Eddie To The Rescue

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March 2017

Lou looked up from her school exercise book and looked across at her gorgeous teddy she called Eddie bear. He was sat on a pile of books, he was dressed in his blue dungarees while she was also dressed warmly with a vibrant red scarf around her neck. The weather was freezing outside.

"Eddie, what d'you think of this story?" She began reading, "Once upon a time..."

Eddie looked back at her as if listening to the story. Lou had decided he was a good listener a long time ago. She told him all her secrets, things she never dared to tell anyone else, not even her mum knew what was on her mind.

Eddie went everywhere with her, even to school. Every morning she packed him in her school bag and off she went. He would stay in her bag until she returned home and he was safely restored to the pile of books from where he would watch over her.

Lou sighed, sometimes she wished he could talk then maybe the closely guarded secret would be out in the open. She knew, however, that it would never be safe for her to disclose it herself, but she had had enough and wished things would change. Avoiding him wasn't making any difference, he still sought her out.

Lou looked down at the book she was writing in and wondered. Maybe there was a way around it after all. If she were to write something down and leave the paper with Eddie, could he then pass it to her mum? Would her mum see it and take action? The only thing standing in her way was fear. She had been warned against telling anyone on the basis she would not be believed and then she would be in trouble for telling lies. Technically speaking it wouldn't be her telling anyone though it would be Eddie the bear.

She was one of the elite, the chosen few, one of the special ones. She didn't feel very special, though. It felt more like a punishment and she'd had enough.

Greatly daring she tore a page out of her school book and wrote a quick note beginning with the words "Help Lou..." She briefly outlined what her headmaster was doing when he frequently called her into his office, her and four other girls. The problem was she was only eight and didn't have the required vocabulary to get the correct message across.

"Help Lou she's in trouble. Mr. Rowe calls her into his office every play time and sits her on his lap saying all little girls need cuddles." She stopped writing, unsure what else to say, was it enough?

She looked across at Eddie and smiled fondly at the bear when he seemed to nod his head. She was sure he was helping her. She placed the letter in his lap and left it there. There was nothing more she could do but wait and hope her mum would see it at bedtime when she put her and Eddie to bed.

"Lou, what's this?" Her mum held up the letter and looked at her small daughter who had tears glistening in her eyes. "Oh, darling why are you crying?" She gathered Lou in her arms and held her until the sobbing quietened.

Her mum read the letter and started putting two and two together. Was it really possible that abuse was taking place? Mr Rowe had always seemed so nice and gentle for a man. She had trusted him with her precious daughter and he had done that to her?

"Lou, look at me, does Mr. Rowe hurt you? Does he make you do things you don't want to do?"

Lou nodded, shamefaced. "Am I in trouble," she whispered.

"No of course not darling. Can you tell me what he makes you do."

"He makes me repeat my times tables over and over for the whole of playtime. He says I'm clever and no one must know he likes me more than the others."

Her mum almost laughed with relief. "Don't worry I'll speak to him tomorrow you don't have to do that if you don't want to. You should be able to play with your friends."

Lou nodded, happy that Eddie bear had sorted everything out for her. She cuddled him in her arms, closing her eyes and going to sleep.

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