Week 4 Storytelling: The Magic of Family

Hi everyone, my name is Kentigern Roberts, but y’all can call me Kent.  I have twin brothers (Sander and Sage) and loving parents (Virginia and Gary), we also have a pet robin named Red.  I’m only 12 years old and not your average kid.  My parents picked me out of a crowd of children, to be their new son.  Yes, I am adopted.  For this very reason I feel like they always give me special treatment.  I’m not sure whether I deserve it or not, but I know I never want to upset them because they might throw me away like every other family has.  But…this isn’t necessarily about my parents. 

(Being the Sap in the Family.  Flickr.)

Journal Entry #44

It has been a while since I have written.  Adjusting to my new family is a tad rough around the edges.  I don't think my brothers like me very much.  They've definitely been giving me crap since I moved a week ago.  I'm used to it since I've been around so many kids and teenagers.

--“Hey four eyes!  Mom told us to do their laundry and the dishes.  Why don’t you do the laundry while Sage and I do the dishes?” Sander asks, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

That’s strange, this is the first time he’s asked me something without throwing anything at me or bullying me. 

-- "Sure." I bravely accept.

I go into the parent’s room to grab their dirty laundry basket to put into the washer.  As I am loading up the washer, I notice the detergent jug looks tampered with.  I pour some into a cup and smell it closely.  It is pure bleach and baking soda mixed into it.  Hm….

--“Stop kidding yourself Sander, I’m sure he’s found out already.”  Sage nudges Sander’s elbow as Sander’s snickering while rinsing the dishes.  “What?  I’m sure he fell for it, it’s pretty easy to miss.” Sander snarks back.

All of the laundry finishes and I begin to fold the clothes, “You’re already done?”  He asks me, his eyebrows scrunched in with wonder.  “Of course, it shouldn’t take more than two hours to finish a couple loads.”  I smile back in response.  “Dang…”  He muffles to himself as he walks away.

--“Arrghhh! Sage you were right, he figured it out!”  Sander shouts at Sage as he enters their room, slamming the door behind him.   “I told you, he’s smarter than he seems.”  Sage replies, laughing. 

Journal Entry #47

I was right from the start.  They have definitely been giving me crap because I’m new to the family and they don’t want me here.  I just don’t get it.  I mean I know I’m not their real brother, but I haven’t done anything wrong to them.  What could it be?  Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut and go along with whatever they tell me and try not to upset them too.  Let’s see how this goes.

Journal Entry #48

It’s warm out..a little breezy, just like Spring should be.  Our parents decided to take my brothers and I to the park with our little Red in her cage.  Red’s incredibly smart for a bird.  They’re never afraid to let her fly free, because they know she will always come back to us.  I am truly lucky to be a part of this family….

--“Catch!”  Sage shouts as he’s throwing the football towards me.  I reluctantly catch it, letting it hit my chest.  “Nice catch!” He shouts again, smiling.  He seems to be the friendlier one out of the two, but I still don’t know about him.

--“Meow~~” A cat appears, purring and rubbing it’s body against my legs.  “You’re cute.”  I tell him as I pet him behind the ears.

Sage and Sander notice the cat and whisper to each other. 

Sage and I play catch with each other and I realize Sander and Red are missing…the cat too.  Mom and dad are on their picnic blanket just enjoying each other’s company. 

--Sage stops us, “I need to go to the bathroom.” I nod my head towards him.  Sage runs toward the recreation building and I decide to search for Sander.  I go behind the building and see Sander running passed me towards Mom and Dad, he smirks at me, “Mom!  Dad!  Look what Kent did!!”  Showing them the cat, a piece of Red’s feather sticking out of its mouth….

--“He fed Red to the cat!!”  Horrified, mom begins to sob, while dad sullenly walks toward me and asks if I did such a thing.  “I promise I didn’t! I was only gone for a brief moment!”  I tell him distraughtly, shaking my head and my hands at him, tears slowly forming.  Sage heads over from the bathroom.  “What happened??”

I don’t know how else to prove that it wasn’t me.  Out of impulse, I grab the cat, kneel on the floor and open its mouth to see if Red is there or swallowed.  She was swallowed so I squeeze his body and try to get her out. I squeeze and squeeze, suddenly she pops out!

--“Please don’t be dead…please don’t be dead!” I sob as I pick Red up.  Tears rolling down my cheeks, my glasses fogging up, I rub my eyes and with a flinch…Red perks up and by God’s graces..she starts talking!  My tears brought her back to more than just life!  Not only does she begin to talk, but so does the cat.  They begin to tell us all what truly happened…

Journal Entry #60

It’s been a few days since the incident.  I think they’ve learned their lesson, because they haven’t messed with me since.  After bringing Red home, we decided to take the cat in as well, seeming that he didn’t have a collar or tag.  Becoming a part of the family wasn’t so bad after all.

Author's Note:  I chose to write about the story of Saint Kentigern and the Robin for this unit.  It is a story about a young boy who went to an all boys school and was praised by one of their elder Saints.  He was always a good kid and the other boys envied him.  So jealous, they always bullied him and tried framing him.  In the end, they never got what they wanted.  My story is quite similar.  I didn't want to stray away too much because the base of the story tells true that we shouldn't bully anyone for anything.  The truth will always come out in all sorts of ways unimaginable.  I decided to write it in first person, because we often don't understand why we get bullied and sometimes we just have to stay strong.  Most people keep to themselves when it happens, though I was limited by how much to write, I tried conveying his hurt and struggle.  Not so much in a way that he couldn't come out of it a stronger person in the end.  I also wrote in a way that everyone could differentiate between his narrations, journals and present conversations.  I hope you all enjoyed my version!! 

Bibliography: Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts by Abbie Farwell Brown.  Link to reading.