The Catapult

The word of the day from https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/author/talesfromthemindofkristian/ is catapult.

As the ball catapulted into the air James ducked behind the fence, it wasn’t meant to go in that direction at all. It flew towards the window, and he froze. What was he going to say to his mum? He promised he wouldn’t use his catapult again, after smashing a vase indoors.

He thought it was going to be okay outdoors, and he was actually aiming for the tin cans.

An old man opened the door, and looked to his broken window.

James stood up, and faced up to his actions. Either way his mum would be furious, but at least this way, she might let him keep his toy.

‘It was me, I didn’t mean to do it honest . . .’

‘Come over here boy.’

‘I can’t, Mummy said I shouldn’t speak to strangers.’

‘Your mum sounds very wise . . . what’s that you got in your hand?’

‘My catapult . . .’

‘I had one of those when I was a kid . . . broke a few windows with it myself.’

‘Are you going to tell my mum?’

‘I need to, but I will say it were an accident, and you didn’t mean to.’

James watched, as his front door opened. His mum didn’t even have to be outside to know what he was up to. She looked to the old man, and the window, and folded her arms.

‘It’s okay Mrs Darwin, your boy weren’t being any problem. It were an accident, and he was very polite and apologised. I’m insured, so no harm done.’

‘I’ve told him not to play with that thing!’

‘I remember you at the same age, and that catapult looks very similar to the one that broke my window twenty-two years ago.’

He wasn’t sure, but his mum had a hint of a smile on her face; she didn’t even take away his catapult. All he had to do, is mow the lawn, and promise to go to the back of the garden when he used his toy.