| abstract | - Published in StoryStar 2010 Bonkers Beth, that’s what they called me. Oh she’s just bonkers they’ll say. Fine I’ll tell you, you’ll listen. I’m not bonkers but my name is Beth (that’s what I’m told), Beth Blonk double O 7. I’ve always wanted to say that. Unfortunately I’m not a spy, nothing special about me; apart from..... Time will reveal all. It all started when, well I don’t know when. The psychiatrist asked me if any significant changes have happened in my life. So we’ll start from there, the event that changed my life, my death, February the seventh. “B, B,” Dad shouted, he never called me my full name. Great. Saturday, the ONE WEEK ANIVERSARY. I rolled out of bed and put my slippers on. “Were leaving in 30,” dad added. We were going to south end on sea. I got ready and went downstairs. “How you feeling today?” Dad asked Great, last week 3 girls, one which was my best friend, tried to kill me, I feel great. “Ok, where's Lewis?” I asked. Lewis was my older sister. Only by a year. She thinks because she’s 14 she’s tough. “Packing her swimming kit. Got your bags?” “Yep,” I said as I took a piece of toast. I’ll be in the car,” I took my bags and put them in the car boot. I looked up at the house. If I knew that was the last time I’d see my real home, I’d have taken a photo. If only. “Come on B,” Lewis said getting into the car. “You ready? We could stay at home if you want,” dad said. I looked at him in his plain black shirt and jeans. “Let’s go,” I whispered . I got into the front seat of the car. I closed my eyes. I miss you mum. I thought all her images would go, all the fun times. I was mistaken. “Kids we're here,” Dad said. Great, the caravan we saw every fortnight. We put our bags into the caravan. “B, when did Jay say he’d be here?” Dad asked me. “About now,” I said. Jay, my only true friend left, always came with us to the caravan. She used to as well, before she tried to kill me. The door opened to reveal Jay and once again my heart leapt. He combed his short black hair into a quiff and wore black combats and a black t-shirt. “Hey,” He said and gave me a hug. He smelt of oil “Just came from dad’s garage,” he said as if he read my mind. “You ok?” “Yeah, yeah,” I mumbled. He smiled. “I’ll always be here,” he said. I smiled. Dad coughed rather loud, “Let’s go for a swim,” Dad said. I changed into my long grey t-shirt with a swimming kit under just in case. I wasn’t even planning to go swimming. “Not going for a dip?” dad asked. “Nah, just want to relax with a book,” I said pulling out a chair in the sand, well, what was supposed to be sand had turned all grey and dusty. “You read too much. This was meant to be a treat, B. Ever since the incident you’ve been a walking skeleton, some people would give anything to be here, alive,” dad said and sighed. “Look, I’m sorry, I’ll go for a swim, promise,” I said. Jay changed into his blue swimming trunks. “Come on,” he said as he dragged me up. I took off my t-shirt to reveal my navy blue swimming kit. We ran into the sea. The pebbles started rubbing into my feet but the further away we went the deeper it was. “B, let’s go back, it’s far enough,” Jay said, but I could rarely hear him. I ran further until the water covered my whole body. I couldn’t see Jay anymore; I couldn’t see anything, just a white light......... “Hello Beth, wakey, wakey,” A woman said. She had long red hair with black pupils and a long black dress. She had smooth clear skin and a beauty mark on her slim cheek bones. He dress fit tightly around her whole body. “Beth, but my names-” I said until she interrupted me. “Come on, time for school, it’s your first day,” she said as she was about to leave. “Wait, you are?” I said. She chuckled and rested her hand on my forehead. Her hand was ice cold making my whole body shiver. “I’m your mother silly, are you ill?” she asked. “No um mum,” I said struggling to say the last word. I hadn’t used it in a long time. I got up and observed my room. It had medals everywhere. “Winner of Lillington Junior piano recital,” I read out loud. Where was I? I checked my alarm clock. Mum, (who claims to be my mum) said it was my first day of school. I had washed and opened my cupboard to see my school uniform. It was the same as my old uniform. White shirt with a grey pinafore and a grey cardigan. I put it on and for the first time I looked at my reflection. I was a medium height red head with the same stature as my mum. “Whoa, who am I?” I said. I went downstairs to see a boy and a girl who looked just like me sitting at the table. “Are we like related?” I asked. They chuckled. “As related as 3 people can get, triplets,” the boy said. I looked at his hair; he had brown hair and black pupils. “Beth, don’t you remember John and Marie?” mum said. “I do,” I said quickly. “I have to go,” I said. I walked out the front door and typed my real dads’ number into the phone and pressed dial. “Hello,” he said. “Oh dad,” I said and let out a sigh. “Um, who is this,” he asked. “B, it’s me Bella,” I said. I put the phone down for a minute. “Um, Bella’s right next to me, if this is a prank hang up now cause I’m a police officer, I will trace the call back,” He said. I hung up immediately and started running. My eyes started tearing up. I wanted to be back in dads’ arms, I wouldn’t even mind Lewis teasing me. I tripped and landed in someone’s arms. “Whoa, watch where you're going,” a boy said. My heart leapt, it was Jay. He was in his grey trousers, white shirt and grey cardigan. “I haven’t seen you around before, I’m Jay,” “Um Bel- I mean Beth,” I said. “Beth, nice name for a nice girl, come on, you can walk with me, but we're going to pick up Bella first,” he said. I started limping. “Whoa, here,” he wrapped my arm around his shoulders and support my sprained ankle. “So, you’re going to love it here, I’ll even give you the personal tour of the city, after school.” “Sure but, what’s the date today?” I asked “January 31st,” Jay said. 7 days before my death. “Tell Bell not to go to south end on Saturday” I said suddenly. “How do you know Bells going south end?” he replied suspiciously. “just a guess” I said. We carried on our journey to Bells house in silence. I didn't know what was going on, but what I knew for sure is, it was going to be hard explaining. Jay knocked on the door and Bell came out. "Hey Jay and-" she said looking a me confused. "This is my friend Beth," Jay said. I looked at my old body, i needed to know what was going on. All i knew was in 7 days i was going to die if i didn't stop myself going to southend. And the big obstacle standing in my way is somehow I'm in a girl named Beth's body. We walked to school. Bel and Jay having a conversation about football and me staying silent. "You OK Beth?" Jay asked me. "Yeah, I'm just scared, first day of school," I answered "Yeah, first day of school and you've already got a boyfriend," Bel said annoyingly. "I thought he was your boyfriend?" I said "Nah, we're best mates aren't we Bell?" Jay said. She nodded and carried on walking. I took her by the hand and lead her to the girls bathroom. "Look, this may sound crazy but, um, I'm Bella MCarthy," I said. "No I am. You're Beth," She said. "I know my birthday, 25-6-97, i know my mum died 2 years ago on my birthday, and i know 2 weeks ago 3 girls tried to drown me," I said. Bel stepped backwards. "Stay away from me," She shouted. "Listen, if you go to southend next week you're going to die." "Stop saying these things Bonkers Beth, and I know what you're trying to do, you're trying to set me up so you can have Jay all to yourself," She said and went out of the girls bathroom. She ignored me from there. Every time she'd see me she'd call me Bonkers Beth, and the name started to catch on. The man who claims to be my dad doesn't even believe me. Only Jay does. He said the real Bel would never call anyone bonkers and when he saw me he knew there was something different. If only more people were like him. My psychiatrist is making me write this, but the last Bel MCarthy drowned in southend on sea, and I was questioned in prison but found not guilty. I've realised I can't live my life in someone else's body. I want to be with my mum and Jay wants to be with me so we made a deal. I'm bonkers Beth, not my real name but people always call me that. I'm not barking nor bonkers, but i am dying, i took an overdose of pills with Jay. goodbye.
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