The days had become dark and lonely in the Orphanage for Wayward Monsters.
Days and weeks went by in which no new monsters were born........
The Headmistress was very unwell. She spent whole days in bed . She didn't smile or laugh. The monsters were very concerned and they didn't know what to do.
"Oh dear Headmistress , won't you get out of bed today? " the monsters pleaded. " You could make a new monster , a little brother or sister for us to play with"
"I'm sorry I can't do it today" replied the Headmistress . " Now please , leave me alone."
" But what is the matter?" the little monsters asked her. " Are you sick? Are you hurt?"
" Yes , my loves , in a way." the Headmistress replied . " I have a broken heart."
" Which piece is Heart? " Giovanni asked . " Is it this piece?"
" Or this piece?" asked Saburo. The monsters didn't know which part was her heart. To them it seemed that their Headmistress had so very many strange parts on her body.
" No , darlings. My heart is an inside piece , you can't see it" replied the Headmistress. " Now please , let me go back to sleep , my heart is in terrible pain , and I need to dream to forget it."
The monsters thought a lot about the broken piece called heart that their Headmistress had. They loved her so dearly and wanted to help her , like she had helped them all the times they had broken parts. They wondered to themselves what she would do.
" Maybe she needs some more stuffing , and that would explain why she is lying so flat all the time , too" offered Giovanni.
" Or maybe we could stitch it up with a needle and thread , like Headmistress did for Saburo when his ear fell off last month , remember?" Said Raccaroo
And so the monsters devised a plan to help their Headmistress fix the broken piece...
Saburo helped Raccaroo load his pouch with threads and needles and pair of yellow handled scissors from the Headmistress' sewing desk.
And together they dragged the heavy bag of stuffing out of the sewing room and into the bedroom....
And just as the monsters where about to cut her open to repair the broken piece of their beloved Headmistress....
She awoke! " My goodness monsters! , what on Earth are you doing?!" exclaimed the Headmistress.
"We wanted to help you sew up the broken heart piece" said Giovanni. " We wanted to help you the way you have always helped us."
" Because we love you so , and we feel so sad when you cry." Whispered Saburo , who was starting to get a little teary-eyed . In fact , they all were getting a bit weepy , the Headmistress included.
" Oh my loves." cried the Headmistress , scooping the monsters into her arms . " That is the most thoughtful and wonderful thing you could do. And you know what ? It's helping . Just that little act has helped to sew up my broken heart piece a small bit ." she wept as she hugged them. " I am so grateful to have the love of my monsters , and please , don't be sad. Right now I cry , but I won't always , not forever. Soon we will laugh and smile again , I promise. And in the meantime , I'm going to really try and make more monsters , no more sleeping all day."
And that is how they carried onward , little steps at a time , together.
