As I become more comfortable with sharing my voice with the world via my writing, and as I read the political commentary around gangs, I thought it might be time to share something different. This is a small extract of creative writing from an unpublished manuscript I wrote last year. This piece is based on true events but reimagined from the perspective of a sentient and perhaps slightly self-righteous Teddy Bear.
From an unpublished manuscript
“I travelled with her each time the family moved, including that time we went all the way from the South to the North Island. By bus, by ferry, then by bus again. The rest of the toy family was packed in boxes, travelling separately. The ferry trip was another scary thing; they say it was the roughest crossing in fifteen years. We saw the water splash against the windows above our heads, heard the plates in the kitchen crash against the floor. The humans tried to walk, but they kept falling down. I focused all my attention on my queen, helping her to keep her tummy calm, then I looked around and saw the rest of the human family had gone. I assume they could not keep the contents of their tummies in. With them gone, my queen had no human protector, and it was up to me alone to keep her safe.
I searched the room, looking for someone capable of doing the job. Against the wall, I saw three of the biggest men that I had ever seen. They looked solid and tough, like a wave could never knock them down. They had kind eyes and big colourful patches on their chests; surely that was a sign that they were brave, and they reminded me of the belly badges of those trademarked bears. I convinced my queen that we should go to them; they welcomed her, and I knew that I had done well. I told her she was safe now, and she crawled up next to one of the men and went to sleep with her head resting on his knee. When the Dad and Mummy finally returned, it seemed they did not agree with my choice of protectors. I had no time for their criticism; this situation was due to their selfishness, their negligence. It was I who kept her safe, not them.”
