Helen Speaks

Introduction: https://helenspeaks.wordpress.com/2025/04/06/lucy-skylarks-magical-year/

Characters: https://helenspeaks.com/characters/

When Lucy met Suki (a talking bird!) https://helenspeaks.com/2025/04/06/lucy-skylark-entry-1-10th-march/

Dear Vera,

Oh, I feel like such a stupid, silly child. I’ve been here just over three weeks now and everything seemed fine but this morning Suki nudged me awake and said she thought she could hear something. I thought she was just being jumpy – she often is – but there was a mouse underneath my bed!

I was quite shocked to see it, and it stared at me and ran away, so probably just as scared! I decided to go tell Mrs Webfoot, and I thought I’d offer to pick up some of those humane traps from the shop.

She came up to look at my room and she stared at it a very long time and said, “This isn’t good enough, Lucy.”

I didn’t know what she meant. She looked so cross and disappointed and she was just looking at my room. I looked at it myself.

It was pretty messy, Vera. I didn’t think it was that bad but I noticed some crumbs from when I’d brought up a snack… and the plates too.

“Oh,” I said, trying to sound confident. “Mum always used to pick up the plates, and I thought you’d… you’d…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. It did sound so silly that I thought she’d tidy up after me. I took a deep breath. “I mean, I forgot to bring them down. I’m so sorry.”

“You’re a tenant of mine, Lucy. I like having you here, but you need to be responsible. What would your parents say if they saw the state this room is in?”

She looked at me, like she actually wanted me to answer that question.

“…That I should… should tidy it up.”

“I’ll check later,” she said. “There are supplies in the cupboard under the stairs. First of all, you’d better sweep up these crumbs.”

She left without a smile, and…

I started crying, Vera. I should’ve known better! I’m setting up on my own and I’m so ashamed that I let things go like that. Suki flapped around me for a bit, worried by the noise I was making, and I told her to get back to her eggs.

But once I’d dried my eyes and taken the plates down, and swept up, she chirped at me and I went over to her. “What was that strange noise you made?” she asked.

“That’s crying,” I said. “Humans do it when we’re sad.”

“Even Teddy?”

I looked to his case. He hadn’t come out today, yet. He doesn’t do mornings.

“I don’t know, since he’s a ghost.”

“And why were you sad?” Suki asked. “Were you scared of the mouse?”

“No, Suki… I was embarrassed. Ashamed. I thought my bedroom was all right but I hadn’t realised all the little chores I should have been doing. I’m supposed to be better than this.”

She looked around. “You humans do pick big nests, don’t you? And you stay in them so long. They must take a lot of work.”

“Yeah.”

“And even birds’ nests aren’t perfect at first! We have to learn. You’re barely a fledgling, Lucy.”

That helped a bit, Vera. I just feel so silly for thinking I’m so grown up. Last week I was healing magical breaches, this week I’m tidying my room! Still, I know where all the cleaning things are now, and Mrs Webfoot came in a bit later to show me how to do some of the cleaning and tidying I’d been neglecting. I am quite good at organising clothing now! She still seemed quite cross about the room and the mouse and I tried to keep it together, but it’s been a difficult day.

I think I’d rather deal with the Fae anyday!

Your friend,

Lucy.

Question: Have you ever had to deal with pests in your home?

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Next entry: https://helenspeaks.com/2025/04/06/lucy-skylark-entry-4-31th-march/

The next time Lucy gets into trouble with Mrs Webfoot: https://helenspeaks.com/2025/05/10/lucy-skylark-entry-13-10th-may/