Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: PRESENT (07/16/20)
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TITLE: The Three Betsys | Previous Challenge Entry
By Debra Brand
07/18/20 -
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Her older brother and sister would still be sleeping. This was the one time when she reveled in her young age. They were too old to be as excited as she. Her ears listened. The only sounds were the creaking of the hardwood floors. She knew each squeak from stepping and dancing about.
But this was the normal breathing of the house in the dead of winter. She heard the coal furnace shudder to life as a monster in the deep dank cellar. Thankfully, she didn't need to go down 'there' where she believed a monster lurked in the coal bin. Someday it may reach out and grab her. Yikes! Just thinking about it gave her the shivers. The old radiators started to hiss and sputter adding more normal 'quiet' night sounds.
With utmost care, she slid out from under the several layers of blankets. The old double bed springs protested as she sat on the edge. Her little feet reached the cold floor in a silent slide like her downhill ride yesterday on the snow.
She peeked out her open doorway to see if anyone had heard. Her bedroom was the first door at the top of the stairs. She peered over the railing to see if there were any lights shining at the bottom. She saw the soft glow from the living room. Mom had left the tree lights on!
Glancing back at the empty hallway, she started down. She knew every squawky tread. It was like traversing a tightrope one step at a time. She had a mind to slide down on the banister but ... she continued her tiptoe progress.
At the bottom, she stopped again, listening. Nope, no one awake. The wide doorway to the living room beckoned her with promised excitement. Her favorite character, Alice would have loved to be with her.
Looking inside the room, there stood the tree. She loved the lights. So carefully spread on the silver tinseled branches, they glowed and twisted on the white ceiling, changing all the colors in the room. It was a fairytale!
"Debra!" her mother stood in the doorway. "It's way too early. You just went to bed an hour ago. Come back up until morning."
"But, Mom" she wailed. Despair filled her little heart but she had no choice.
Back up the stairs and mom tucked her in. Debra knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Her imagination leaped forwards to what tomorrow would bring.
The next thing she knew, her older brother by seven years pinched her awake. She still hadn't forgiven him for smashing her little wooden orange chair with the straw seat.
"Come on!" Johnny said. 'It's morning!"
She flew out of the bed as if she had become a winged butterfly on its way to the most beautiful flower in the world. Down the stairs, they ran almost colliding with her sophisticated teenaged sister who was nine years her senior.
"Watch out!" Carole screamed. "Why can't you grow up?" she directed at her brother.
Paying her no mind, they rushed into the living room. Gifts with bows and ribbons were tossed to each other as if they were balls. Shouts of joy and fun ensued. Then, mom gave her a larger wrapped gift. She knew it had to be a doll. Maybe, even one like Carole's untouchable fancy doll, which she secretly admired when her sister was out.
Her mind raced as she tore open the package. All the family waited with bated breath watching to see her reaction.
She just sat there. Inside the box lay a doll. Not just any doll. Betsy Wetsy dolls were very popular. So popular in fact that she already had two from the previous Christmases. A sigh escaped her lips.
"At least this one has real hair," she said.
Her mother removed her sister from the room and they were loudly whispering to each other in the hallway.
"I told you to get her something nice."
"I didn't know she already had two."
"If you had paid attention to her, you would have known!"
So she went on with life, never to forget the three, count them, three Betsy Wetsy dolls.
And, after sixty years, she still reminds her sister!
Non-Fiction
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