and she eated it. She putted her fork and knife together.

  Then Karen spiked me. Spiked with her eyes. Hard.

  You don’t pander to that sort of thing, do you? You’re making a rod for your own back.

  Well, I don’t see it that way, K. We all have things we don’t like, don’t we?

  Yeah, but there’s nothing wrong with that egg. It’s good food. Eat up, Professor!

  Quick sudden Meemaw sended her knife and fork like a pterosaur swoop of beak open. She lifted it away the egg.

  I think he’s a bit fragile still from that bump on the head. I’ll have the egg and you eat your toast, Danny.

  Inside me thump wobble thump wobble. I picked up the toast nibbled the edge to mend it to a square.

  You’re soft-hearted, Nat.

  I thought you liked that.

  Oh, I’m not complaining.

  Karen did a gulp of tea looked at the big window. She putted her foot up on the seat of Meemaw’s chair. Leg foot leg it went. She closed one eye in a wink at Meemaw.

  I’m not complaining at all.

  I suddenly didn’t know where Spiney was. Spiney wasn’t with me! I hadn’t known it and now all inside was panic!

  I getted up runned to the bathroom because maybe he had not come in the night. In the flash bump of the head bang I had left behind Spiney. Abandoned.

  What’s up, love?

  Spiney.

  Is he not still in bed?

  SPINEY!

  Stay calm, love. We’ll find him.

  I was at the bathroom door then my foot one part in and a shout came loud. Shout of a park man to his dog.

  Hey!

  I stopped. Thump whoosh wooble thump whoosh wobble of inside me. Faster faster. I heared all the feelings very loud.

  Professor, you sit down and eat your toast like a good boy. You can’t just leave the table in the middle of a meal.

  Thump whoosh wobble thump whoosh wobble. I thinked she might come. I closed my eyes. Tears two came out of my shutted eyes. But no noise. She might come.