The Doctor (20 page)
Authors: Jennifer Bull
‘I’ll get you next time,’ I said, wheezing the words out in between the laughter.
‘You said that last time. And the time before.’
I made a noise at him and wandered up the beach, leaving him at the water’s edge. Looking towards the forest, I kept an eye out for any disturbance. It was my daily ritual now; I had to make sure my father was still locked up, where he was supposed to be. Any unusual activity in the forest concerned me, but thankfully everything looked calm.
In the middle of the island, hidden inside a thicket of dense bushes and trees, lay the old building that I had once been held in. I’d left it there as a reminder of what had happened, and a reminder that I was no longer trapped. The building was derelict now; it had vines growing through the walls, parts of the roof had crumbled in on itself, and the bars hung limply from the windows where they had once stood strong.
Deep inside, through the maze of corridors, was my father’s study, and that was where you would find my father. Locked up with everything he held dear, unable to escape from his own mind, he was trapped. Around my neck hung the key I had used to lock him inside his room. I held it delicately in my hands, looking down at the intricate markings on it. He was never getting out again.
A shout from further down the beach got my attention and I turned around to see Jack beckoning me over. Grinning, I left thoughts of my father behind and ran across the beach to join him.
Jack draped his arm over my shoulder and, as we strolled along the beach to the hut where my mother stood waving at us, he was delightedly pointing out the various crabs that scuttled along in front of us, leaving tracks in the sand. This was all I could ever have dreamed of; a beautiful island to live on, my brother and mother by my side, and my father safely locked up. This was my idea of paradise, and I intended to enjoy every minute of it.
The idea behind The Doctor came from a Drabble I wrote for the Wonderstruck Anthology. A Drabble is a short story of 100 words, no more, no less. Below you can read the original Drabble:
Round and Round I Go:
I can’t stop, he’s right behind me. I run faster but the trees thicken around me - I’m trapped! Glancing around in terror, I spot a ray of light shining through a gap ahead. If I could only squeeze through I might escape. Wriggling painfully into the hole, I try to hide as I hear a thunderous noise behind me. Hands grab my legs, pulling me backwards. Suddenly a new hand reaches in. Inch by inch I am dragged forwards until I see my rescuer. I look up in horror at the maniacal face of the man I was running from.
Wonderstruck is available on Amazon now
Message from the Author
Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed the book! I'd be very grateful if you could leave a review telling me what you thought. Thank you.
Author Links
www.facebook.com/jenniferabull
About the Author
Jennifer Bull spends her time visiting other worlds, going on crazy adventures, and generally arguing with her characters when they are not cooperating... which seems to happen rather too often. She lives in the North of England with her husband, and when she is not working or writing she enjoys reading, crafting and photography.
Also by Jennifer Bull
‘A Lady’s Revenge’, ‘A Wizard’s World’, ‘Life in a Jar’, ‘Once in a Blue Moon’, ‘Round and Round I Go’ - Wonderstruck Anthology
‘Rumpelstiltskin’s Ghost’ - Unhappily Ever After; Fairy Tales with a Twist Anthology