Wednesday, November 9, 2011

InkPaperPen... We Are Learning To Make Fire.

"We are learning to make fire, not kicking the dirt nor looking at our friend. Please concentrate children, this is very important."
"Miss! My mum says I ain't 'llowed to play with fire. She'll go barmey if she finds out."
"James, your mother signed your permission slip for camp. I think you will find she already knows we will be teaching you how to make fire."
"My mum never reads those things, Miss. She just signs 'em as she curses bloody bureaucrats and paperwork. She says I'm a danger to meself with matches and I'm banned from playing with fire."

"James, it is part of the course curriculum, I think you will find it is okay this time."

She straightens herself with a sigh and casts a stern eye around her cast of misfits.

"Now boys, please concentrate. We place the kindling and the dry leaves at the bottom of the fire trench, and then add the smaller timber on top. As the fire catches we will add the larger pieces until we have a small blaze with a constant heat."

"MISS!"

"James, just focus on following my instructions please."

"MISS!"

"James, PLEASE. Just wait a minute while I get this fire lit. Then we can discuss the question of your mother's issues with you and pyromania!"

"There, that looks to be catching nicely, boys put some of the larger logs on top... JAMES! What on earth have you done? Put that child out immediately!"

It is 3am and this is my Write on Wednesday. As good as it gets after yesterday. *Sigh*.

Please, feel free to criticise as constructively as you can.

Off to read now.


Write On Wednesdays



6 comments:

spring days, new growth said...

This made me smile, the mischief of little boys and the shuttered authoritarian teacher! Madmother, re your post @ Lillie's, your take on this is as valid as any other, no right or wrong. Some people write realism, some metaphorically, it's all creative!
Love your story!
Kate

Eloise said...

This is why I could NEVER be a teacher :) very funny!

No one said...

PMSLing! This is great! This reminds me of my favourite book from childhood, 'Robbie's Mob' by Jonathan Rice. Very funny.

Stephanie said...

I loved this! Reading it made me smile. You did a wonderful job with this prompt. It flows very well and is quite funny! Great job!

Melissa said...

ROFL - there must be something in the name James... Great job :) :)

Rain said...

This is awesome. The constant moments of hilarity intertwined with brief revelations of more and more information about the teacher and her situation make for a great reading experience. I thought it was particularly funny when James put another kid on fire, but that may just be because I have a very twisted sense of humour. I like how practically all of it is in dialogue/monologue mode. You also captured the impatience and rebelliousness of a small child wonderfully. Obviously the child is going to twist the truth to fit his needs: if he's too lazy to listen to the teacher, he'lh pull off "my mum says I ain't allowed to play with fire" on her; when his mother complains and he tries to get out of trouble, he'll probably go "the teacher made me do it". =D

/ Rain