CW4 - The parcel from Uncle Ken

I halted in my tracks. Right before my doorstep was a beautifully wrapped parcel with different colours of polka dots and right in the centre of the parcel was a huge, red bow tied to it. I frowned. It was neither my parents’ birthday nor my birthday.

“This is weird,” I mumbled. Curiosity bubbled in me and I was dying to find out what was in the parcel. Should I or should I not take the parcel?

I looked behind me. Not a single soul was in sight. I went forward and reached for the parcel.

“Don’t you dare touch it! It’s for Kate! ” a voice boomed out loud and a hand grabbed my wrist.

I jumped. The sudden voice had scared me out from my skin! Apprehensively, I turned around and to my horror; I was face-to-face with a stranger, his face suffused with anger.

“Go away, you brat! Stop poking your nose into other people’s business!” he snarled and pushed me away.

My blood was now boiling with anger. How dare he accuse me of touching his things? Anyway, he was the one who left the parcel right before my doorstep.

Fuming, I turned around and stomped all the way to my doorstep. The stranger was still there. Anger was smouldering in his eyes and the veins on his forehead looked ready to burst. He threatened to bash me up if I did not go away. Fear took over my anger. Desperate, I thought of Mum.

I scampered all the way to the ground floor and searched for a payphone. After what seemed like a decade, I finally found one.

In a flash, I jammed a ten-cent coin into the slot and punched in Mum’s office number.

Immediately after the first ring, Mum answered the call and I heaved a sigh of relief.

“Mum, there’s a maniac outside the house and he says that he is looking for someone named Kate!” I blurted out.

I heard Mum stifle a sob and then with her voice shaking, she began,” Dear, you remember what happened when you were three years old? Your aunt passed away in a car accident. We tried to inform your uncle, Ken, but we had no idea of his location. Your aunt was Kate and her birthday is today…”

I could not believe my ears. “So that maniac is Uncle Ken?” I asked.

“Yes,” Mum replied and I ended the call.

How was I supposed to tell Uncle Ken? Would he believe me? How would he react? My mind shot out a string of questions. I plucked up my courage and rushed home.

To my surprise, Uncle Ken was still there, pacing up and down. As soon as he caught sight of me, his face grew tight and he started to say something but I interrupted.

“Uncle Ken……” I paused, uncertainly. For a moment there was complete silence. I gulped and continued, “She’s… she’s…she’s… dead!”

Uncle Ken spun around and faced me. Tears welled up in his eyes.

“Rest in peace, Kate!” Uncle Ken sobbed.

And that was when I cried.

Contributed by Ao Ming Yi, Belinda
Class of 6-9 2009