Level Three. New One, the Scream and the Bee.

Level Three – New One, the Scream and the Bee.

By Michelle Lloyd.

New One was happy that it was the weekend, finally he had a whole two days off school.  He had enjoyed his experience of starting school but he had to admit that there were an awful lot of rules to get used to in that one building.

As New One walked down the hall from his brightly painted bedroom, thoughts of breakfast, games, what to do with the day… all filled his mind but it was as he got to the top of the stairs that he heard something blood curdling.  It was horrific!  It was bad, it was scary and it was Dad’s scream.

New One stopped for a second.  It was not a sound he often heard.  His Dad was tough, he was brave and he was not someone who screamed at anything.  What could have happened?  New One approached the stairs with trepidation.  He had to admit something for the second time that day and that was that he was a little apprehensive of the situation.

About to descend the staircase at full speed, New One paused, he recalled the warning his Mother was always giving him about running and stairs not being a good pairing.  No running on the stairs, for if you are not aware, one skip, one tumble or one little trip could leave you ill, in pain or more than a little too sick.  New One hadn’t liked the sound of any of that and so he heeded his Mother’s advice.  Despite the scream he would not be seen to be running on the stairs.  He made his way down those stairs on that Saturday morning like an expert at well… getting down stairs, he did it with style, with caution and with fear in his heart for what had made his Dad scream like that.

On having got downstairs New One walked straight into a bit of morning madness.  His Dad did not look happy at all.  Red faced, and yes New One on closer inspection could see a tear streaming down his cheek, his angry expression was in place and he was holding out his thumb in a very odd way.  New One thought his Dad looked like one of those people who in a film had their thumb stuck out because they were trying to call for a Taxi but New One did not think that was an appropriate time to comment about that.

Morning was said to New One but all he was concerned about was what had gone on without him.  ‘Are you crying?’  He asked his Dad with concern and startled curiosity.

No and yes were the responses which came from both Dad and Mum.  The No was from Dad and the yes was from Mum.  ‘I am not crying.’  New One’s Dad was adamant.

‘No, you are being very brave.’  New One’s Mum said to his Dad but she did not sound like she meant it.

On seeing New One’s look of anxiety his Mum smiled and explained.  The door had been left open for a minute that morning and a bee had flown in.  Dad had decided to do his Insect Expert bit and get rid of it but it turned around and stung him instead.

New One didn’t like the sound of it at all and he told his Mum he didn’t think he could see any point to bees, all they did was go around buzzing and stinging people.  ‘See.’  New One’s Mum said to his Dad sternly.  ‘Look you’ve gone and given him the wrong impression.  I think you’ll find New One that there are more to bees than meets the eye.’  His Mum took him into the kitchen where she sat him down and explained that the much loved bottle he usually always selected straight away for breakfast, to spread on his sandwiches and had in his smoothies was a gift from insects which were just the same as the little Bee that had visited them that morning.

‘A lot of those same Bees make honey.’  New One’s Mum told him and gave his Dad a pointed look.  ‘Actually they do not sting people unless they feel threatened.  Amongst insects they are one of the hardest workers, collecting nectar from flowers, busily preparing, storing honey and looking after their Queen.  In fact, Bees are able to contribute to a lot of the things we as humans rely on and as an insect they have extremely tough, difficult lives in which they are very productive and they just don’t like it when noisy, hulking Dads chase them about.’

New One couldn’t blame them for that and as he watched his Mum prepare his honey laden breakfast for him he realised that he had been a bit too hard on the poor Bee, anything that could do so many good things and make honey couldn’t be that bad.  Plus he knew that if his Dad had been chasing him about in one of his I’m the expert in this situation modes then a sting was probably only in the bee’s defence.  New One’s thoughts ran wild and he could imagine all the bees in his mind serving and protecting their Queen.  It was with his thoughts in full Technicolor that he could almost see the little buzzing creatures working away, busily preparing honey and he got tired just thinking about it all.  New One thought about it and came to the idea that it was not such a bad thing not to make quick judgements about things because if you took the time to learn something new then it could alter your decision about it entirely.