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Falling from Ladders single work   short story  
Issue Details: First known date: 2002... 2002 Falling from Ladders
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

Will, a boy on the autistic spectrum, spends time with a mysterious figure called Henry, who seems to be a figment of his imagination or a ghost: only Will can see and hear him. Henry alternates between offering support and reassurance to Will, and suddenly becoming enraged and verbally abusing Will. Will, overcome, starts self-harming by hitting his head against a wall. Henry suddenly changes again, saying he'd dozed off, shocked at what Will was doing. Will begs Henry not to leave him.

Later, Will lies to his mother and says he fell off a ladder. His mother doesn't seem to believe him and starts to cry.

Notes

  • Warning: Please be aware that this work may contain words, terms or descriptions which may be culturally sensitive and are considered inappropriate today, but which reflect the period in which it was written.

Affiliation Notes

  • Writing Disability in Australia:

    Type of disability Autism.
    Type of character Primary.
    Point of view First person (alternating).

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon Meanjin On Food and Drink vol. 61 no. 4 2002 Z994743 2002 periodical issue 2002 pg. 207-216
Last amended 4 May 2018 15:05:48
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