Wild Katy

Sorry I haven't written for a while.

Something has happened that I have to tell you about.

I'm in serious trouble this time.

It all started two days ago.

Every weekend, we sneak next door,

making sure Mrs Burton doesn't see us.

Behind her shed is our secret garden.

OK. Hi.

Ready? OK, you'll see.

Remember, no princesses.

Once upon a time, there was a family of trolls, and one day...

VOICEOVER: OK, so here's an update,

because I can't remember what I told you last time.

Cecy is my neighbour and best friend.

The trolls decided to open a hairdressing salon

where they all tried different hairstyles.

But the problem was, that trolls don't have any thumbs.

VOICEOVER: Clover, you know, the best sister you can ever wish for.

So they couldn't use the scissors.

But then...

-But then...

-VOICEOVER: Phil is my half brother, he's five,

he loves nothing more in the world than stories.

A huge lion came in. Argh!

And the lion could do magic and,

and the lion was purple and green and he bit all the trolls legs off!

Philip, don't get your horrible spit all over the torch.

VOICEOVER: Elsie is my stepsister.

Izzie had her before she met Dad, she's always moaning,

getting me and Clover into trouble.

Next, the trolls and the magic purple and green lion

looked over to see a beautiful princess wearing a beautiful dress.

Elsie, we said no princesses.

Why can't there be a princess?

Because you always talk about princesses.

And it's Katy's game, Katy's in charge, she makes all the rules.

I'm a princess!

OK, guys, stop.

Guys, guys...

ALL SCREAM AND LAUGH

I guess that brings me to Dad and Izzie.

She hates me and Clover because we're not her kids.

I don't know what he sees in her.

Sometimes, I wish that I could just fly away.

Katy.

How'd you climb so fast?

What are they fighting about this time?

Dunno, I've got a feeling they're going to break up soon.

-Hope so, anyway.

-Katy, you don't mean that.

Izzie's not that bad.

You wouldn't be thinking that if she was constantly having a go at you.

What's that?

It was our mum's locket before she died.

I got a ring, but it's too big for me right now.

It looks proper old.

It's nothing. VOICEOVER: Only it's not nothing, it's everything.

When it's next to my heart, the ticking is like mum saying, "I'm here,

"I'm here... I'm here, I'm here, Katy, I'm here."

So, Clover, did you know that Katie likes Ryan Harper?

-I don't.

-Katy, you never stop talking about him.

It's so disgusting.

VOICEOVER: It was the next day when the trouble really started.

Katy Clarke, if I don't see the whites of your eyes down here

this minute there'll be serious trouble.

-Oh, no.

-Now, Katy!

Wait. I forgot my maths book.

I have told you a hundred times to pack your bag the night before school, Katy Carr.

Your problem is you never listen.

Katy, isn't it swimming for Year Six today.

Oh, yeah.

Me and Clover are never late, Katy.

Well, Katy isn't going to be late any more,

because if she steps out of line one more time,

she is not going to the end of school prom.

VOICEOVER: Joke was on her, I didn't even want to go to the stupid prom.

Quiet, everyone, we'll be in in a minute.

He so likes you. And you like him.

-Hi, Ryan.

-Hey, Katy, I was just wondering,

are you going to the leavers prom on Friday?

Obviously, I mean, it's going to be awesome, so...

-Yeah.

-That's great.

I mean, that's great. See you there.

Did you not just see what happened? He asked you to the prom, you.

VOICEOVER: That's when I realised that I had to be good from now on.

I had to go to the prom.

Cecy, I need to copy your maths homework.

I forgot to do mine.

Please. Izzie will ground me if I mess up again this week.

Girls, everyone else is poolside and you two are still in here gossiping.

I want you out there, ASAP.

BOTH: Yes, miss!

Oh, no.

Katy Carr. Now!

Katy!

What is... That is not an appropriate costume for swimming lessons.

Go and get changed, please.

Will you be wearing that to the prom, Katy?

VOICEOVER: Eva Jenkins, perfect Eva Jenkins.

Nothing bad has ever happened to Eva Jenkins.

She always looks perfect.

She always looks so dry.

What have I told you all about pushing and shoving poolside?

All of you, get out, now.

It was horrible, I just fell in.

VOICEOVER: But then I remembered how annoying she is.

Not only that, I couldn't believe I got away with it.

Katy, Miss Robinson wants to see you.

Come in.

Miss Robinson, I know why I'm here, and before you say anything,

I'd like to apologise.

The only reason why I pushed Eva into the pool is because I felt

embarrassed about my costume.

I've been feeling terrible about it all day, and...

..I wish, I really wish I could take it back.

You did what?

I thought that what you called me hear.

I called you here because your maths homework is exactly the same as

Cecy's, and you've clearly been copying her work.

Not only are you caught copying homework,

but you're going around shoving other students into the pool.

Oh, do you think this is funny,

you're starting secondary school in a few months for heaven's sake,

they won't put up with this sort of behaviour there.

Right, go to your room until your dad gets home.

VOICEOVER: And that's the story of how I got into serious trouble.

I hate Izzie.

I don't care if she tries to ban me from the prom,

because I'll just run away.

-MAN:

-Katy. Come down here, please.

Why are we all here? Why are you being so weird?

-Izzie:

-We're just waiting for Katy.

Time for my telling off.

This day officially could not get any worse.

There she is now.

-What's going on?

-Sit down, please, Katy.

So, your dad and I have got something we need to tell you.

We're getting married!

YAY!

-Did it give you a surprise?

-Thank you. Yes, I'm sure it will be.

What are we going to eat?

-Is it going to be in a church?

-Yes, sure.

What about a beach?

A beach? It's going to be great, what do you think?

Yeah. Are we happy?

Can my friends come?

OK, so I was wrong.

It did get worse.

I am so excited to find you a pretty dress for your prom, well,

your dad thinks it's all ridiculous,

but then he doesn't understand us girls, do you know what I mean.

No, I literally have no idea what you mean,

I hate wearing dresses.

I'd turn up in jeans and a T-shirt if I could.

I know who would have got it.

Mum?

I know exactly where we should go, come on.

This is pretty.

OK.

What about...

Sophisticated.

Well, what do you suggest, then?

-How about this one?

-You can't wear that, it's so scruffy.

I told you, I don't like girlie clothes.

Well, I give up then, I'm just trying to help.

Just trying to be a good mother figure.

I wanted to say it, I needed to say it, to say, "Yeah, well,

"you're not my mum and you never will be."

But all that came out was...

Whatever.

Ooh! What about a compromise.

It'd look great under the disco lights.

I love it.

I really, really love it.

It's absolutely perfect.

-Why aren't you dancing?

-I don't know.

I guess no-one here's a charmer for me.

Katy Carr, looking resplendent tonight, as ever.

What does that even mean?

Do you want to dance?

# I came here for love

# For someone to hold me down

# I won't give it up

# No, I want you to reach out... #

So, it would be cool if we could meet up over the summer holidays.

Me and some of the guys are going to the skate park tomorrow, if you want to come.

I've got this family thing, but maybe.

OK, great.

-Where's my skateboard?

-I confiscated it when you built that ludicrous 12

foot ramp in the street and nearly broke your arm.

Well, unconfiscate it, I'm meeting some friends at the skate park.

Since when? We're supposed to be going swimming this afternoon.

Anyway, how will you thinking of getting there or getting back?

Well, I don't want to go swimming and I'm 11 years old,

I think I can make it to skate park on my own.

Well, it doesn't matter what you think,

you're not getting your skateboard back and you're not going,

-end of discussion.

-You see what I have to live with?

Cecy's mum lets her go into town on her own.

Well, I don't care what Izzie says, I'd like to see her try and stop me.

Cecy does go into town in her own all the time.

Well, she goes in with her mum.

But then she's allowed to go round all the shops on her own.

Look where you're going.

Get out the way! Stupid kid.

I can't believe this.

I can't believe this, we have told you,

over and over again not to leave the house without telling us.

We've been worried sick about you, you could have been hurt.

I didn't think about that.

That's because you don't listen, Katy, you never listen.

I broke mum's necklace.

Stop trying to change the subject.

I'm not. It's just, now it's broken forever.

It's not broken. It's...

The chain's snapped, we'll get you another one.

Hey, come on.

Do you ever think about her?

Of course I do.

I think about her all the time.

And I...

know it must be weird for you,

me and Izzie getting married but it's going to turn out great,

I promise you.

Well...

You're not coming swimming this afternoon, that's for sure.

Right, we're just going to phone Cecy's mum and tell her she's home.

I told you, I didn't even want to go swimming.

That's worked out well, then, because you're grounded,

not just for a couple of days, or a week, but until I say so.

Yeah, well...

And that's when the words finally found my tongue.

You're not my mum, you know, and you never will be.

Fine.

Up you get.

Have you got both bags?

Right. Let's go.

I can have fun on my own.

I can create a new game for myself,

a game set in a world where there is no Izzie and no Dad and no people

telling you what to do.

Maybe I'll be an astronaut, or a warrior,

or a superhero who can fly about like a hornet and smash people.

Smash Hornet!

WASP BUZZES

Woohoo!

Woohoo!

Whaaaa!

-You OK, love?

-Mrs Button, I'm Katy Carr from next door.

Oh, I know who you are, Katy, I watch you playing in here all the time.

Are you hurt?

I don't know.

Stay here. Stay still.

-I'll go and call for help.

-Wait, I don't want to get in trouble.

I'll be back as soon as I can.

I'm already in trouble.

-It's OK, Katy.

-Mum?

-I'll go get you something.

-Mum.

I saw mum. She looked so pretty.

That is not an appropriate costume for swimming lessons.

Will you be wearing that to the prom, Katy?

I thought you wanted to dance.

OK, Katy. Right, everything is going to be OK.

Mum. Why did mum go? I saw mum.

She looked so pretty.

OK, Katy, everything's going to be OK.

All right, hold on, hold on.

Damage in T8 and T9.

High and low clear from both scans and test.

The anaesthetist has just arrived.

Katy. You're in a special hospital. You're going to have an operation.

-Dr Carr, it's time.

-Right, OK, yeah.

Good morning, Katy Carr. How are you feeling?

-Are people mad at me?

-No darling no-one's mad at you.

-Can I get up?

-No.

At the moment your body needs to be still and rest, OK.

If you need me, if you need anything, you just shout nurse Jasmine and I'll be here.

Oh, your mum's here.

My mum?

Oh, that's not my mum.

How are you doing, soldier?

-What is happening?

-Er, well, you've hurt yourself, love.

You've had an operation where a surgeon called Mr Pearson has tried to

stabilise some of the bones in your back so it doesn't hurt as much.

When can we go home? I want to go home.

-I don't know.

-Why don't you know?

-You're a doctor.

-I'm not a back specialist, sweetheart.

I'm just a GP.

Hello Katy. I'm Mr Pearson, the guy who operated on your back.

I'm going to do a few little tests on you...

-I'll go and sort the kids out.

-All right.

-Thanks.

-I'll start by taking a look at your arms and legs, if that's OK.

But I thought you said it was my back that was hurt.

That's right but there's lots of little nerves that spread out

from your spinal cord into your arms and legs.

I'm going to see if they're working properly.

Can you close your eyes for me, Katy?

-Can you feel that?

-Of course I can. It tickles.

Good.

And what about that?

Yeah.

You're doing really well, Katy.

Can you feel anything now, Katy?

Yeah.

OK, try and keep still and keep your eyes closed.

Why have you stopped doing the tests?

Can you feel anything now?

No. Do it harder.

I'm just going to have a quick word with your dad, Katy.

I'm afraid the fracture....

INAUDIBLE

-I'm really sorry.

-Thank you.

So, um..

..the test results weren't good.

They didn't manage to fix all of the nerves in your back.

-And...

-Well, when will they be able to fix them?

At this stage they don't think that they can.

Well, they don't, they think that you're going to have to use a

wheelchair.

Mr Pearson's going to come back this afternoon to answer any questions...

But I just had a fall. It was nothing.

Well, I know it's going to take some time to sink in,

and I can't even imagine...

No. I will get better.

You don't know.

You just wait and see.

You just wait and see.

Oh, thank you. She's in here, come on.

-Katy.

-Hi, everyone.

How are you doing?

We've got presents for you.

-I can do it.

-Sorry.

It's a memory box of all your favourite things.

I put Mum's locket in there for you.

The chain was broken so we've put it on a piece of string for now

but Izzie says we can get a proper chain for it soon.

I made you a picture of all the things I'd buy

if I had more pocket money!

Phil wants to put skateboards on it.

But me and mum said it wouldn't be a good idea after what happened,

-didn't we, Mum?

-Yes, well, I said it wouldn't be very tactful.

-Sorry, Katy.

-I love it, Elsie.

-Well, I wonder what Phil's got for me!

-Fudge!

You're supposed to wait until she opens the box!

Fudge! My favourite. Wow.

Katy, Dad says you're going to be in a wheelchair.

Well, might have to be in a wheelchair for a while.

Not all the time. And then when I get stronger I won't have to be in one at all.

How would I give you lot piggybacks if I was stuck in a

-wheelchair?

-Yea!

-Bye, Katy. Bye, guys.

-Bye, guys. Bye.

Dad, look what I found.

There's this new research thing in America where they take the nerves

out of people's noses and inject them into their spines.

They could do that to me and I could learn to walk again.

Katy, I wanted to...

And there's this boy in the next ward,

and they're teaching him how to walk again too.

He can already stand up, and it's only been a month.

That boy probably has very different injuries to you, Katy.

This research is, is early stages stuff...

But you're not a back specialist.

You're just a GP. You said it yourself.

Katy, please.

No, I hate you.

Stop treating me like one of the little ones.

-Stop treating me like a little kid.

-Katy, for once in your life, listen.

Please, listen to me.

You're not going to be able to walk again.

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

I'm scared.

I know you are sweetheart, I know you are, OK, but I'm, I'm here.

We're going to get through together, I promise you.

OK. I'm here.

I'm here, I'm here.