The hurt hedgehog

“What is this?” I asked myself, with my heart in my mouth.

I found a small, injured hedgehog behind my blue shed. As my head was spinning in confusion, I crept towards the poor little thing. One thing caught my sight… a purple mark on the hedgehogs foot. I thought it was something to do with the injury; I was wrong. With no ideas in my mind, I wondered what I should do with it. Should I leave her in my garden? or should I give it care and support?

I made my mind up and I thought it would take too long for the RSPCA to come, so thats why I took her into my pink bedroom. The hedgehog was as cold as an iceberg, but luckily I found a warm and cosy place for it to stay. I hid the freezing hedgehog under a basket of toys to keep it safe. Then I realised that I didn’t have any food for it to eat! I really didn’t know what to do. Suddenly my tummy was filled with butterflies because my dog was in my room sniffing for the suspect.

I was extremely anxious about my dog... but more about the hurt hedgehog!  I heard a voice coming from downstairs and it was my mum calling for dinner.

“Alice, Alice, it’s dinner time.”

I thought I can’t leave the poor little hedgehog, but I had to. With no hesitation, I quickly thought of a name for the injured hedgehog and I came up with Spark.

“Alice!” shouted my mum

“ Coming,” I replied.

As I went down for dinner, I could smell yummy spaghetti bolognese; I could also hear a chewing noise, but I knew it was my imagination.

After my delicious meal, I skipped joyfully into my room. But then my feelings changed because I went into what looked like pigs sty. I could hear my mum slowly walking up the patterned stairs.

“Oh no, what am I going to say to her?” I thought. My mums footsteps were getting louder and louder. Quickly, I ran back into my messy room but it was too late she had already walked in. I acted like nothing had happened (although I was full of anger inside). My mum was puzzled because my dog, Coco, would never do anything like that.

“What is this?” my mum asked with her hands on her head.

With no time to wait, I had to think of an excuse for what had happened.

“Coco did it.” Slowly my mum walked away. “Thank you for telling me darling,” replied my mum. I was so relieved that she wasn’t really angry. As I entered my room, I went over to feed Spark…he wasn’t there. With my heart pounding, I searched all round the house but he seemed to be nowhere. I didn’t want to ask my family if they had seen an injured hedgehog because that would just be awkward. So I went up and down the stairs trying to find the Spark.

 Then I turned around and she was hiding under a blanket. I was so relieved ( however I was extremely sad because I didn’t want leave it ). Should I call RSPCA? or should I let her free? The hedgehogs eyes

( which were as brown as chocolate ) were looking at me like she didn’t want the RSPCA to come. “ Darling, Cate is coming round!” called my mum from downstairs.

“Ok,” I replied. Not trying to be rude, I didn’t really want Cate to come round because I didn’t want her to find out about poor little Spark.

I couldn’t keep her: it’s too risky and not fair on Spark.

The time had come to make a really big decision. I didn’t have a choice. “Sorry Spark, it has to be done,” I had to say goodbye to her. Trying to stop my tears from flooding, I walked slowly into the garden with the prickly hedgehog in my dirty hands. I heard the loud doorbell ring and it was Cate. Cautiously, I released the hedgehog. I really didn’t  want

Spark to go but I knew I couldn’t keep her. With tears running down my

cheek,  I ran up to my bathroom, wipe my tears away and pretend that nothing had happened. Getting louder and louder as I went down the stairs,  the doorbell went again. As I opened the door,  thoughts were swimming round my mind thinking what Cate would say about my room…

Two years later...

One sunny morning I was playing on my trampoline and then one thing caught my sight the same purple mark on Spark. Peering at the hedgehog,  I realised that the hedgehog was Spark! I was so relived. She put her paw at me ( I think she was trying to say thank you )!  

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