Polly Poo Pants

Polly Potts wakes and pushing her bedding back she sits up on the lumpy old mattress in the middle of the sitting room floor. She stands up and shivers, pulling her thin cardigan closer.

It's nearly Christmas but there's no tree with sparkling tinsel and decorations, only a gloomy damp room to greet her as she steps on to the cold floor with her bare feet. Blowing on to her cold hands she walks over to her mummy who is huddled by the small fire.

'Mummy, I'm not well, please can I stay off school,' Polly wails kneeling down and holding her hands out towards the fire.

Her mum's pale face turns to gaze down at her daughter. She is a small pretty girl with large brown eyes and a dimple in each cheek.

'Polly, you're always making excuses not to go to school, you know you have to go or I'll get in trouble.'

'But mum, I've had these clothes on for a week and they need washing. The girls' at school say I'm smelly.'

Her mum sighs and easing herself slowly up off her seat she opens a cupboard door.

'Someone gave me a bag of clothes yesterday . . . there's nothing else and you know I have no money to get the washer mended.'

Polly folds her arms up to her chest and pouts her mouth out scowling.

'I'm not wearing them. I have to wear the school uniform and I won't wear other peoples clothes either,' she shouts angrily giving her mum a black look. 'And I hate having to live in this rotten place! I want you and dad get back together again.'

Her mum grabs her by the hand and pulling her up towards her she wags her finger angrily into her face.

'You know that's impossible and don't you raise your voice to me Polly Potts.'

Her mum covers her face with her hands and turns her back to Polly. She feels ashamed for upsetting her mum so she picks up her soiled clothes and the underwear that she's worn all week and pulls them on hoping not to bump into Jessica. She's a big ugly girl with a spotty face. She's jealous of Polly's pretty looks and likes to bully her.

Polly walks in the school - yard with her fingers crossed. Her eyes peer nervously around when suddenly her mouth stretches wide as she screams. Someone is pulling her hair so hard they're dragging her head back. She groans as she gazes up at an ugly face looming over hers. Its Jessica and her eyes are glistening wickedly.
The girls' sman as she takes her finger and thumb up to her nose and pinches her nostrils together.

'Can you smell Polly poo pants everybody?' she asks.

Reaching down she pulls up Polly's skirt and smaning she points her finger.

'Look at those bloomers, they've been on for a week.'

Polly tries dragging herself away.

'If you do that again Jessica . . . I'll tell Miss on you,' she squeaks.

'A big fat red face with bulging eyes peers into hers. 'YOU'LL DO WHAT?' yells Jessica still tugging at her hair.
The school bell rings and she pushes Polly to the ground.

'I'll get you later punk,' warns Jessica kneeling on her hunkers and stabbing her finger in Polly's face.

Poor Polly weeps as she picks herself up and runs into the class shaking with fear.
The teacher stares at Polly and goes over to her. Polly is sitting with her head bowed and quietly crying.

'Are you not well Polly?' she asks.

She wants to tell the teacher the truth but is too scared to as Jessica will find out and it will make things much worse for her.

'You're not in trouble are you Polly?' The teacher asks as she sweeps her gaze over her.

'No Miss,' sniffs Polly shaking her head

She's safe all day but hoping to get away before Jessica can get her, she grabs her coat off the hook and races out the school yard and straight into the arms of Jessica who is waiting to pounce. She's hiding behind a wall and as soon as Polly dashes past, she grabs her skirt and pulls it up.

'Poo what a stink . . . Polly poo's bloomers stink,' she shouts loudly.

Polly can't bare it any longer; her chin quivers and big fat tears spill down her cheeks as she screams: 'I hate you Jessica.'

Wiping her tears away with the back of her hand she runs home as fast as she can. Stepping down the stairs leading to her flat she stops. An old woman wearing a long black cloak is standing looking up at her tear stained face.

'Don't cry Polly,' she says soothingly while holding her hand out to her.

Polly stands staring into the woman's soft blue eyes and her kind face. She no longer feels upset, in fact she feels so calm and content standing beside her, she reaches her small hand out towards the old lady and smiles up at her.

'How do you know my name?' asks Polly surprised.

'I know everything because I'm an angel and I've come to help you,' she says gently.

Polly frowns. 'You don't look like an angel, I thought angels' had wings?'

'Oh angels come in many forms dear and when you need help.

'What are you going to do?' she asks in amazement.

'I'm going to give you something to keep that will make things so much better for you. You can have two wishes and they will come true but you have to be very careful what you wish for. I have watched over you and I know you are a good girl but a very unhappy one.'

Polly nods her head. 'My mummy won't go back to my dad and now we won't have a nice Christmas because we won't all be together,' she says sadly.

The angel wraps an arm round Polly's shoulder and says nothing but winks her eye at her as she clicks open her bag and lifts out a box. Slipping the bag on her arm, she carefully opens the lid. Polly's eyes widen as she gazes at the beautiful crystals' shining like the colours of the rainbow.

She holds the box towards Polly.

'Take one dear, pick a colour; choose carefully; look after it and don't tell anyone.'

Polly dips her hand in the box and takes out a bright yellow crystal. She holds it up to the light and the crystal glistens brightly.

'It's so beautiful,' she whispers. 'I'll always look after it.'

The old angel nods and smiles at her. 'Good. If anyone tries to harm you, quickly make a wish to teach them a lesson, but never wish for anything bad or it will go against you.'

Polly nods happily, gazing longingly at her crystal. Suddenly she feels very sleepy and blinks her eyes quickly and doesn't see the old angel disappear.

She peers around her and can't believe what has happened. It feels like it's been a dream but she knows it's true because her fingers are clasping the crystal as she steps into the gloomy flat. She's no longer upset or unhappy and can't wait to test her first wish out on Jessica.

The next morning she goes off to school. Jessica is standing waiting to taunt her as usual. Polly sticks her tongue out and walks past her hoping the crystal does keep her safe. Jessica's eyes glare, how dare she stick her tongue out and how dare she coolly walk past HER like that? I'll teach her, she thinks to herself.

She strides behind Polly and grabbing her by her shoulders she swings her round to face her. Lifting her hand back Jessica sticks her big fat ugly face down into Polly's laughing nastily.

'I'm going to smack that pretty little face of yours Polly poo pants,' she hisses.

Polly's eyes are wide with fear as she quickly whispers a wish. Suddenly Jessica stops and flops over like a rag doll with her bottom sticking up in the air.

A very loud P . . .O . . . O . . .O . . .O . . .P is heard. Jessica clasps her hands to her mouth and her eyes are like gob stoppers.

Another P . . .O . . .O . . .O . . .O . . . P noise comes from her again and her ugly face is red as a beetroot.

'Ooh' . . . Ooh . . .' she squeals like a little piggy.

'What's happening to me?' she screams as more really loud blasts blow.

Polly is bent over holding on to her tummy as tears roll down her cheeks with laughter. Children in the yard all stop playing - but stand well back pointing and laughing.

Jessica is jumping around the school - yard crying with embarrassment and bawling her eyes out with shame. Her fat legs and bottom shake like jelly as she races out the school gates and is so ashamed she's never to be seen again.

Polly laughs. 'That will teach her,' she thinks as she steps in the school. Hanging her coat up on a hook she begins thinking about her mum and how she upset her. She wishes she would change her mind and go back to her dad.

Her hand shoots up to her mouth, she only had two wishes and now she's wasted it because that will never come true, her mum is so stubborn she would rather live in that horrible place than go back to her daddy. All day Polly's in a bad mood for wasting her wish, especially when she was going to keep it for something really special.

She walks out of school dragging her bag and scowling. Someone taps her on her shoulder and she gasps; swinging round she thinks it's Jessica. But her face breaks into a wide grin. Her mum is standing smiling and there is her dad grinning and holding out his arms wide. She races towards him and he wraps his arms round her. Polly snuggles up to him– her wish has come true, it's going to be a wonderful Christmas after all.