one of my quick short stories

Heaving himself out of bed his body felt like a brick, stiff and heavy. The chair was cold against his skin but by now he was used to it. It had now been over a year since he stood to his full height, stretching tall enough to reach the top of the door frames. Every morning was the same, into the chair and off to the bathroom to get washed. The kitchen was next and breakfast which was all set out for him. Next he took his pain killers and vitamins. It was now time to rest again so off to the couch. Everything set out for him, juice, munchies and the TV remote. Setting the chair to the side of the couch he pulled the blanket over his legs and lay watching his cartoons.

Today however was different from the others not because he had enough energy to do an hours worth of home schooling or because today he was feeling chirpy but because it was his tenth birthday. His mum had promised him a special present and now he lay listening to his mum, dad and granddad singing happy birthday while they brought in his birthday cake. The presents sat on the table waited and beckoned him but he had to wait, it was torture. Making a ten year old wait for his birthday presents was mean, or that’s what he thought. Finally his mum gave him his first present. He tore at the paper as if there was no tomorrow. Disappointment sank in when he revealed new pj’s. The next present was better, a box of sweets from his uncle who was working. Inside the card he found a ten pound note, nice and crisp brand new from the bank. Oh wow, a remote controlled car, red and shiny with big chunky wheels. His aunt must really love him.

All of the presents now open; he wondered where his special present was. Every one was now enjoying a slice of his birthday cake. Except for his mum who had gone upstairs to the bathroom. His mum returned with a big box tied by a blue bow. He pulled the bow loose and felt the box move. The excitement grew in him when he realised he had a puppy. The tiny ball of fluff stared at him with its big brown eyes, as he pulled back the lid of the box. He called his new friend foggy as he had a cloudy grey colour to his fur. The puppy jumped out of the box and gave his new master a big sloppy kiss.

The boy’s M.E may have taken away his legs and his energy and his days at school but he wouldn’t let it take his life and now he had a friend.