"Are you scared?" I ask Dad over the phone. "What do I have to be scared about?" he says. "We're locked in our rooms." He's always been tough like that, stoic, but I wish I could see his face, hug ... [+]
Sue Lancaster is a children's writer living in South West London with her husband, two children and pet budgie, Buddy. "Kite's Tale" is in Short Circuit #13, Short Édition's quarterly review.
Ever since his arrival on Molly's birthday, Kite had longed to feel the wind in his ribbons. But whenever Molly suggested taking him outside, Mummy had a reason to say no . . . "It's too cold.""It's too hot." "It's too rainy." "It's too calm." Kite wondered if he would ever leave the shelf."It's not fair," sighed Kite to the other toys. "I'm never going to fulfill my purpose.""What does that mean?" asked Piggy Bank."You are doing what you are meant to," replied Kite. "Your purpose is collecting money in your tummy, and you do that. And your purpose," Kite told Nightlight, "is providing l