Six year old Alice is sitting at a plastic desk in a children's waiting room. The room is small, there is a table stage left at the back with some magazines and books on for benefit of the adults who normally accompany the children. There are posters around the room advertising positive mental health in children, and giving information on common learning difficulties.
There is a door to the right. On the door, it says "phyciatrist"
There is a small, blue plastic sand pit stage right at the back, with scarcely enough sand in it to make a castle.
Alice is colouring a picture. She is hugging a brown teddybear in one arm. Alice is wearing a pink dress up fairy dress and a Tiara. She looks at the bear in her arm.
Look at me Teddy. I am a princess, and you are my Prince.
Alice puts the bear on the desk and stands up to give a swirl. She then picks up the bear and kisses him on the nose.
Did you know, Mark gave it to me. You like Mark, don't you? So do I.
Alice leans closer to the bear, as if he is talking
It's okay, I don't like the woman at all. Don't know her name. She said I could call her mum if I want to. She says her baby is my brother. I show him how his toys work. Babies don't really know what to do.
Mark plays games with me sometimes. Older children's games. Games the baby can't play. But it isn't the same as the games Daddy used to play with me. I miss "Nopoly. Do you "member when Daddy was teaching me to play? He said I was really good at it. Mummy always ruined it though. She got mad if we left her out. But she got mad if she lost too. She always got mad. She slapped me one day, teddy, because I was beating her. She called me a cheater. But daddy said "Off to bed. Mummy and me need to have a chat." They yelled all night.
I have to see this strange woman. She is a doctor. But teddy, I am not sick, am I? Last time I saw her, she wanted me to talk about that day.
They took daddy away. She said I am safe now, but I was already safe. I miss my daddy (Alice wipes her eyes on her sleeve)
It's okay though, because he is only in jail. I have a get out of jail card. (Alice waves card from her pocket). I know it is cheating, but he can use it. Then he can come home.
Alice goes over to the Sandbox and builds a Castle
Did I tell you about the new school? No? These boys were being mean to me. And then this boy said "Your mum hates you because you are living with a fake Family"
Alice then knocks down her castle she just built.
So I hit him. "My Mum"s dead' I yelled, and I hit him again. (Pause) (Excitedly) Then he started crying. (Alice laughs) Serves him right.
Then Miss Russell grabbed hold of me. She's the Head Teacher. She held me like mummy used to hold to stop me running away when she hurt me. Daddy held mummy like that sometimes when he punished her. He only did it when his demons were out.
That is what mummy used to say. She would say "run along to bed now Alice, Daddy"s demons are out'. He stank. I don't think the demons are bad. Mummy always deserved it. Like on that day. She was hurting me. I wasn't scared though.
I know it was the Demons that is why my mummys dead. I know. And soon everyone will know, and he will come home and everything will be okay. I can't wait.
