The Girl Who Didn’t Speak

By Rita Echevarria Ewart

 

Chapter One: Introducing Sky

Once upon a time there was a girl called Sky. Sky had blonde hair and her eyes were blue like the sky.

Sky was autistic. She had never said a word in her life. 

Her best friend was called Tilly. Tilly had two dads that were rich.  She went to the same school as Sky, Miss Milksheet’s School for Children.

One morning Sky woke up and stuffed her feet in her bunny slippers. She let the sun splash on her face for five minutes, then went down the stairs to have breakfast. She poured herself a bowl of cereal, had some toast, a glass of orange juice and ironed her school uniform. She dressed herself, grabbed her bike and cycled to school.

 

Chapter Two: At School

When Sky got to school, Tilly was waiting for her at the school gate. “Come on,” said Tilly, “today we’ve got an exam.”

Sky smiled. She was very smart and always got good grades. Unfortunately before the exam, she had PE and she hated PE. At PE they were playing dodgeball.  She got banged about three or four times, and fell over twice. At lunch time she sat down with Tilly, ordered her usual bacon butty and milk, with an apple.

“You’re getting better at PE,” said Tilly and she passed to Sky a beautifully wrapped box, with a silver ribbon. “Here you go, a little prezzie,” she said.

Sky opened it. Inside there was a beautiful necklace with a sun on it. “You’re welcome,” said Tilly, “I got it just for you.”

Sky smiled.

 

Chapter Three: At Home

After school Sky went straight home.

“How was today?” asked her brother Bob. “Did they bully you again? Still not talking?” 

Sky said nothing and ran off to the garden, where her mother was reading her favourite book, Stormy Night.

“Well hello darling, what’s that necklace? Did Tilly give it to you?” 

No surprise, Tilly always gave Sky presents.  Sky nodded and went to write in her diary. 

Cloudy sky wrote Sky, Tilly present.  She wrote down a few more things, then gave the diary to her mum. 

“Perfect,” said her mum, “your writing is getting better.”

Sky smiled.

Then Bob came. “About the bullying.  You’re too soft Sky,” he said. Sky frowned. 

“Is that nice Bob? No!” said Mum. Sky again said nothing, but this time she ran back indoors.  Over her head, grey clouds rolled into the sky.

Her mum found her under a table.  “It’s okay darling. Don’t listen to Bob.  You’re not too soft, you can be what you want to be. Now, why don’t you go and read that book you are so into.” 

 

Chapter Four: Sky’s Bedroom

Sky went to her room, where her book was. She read it whilst listening to the thunder and lightning crash and bang outside the window.  Soon, Sky fell deeply asleep.

 

Chapter Five: The Flood

Suddenly, lightning and thunder crashed at the same time.  Sky woke up to find her bedroom was flooded! Her bed was an island in a big, crashing sea of waves. She fell in the water and splashed and gurgled to try to get out. The waves pushed her out of the window and on to the street.  She grabbed a STOP sign but then the lightning crashed and she lost her grip.  She was washed over a barrier and into the sea. 

 

Chapter Six: Lost on an Island

The next morning Sky woke up on a beach. She looked to see if anyone was around. There was no-one.

She grabbed some coconuts and made an SOS sign. For a few days she had baths in the sea water, drank water from a mini waterfall, ate fruit from the trees and, when it was night, she slept on the branches of the trees.  She also discovered other things, like the importance of caring for nature and that inland from the beach there was a forest.  She was starting to get used to the animals, and the animals were starting to get used to her.

One day, Sky woke up and opened her eyes. A toucan was looking at her.  Sky jumped. You nearly gave me a heart attack, be more careful, thought Sky. 

“Sorry,” said the Toucan. 

What? thought Sky. 

“I said Sorry!” shouted the Toucan. 

You’re talking? thought Sky.

“No, you’re understanding me,” said the Toucan.

This is a dream, thought Sky. 

“Nope, this is a talking Toucan,” replied the Toucan.

But how can you hear me think? thought Sky.

“See your necklace? That is what’s connecting you to all the animals in the world,” replied the Toucan. “Let me introduce you to everyone.”

Okay, thought Sky, smiling.

The Toucan took her to a cliff like rock, where all the animals on the island were waiting. 

“Call me Thomas,” said Thomas the Toucan. 

Okay, Thomas, thought Sky.

Thomas said, “for generations we have been looking for the sun necklace.  And now I have found it.” Every animal clapped and cheered when Sky showed her necklace. 

I don’t get it, I don’t understand, thought Sky. 

“It’s okay,” said Thomas, “I’ll explain everything to you.”

 

Chapter Seven: Thomas’ Story

“Once upon a time, humans and animals lived together happily.  But the humans forgot, and they destroyed our homes. We animals worked together to create the necklace you’re wearing but then a man called Michael stole it. Now he works at a company called Forevergreens, a toilet paper company. He cuts down trees to make toilet paper.’’

Oh, thought Sky, looking thoughtful.  Can you take me back home?

 

Chapter Eight: The Revolution

Thomas said, “okay, can I come with you?”

Sky thought, yes, I’ll be needing you.

When Sky got home, she went straight for her phone, and texted to her friends and told them all about what had happened. She showed them that humans behaviour needed to change. Her best friends came to her house to find out what had happened. 

Tilly asked, “now, what are we going to do about this?” 

Sky texted them all, let’s go to Forevergreens. 

Sky wasn’t old enough to drive, so her Mum took them in the minivan. They went to Forevergreens and Sky was like an arrow when she saw the door to Michael’s office. She went so fast that not even her mum could stop her. She opened the door and there was Michael sitting in his chair.

“Well, I thought kids your age could read. The sign says NO ENTRY!” said Michael.

“And I thought that you said your toilet paper was nature friendly,’’ said Tilly.

“Cutting trees is not nature friendly,” said Claire, another of Sky’s  friends. Then Sky looked at her friends with a ‘I’ve got this face’.

“Okay Sky,” said Tilly.

Sky moved her mouth and formed words and said, “you don’t understand, some places are flooding, others are drying out, ice is melting and trees are being cut down, animals are losing their homes, this world is going to die all because of you. What are you going to do about it.”

Sky whistled and all the animals from the island came and tore the place apart.