The Swings

made up story

 

                          THE SWINGS©

 

                                      By Dot Sutton© Moon.            

                                            10/4/00

 

The brother and sister loved playing on the swings, Jen was four years old, her brother is Jake was five when the accident happened.

Their mother took him to hospital for his check up as he has heart trouble, so did his sister, but her appointment was for next week.

As he was leaving the house, he told Jen to meet him at the swings.

That is where Jen is now, she was waiting for him when a few children came along, and one of them told her to get off as he wanted a go on it.

 

But as Jen was getting up, she felt a sharp pain in her chest and sat down again.

Oh get off the boy shouted and shoved her off.

WAIT! One of the girls cried, she’s in pain, leave her alone.

She bent down asking Jen if she was alright.

I am to meet my brother here Jen told her, but I won’t see him now.

The boy looked at her saying, I am sorry for pushing you; I didn’t know you were Ill.

 

They helped her back on the swing then told her they’d wait with her, a few minutes later Jen saw Jake walking towards her.

You made it then she cried, but when he near to them, she saw it wasn’t her brother at all.

Jake was sitting in the waiting room as his mother was talking to the doctor, and got the same pain at the same as Jen.

His last thoughts when he got the second pain was meeting Jen at the swings, she too had the same thoughts.

 

The nurse came into the waiting room and saw Jake lying down, she ran out to get the doctor and his mother after checking him over.

Jen had fallen to the ground while the other children had their backs to her.

The young boy turned to say something to Jen and saw on the ground, he touched his friend saying, I think she’s dead.

A woman came over asking what is wrong as she saw them crouching over?

I think she is dead the boy replied, we don’t even know where she lives; she was waiting for her brother.

 

Oh Jen love a voice cried out, they turned to see another woman running towards them.

I am her aunty the woman told them, she has heart problems and her brother has the same complaint, I saw what happened.

Jake is having a checkup at the hospital this very moment she told them, but how do I tell my sister about Jen? She cried.

The boy sat on the swing and cried out, hey, the swing won’t move.

We’ll try the other one his friends told him, but that too, wouldn’t move.

That too wouldn’t move so he gave up.

I’ve called an ambulance the other woman told June then gave her the mobile to phone the girl’s mother.

 

Oh Anna, it’s Jen, she’s dead June cried, I’m so sorry.

I know she is Anna replied because Jake has just died too Anna said, then broke down.

They buried the children and tried to get on with their lives but they were so up-set.

Two years later the work men were doing the park up but when they came to move the two swings over to another part of the park, the swings wouldn’t move.

 

Anna and June sat watching the men when Anna said; I wonder why those two swings won’t move?

I don’t know June replied, but I do know they stopped moving the morning Jake and Jen died.

Anna looked at June saying, do you think it’s got something to do with them?

They did so much wanted to meet by the swings but they died on the same day, at the same time, but apart from each other June answered.

Then June looked at her saying if only they could have met that morning as they promise to do and that the cemetery was closer, they looked at each other.

 

That’s it Anna shouted, we must go to the council tomorrow and the judge too.

It took three months to get through to the council and judge, and another month to do what Anna wanted them to do.

The bodies were brought and laid side by side by the two swings, they were of cause in body bags, and for five minutes nothing happened.

Looks like I was wrong Anna said.

 

June called out Jake; Jen is still waiting for you to meet her as you are both now by the swings, so going to her Jake.

There was a crowd of people and children who knew Jake and Jen standing there, they stood in silence, and they suddenly saw a mist come from the body bag of Jen rise up.

The swing then moved as if someone sat on it, then another mist came from the other bag so that the other swing moved too.

The crowd gave a gasp as the two spirits of the young children stood up.

 

Jens spirit spoke to Jean saying, thank you Aunty Jean for telling Jake I was still waiting for him, I couldn’t leave because of our promise to meet here.

I stopped these swings from moving when I died so that no one else could swing on them until Jake came she told everyone, but now that we are together again, the men can move them.

When we died mom, you buried us together but I’d not kept my promise to Jen, so I couldn’t do anything to get here Jake told his mom.

 

Although it took you two years to figure it out, you brought us here and helped me to keep that promise, now Jen and I can leave here.

Jen then looked at the boy who once shoved her off the swing two years ago saying, thank you Keith and Susan for staying with me when I died; it was very kind of you.

Jen looked at Keith saying when you shoved me off the swing; you helped me to live that little bit longer for me to wait for Jake, so please stop blaming yourself.

 

Then their spirits slowly began to enter their body bags again as Jake said we love you mom but please stop grieving now as are very happy being together, make a new life for yourself and go into business with aunty Jean as you really want to.

You will marry again mom and will have more children, so will aunty Jean and you will all be very happy Jen told them, then they were gone.

The swings were moved to another part of the park and a memorial stood in their place for the two children.      

                           THE END