Day 204: Mr Frost

Mr Frost
by
Matt Zurbo

 

Maggie was a little girl who hated winter.
(Girl, all rugged up, breathing frost, all we can see of her face is angry eyes.) 

“Go to bed,” Mum would say.
“But, Mum, Mr Frost will get me!” Maggie would reply.
“Nonsense!” Mum would roar.
(Mum and Maggie arguing by fire. Black and white tentacled object waiting upstairs.)

Maggie would cover herself in layers. But there Mr Frost would be, crawling under her door…
(Black and white patterned tentacles coming from under her door crack.)

“I hate the cold!” she would cry, and hide under her doona all night.
(Frost tentacles surrounding her bed.)

During the day it was even worse. Especially when the fire went out!
(Maggie watching from behind the couch as black and white patterned tentacles come down the chimney)

And the moment she stepped outside… Mr Frost was EVERYWHERE!
(Blob of black and white patterned tentacles surrounding Maggie as she walks on porch, rugged up, as stiff as an ironing board.)

At the playground!
(Several Mr Frosts, black and white patterns shaped like skinny devils, hiding badly behind playground equipment and trees. Maggie just standing there, all rugged up.)

He sat next to her on the old bus.

The school yard was just as bad!

Maggie tried turning all the heaters up to full. THE WORST MISTAKE EVER! Now, when the heaters weren’t on, Mr Frost just got bigger!
(Frost monster now 8ft tall while Maggie tried desperately to light fire.)

As winter went on, Mr Frost grew, and grew… AND GREW!
(Black and white patterned blob taking up all of left of page. Maggie looking scared over her shoulder as she walks.)

Finally, Maggie had had enough!
(Maggie, shouting at huge, startled Mr Frost!)
“I don’t like you, Mr Frost!” she cried. “Leave me alone!!”

And she pushed
(Pushing Mr Frost, who is squeezing out the door.)

and thrashed,
(Swinging arms at Frost tentacles.)

and chased Mr Frost….
(Mr Frost, not as big now, more a tall human, running from angry Maggie.)

And the more active Maggie was, the more she noticed,

(Maggie jumping up and down, waving fist at Mr Frost standing on branch in tree, trying to hide behind trunk. Mr Frost now as small as her.)

she wasn’t cold anymore!
(Maggie looking very proud, holding up a tiny Mr Frost between her thumb and finger.)

In fact… she had a new friend!
(Maggie and Mr Frost in snow covered playground, throwing snowballs at each other while laughing.)

Indeed, before long, Maggie became the ‘coolest’ kid on the block!
(Maggie and Mr Frost building snowmen, happy, while other kids, so rugged up they can’t move, or still behind windows of their warm houses, watch.)

 

 

The End