TOBY

Chapter 1: you need to grow up

The sun rose on Monday morning....
And light flooded into the boys room waking his sleeping mind.

He felt like today was going to be a good day....
But it wasn't because it was his birthday or New Year's Day

This feeling was from his heart his imagination.
He turned over and looked at his clock just next to his bed

6:30
It read

His sleepy eyes were still tiered and he closed them again,

Toby dreamed of a wood and the trees pointed to a slightly open door he was walking towards it sounds of unfamiliar animals echoed around him getting louder and louder....

Every step slightly lighter but he walked on...
Till he got to the handle.

Then..

FLASH

light blinded him the voices stopped the door vanished

He heard nothing but emptiness....the trees didn't sway....The wind never whistled....the birds didn't sing

A horrible pulling force felt like it was dragging him backwards
He screamed!
"HELP!"
"HELP!"

"MOTHER!"

BOOM! He was back in his room he sat up....he was sweating, his heart pounding
His mother ran in his room as he was shouting in her in his dreams

"Toby Toby your alright it was a dream.." She said to him like he was still 5 years old
He took deep breaths...

And he felt himself again, he looked at his clock
8:00

His mother sat at the bottom of his bed
"It's strange you shouldn't have nightmares at your age your 13" she said in her soothing motherly voice

"It was so real...I could hear...." He said his breathing still uneven
"It was just a bad dream Toby" she smiled at him

"You'll just have a lot on your mind at the moment....now isn't it somebody's birthday?" She got of of Toby's bed and pointed to a small present she had brought in with her

"This ones the best"
Toby's scared looking face broke into a smile

As his mother passed him the present
"It's heavy" he smiled "oh I hate surprises"

"Just open it you fool!" She laughed
Toby ripped of the rapping paper it was clearly another book

What this time?
Dragons?
Mermaids?
Goblins?
Trolls?

Oh....
"Maths?" Toby sighed

He looked up to his mum who looked just as sad as he was
"I can't do maths?"

"Look Toby....I know you love fictional books but they give you false hope" his mother explained

Toby got out of bed and went down stairs
No more presents

"Mother I only got one present?"
"Toby that maths book was a lot it teaches kids who don't understand maths as well as others understand it more" Toby's mother said running down stairs after the disappointed child

"Mother I'm 13!" Toby complained
"It's time for you to grow up and make friends!!"

"Teachers at school tell us to read!" Toby sighed while pointing to the collection of books he had piled up on the shelf in the front room

"Factional books Toby...not fake fairy story's"

Toby didn't take any notice on what his mother was saying....
He ran upstairs and read his favourite book again.