Saffron

• Essien Bingham, Grade 3
• Short Story
• 2017

"Saffron"

It was a windy Saturday morning and as I looked out the window the soft palm trees were being knocked over onto to the lush emerald green grass. I was alone in my home - my dad had died four years earlier in a car accident and my mum had a full time job as a vet and only visited occasionally.
I pulled out my phone and overnight I had 73 missed calls from #### who had the number 0591271634. They called again and again until I eventually got so frustrated and picked up. I shouted:
''What do you want!?'' The reply I got was pretty predictable – silence, then #### hung up on me.
I was thinking of #### all through the day and it haunted me through the night. The next day I woke up to the howling, hailing rain and my clock read 5.59am. I went down and got myself a bowl of cereal. A short time later, I woke up not knowing I had fallen asleep on my table down stairs. There was a bang on the door and I opened it but no-one was there. Later that Sunday night I went to bed. Cold wet tears dripped down my face. I had not seen my Mum for 2 weeks. 2 WEEKS!!! I was worried. "What if she never comes back!?" I cried to myself.
''What if Saffire? What if?'' said a strange voice. Could that be Mum?
''She would never do that!!'' I said to myself.
"Who are you? And I would ask how you knew my name, but it's Saffron not Saffire'.'
Then the door creeped open - someone was entering. It was Mum!!!
''Mum was it you all along?''
''Yes it was'' said Mum.
''How come you did not know my name, why are you ### and why did you knock then hide?''
''One at a time! Firstly, I got confused about your name because when you were born I wanted to call you Saffire Grace Rolly but your Dad did not want that and I refused to change it while Dad was alive. I've always thought of you as Saffire.'
"Oh", I said. 'Well why are you #### and why is you're number 0591271634?'' I asked.
My mum replied ''My phone smashed so I had to call from the office and they don’t like people knowing their identity and….''
''Why?'' I interrupted.
"…that’s a story for another time'' said Mum.
''Then why did you knock then run away?'' I asked.
Mum said, "Well, the first time I didn't want you to be overwhelmed so I knocked then said to myself "She will be too scared" so I changed my mind and hid.''
''What about the second time?'' I asked.
"The second time I was ready to do it but I tripped and hit my head on the way down. You didn't see me lying on the ground in the dark, but I'm here now and I love you!''