Corky opened his eyes. 'MUM!' he cried as she bent over him and kissed him gently. 'Corky' she said smiling through her tears. He'd never seen her look so beautiful, not even in his imagination. A tall man in a white overall was standing at her side.
'You're a lucky chap' he said. 'No bones broken. Some nasty bruises though and you've had a shock but we'll look after you and you'll soon be running around again, but more carefully next time and no rescuing cats!' He smiled. Then he whispered something to his mother and went away.
Corky felt as if he had toothache all over. He stared at the unfamiliar ceiling. 'The birds. Mum! They've gone! And the sky! It's white and not gold any more. And my head feels all fuzzy. Where am I? Wot's 'appened?'
'You're going to be orl right love. You've 'ad a long sleep but you'll soon be 'ome again' she said reassuringly as she stroked his forehead. Then she told him what had happened and that he was in hospital.
' 'ow long 'ave I been 'ere then. Mum?' he asked.
'Since yesterday'
'And 'ave you been wiff me orl the time?'
'Yes Corky, of course I 'ave'
'You must be tired then'
"That don't matter. Nothing matters now, love; only you getting better' said his mother.
'Mum' he said, his eyes shining. 'I've been to THINK LAND. It's the most loverliest place you can imagine and I've got a whopping great secret to tell you - Dad's THERE and orl them buildings made of jewels and orl sparkling - well 'E planned than 'cos 'E's an architect now like wot 'e wanted to be. I'll see 'im one day and everyone's 'appy and there's no 'ospitals there 'cos nobody's ill and they're orl larfing. There's a Magic Spring wot changes people and the rock's all shining like Gran's pearl brooch and ......'
'Just a minute. Corky' his mother interrupted, as she could see he was getting over-excited. 'I don't want to stop you love. It sounds a wonderful dream you 'ad and I really want to 'ear orl about it, 'onest I do. But the doctor just told me that you must rest. So keep it orl in your mind a bit longer - eh. Then you can tell orl of us about it. The kids will be thrilled and I promise I'll LISTEN to every word! '
There was such sincerity in her voice. Corky felt reassured though very disappointed for he was longing to tell her everything. 'You really mean that don't you Mum about LISTENING?' She nodded.
'It was REAL you know. It wasn't a dream and there's nothing to be afraid of 'cos there's no fear and no darkness at orl in FINK LAND'. His eyes were shining. He seemed different somehow, his mother noticed. She didn't quite know what it was, but he seemed more mature and contented, although she realised he was in pain.
'Well I'll 'ave to go now. Corky. Goodness only knows wot I'll find when I get 'ome, but Auntie Glad will 'ave seen to things'.
'Don't worry Mum. Everyfing will be OK. Just FINK it will and it WILL, you'll see! That's wot they learnt me at school THERE. Give my love to everybody'. 'I'll come back this evening' she promised. 'Now you try to relax and stop thinking for once! ' Then picking up her bag she walked down the ward and through the door.
As Corky lay there, despite the ache he felt, he was strangely happy. 'Mum was wrong' he thought. 'You can't stop finking and I don't want to anyway'. So he went on imagining what it would be like to be home again. He'd see the kids and Auntie Glad and Gran. Above all, his Mum would be LISTENING when he told them all his adventures, because she'd promised. Then he'd visit Barney and tell him about the Art lesson and his picture. In fact. Corky decided what was REALLY going to happen would be even better than what he was imagining.
An attractive nurse with a lovely smile and green eyes appeared. She looked so like Miss Wise, he stared at her in amazement. She put down the tray she was carrying. 'Hello Corky!' she said. 'A penny for your thoughts. You were far away'.
'Yes, I was' he replied, 'but they're worth more than a penny. THOUGHTS is the most valuable fings in the world, 'cos everyfing comes from them. I KNOW' - and he said this with conviction. 'You see, I've been to FINK LAND'. He started to drink his milk.
Gorky's Mum hurried to the bus stop. Her tiredness had left her. She kept thinking about what he had said. Those birds he must have seen and the golden sky and that beautiful place wherever it was, where everybody was happy and there was no darkness nor fear.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden shower and everyone began to put up their umbrellas, grumbling about the weather and the long time they'd been queuing.
'Well', she thought, 'whatever dream Corky 'ad, 'e was in a better place than this! He said it wasn't a dream. Had he really been THERE where his DAD was!'
She was getting soaked. 'I wish this blessed bus would come' she thought impatiently. Then the rain stopped and the dark clouds lifted. She looked up at the sky. There was a most magnificent rainbow. 'COR! Never seen colours like them before. Wish Corky were 'ere. 'E'd be thrilled to see that! Makes you WONDER that does!'
