The Clock Struck Midnight by Jessie

CRACK! BANG! goes lightning on a dark and stormy night… and then another bang and the clock struck midnight.  At that exact moment a stray bolt of lightning struck the chicken pen and the door flung open wide revealing the dark garden free for the chickens to flee.   These were not ordinary farm chickens – they were Olivia’s mystical chickens.  Magical, because they laid golden eggs that, when cracked on an injury, would heal the wound immediately.

You may think owning such powerful chickens would make for a perfect life.   However, this is far from the truth.  Olivia had an arch enemy.  Debbie Peters attended the same school as Olivia, in the same class and in all their lessons together.  Olivia had never been sure why Debbie was so mean to her. 

The next morning Olivia awoke to what she initially thought was a perfect day.  The heavy rain had given her animals plenty to drink and helped water her crops.  Olivia climbed out of bed, stretched and got dressed for school.  Before getting on the school bus she went to check on her beloved chickens. 

The lock was open and they were nowhere in sight.  Olivia froze and could feel panic swell through her body.  How had the lock opened?  Where had her chickens gone?  All of these thoughts were swimming around in Olivia’s head. This was not the time to lose control.  It was the time for action! 

She collected her thoughts and started to search the area around the chicken coop.  What luck, a shiny thing appeared to be hidden beneath a layer of mud in the corner of the coop.  Olivia reached in a tentative arm and picked up the sparkling object.  In doing this she noticed her watch read 8am. The school bus left in 3 minutes!  She would have to run. Quickly, Olivia put the object in her pocket and sprinted to the bus stop down the lane.

All morning Olivia had tried to find an excuse to leave class so she could examine the object in her pocket.  She was worried sick about her chickens.  At lunchtime Olivia finally had her chance.  She went into an empty classroom by herself and discovered that it was a bracelet with a little heart charm.  After she whipped off the mud and turned over the heart she saw it read: Debbie P.  Could it possibly be Debbie who had stolen her chickens?  Why would she do this?

Olivia decided to sort this out face to face.  She would ask Debbie to speak with her after school.  The afternoon lessons seemed to drag on forever.  Finally, the bell rang and Olivia cornered Debbie before she could leave the classroom.  “Come here” she said through clenched teeth.  Olivia was too worried to notice that Debbie had been crying.  When everyone had left the classroom and they were on their own Olivia confronted Debbie about the chickens.  Debbie responded with:  “I had my reasons” and she tried to push past Olivia out of the classroom.  Olivia blocked her exit and demanded a response. Debbie refused to speak.

Olivia went home feeling very upset.  She was sure Debbie had her chickens and was up to no good.  Olivia was too distressed to eat any dinner.  Instead she decided to walk to Debbie’s house and find out what was going on.

Debbie opened the front door and saw it was Olivia.  She looked down at her toes and said very quietly: “okay, I’ll tell you but please don't be cross or tell anyone else”.  Part of Olivia was livid with anger and another part felt sorry for Debbie.  However, she remembered that she could not feel sorry yet – she needed a reason and, more importantly, to know her chickens were safe!

Debbie confessed: “I stole them for their eggs.  I overheard you talking about their special powers.  My little brother has not been well for a while and I needed the eggs to heal him”.  Debbie looked up at Olivia pleading for her understanding.  When she did this, Olivia noticed Debbie’s tear stain eyes.  “I am sorry to hear that” Olivia replied “but you could have just asked me.  All these years I thought you hated me and you are always so mean to me.”  Debbie admitted that she was not mean but very sad because her little brother was dying.

Together Olivia and Debbie went into Debbie’s back yard and there were the three chickens happily munching on a patch of grass.  No eggs had been laid.

Olivia suggested that the chickens come home to her and she will provide Debbie with as many eggs as she needs.  Olivia explained that the chickens would not lay magical eggs outside their coop.  Once they were removed to another location, they became ordinary farm chickens.  Debbie was so grateful that she threw her arms around Olivia in a big bear hug and said: “I owe you everything.  Please forgive me and be my friend.”

Although still feeling a little bit angry, Olivia was overwhelmed with relief that her chickens were safe and happy that she could help a little boy.  After all that is what her chickens were for - helping others.

The End