breakthrough

Tyler was a happy child. One of two, he had a baby sister, Louise, whom he adored.


Only four years old but wherever he went he lit up everything around him. He only had to smile and everyone melted. And chatter! Once he started talking there was no stopping him. When he sang his nursery rhymes he charmed the birds from the trees.


Then one day in a cruel act of fate, their mother was tragically lost in an accident.


Louise was too young to realise what had happened. But it was as if a dark cloud had descended over Tyler. Gone was the smile. No more the singing and no more talking. Those big blue eyes were now a shadowy grey, his pink cheeks drained of colour and he just sat looking around unable to comprehend what had happened.

And so it went on.

He existed in a silent world of his own, devoid of emotion and seemingly unaware of time passing by. Five years old, then six and seven. Try as they may nobody could burst his bubble of loneliness.

It was his eighth birthday. The family gathered around, as they had in previous years not knowing what was going through his mind. His sister, now a young lady of six, was in her prettiest dress. The candles on his cake flickered and burned, but just as everyone expected he showed no interest at all. So it fell to his sister to blow them out and make a wish for him. But as she leant forward the pink ribbons dangling from her hair fell amongst the flames and in a split second they caught light.This was when the breakthrough came. Tyler leapt from his seat a tugged the burning ribbons from his sister’s hair. He flung his arms around her and called out her name.


He started speaking, very softly at first and only to himself, and then his eyes filled with tears as he began his journey back into the world he left all those years ago.


Today, several years later it’s as if nothing had happened. No harm seems to have befallen him as a result of all those years of silence. Once again he is the centre of attention – the life and soul of the party.


Tyler is back!