I Hate Mondays!!! by Angel Rushton

Junior Short Story Entry

Chapter One

Week four, year three

Hello! In case you haven't noticed, it's the start of week four in my grade three class at Olivia State Primary School. That's right, you guessed it, it's Monday! And as you may have also guessed, I, Catherin Jane Johnson, hate Mondays. Last Monday, I was late for school, missed the bus to school, got one out of fifty on my maths test, someone put flies on my sandwich and I ate it, went to sleep in science and got a detention for not listening, spilled my dinner on the floor, hit my head on the shower door - and my night-light wouldn't turn on! So as you can guess, Mondays aren't exactly what you'd call my best day. Oh well, I'd better get going now or I'll miss the bus (as usual)!
As Catherin stopped writing in her journal for the first time, she thought and wondered what would happen to her this Monday.
She jumped out of bed and put on her school uniform (white shirt and green skirt) - then she raced downstairs and poured a nice drink of water from the jug in the fridge.
"Bye Mum!" she called.
"B… wait! Catherin, you haven't brushed your hair!" called Mrs. Johnson as Catherin made for the door then hurried back inside, brushed her hair into a ponytail, grabbed her school hat, whacked it on her head and, for the second time that morning, walked out the front door where the sun beat happily onto her face.
"Maybe," she wondered, "today will be my very first Monday without, well except for forgetting to brush my hair, doing anything wrong!"
She spoke too soon. As she was strolling down the sidewalk, her school bus zoomed straight past Catherin, not daring to stop. Catherin's stroll quickly turned into a fast run, but she was already too late. The bus stopped a few yards ahead, some people stepped on, and then without waiting, it took off again, over the hill.
Knowing she'd been beaten, Catherin stopped running and sat down, panting like a dog. She was used to missing the bus, but still didn't enjoy getting in trouble for being late. And school started in three minutes!
At 9:30 a.m., sad Catherin strode into school. She knew what she was in for. Putting her bag on the port racks, she tried to walk silently into class. Catherin knew it was no use. After all, her teacher did have eyes!
"Catherin Jane Johnson!" exclaimed Mrs. Wedderburn.
"Oh boy!" thought Catherin. "I'm done for!"
"And what," carried on the teacher, "may I ask is your excuse this time?"
"Missed the bus," Catherin answered quietly.
"Speak up girl! I'm fifty-five. My hearing’s not that of a ten year old!"
"I MISSED THE BUS!"
"Don't you dare yell at me young lady! You'll be seeing me at eleven o'clock!" replied Mrs.
Wedderburn.

The whole class broke out in unstoppable laughter and Catherin hung her head, hands over her eyes, and cried.
I hate Mondays! she thought. I hate, hate, hate them!Catherin sat through Maths, English and Journals before it was finally lunch time.
"My goodness!" exclaimed Mrs. Wedderburn. "It's lunch time already! Stand quietly and push your chairs in. Out you go."
Everyone stood up and made for the door, including Catherin, who crouched low so that her teacher wouldn't recognise her and forget to punish her.
"Except you Catherin!"
Catherin walked slowly back to her desk and grabbed her chair. Then she placed it down on the other side of the teacher’s desk and plonked herself down onto it.
"Why were you late?" asked Mrs. Wedderburn simply but firmly.
"I missed the …" Catherin began.
"School bus," finished her teacher. "Oh but of course you did. How silly of me. Catherin, I've had enough of every Monday you telling me that you missed the bus. Now darling, I know you're not telling me the truth, for no human being could possibly miss the bus that many times. So tell me, what really happened?"
Catherin was angry! She was fed up with her teacher not believing her. She knew she'd missed the bus but how could she explain this to her stupid teacher?
"Well, what do you want me to say? My dog ate my homework and I had to stay back and fish it out of his throat? Newsflash! I don't have a dog! Or maybe you'd like to hear that aliens took me to Mars and I had to fly all the way back? I'm not that kind of person! I don't lie! I'm tired of being told I'm lying, I'm not! I missed the bus ok?"
Catherin said all this in one breath, so she sat there, breathing heavy.
Mrs. Wedderburn seemed dumbstruck at how fiery this eight year old girl could be, so she just said, "Report to the office!" and Catherin threw her chair at her desk and slammed the door behind her. Then she made her way down the hall and up the stairs until she reached the top and knocked on the big brass door.
"Come in," said a soft voice.
Catherin didn't exactly 'like' Mr Shelp, but put it this way, she'd rather have him for a principal than Mrs. Wedderburn! At least if you got into trouble he wouldn't raise his voice.
Catherin swung the huge door open and it smashed right into a bookshelf. The bookshelf banged to the floor and books tumbled everywhere. Catherin winced. But surprisingly, Mr Shelp laughed.
" Whoops!" he chuckled. "My fault! I stacked those books in the wrong place, didn't I?"
Catherin smiled. This guy was just a big kid!
"Come over and take a seat," smiled Mr Shelp, and Catherin walked over and sat down. "What's happened?"
"Well, apparently I'm lying because I said I missed the bus, but I'm not. I really did miss it," replied Catherin.
"And I'm sure you did. But as I remember, you've told us the same thing for the past four weeks, and on the same day - Monday. And so I ask, why?"
"Because I do! I'm just so unlucky on Mondays and don't ask why cause I don't know. If I did, I'd do something about it. Now just give me a detention," said, or sort of screamed, Catherin.
"If you wish," replied the principal and he handed her a pink detention slip.
"I hate Mondays!" said Catherin.

Chapter Two

The Detention

As Catherin walked down the flight of stairs she'd come up, she looked at her pink detention slip. It read:
Catherin Jane Johnson
50 lines
"I will not be late for school"
First Break
That means, she thought - that I have to go straight to the office.
And so she did. She worked her way along corridors and halls before finally arriving outside the office where two ladies and a man were typing on computers.
"Excuse me?" Catherin asked quietly.
One of the ladies swung her chair closer. "How can I help you?", she asked.
"I have this detention slip," Catherin explained and the woman took it from her, scanned it then said, " Oh dear Miss Johnson, not late for school again are we?" She dived under the bench and came up with 'The Lines Book' which was a large book children wrote their lines in so that the office could keep records of how many times people are called to the office.
"You probably already know this, but I'm supposed to tell you, so what you do is turn to a clean page, write your name and class, then begin writing your lines and when they're done you give this back to me. You ready to go?" asked the office lady.
"Yes, thank you," Catherin said taking the huge book in her hands.
She sat outside the office writing 'I will not be late for school' over and over again. As she did this, Catherin thought about her family at home and wondered what they were doing. She stopped writing her thirteenth line in the middle of 'late' and walked over to the window and looked down upon all the happy children playing on the oval - and she wondered. She wondered about how it would feel to have a normal life, what it would be like not to have to worry every Monday about the trouble she knew she'd be in for and what it'd be like to actually have a friend.
She pondered over this for ages and it wasn't until someone walked past that she realised that she had work to do. And so she sat back down, writing neatly but quickly.
"I...will...not...be...late...for...school...I...will…," she said this very quietly, nearly whispering to herself so as to keep up a fast writing pace but soon again she'd forgotten about her writing and she just sat there pencil in hand and put her head on the wall behind her. Then she closed her eyes and fell asleep. Catherin started seeing fuzzy shapes appearing in her mind. She was dreaming. She saw herself sitting under the big oak tree in the backyard doing her homework. She was just about to work out the answer to fifteen plus six when her mother called her for a late lunch. She closed her book, left it there in the shade and went inside for a snack.
She ate plenty of eggs and tomato. Then she had a glass of water to wash it down.
Catherin's mother asked if she had anything important to do and Catherin remembered her homework she'd left outside under the tree, so she raced outside to get it.
When she arrived outside, Catherin bent down to pick up her homework, and felt a little tap on her leg. Catherin swung around, but couldn't see anyone.
"Down here," said a voice.
Catherin looked down until she saw a tiny man about the height of a large bucket standing next to her feet.
"What are you?" Catherin asked him.
"More importantly, who am I? I am a little servant who helps poor people, such as yourself, with their problems."
"But I don't have any problems!"
"Mondays. You have always hated Monday and so Monday hates you, so therefore I am here to see to it that you and Monday make a special bond called friendship - so if us three can work together to help each other, then Mondays will no longer be a problem for you!"
"I don't get it?"
The little man slapped a hand to his forehead.
"Ok," he said. "You don't like Monday. Monday doesn't like you. I like everyone. Me and this little package," he explained. " will help you and Monday like each other. Now take it, take it..."
The bell sounded and woke Catherin from her dream.
Oh no! she thought. I haven't finished my lines!
She walked inside the office and told this to the office lady, who said she could do it in her spare time, which really meant 'keep it till you're done'.
Catherin was walking back to the office when she slipped on a peanut butter sandwich and went colliding with the wall.
"I hate Mondays!"
"Catherin, I can't believe you! You mean to tell me that all lunchtime you sat outside the office doing nothing at all? Well tell me, what were you doing? Dreaming?"
Catherin hung her head in shame as Mrs. Wedderburn yelled at her. And she couldn't blame her. After all, she had done nothing. She had only gotten time to do twenty-two sentences.
That means, she did the sum in her head. I still have twenty-eight to go.
"You'll just have to do them at afternoon tea," concluded Mrs. Wedderburn.
"I hate Mondays!" said Catherin.

Chapter Three

The Funny Man

What a peculiar dream I had today, and at such a strange time! I wonder what it means? Mum says everything has a meaning to it and a reason why it happened! I shall tell her about it and see what she thinks, said Catherin to herself on her way home from school that day.
She was walking home all by herself, as she had no friends to go with her and she enjoyed having no one there to interrupt her thoughts.
Today she thought about that funny little man in her dream outside the office.
I wonder who he is, she thought.
"Hi sweetie! How was your day at school?" asked Catherin’s mother as Catherin walked in the front door. She was cooking delicious smelling eggs from their chickens in the backyard.
"Yeah, it was alright. Apart from the fact I got a detention, but even my detention was fun today ‘cause I had this awesome dream! It started when I was under the big oak tree outside..." Catherin told her mother the whole dream, word for word. She told her mother about the funny man she'd seen and about the small package she was meant to take to make her and Monday good friends. When she'd finished she asked her mother what it might mean.
"Maybe it means that if you follow the rules of life, all bad things will go away!" answered her mother.
"Maybe..."
"Maybe you should do your homework young lady! I'll call you when the food is ready," concluded Mrs. Johnson.
"Ok! I'll do it under the big oak tree, just like the dream!" said Catherin excitedly.
She walked outside, with her homework book, and sat next to the root she had sat next to in her dream. Then she just sat there puzzling out the sums.
"Nine plus three equals...twelve. Nine plus eight equals...seventeen. Nine plus five equals...fourteen. Six plus twelve equals...eighteen. Six plus fifteen equals..."
"Catherin! Eggs are ready!" The call of her mother put a stop to Catherin's thoughts and she stood up and left her homework lying where she had been just seconds ago.
"Oh yum, Mum!" exclaimed Catherin when she saw the steaming pile of scrambled eggs and the grilled tomatoes sitting on the table. Catherin quickly set the table, stacking plates, knives and forks around the food. Then she sat down in her chair and started digging at the huge mound of eggs steaming in front of her.
After eating plenty of eggs and tomatoes, Catherin remembered her homework she'd left outside and raced to get it. As she bent down to pick it up, Catherin felt a light tap on her leg.
She looked all around but Catherin could not see a living soul anywhere.
"Down here," said a voice.
Catherin looked down and down until her eyes fell upon a funny little man. He was about the height of a large bucket and quite plump with a round tummy. He wore brown long pants and a green shirt. His blue eyes suited his rosy cheeks and on his head he wore a beautiful red hat with blue stars.
"What are you?" asked Catherin.
"More importantly, who am I? I am a little servant who helps people such as yourself with their problems!" answered the gnome looking creature.
"But I don't have any problems!" protested Catherin.
"Mondays. You have always hated Monday and so Monday hates you, so therefore I am here to see to it that you and Monday make a special bond called friendship. So if us three can work together to help each other, Mondays will no longer be a problem for you."
"I don't get it?"
The funny little man slapped one of his podgy little hands to his forehead.
"Ok," he explained. "You don't like Monday. Monday doesn't like you. I like…" He was cut off mid sentence. Catherin remembered the dream and said. "Everyone. You and the little package in your pocket will help me and Monday to like each other. But who is Monday?"
"Monday you will meet if you follow my instructions. Take this package and every Monday do exactly as it says. If not, Monday will take away anything that means anything to you. Now take it, take it," the small man commanded.
"Thank you. But what does it do?"
But Catherin realised the question would not be answered, for the funny little man had disappeared!

Chapter Four

The Magic Package

Catherin was speechless. First he gave her this lumpy package, then he just disappeared.
"Well that's manners for you!" said Catherin angrily. She went inside and told her mother about it.
"Catherin, you were probably just dreaming again," said Mrs. Johnson.
"But I wasn't and I will prove it!" protested Catherin.
"OK, show me."
"This little package!"
"Darling, that little package is a clump of leaves from the backyard."
"Is not!" yelled Catherin and ran up to her room before her mother could yell back at her.
Catherin sat up on her bed looking intently at the small package she held in her hands. It did look like a lumpy squashed up pile of leaves. But it wasn't - for Catherin would soon find out the powers it contained.
After enduring four good days at school and the weekend, Catherin woke up early on Monday morning and reached for her book on the bedside table. She couldn't find it. So Catherin sat up and looked for it. An amazing sight met her eyes. Sitting on her bedside table was a little creature reading her book. He, she, it - just sat there reading away. "Excuse me, but that's my book, and if you don't mind, I would like to read it!" said Catherin angrily. The little thing closed the book, stood up and put its hand on its hips. "SIT STRAIGHT. RAISE YOUR CHIN A LITTLE. GET DRESSED. BRUSH YOUR TEETH. DO YOUR HAIR. USE MANNERS. PACK YOUR BAG AND TAKE ME IN YOUR HANDS!" commanded the little thing and without waiting for the little girl's answer, rolled up into the little package it had been before.
Catherin was shocked. He (for she could tell from his voice that he was male) had such a commanding voice and so strong for someone about the size of a hairbrush. And remembering the little man's words, how could she do exactly as he says – I mean, how could she possibly remember all those instructions when he had talked so fast and nearly burst her eardrums with his loudness.
"Excuse me," she asked him gently. "But would you please unroll and tell me each instruction separately and say them a little softer?"
The little ball sprung open, startling Catherin, and said the first instruction very clearly, "Sit straight!" Catherin sat as straight as her back would let her and pulled her shoulders back.
"Raise your chin a little," he said.
Catherin stuck her chin in the air.
"Get dressed."
Keeping a good posture, Catherin walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out her uniform. Then she threw off her pyjamas and put her uniform on.
"Brush your teeth."
Catherin walked over to her bathroom, brushed her teeth, then she walked out of her bathroom and stood next to the little man.
"Do your hair."
"I can't."
"Turn around and kneel in front of me. Before you do that, grab a few hair ties."
Catherin did as he said. She could feel him grabbing her hair, brushing it, which was quite amazing for he was no bigger than the brush itself! Then he plaited it and put a hair tie in the end. To finish off, he twirled the plait into a bun and tucked in all the small hairs. When she sensed he was finished, Catherin stood up and turned around ready for the next instruction.
"Use manners."
"Thank you for doing my hair."
"Pack your bag and take me downstairs with you."
Catherin had packed her bag the night before, but still needed her lunch so she picked up the little man and her bag and walked downstairs. This little man felt so clean and not at all as squishy as he looked. He had a nice soft surface that felt like a baby’s skin.
When she got downstairs, Catherin set the little man down on the bench and headed for the fridge. In her mind, something told her to get seeded bread, ham, lettuce, a knife, tiny teddies, two carrots and four cherry tomatoes. So she did and she placed the ingredients on the bench where her lunch box waited to be filled.
As soon as Catherin set the food down, the little man started chopping, making, slicing and packaging. When he was finished, Catherin was left with a fresh and healthy lunch. She put it in her bag, just as her Mum walked down the stairs. The little man rolled into a ball and jumped into Catherin's pocket.
"You're early today!" said her Mum looking at her watch, which read 8.30 a.m. "If you leave now, you'll catch the 8.45 bus and make it to school on time."
"I know! Bye Mum!" said Catherin and she walked out the door.
At 8.42, Catherin was sitting on the bus stop seat waiting for the school bus to come and at exactly 8.45, it did. Catherin stepped onto the bus.
"I love Mondays!" she said.

Chapter Five

A Good Monday!

The bus felt good and air-conditioned compared to the summers hot winds outside. She sat down in a seat near the window but in the shade and looked out.
The bus started and zoomed along the street, but this time Catherin didn't mind 'cause she was on it.
"Keep your back straight. Shoulders pulled back. If you need help, ask me with your manners and I'll help you. Unless you're talking to me, don't speak in class - unless you’re allowed to. Chew with your mouth closed and try to say something nice to your teachers and classmates," instructed the little man.
"Of course, but am I allowed to ask you a question?" queried Catherin.
"Go ahead."
"What is your name?"
"Well, my original name is Freckles, but you can call me Lumpy. That's my nickname and what everyone else calls me," answered Lumpy. "And yours?"
"Catherin Jane Johnson, but for short, Catherin, or Cathy," said Catherin.
"Wow! Catherin Jane Johnson, hey? You humans are so weird. You have all these different nicknames and then a first, last and middle name as well. We Lumpets have only three names in all of our kind. Three for ladies and three for men. And only one nickname in all of our kind. The ladies’ names are either Mariet, Lumpia, or Aleevia. And the men’s are Freckles, Chakarat, or Limp. The only nickname is Lumpy," babbled Lumpy. Catherin had been listening.
"We only have so many different names, so if we look like someone else, we can be told apart. How do you know who is who?" she asked.
"By the number and type of lumps we have on our back. We're not called Lumpets for nothing you know!"
Just as Catherin was about to open her mouth to ask how many lumps Lumpy had, the bus pulled up outside the school and she decided she would ask him later, for he, once again, rolled up into a Lumpy ball and jumped into her pocket.
Today Catherin's seat wasn't empty and at 9.05 the teacher marked the roll.
"Angela."
"Here."
"Brittany."
"Here."
"Caitlin."
"Here."
"Catherin."
"Here, Mrs. Wedderburn."
The whole class went silent and turned to face Catherin. Catherine felt her whole face boil up and go a deep red.
"Catherin! It's wonderful to see you here so early and looking so stunningly beautiful!" exclaimed Mrs. Wedderburn with a happy grin.
Beautiful? Catherin thought. Is she talking to me? And her face went even redder.
A whistle came from the back of the classroom. It had come from the class clown, Jeffery.
If Catherin's face could have gone any redder it would have, but her face already looked like the cherry tomatoes in her lunch box.
The teacher finished doing the role, then she handed out pieces of paper for an English comprehension test.
Oh no, thought Catherin. I only got one on my Maths test, but then she remembered Lumpy in her pocket and felt reassured.
After forty-five minutes of hard work and a little help from Lumpy, Catherin handed in her test. There were sixty questions and Catherin was hoping to get at least forty right. The class brain, Angela, would probably get them all right.
All the children bustled over one another in their haste to get to their bags first, so they could go to lunch.
"Catherin! Can you come here please?" asked Mrs. Wedderburn over the noise of the children.
"Sure," said Catherin, going over to her.
"We have a new girl in the class today. Here name is Jacqueline, so I was wondering if you would look after her and show her around a bit."
"Yes. I'd love to, and by the way, I love your earrings, Mrs. Wedderburn!" exclaimed Catherin pointing at the feathered earrings hanging on Mrs. Wedderburn's ears.
"Oh, thank you dear. Now this is Jacqueline. Jacqueline, this is Catherin. She's going to show you around school today." A shy girl with big brown eyes and long blonde hair stepped out from behind Mrs. Wedderburn. She was wearing the school uniform and white knee-high socks with black velcro shoes. She looked as though her skin had just been polished and that her fingernails had just had a manicure. At first Catherin was a little jealous of Jacqueline's beauty, but then she thought that this girl might be her very first friend.
Jacqueline followed Catherin out to her bag. Catherin squatted down to get out her lunch box and hat. When she turned around Jacqueline was not there, but at her own bag getting out her hat.
"Where's your lunch?" Catherin asked her. Jacqueline stared at the ground as though it might tell her.
"Don't you have any?" asked Catherin. Jacqueline, still looking at the ground, shook her head.
"Do you have any money for tuckshop?" Jacqueline shook her head again.
"Are you hungry?" Jacqueline nodded.
"That's OK! You can share my lunch," Catherin said. As they were walking toward the eating area, Catherin noticed that she was just a touch taller than Jacqueline.
As they sat down on the bench to eat Catherin's lunch, a couple of girls standing in front of them started whispering and pointing at Jacqueline. Jacqueline must have noticed this because she looked away, straight into Catherin's eyes. As all this happened, Catherin had been setting her lunch up on the seat. "How about we halve everything?" Catherin asked. Jacqueline nodded, so Catherin put two cherry tomatoes, one carrot, half her sandwich and the whole packet of tiny teddies into the serviettes she had packed. She handed it to Jacqueline, who peered inside the bundle, then she said the first thing Catherin had heard her say in a sweet, soft voice. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," answered Catherin cheerfully. They sat munching away at Catherin's sandwich for some time, before a teacher told them they could go and play.
"Where do you want to play?" asked Catherin.
"What can we play?" asked Jacqueline. Wow! thought Catherin, she's talking to me.
"Well we could play tiggy on the oval, or …"
"Tag, YOUR IT!" screamed Jacqueline and ran off towards the oval. Catherin threw her lunch box near where her class lined up and ran after her.
Just before the bell had rung, Catherin and Jacqueline had washed their hands and faces in the girls’ toilets, then they had lined up as partners and sat straight, ready to get their English results.
"Come class," demanded Mrs. Wedderburn. The whole class stood up and walked into the classroom where their results lay on their desks. Catherin hurried over to her desk to look at hers. It read, 60 - 60. Catherin was speechless. She had gotten top marks.
"Now when I call your name, please tell me your results. Angela!"
"Fifty-two," answered Angela happily.
"Brittany."
"Forty-three."
"Caitlin."
"Forty-eight."
"Catherin."
"Sixty." Once again, as Catherin spoke out loud in class for the second time that day, the whole class went silent, and then to Catherin's surprise, a loud applause broke out in the classroom. They were all cheering for her 'cause she was the first person to have beaten Angela in the whole year. Yes! thought Catherin, maybe I'll get some more friends. Catherin's ears pricked up at the sound of Jacqueline's name being called out by Mrs. Wedderburn.
"Twenty-one," she answered quietly. The whole class laughed at Jacqueline and insults were being thrown at her from all sides of the classroom - just because she had got a bad mark. When the teacher did nothing, Catherin got angry. She wasn't going to let them humiliate her friend.
"Shut up!" Catherin called out. It was then that the teacher jumped into action.
"Yes, be quiet please," she said. The whole class went extremely silent and Mrs. Wedderburn carried on collecting results.
That day when Catherin opened the door to her house, she was all smiles. Her face lit up like a kerosene lamp as she stepped into the lounge where her mother sat reading last week’s newspaper.
"Hey sweetie. How was school today?" asked Mrs. Johnson.
"Amazing!" exclaimed Catherin. "I had the best Monday ever. I got top marks and beat Angela on my English test with sixty out of sixty. I made friends with this new girl called Jacqueline and the teacher told me I was 'stunningly beautiful'. So, yes, I had a very, very good day."
"Well that's lovely darling. I'd better start on dinner, or else we'll all be hungry." Catherin's Mum finished off their conversation, put down the newspaper, and headed for the kitchen. Catherin walked up the stairs to do her homework, but I guess it was really so she could talk to Lumpy

Chapter Six

Three Good Friends

"Lumpy," said Catherin that night as he lay on her dressing table.
"Yes?" he answered.
"You can come and lie with me if you want."
"OK." Lumpy sleepily walked into Catherin's bed and it was then that Catherin could go to sleep, for she knew that someone was there watching over her.
It was Saturday morning and at 7.30 a.m. Catherin was already up writing nice things about her class members and teacher, of which she would put into their desks on Monday. When she'd finished, she took out another piece of paper and wrote a thank you letter to the little man with the funny hat. It said:

To A Dear Friend,

Do you remember me? I'm the little girl Catherin who you gave that parcel to a while ago! Remember how I didn't get it? Well, now I do. Lumpy has helped me a lot and it's all thanks to you. So thanks for giving him to me. Its really changed my life.

Love Catherine

Then she drew a little stick man with a pointy hat on the page opposite. "That should do it," said Catherin when she'd finished. She took an envelope from her desk drawer, folded her letter and slotted it inside. Then she sat and waited for Lumpy to wake up, so as he could tell her the address of this weird guy. Catherin would then post it - but when Catherin turned around, the envelope she'd put the letter in had the word ‘OPEN’ printed in capital letters on the front. Did I do that? Catherin asked herself. She remembered that she hadn't, so she tore open the envelope. Inside was another hand made card, but this writing was certainly not Catherin's. She read:

Dear Catherin,

Thank you for your lovely letter. I don't get many thankyou’s for what I do. Please don't be surprised at what happens to your letters when you write to me. It is our way of communication. If you have any questions, just write them down and they will come straight to me. Do you really want to be my friend? I would love to be yours. You seem like a very nice, intelligent girl.

Bye!

Love Frend

P.S. My name is Frend, in case you were wondering.

Cool, thought Catherin. I wish humans could talk like this. She was just putting away the letter when Lumpy woke up.
"Wow, it's already 8.00," he said sleepily. Then Lumpy opened his mouth and let out a huge yawn.
"Guess what?" Catherin tested him.
"Tell me."
"I made a friend yesterday and she's coming over today."
"That's great. What's her name?" questioned Lumpy.
"Jacqueline"
"Excellent. How about you and your Mum make those chocolate chip biscuits, for when she arrives" suggested Lumpy.
"Good Idea! I'll go get Mum," Catherin said enthusiastically. She ran across the hall and jumped onto her Mother's bed yelling, "Wake up, Wake up." Catherin's Mum looked up at her with blurry eyes.
"Why? Jacqueline isn't due here for another forty-five minutes," she said sleepily.
"Because we have to make your chocolate chip biscuits for her," answered Catherin.
"Who's idea was it?"
"Lumpy's."
"Who in the world is Lumpy?"
"I'll ask if he wants to see you. If not, you will never know," said Catherin excitedly. She ran back to her room where Lumpy waited. Can I show you to Mum?" Catherin asked.
"No! Even if you did, she wouldn't see me because she doesn't have enough imagination left to be able to see me in my life form. To her, I would be a mere brown parcel. And anyway, I am not to be seen by anyone but you. Now, how about the biscuits?"
"She said ‘yeah’," answered Catherin a little disappointed. She looked at her clock on the wall. Thirty-five minutes left!!!" and with that she ran back to her Mother's room.
Jacqueline arrived seven minutes late, by which time the biscuits were cooked and ready to be eaten.
"Sorry I'm late Mrs. Johnson," Jacqueline said as she walked in the door. Within seconds of getting the ingredients out of the fridge and the pantry, it had started to rain, but now the rain had turned into a big storm, so Jacqueline was wet and cold, even though she wore a raincoat. Catherin went upstairs and fetched a clean bath towel for her and wrapped her friend up in it. They both sat by the fireplace toasting marshmallows and munching on biscuits, and Jacqueline was soon nice and warm.
"What do you want to do?" asked Catherin.
"We could play a game in your room, if we're allowed," suggested Jacqueline.
"OK, but hang on, I have to move something first." Catherin quickly went upstairs, not wanting to keep her friend waiting too long. When she arrived at her bedroom door, she went inside. "Lumpy, I have to move you. Jacqueline’s coming up here," she told him hurriedly. He didn't answer but just jumped into her desk drawer. That's when Catherin noticed the piece of paper lying on her desk. She picked it up. It said:

Monday is waiting for you at the big evergreen tree in the middle of the forest. Bring Lumpy.

Frend

Chapter Seven

Meeting Monday

Next Monday, Catherin got up really early, at 5.30 a.m. sharp. She wanted her Mum to think that she had gone to school, when really she'd be meeting Monday. She packed food and water in her lunch box and took it upstairs. Then she put clothing on the bottom of a large bag and the lunch box on the top. When Lumpy swore he knew how to make a tent out of trees and bark, she zipped up the bag, put it on her back and walked out the door, Lumpy riding on her shoulder.
"We have to go to this special spot. If we go there, a shuttle will take us to the evergreen tree," said Lumpy. "I know where it is, so it won't take long - follow my directions."
"Left, two, three, four. Here we are. STOP!" Catherin stopped moving at once. Nothing happened. Then all of a sudden, the ground started trembling, and the grass under Catherin's feet gave way. Her and Lumpy were suspended in mid air for a few seconds before they went down the hole. "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" Catherin screamed.
"Wheeeeeeeeee!" Lumpy said excitedly. They fell for two long minutes before - THUD! They landed in something. It was all dark. Then a light turned on, then another and another and so on. Catherin could finally look at her surroundings. Yuck! She was in a dirt tunnel surrounded by millions upon millions of - insects! This was like a bug city. There were stores selling dung for flies and others selling rock jewellery for ladies. Catherin couldn't believe what she was seeing, but she was even more astonished when an elephant beetle came up and asked if she would like to buy a bracelet made out of the finest, most shiny rocks ever to be found. These bugs were not only ten times their regular size, but they could speak - English!
It was then that Catherin got a good look at what she was in. It was a big wooden shuttle, the shape of a rectangular prism with the lid taken off. The shuttle started up and shot off along the tunnel faster than any car could go.
They had to make a few stops to get petrol (which was actually mud) and Catherin used that time to eat and drink. "I guess you didn't need to know how to make a tent Lumpy. We'll be there in no time the way we're going!"
Catherin was right. In the space of about three hours they had zoomed underground to the middle of the forest where the evergreen tree was located. The shuttle shuddered. Then it sent Catherin and Lumpy zooming up, up, up towards what Catherin thought was a solid roof of dirt and grass, but just as she thought that she would be flattened on the roof, it opened up and Catherin and Lumpy went straight through it and landed with a thud on the ground beside the hole. When Catherin looked up, she expected to see a beautiful tree with gorgeous green leaves, dazzling in the sunshine. Instead she saw a big, ancient tree with dull green leaves and absolutely no sunshine whatsoever. It seemed Lumpy expected nothing more or less than what was in front of them and simply said, "Let's go inside."
Catherin walked inside a door located on the back of the tree and into the huge trunk. When she got inside, Catherin realized she was in a room. A circular room. She was standing on a rug in the very centre of this room. To her left was a wooden table with a vase of roses in the middle. Behind her was the door she came in and in front of her was a staircase. Catherin made for this staircase.

"I wouldn't go up there if I were you," advised a voice.
Catherin spun around. She had forgotten to look to her right. If she had, she would have seen a girl a few years older than herself, lounging in a grey chair. This girl had huge brown eyes, which made her look very cute, and red lips. Her hair was blonde with a tinge of red through it and it reached her waist. She wore a short purple dress with an 'M' on the chest. She had long slender legs that ended with feet wrapped in sparkly gold shoes.
"Are you Monday?" asked Catherin.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. You are Catherin Jane Johnson," she told Catherin.
"I know," Catherin said stupidly, but she was entranced by Monday's beauty.
"You have come seeking freedom from bad Mondays, have you not?" asked Monday.
"Yes, you see I have this …" started Catherin, but Lumpy had already hopped off her shoulder and was making his way across the room to Monday.
"Lumpy, my old friend! How have you been? Have you been helping this young girl out?" asked Monday when she saw the tiny lump approaching her.
"I've been watching you closely Catherin," she carried on. I've noticed all the nice things you've been doing on my day of the week. Now how would you like to be friends?"
"I'd love to!"
"You can, so long as you swear and promise that you will never say you hate Mondays ever again. Now do you promise?" asked Monday.
"Cross my heart and hope to die," answered Catherin.
"Very well," said Monday and she walked over to Catherin and put both of her hands onto the young girls shoulders, then she said as though she were reading it out of a book:

"May you be happy on Monday,
May you be happy always!
May Mondays be a better day,
May all bad Mondays go away!"

Catherin could feel the power surging through her body. She felt a tingling sensation and closed her eyes, then Monday let go - and when she opened her eyes, Catherin was in her bedroom at home, at 5.30 a.m.!

Chapter Eight

Lumpy Leaves

Catherin thought that she might have dreamt the whole charade, but when she really thought about it, she knew in her heart that as it had all happened in the space of such a short time, it was not recorded on a watch or clock. It was as though time had frozen.
Catherin got up off her bed and went downstairs to see what Lumpy was up to. When she got downstairs, Catherin saw Lumpy making her lunch for school and she remembered the nice notes she had written for her classmates and teacher. So she trudged back upstairs and threw on her uniform, then, having learned from Lumpy, she did her hair in a neat ponytail. She picked up the notes, wrapped them in a rubber band and put them in the side pocket of her bag. Picking up her bag, she walked downstairs, by which time Lumpy had already finished making her lunch. She took it off him, put it in her bag, zipped up her bag, grabbed an apple and sat down at the table to eat it. By the time she had finished the apple, it was 6.00 a.m. That meant she had two hours and forty-five minutes left before she had to leave.
What should I do? she asked herself, chucking her apple core in the bin.
"I have something to tell you," said Lumpy. "You know, I don't stay with the people I help out forever. It's come time for me to leave and go back to Monday. But I've really liked working with you. Can we be friends?"
"Of course!" said Catherin, her eyes brimming with tears. She had liked having Lumpy around. At least she hadn't been so lonely. "Can we still see each other sometimes?"
"Yes! And you can bring your friend Jacqueline to meet me if you want. She's allowed to see me now that I've finished my job. So how about on the last Monday of the holidays, I'll take you and your friend Jacqueline to Monday's house for a get together. Oh, and Frend will come too! Now I will walk you to the bus stop and then....you know," explained Lumpy.
Catherin looked at the clock on the wall. It said 8.30 a.m.
"What? Lumpy, did you just speed time up?" Lumpy gave her a guilty grin. "Oh well, at least I don't have to wait around here," said Catherin looking on the bright side. She picked up her schoolbag and Lumpy, then she walked out the door.
"Make sure you write!" Catherin told Lumpy as the school bus pulled up.
"I will," answered Lumpy. Catherin picked up the tiny blob and embraced him in a hug.
"Bye Lumpy."
"Bye Catherin."
Catherin stepped onto the bus and walked to the back where she saw a little brown ball rolling away towards the forest.
Catherin had asked her teacher if she could hand out the notes before class started and she had only just enough time before the children came streaming in the door.
They all sat down and picked up the pieces of paper lying on their desks. Suddenly, Justin, looking up from his note, put his hand up. "Miss, do I really have a cool hairstyle?" he asked.
From then till 11 o'clock, children were coming up to Catherin asking if she meant what she had written on the notes.
From then on, Catherin had all the friends one person could have, but she always looked forward to meeting her three best friends, Monday, Lumpy and Frend.
And as she sat on her bed and crossed another Monday off her calendar, she sighed. She had to wait a whole week before another Monday would occur.
"It's a shame," she said. "I just can't get enough of them. I LOVE MONDAYS!"