The following passages were written by a 9th grader
The Landlady: How It Should Have Ended
Now the most peculiar thing occurred.
The big BED AND BREAKFAST sign
caught Billy’s eye in the most unusual
way. His eyes seemed to only be fixed
on the sign in a way that it kept reading
BED AND BREAKFAST, BED AND
BREAKFAST, BED AND BREAKFAST.
My goodness, Billy thought, I feel compelled
to go right into this Bed and Breakfast.
Billy dithered by the beautiful grass near
the window by the cozy fireplace, until
finally coming to a decision. He walked
right up to the bell and rested his finger
on it. The doorbell was warm to the touch,
as if it had a mini fireplace hidden inside
its frame. Billy was just about to ring it
when he stopped and turned around.
I’ll go try the Bell and Dragon, Billy thought. After all, if this place were truly better than the Bell and Dragon, it must have been rather well known. And I don’t recall the porter ever mentioning a Bed and Breakfast when I asked him. So Billy headed off in that brisk manner of his, determined to make this trip worthwhile. When Billy arrived at the Bell and Dragon, the familiar atmosphere of a pub greeted him.
There was music, drinks, and many young men playing darts and talking loudly. His bed was rather comfortable, too. And the price! The price was just unbelievable. Just imagine if I had stayed in that Bed and Breakfast, Billy thought to himself. I have heard stories about crazy landladies. They could have put illegal substances in my drinks for fun. Billy took a sip of his drink. Imagine if they tried to put poison in my drink, Billy joked to himself.
The Landlady’s Diary
Based off the Original Story by Roald Dahl
November 22, 1946
The boy Billy Weaver arrived today. Oh how lucky I was to have a boy arrive at my place after so long. And his name, oh, his name! Billy, Billy, what are the chances? My boy Billy, no longer around, lost in the war, has now returned to me. Christopher Mulholland was close in age to my Billy, but not good enough. And Gregory Temple’s body was similar to my Billy. But alas, my Billy was lost in the war. And who should come to my place a year later than another Billy? Billy Weaver, what a dear boy. I cannot stand losing anyone anymore. No one will ever leave me again. Not my dear Basil, or my lovely parrot. I cannot stand any more loss. And after all this time I have been thinking of Billy, how terrible it was for me when he died, I cannot let anyone who resembles him in any way leave me. I think I have suffered enough for my lifetime, and therefore Billy Wilikins will stay with me forever. I will have my son again, whole, perfectly preserved, so that no more sorrow will enter my life. I shall be happy, young, and content as I used to be. Billy Perkins will rest on the second floor, just as my Billy did. He will have Billy’s room, his possessions, and it will be as if the war had never happened. I will leave my Bed and Breakfast open for more men. I need to make sure anyone who resembles my beloved husband Joseph will stay with me forever, too. My dear Joseph, so foolish of him to also join the war, leaving his poor and frail wife to live by herself. No, it won’t be so again. When the time comes, and it will, the man who resembles Joseph the most will also come, and he will stay here forever and ever, and everything will be the way it was. Everything will be the way it was.