Sugar tiptoes along the brick path at the side of her house. The light from her phone shining dully to check for any trip hazards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hope that idiot dog from next door isn\u2019t out doing his business, she thinks. He should be minding his own business, not doing it, yeah. Sugar almost chuckles at her lame joke. Exhaustion and a bit too much cider are making her easily amused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But any amusement is immediately caught short by a deep \u201cWhooo whoo whooo\u201d from the other side of the fence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFuck off you dumb ugly stupid dog,\u201d she hisses through the fence. Unafraid of insults, the dumb dog keeps on barking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sugar speeds up along the dark path and reaches the side gate. She swears under her breath that somebody, i.e. Dad the Security Enforcer, has bolted it from the inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s with the intense security here?\u201d she thinks, not for the first time. Her dad is obsessed with locking doors, gates, windows and anything that could be locked. \u201cAs if we have anything worth stealing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Strengthened by an urgency to get inside before being discovered, she hauls herself onto the high gate. She looks for a soft landing to break her fall and avoid the sound of her boots hitting the path and takes aim for the flower garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is her first mistake. No, that\u2019s not true, it’s just one of the many mistakes she\u2019s made that night. The night that is quickly turning into morning and an almost certain bellowing and \u201cconse-fuckin-quences\u201d from her father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She crawls out of \u201cThe Euphorbia Bed\u201d, as her mother insists on calling it, with a bad posh English accent. A bit panicked because she realises she has trashed the ever so special \u201cEuphorbia Bed\u201d, she tries to tidy up the broken stems and hides some of the stems and flower heads under her shirt. \u201cWhat the hell! I thought they looked soft, not snappy and breaky. Stupid plants!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thankfully, Mr Security hadn\u2019t noticed the sliding door leading to the nothing room that is ridiculously known as The Den. \u201cNot a den,\u201d Sugar thinks as she slides the door across, quietly grateful for the stupid forgotten room, that she had left unlocked when she snuck out earlier that night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without changing her clothes, she pulls off her boots and quickly hops into bed and falls fast asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSugar, Sugar, Sugar, Shoooo Garrrrr!\u201d She wonders how many times her younger sister had been calling her name. She feels a bit delirious but puts it down to lack of sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat is it Penny? Can\u2019t it wait, I\u2019m really tired.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to Aunty Jen\u2019s remember! Come on, everyone\u2019s ready except you. Mom said get your bathers and towel and hurry up!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sugar strips off her clothes from last night and the flowers and stems of the euphorbia fall to the floor. She almost screams out loud when she sees the thick red welts all over her chest and abdomen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The minute she sees the swelling, she feels the pain and the itching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat the actual hell!\u201d She cries out loud. \u201cWhat the?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vague memories of her mother talking endlessly about \u201cThe Euphorbia Bed\u201d start to trickle back to her mushy brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t ever pick these, ok? Be really careful not to get the sap on you. As lovely as these Euphorbias are, they have a nasty toxic sap inside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The itching intensifies again as Sugar realises what she has done. Looking in the mirror she sees it\u2019s not just her torso, but arms, legs, hands and neck all have angry itchy red welts and blisters on them from her exploits in The Euphorbia Bed.\u2028<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAre you ready yet?\u201d squeaks Penny from the other side of her door. \u201cWhat are you yelling about? Can\u2019t you find your bathers?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bathers? Oh shitty shit shit! Far out! Why today? I can\u2019t wear bathers today? I can\u2019t go swimming in Aunty Jen\u2019s new pool like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sugar moves from her bather drawer to her sports drawer. Pulls out a pair of yoga pants and a long sleeved top. Checking the mirror again, she sees a blurry image of herself with bright red stripes around her neck. She grabs a silk scarf to wrap around her neck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFarrrr… out!\u201d She screams involuntarily as she runs into the side of her bed, banging her shin on the metal frame and stubbing three toes on the wooden leg. \u201cGeez I must be more hungover than I thought,\u201d she thinks. \u201cI can barely see where I\u2019m going!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She looks back to the mirror and is horrified to see her eyes puffy and red, with tiny slits where her eyeballs used to be. \u201cGood god! Oh my god, oh my god, what the actual?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSugar? Are you ok?\u201d It\u2019s her damned little sister again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFuck off Penny!\u201d She hisses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAwwww. I\u2019m telling mum! No. I\u2019m telling DAD!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo! Penny, Pen, no. I\u2019m sorry. I lost my temper. Sorry munchkin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s going on Sugar?\u201d Penny wiggles the door handle, and bangs on the door. \u201cLet me in you idiot!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLet me in!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, farrr\u2026 go away pleeeeease.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere until you let me in!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sugar scratches her arms, chest and face. Her eyes are really stinging. She wipes away tears, even though she doesn\u2019t remember crying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sighing heavily she unlocks her bedroom door. Putting her finger up to her lips, she quickly pulls Penny into the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking at the puffy red face of her older sister, \u201cOh,\u201d was all Penny could say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes, OH!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat happened to you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI accidentally fell into mum’s \u201cEuphorbia Bed\u201d. Despite her pain, Sugar manages to pull off a good imitation of her mother\u2019s exaggerated English accent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you know that is toxic?\u201d Penny\u2019s eyes are wide as she slowly shakes her head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, well I do now, obviously, Britney!\u201d Sugar spits out from increasingly swelling lips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGlasses, you need sunglasses. The bigger the better. And you definitely don\u2019t need any lip gloss,\u201d Penny offers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGirls! What\u2019s the hold up? We need to go. Aunty Jen wants us there early because the boys have to go to a basketball party in the afternoon,\u201d Mum yells from down the passage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One last look in the mirror and Sugar dons sunglasses and a floppy hat, and in a token gesture, grabs a towel from the cupboard in the hallway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh hello Marta Hari.\u201d Says mum, with a smile on her face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know what you are talking about old woman.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo need to be like that. I was just making a joke. Marta Hari was a famous spy from the war.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m not a spy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo. Of course not.\u201d Mum sighs. Sometimes you have to pick your battles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the driveway Dad beeps the horn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They all pile into the car in a tumble of bags, towels, spare bags, spare towels, floaty toys, umbrellas and more bags of sunscreen, water and snacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaree, I\u2019m sure your sister has water if we need it,\u201d says Dad calmly, giving Mum a pat on the knee and a wink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI know. It\u2019s just for the car ride,\u201d says Mum, shrugging her shoulders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After final inventory is called they set off for the forty minute drive to Aunty Jen\u2019s house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the back seat of the car, Penny nudges Sugar every time she starts to scratch herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dad stretches his neck as he looks in the mirror, wanting to see what\u2019s going on in the back seat, rather than behind the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAre you two ok?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Come quick replies from the back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re as red as a beetroot Sugar! Why are you wearing so many clothes if you\u2019re hot?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBeetroots are more of a maroon colour,\u201d answers Sugar, hoping to deflect the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHmm. Now that you mention it, you are a kind of maroon colour.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mum swings around from the passenger seat and has a proper look at Sugar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTake off those glasses!\u201d She demands. Sugar slowly removes the oversized sunnies to reveal her swollen red eyes. Alarm shows on her mother\u2019s face, as she looks from one daughter to the other. Then fixes on Penny\u2019s eyes enquiringly knowing the younger girl would be the first to break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSugar accidentally fell into the euphorbia bed and now she\u2019s covered in red blisters and her eyes are red and she\u2019s really itchy and I think she needs to go to the doctor because euphorbia are really toxic, and she might even go BLIND!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Penny heaves a massive sigh, letting out the anxiety she\u2019d been holding onto in a state of cognitive dissonance. If she only knew what that meant it would make a whole lot of sense of the confusion she was feeling right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dad looks into the mirror again, but this time to check the road behind. He swerves across three lanes of traffic and leaves the freeway to head to the nearest hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mum tells Penny to put some towels on Sugar\u2019s lap and to help her flush her eyes using the water bottles. Mum can\u2019t help sneaking a sideways glance at Dad, who returns a worried smile and pats Mum on the knee again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luckily, triage in the Emergency Department is relatively swift. Being mid morning, enough time has passed after the Friday night overdoses and fights, and too early for the Saturday sporting injuries. Sugar is led panting and scratching into a shower room. By now she can\u2019t see more than vague shapes directly in front of her face. The water on her body feels like pin pricks from a thousand hedgehogs. Sugar lets the nurse irrigate her eyes, for way longer than she thinks necessary, without complaining. Her usual cockiness has been severely reined in with the realisation of how close she\u2019s come to more serious injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aunty Jen\u2019s inaugural pool party is postponed and finally Sugar is released from the emergency room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe\u2019s a very silly girl. But a lucky one,\u201d says the scowling nurse, as she gives instructions to Mum on further care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the way home no-one says a word for a good fifteen minutes. Just as they turn down their street, Mum can\u2019t hold back any longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSugar, what the hell! Why didn\u2019t you tell me darling? Why were you trying to hide this? Don\u2019t you know you could\u2019ve been permanently blinded by euphorbia sap? Wh\u2026 wh\u2026 why? Whoo oh, oh, why didn\u2019t you tell me?\u201d Then she breaks down and sobs uncontrollably as she tries to hold Sugar\u2019s hand from her seat at the front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI thought you\u2019d be mad that I ruined your plants,\u201d says Sugar quietly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou mean the You-For-Bee-Ahhhh Bed,\u201d Penny pipes up dramatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They all throw Penny glowering looks, until they see her beaming face and the car erupts in relieved laughter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sugar tiptoes along the brick path at the side of her house. The light from her phone shining dully to check for any trip hazards. …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3726,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"{title}\n\n{excerpt}\n\n{url}","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[421,9,419,420,418,380],"class_list":["post-3725","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-allergies","tag-amanda-gambas","tag-euphorbia","tag-fiction","tag-sugar","tag-ya"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/sff1uY-sugar","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":883,"url":"https:\/\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/?p=883","url_meta":{"origin":3725,"position":0},"title":"Chickens!","author":"Amanda Gambas","date":"May 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The chickens free range as nature intended. There\u2019s a professionally built fenced area around the backyard, designed to keep a very springy Springer Spaniel in. But even with clipped flight feathers, the girls still find ways to wander further. They explore the one acre block we live on, and then\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mountain Life"","block_context":{"text":"Mountain Life","link":"https:\/\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dani-millington-J6EpY43_1jg-unsplash-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dani-millington-J6EpY43_1jg-unsplash-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dani-millington-J6EpY43_1jg-unsplash-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dani-millington-J6EpY43_1jg-unsplash-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dani-millington-J6EpY43_1jg-unsplash-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/dani-millington-J6EpY43_1jg-unsplash-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3588,"url":"https:\/\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/?p=3588","url_meta":{"origin":3725,"position":1},"title":"Acts of Love","author":"Mountain Ash Chapter","date":"June 13, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Paris drew onthe thousand shipsand burned the ancient world But Itake a coinfor the trolley Looking for bananasjust betweengreen and yellow Read the sugar contentof yoghurtDo you really need those Gumboots it's stillsummerand something small for lunchboxes PUT THOSECHIPS DOWNyou say you like capsicum But you never eat itAnd yes,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"https:\/\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/?cat=19"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/franki-chamaki-ivfp_yxZuYQ-unsplash-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/franki-chamaki-ivfp_yxZuYQ-unsplash-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/franki-chamaki-ivfp_yxZuYQ-unsplash-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/franki-chamaki-ivfp_yxZuYQ-unsplash-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/franki-chamaki-ivfp_yxZuYQ-unsplash-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/franki-chamaki-ivfp_yxZuYQ-unsplash-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4469,"url":"https:\/\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/?p=4469","url_meta":{"origin":3725,"position":2},"title":"The Funeral Celebrant","author":"Judie Mitchell","date":"May 10, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The funeral celebrant He didn\u2019t know him, of courseThe deceasedInstead he stitched together\u00a0a homespunCloth of many huesA wifely tale or twoA child\u2019s distant memoriesA mate\u2019s amusing anecdote He didn\u2019t know him, the deceasedWasn\u2019t privy to inside infoCouldn\u2019t know the fault linesOf a flawed and fractured life. He wasn\u2019t told the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Poetry"","block_context":{"text":"Poetry","link":"https:\/\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/?cat=19"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AdobeStock_631587878_Preview-e1715341211269.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AdobeStock_631587878_Preview-e1715341211269.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AdobeStock_631587878_Preview-e1715341211269.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4430,"url":"https:\/\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/?p=4430","url_meta":{"origin":3725,"position":3},"title":"Reach","author":"Kel White","date":"April 26, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Watching a dog play frisbee. Delete. Milkshakes and fried chicken with friends. Delete. Toilet breaks \u2026\u00a0fourteen\u00a0incidents!? Good lord! Delete. I lean back in my chair and rub my eyes. I\u2019m 29 hours through the 48 hours of footage I need to sweep. At 6 times speed it only takes 8\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Stories"","block_context":{"text":"Stories","link":"https:\/\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/?cat=5"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/annie-spratt-QckxruozjRg-unsplash-e1714115217856.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/annie-spratt-QckxruozjRg-unsplash-e1714115217856.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/annie-spratt-QckxruozjRg-unsplash-e1714115217856.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2115,"url":"https:\/\/mountainashchapter.com.au\/?p=2115","url_meta":{"origin":3725,"position":4},"title":"Baked Ricotta Cheesecake","author":"Kylie Eklund-Denman","date":"August 16, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"A majority of the years that I worked in a professional kitchen were spent in the dessert section. Which was ironic, as I'm not really a sweet tooth. Or maybe I was, but quickly got over tasting everything I made? 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