Chapter Two and a Half- Why I Hate Elmo

Author's Note: The chapters labelled '.. and a Half' are not compulsory to read- they don't contribute to the plot, but they add more characterisation to certain characters and give background information. Plus, they are really fun to write!

Anyways, enjoy!

20 years ago.

I sat cross-legged in front of the TV which was perched on top of a cardboard box that looked as if it would collapse at any moment. 'You weren't supposed to sit so close to the TV' the Kindergarten teachers would say, 'you'll get square eyes' they'd say. I didn't care. The closer I sat, the more likelihood Elmo would drag me through the TV and I could live in Sesame Street forever.

"Come and play

Everything's A-OK

Friendly neighbors there

That's where we meet."

The voices on the TV sang. I tried to pay attention but I kept hearing shouting in the Kitchen.

A glass shattered, somebody had thrown it off of a wall again. It was why we were always short on glasses, I thought we should only buy plastic cups- that way they can't break. In Kindergarten they made us drink from plastic blue cups, I think I preferred them.

"Fired? What the fuck do you mean by fired?!" She called out, her voice rising to a feline screech.

"I mean that I don't have a fucking job anymore. What else would I mean?" A low gruff voice answered, he was most terrifying when he didn't shout back. It meant he had been drinking.

I looked to the empty beer cans that lay in a crushed pile in the corner of the room and counted out loud. He had drank seven since I had left for school.

There was a sound of a snort.

Maybe she is a pig, I thought, Piglet always worries about things and so does she. I didn't like Piglet though, he worried too much and spoiled the fun. If I were to choose I'd be Tigger, he really knew how to have a laugh.

"So you think that I will be able to provide for us all? Whilst you laze around drinking all day?" She was getting louder, I couldn't hear Elmo."That's what did it right? You're fucking dependency on alcohol!"

All the questions made my head spin.

The teachers gave me in trouble once for using the f-word, they threatened to call my parents. They were going to say to them that I was a bad little girl and they told me Santa wouldn't come, but they didn't- they didn't have my house number. When I told my dad he couldn't say the f-word later that day, he slapped me.

I guessed you could only say it if you were an adult.

His voice lowered again as he spoke, "Get off your high horse. You work as a stripper. That's one step away from a whore, you bitch."

Now she was a dog.

I didn't know any dogs that could ride horses- all the dogs here were scary. One of the dogs on the streets mouth would foam up like the froth in dad's beer. When I tried pet it mommy screamed at me. Then the dog got frightened and tried to bite me so I had to run away.

"You bastard!" she barked. "At least I actually have a job. You think it's easy being a mother to a child you never wanted, and having to give up your money to pay for their education? And looking after you too? I'm nearly running a day-care centre!"

Sometimes parents said stuff they didn't mean. That's what my neighbours told me. I didn't believe them.

"I asked if you were on the fucking pill!" This time he shouted, the sound boomed through the floorboards and vibrated the paper thin walls.

"Yeah? And I asked if you were fucking wearing a condom!"

Mommy told him that he never forgot to wear one now. That he didn't want another little accident popping out of the oven. I didn't know babies came out of ovens. The book we were reading at school said storks delivered them to friendly households- we knew that wasn't true though. Ivy had been put in a dumpster when she was born. Selina said her house was scary. I knew she was telling the truth cause sometimes she came into school with bruises. The teachers didn't tell anyone though, they were scared of her house too.

I would tell them all the truth about ovens tomorrow.

They were quiet for a bit. But I could hear their ragged breathes. Shouting really knocked the wind out of you. Elmo didn't like arguments, he said 'nobody did.' He also said 'parents love each other'. I think he lied about that too. Just like the book lied about storks and my neighbours lied about parents. You really couldn't trust anything these days.

Dad had said to me that he didn't trust Mom was going to work all those nights. He had told me after he had drunk a few beers alone on her birthday and she was late coming back from her shift. I said I didn't think she was either, she always smelt different when she came home.

This time, she when she spoke- she hissed.

"I knew I should have fucking stayed with Roman."

"Say that again bitch. Go on. I dare you."

"I knew I should have-"

She didn't finish.

There was an animalistic screech, higher than any other one I had heard in my life, followed by a colossal bang. I could hear another glass shatter.

I ran through, full speed in my frog pyjamas. And collided into my father's legs which stood by the kitchen doorway.

I felt a warm, wet hand pat down on my head.

"Don't worry," He hushed. "Daddy'll fix this, pumpkin-pie."

When I peeked around the side of his legs, I saw a river flow through on the floor. It was the same colour as Elmo's fur.

I screamed, Daddy started to cry.

In the background, voices sang-

"Can you tell me how to get,

How to get to Sesame Street...

How to get to Sesame Street

How to get to... "