Sesame Street uses their characters to connect with its audience and help kids (and parents) through challenging and emotional times. A few years ago, for example, they did a special for Military Families in which we learn Elmo's dad is in the military. So, they used Elmo to explain the difficulties that come with having family in the service. Even more recently, they used Abby Cadabby to help kids understand how to deal with parents who are divorce (and help parents relate to the kids as well).
These were the inspirations for this short story.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan-fiction. This was NOT written for profit. I do NOT own any elements of Sesame Street or its characters. I do not own Elmo or Abby Cadabby. They are properties of the Sesame Workshop
Thank you.
To find out more about Sesame Street's initiatives, visit: w w w. sesameworkshop. org.
...To Get Away
Written by: Brittany R./FoxieSango
It used to be so easy.
At least, that's what they thought.
Probably because it was.
It was easy to play. To bask in sunny days that swept the clouds away. To breathe in the air that was so, so sweet.
After all, it was Sesame Street…their home…and nothing could go wrong there.
But now, that was gone. They just couldn't get to that world anymore.
No matter how hard they tried, they just couldn't escape.
The red monster and pink fairy sat side by side under a shady tree in the park. The bark was rough against the back of their necks as they gazed at the night sky, hand in hand.
This was as far as they could go, when they just needed to get away.
Abby. Her parents were divorced; had been since she was three. She lived with her mom but visited her dad on the weekends. Or…sometimes he would visit them. Like tonight. And tonight, somehow, they had started to argue over what had caused their divorce in the first place all those years ago. And they yelled, and yelled, and yelled, until Abby couldn't take it anymore. The eleven year old…
needed to get away.
Elmo. His parents were still together, but his dad was in the service. This meant that he was deployed. A lot. The amount of time his father spent away from home only grew over the years. When he did come home, it was for too short a time. Whatever went on overseas caused his dad to have nightmares too. And when he was gone, Elmo's mom would often cry. Like tonight. And the eleven-and-a-half year old…
needed to get away.
They never told their friends; they didn't want to worry them.
No, the only ones who knew of their issues were each other. Abby was the first to confide her problems in Elmo. So, he did the same to Abby.
And from that, they sought solace in each other.
So on nights like this, when Abby's parents yelled or Elmo's dad was away while his mom cried in her sleep, the two pre-teens would meet each other.
And sit under the tree.
In the park.
Beneath the stars.
Together.
To try to reach that time when they had been younger. And it had been easier.
So much easier.
At least, they thought so.
