This short story is dedicated to my wonderful, courageous, funny, surprising, creative and gorgeous granddaughters; Kristelle and Heidi.
I love you both, very, very much.
Lambie’s Little Secret.
Nana’s dog died! I threw myself onto my bed, snuggled into Lambie and drenched his fur with my tears.
Kai; a big, goofy, clumsy dog, who bit people, when given half a chance. Not everyone liked Nana’s dog, but I liked him. He pranced and bounced and looked so very much to enjoy his walks. And he liked to play on the trampoline with me.
“Oh Lambie,” I cried. I took great comfort from Lambie, whenever I was upset. Oh, I know Lambie is just a stuffed toy, or at least that’s what I thought. Until Lambie proved me wrong, on this particular day.
I sobbed; my snot mixing with my tears and running into Lambie’s soft fur. It was then I thought I heard a voice. “Shh, little one. It’s okay. Kai’s gone to a happy place. He’s not sick anymore.”
Listening, eyes wide with fright, my body tensed as I looked around to see who was in the room with me. No one was there! It was just me and Lambie. “Lambie? Did you talk?” I stammered in a whisper.
I’d always been afraid of the unknown phenomena that might occur in my bedroom. Mum says I have too much imagination for my own good.
“Lambie?” I questioned again. Silence. No more words were spoken. It must be my vivid imagination. I sighed with relief and felt myself relax.
I contemplated looking under the bed, just to be sure, but that was way too scary. Instead, I ran out of my room. “Mum! Mum!” I called loudly.
“I’m out the back," came a muffled reply.
I ran outside and with a breathless voice, I asked; “Did you say something?”
“No honey. I’ve just been out here, pegging washing,” replied Mum, without pausing in her work.
‘Humph, must have been my imagination,’ I thought to myself, as I started to bounce on the trampoline, too scared really to go back inside just yet.
I’d only been jumping on the trampoline for a few minutes, when Mum asked; “Kristelle, would you mind going inside and checking on Heidi? Let me know if she’s awake, okay?”
“Do I have to?” I asked, still a little afraid to go inside by myself, but feeling foolish in saying so, after all, I am 8 years old you know. Too old to be scared.
“Well, it wouldn’t hurt for you to do that. You can see I’m busy,” said Mum.
I sighed once again, as I got off the trampoline. Dragging my feet and going as slow as I dare, I dawdled back inside. As I did so, I repeated to myself over and over; “There’s nothing there, there’s nothing there, there’s nothing there.”
And of course, there was nothing there. Only Heidi, looking very cute, fast asleep in her cot. I was just being silly and excessively imaginative.
I kissed my baby sister gently, careful not to wake her and went to watch tv in the lounge room, still not ready to face my bedroom yet; just in case.
As the day wore on, I forgot all about the voice I heard in my room, that is, until I went to the bathroom, just before going to bed. Closing the door behind me, I had a shower and when I came out, I couldn’t open the door.
The lock had stuck fast! Frantically I turned the knob this way and that, as the voice from earlier in the day, replayed in my mind. “Shh little one. Shh little one.”
The mirror, steamy from the heat of the shower in the cool of the evening, showed everything in the room as a soft blur. I froze on the spot, as I thought I saw a movement behind me, in the reflection of the mirror through the steam. “Mum!” I yelled, terrified the ‘thing’ that spoke to me earlier, had now locked me in the bathroom with it.
I could hear Mum running up the hall. How I could hear, I don’t know, over the thump, thump, thump, of my own heart. My heart thumped so hard, I thought it was going to explode out of my chest.
The door opened and Mum said, “Goodness gracious, child, what’s wrong?”
I felt incredibly foolish and said something along the lines of not being able to open the door. I didn’t tell her of my fears though. How could I? I was 8 after all. I shouldn’t be scared of anything at my age. A nervous chill crept through my bones, as I considered that it was almost bed time and I’d have to go to my room soon. Another wave of fear followed this thought.
For a brief moment, I considered hopping into bed with Heidi. How silly is that? As if I’d fit in a cot.
“Come on, honey, bed time,” said Mum.
“Do I have to? Can’t I stay up a little longer?” I pleaded, playing for more time.
“5 more minutes, but that’s it. You have school tomorrow.” Mum replied. About this time, Heidi began to fuss and cry and Mum got up, heading off to check on her. I lay on the lounge and was soon asleep. Dad must have come home from work and carried me to bed, because I woke up in my room the next morning and it was light. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Nothing happened. No more was said in my room that morning and I headed off to school a little later, with a happy heart, or so I thought. My friends asked me if I was okay. My teacher said I was a little quiet today. She too asked if I was alright.
I didn’t tell them. All I said was I a was a bit sad, because my Nana’s dog had died.
It had now been some days since the voice had talked to me.
Christmas was around the corner and I was beginning to see Christmas lights going up along the streets and in homes and stores. I was becoming excited. I’d forgotten about the voice in my room until…..
“Kristelle, honey, could you keep an eye on Heidi? I’m just popping down to the laundry, to put a load of washing on” Mum said.
“Sure,” I said.
Mum put a thick rug on the floor and laid Heidi on the rug, then disappeared out the door of my room.
“Hello Heidi,” I said. Heidi looked at me and cooed, smiling up at me as she did so, little arms and legs swinging wildly, with no control.
I grabbed a book off the shelf and sat down next to my little sister and began to read. She cooed and gurgled and appeared to be enjoying herself.
“Isn’t she just the cutest little thing?” I heard from the other side of the room. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and I felt a chill move through my body.
Looking to where I thought the sound had come from, I saw only Lambie, sitting up on my bed. “Lambie, is that you?” I asked, tentatively. I wanted to cry. I was so scared. I’d forgotten all about the other day, when I thought Lambie had spoken to me.
I was annoyed with myself now; how could I forget such a thing?
“Of course it’s me, dear. Haven’t you heard; when you love a toy so very much, they come to life?” Lambie said in the sweetest voice, allaying my fears somewhat.
“No, I haven’t heard that,” I replied. I did love my Lambie. Lambie had been my very best friend since I was very little. Lambie went to the park with me, went for long car drives, played picnics and slept with me every night. I do so love my Lambie.
I never expected Lambie to talk to me. Not for real. Lambie had always spoken to me in my imagination, but never for real, until now.
Heidi had stopped squirming and it was as if she too, was listening.
I jumped up on my bed, grabbed Lambie and sat him next to Heidi, so Heidi could see what was going on.
“Hello Heidi,” Lambie said. “You and I are going to have so much fun, when you get a bit bigger.”
Heidi stared intently at Lambie and I said, “I don’t think she quite understands. She’s just a baby.”
“We had a lot of fun, didn’t we Kristelle, when you were growing up.” Lambie said.
“Yes, we did,” I replied, comfortable now, with the fact that a stuffed toy was talking to me.
“You’ll be getting too big to play with stuffed toys soon. I hope Heidi will play with me like you did,” said Lambie.
Just then Mum came to the door and Lambie went silent. I didn’t know whether to tell Mum or not, that Lambie was talking to me. I looked at Lambie and he gave me a wink and I felt it was like Lambie telling me; this is our little secret.
“Who were you talking to?” Mum asked.
“Oh no one. I was just reading to Heidi.” I replied, with my fingers crossed behind my back.
“That’s a lovely thing to do for your sister,” said Mum. “I’m so happy to see you two getting on well together.”
“Mum do you think it would be okay, for me to give Lambie to Heidi?” I asked. “I’m a bit big now, to have a stuffed toy, but Heidi might take Lambie for longs drives and play at the park with him and have picnics.”
“That would be lovely. I’m sure Heidi will like that,” replied Mum. “Let’s pop Heidi down for a sleep and Lambie can go too.”
As the years passed, it was fun to watch Heidi take Lambie for walks, drives and picnics. Lambie looks well-loved now and a tad ragged, but we don’t care. He’s still our special Lambie.
I never did hear Lambie speak again. Perhaps it was because I gave him away. Perhaps he spoke to Heidi, when they played together. I guess we’ll never know. But it does go to show; if you love a stuffed toy, very, very much, they’ll come to life.
The End!
Written with much love, from Nana.
Epilogue:
I would like to
conclude with; although just a tale there are elements of truth to this story,
for Lambie is a toy much loved by my granddaughters. And while the stuffed toy
could have been any other animal; an elephant, a unicorn, a teddy bear, it is
no coincidence the animal depicted here was a lamb.
For it is the Lamb of
God who speaks to us, through ways and means that may surprise us; after all,
the God of the Bible spoke through a donkey (Numbers 22:28). Job 33:14 states;
For God may speak in one way, or in another...
The Lamb of God
speaks to us and we know this to be true, because it states in John 10:3 …the
sheep hear His voice and He calls His own sheep by name…
Also, John 10:27 The
sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me.
The prophetic, which
has come through this story is real. It is God showing us, through Jesus
Christ, anything is possible. Revelation 17:14 speaks of the war which comes
against the Lamb and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is the Lord of
lords.
And one final word -
although this is just a story, a secret in a story is okay. In real life
however, we must never keep secrets from Mum and Dad. And remember; it’s okay
to be scared. Many children are. Just call on the name of Jesus and He will
give you courage and help you overcome all your fears and trials in life, for
you will hear Him, when you call to Him.
