The chocolate cake

The Chocolate Cake

I remember the day when I was very small and I was in the house on my
own and it was my brother's birthday. I wandered round the house
searching for something to do. I tried to watch TV but there was
nothing on. I was bored so I went into the kitchen to get something to
eat, like crisps or something. As I went into the kitchen doorway I saw
the most wonderful sight I had ever seen, my brother's chocolate
birthday cake. I could not take my eyes off the cake as I went into the
kitchen. I just stared at all the layers of chocolate. I only meant to
take a bit of the cream with my finger but from that first taste I was
hooked. I loved the way the chocolate cream melted in my mouth. I
thought I would only start with one slice, I didn't think of what my
parents or my brother would say - like I said, I was hooked. All I
could care about at that wonderful moment was how wonderful this slice
tasted and I thought how I would love to have another slice of this
best cake in the world. As I came to the end of the slice I thought,
'Why not be a pig and have another slice?' - so I did.

As the cake went on each slice tasted more wonderful than the last. As
I got to the last slice, came guilt - it began to sink in that I had
just pigged out on my brother's birthday cake. 'What have I done?' I
thought.

I thought I might as well finish the cake, I was going to be in trouble
anyway. I didn't even taste the last slice, I just got up really
quickly and put the empty plate to the back of the fridge. I hoped my
mum would not find out but of course, would a whole cake just
disappear? Then I heard a key turn in the keyhole; I dashed into the
lounge and switched the TV on. My mum came into the lounge and said,
'What have you been doing when I was out?'
'Watching TV Mum,' I said without turning my face away from the TV and
then my whole body went stiff as my mum went into the kitchen. And then
I heard, 'Stephen! Have you eaten the cake? Come here now.'
I slowly walked into the kitchen. 'No Mum,' I said. 'What's that round
your mouth? Is that chocolate?'

Oops! I should have washed my face really shouldn't I?

Steve Pemberton