Isles of Wonder
I am an orphan. My parents were killed on the 7 July on the tube at Edgeware Road. I was 7. I bring this up because of the Summer Olympic in 2012. I was out with my family when it was announced and we held a party and then my parents were dead. For years that's all I knew.
I was 18 years old when the Olympic Opening Ceremony was held. It was July 27 2012, at 9pm in the evening. I knew it was coming because for the whole day, people had been talking in hushed voices around and giving sympathetic looks and glances. It was uncanny how people I had known for years had become completely different people. But not Daniel.
Daniel was with me all day that day but he was keeping me busy. He took me out of London and into the country. We went to look round a national trust site. It was an old house and very beautiful. I admit that it kept me busy and Daniel didn't mention anything to do with the Olympics. I had made my mind up and I was going to watch them but not at Baker Street. Mycroft was working, (to be honest, Dan should have been at work too but had twisted Harry's arm into letting him off) so was Lestrade so Myc was letting us have his house in Whitehall which was very nice of him. Dan and I headed there after our day out. He held my hand and pulled me close, kissing me in the doorway.
Daniel made us some chicken curry and rice. We sat in front of the TV and watched 'Wreck it Ralph' which made us laugh. I then ran a hot bath and relaxed whilst washing my hair and humming a tune. I changed into some pyjamas and curled up next to Dan on the sofa. He sat playing with my hair as we waited for nine in the evening to come around. At about half eight, he went and made us both some hot chocolate.
"I thought you could use this." He said, handing me a mug.
"Thanks." I said smiling at him.
"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked, sitting back next to me.
I nodded, not really sure I was. Dan didn't say anything in reply. He just put his arm round me and pulled me in close. I knew then that he understood.
We talked for a bit more and then Huw Edwards voice came on the television; "The countdown started 7 years ago. We're seconds away from the sounding of the great Olympic bell and the start of the London Games of 2012."
Daniel squeezed my arm as I sat upright in the chair. I couldn't believe it had been 7 years. It seemed like yesterday. The first section of the opening ceremony was called 'Isle of Wonder' and it was a tribute to Great Britain as a whole. Bradley Wiggins sounded the Olympic Bell after a countdown and choirs sang the 4 rugby anthems. Then came Pandemonium which took us through the industrial revolution. It was amazing to watch and had been put together brilliantly. I cried a little bit at the pause for the two world wars and not for the last time that evening. Kenneth Branagh as Isambard Kingdom Brunel was just inspired!
'Happy and Glorious' was next and quite simply bizzare. The Queen jumping out of a helicopter! Just goes to show how humorous the British nation are.
I have to say that my favourite part of the evening was 'Second Star to the Right and Straight on til morning". This was a tribute to the NHS and Great Ormond Street plus a homage to Children's literature. I was crying again at the end of the GOSH and NHS moment with the baby but was excited again as JK Rowling came out and all the magic of literature was brought to life. A tribute to British cinema came next. Dan and I were in stiches when Mr Bean played Chariots of Fire!
We marvelled at the tribute to British music. One of the commentators Hazel Irvine said; "Try and name all the songs, the artists, the films and the programmes we're about to hear in these next few minutes. It's no mean feat."
Dan and I looked at each other and smiled.
"Going Underground by The Jam!" I said, starting us off.
"My Generation by The Who!" said Dan as the next song came on.
"Clearly we're going on a journey through the decades." I said.
"We're in the Sixties!" commented Dan as 'My Boy Lollipop' came on, followed by the Beatles.
"Now the Seventies!" as Tiger Feet by Mud came on.
"Oh I love this song!" I said.
"David Bowie!" yelled Dan as 'Star Man' was played.
"Doctor Who and Queen!" I said. "Now why was that never an episode!"
"Best song by Queen to pick though!" said Dan, head bopping to the instrumental in 'Bohemian Raphsody!
"I wonder what the eighties will be like." I asked.
"Probably Punk." Said Dan. And he was right.
"The nineties should be good!" I said.
"You're just saying that because it's our decade!"
"So what if I am. I'm a nineties kid and proud!" and we both fell about laughing.
The culmination of this montage was the house in the middle rising up and Sir Tim Berners Lee sitting in the middle as a tribute to the man who created the World Wide Webb.
"Can this get any better?" asked Dan.
I shrugged. "I don't know." Was my reply. I had no idea what was in store.
After the music montage, the ceremony took a different direction as it must. We saw highlights of the torch relay round the country and David Beckham on the boat bringing to the stadium. That did make me smile. Seeing Britain coming together as one.
And then came something I wasn't expecting. The commentator in the stadium introduced it; "Ladies and Gentlemen, please pause to reflect our memorial wall, for friends and family of those in the stadium that cannot be here tonight. Thank you." I sat bolt upright on the sofa, eyes glued to the screen. Pictures of people's friends and family flashed up on the screen. I could feel Dan's eyes on the back of my neck watching me but I needed to see this, to feel this, to accept what had happened. Then I saw it. A photo of my mum and Dad and me. I was 11 years old at the time. I would have been starting secondary school that September. Seems like a lifetime ago now. And then it was over as soon as it began. A bell rang and there was a smattering of applause. Hazel commented; "Yes, the excitement of that moment in Singapore seven years ago when London won the Games was tempered with great sorrow the very next day, with events on the 7th of July that year. This is a calm and reflective pause after the exuberant past moments."
I sank back into Dan and began to sob. Emilie Sande was singing 'Abide with Me." It was one of the songs that we had had at my parent's funeral. I picked it because I felt it offered some hope for the years to come. Dan just held me tightly, soothing me.
"They should be here, Dan. We should be sat as a family watching this now." I sobbed, into his chest.
"I know, Ab, I know." He said quietly.
I don't know how long he held me tightly. But I remember the last lyrics of the song; "In life, in death, O Lord, Abide with me."
I sat up and wiped my eyes. Dan sat up too.
"You ok?" he asked, holding my hands.
I nodded, "I think so!" I looked at him, "I hope the parade's next!"
And I was right. The parade lasted 40 minutes culminating with the UK marching into David Bowie's 'Heroes'.
"Nice to see Chris Hoy carrying the flag." Said Dan.
I nodded, tears forming in my eyes again, but this time I was proud rather than sad.
Then the ceremony began to head towards conclusion. There was a weird moment when cyclists rode round the stadium. Then Seb Coe and The Queen declared the Games open. This was followed by fireworks and a fanfare.
The true end came when the Olympic torch came into the stadium and the beacon was lit. That was a moving moment because the relay had been such a big part of our lives for so long and now it had ended. Paul McCartney played the ceremony to conclusion with 'Hey Jude.'
By now it was ten to one in the morning. I stifled a yawn and stretched.
"I think I'll call it a night." I said, standing up and walking to my room. Dan followed. His room was just down the hall.
"Goodnight then." He said and he bent down to kiss me.
As I pulled away, I looked him in the eye. "Don't leave me. Not tonight. Please."
He nodded and followed me in. I climbed in beside him. He wrapped his arms around me tightly. "I will never leave you Abi. I love you." He whispered.
"I love you too." I said. "And I love you, Mum and Dad. So very much." I whispered as I fell asleep.
Little did I know, that miles away in a town in Yorkshire my parents were saying goodnight to a young girl and boy having watched the very same event and thought the very same things….
THE END