Henry’s Ark
On ENGL275: Creativity: Theory and Practice, students think about the nature and value of
creativity, mainly through the medium of creative writing. In this short story by Rebecca
Topping,who graduated from our BA English Literature and Communications & Media in 2019, we
see the diary account of an autistic boy who visits the zoo.
So I waited on my bit of pavement at the bus stop. It has four pieces of
fading pink chewing gum on it and my feet fit in between them perfectly,
so I like standing there. My bus arrived at 9:21 and by 9:41 the toddler
sat in front of me had already eaten two packets of Wotsits. I don’t like
Wotsits.
July permeated through the windows of the number forty-two bus.
Permeate, a process through which something filters through something
and becomes present in every part of that something. Packed lunches
were already losing their freshness. Timetable leaflets were now
flamenco fans and best friend to all.
I didn’t tell mum and dad I’d left, because
A. Dr. Reynolds says I can’t lie for a toffee. Which is strange, because
if I were to lie, it would have to be for a much bigger reward than a
Werther’s Original.
And
B. If I were to tell the truth, what was I to say? ‘I’m just going to eat my
Weetabix then I’m off on a solo day out for the first time in my life, don’t
wait up’? They wouldn’t get it, they’d probably laugh as if I was just
joking. And I’m definitely not. Anyway, as of 3:22pm last Thursday I’m an
adult. I got a new bike.
The bus stopped outside my old school. The blue-beige block seemed to
shimmer in earthly radiations that looked like animated scents Scooby-
Doo might sniff up. Soldier rows of newly painted yellow light pillars
dropped morning shade that pointed towards the entrance up the path
and school never looked so good.
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