I was confused. It was my 7th birthday, me and my Dad had just got pizza and were walking through the Abigail Forest together, laughing and having fun. But then, Some random men had just come up to me and my Dad and started fighting him. My Dad was a master fighter, but he was being beaten. He grabbed my shoulders and hugged me tight, before whispering in my ear.
"Listen to me Hayleigh, on the count of 3, you run, okay? Listen, you have to keep running, no matter what you hear or see. Just keep running until you get back to your mum. Tell her Richy appeared, she'll know what it means okay. Now, 3......2.......1, NOW!"
I started running as fast as I could. This caused a disturbance as someone took a shot at me. My Dad jumped in the way and shouted "Tell your Mother and new sibling that I love them. And no matter what, I love you Hayles, no matter what. Remember that. I love you, Hayles, so so much"
I heard his voice crack, and it was then I turned around. I saw my Dads phone and called my mum quickly. I just said "Richy is here, Dads in trouble. We're in the Abigail Forest" before I saw what was happening. What I saw will haunt me forever. My Dad, my big strong Dad who would do anything to protect me, was lying unconscious on the ground surrounded by blood, and this 'Richy' person was standing above him with a rock.....and a knife. I slid into a bush and watched as he stabbed my Dad and then smashed his head with a rock. I screamed, and Richy pointed towards me and said "Get her".
I started running, but I was in shock. I tripped and just lay there on the ground as the men ran over and tied me up. They placed me in the back of their truck and started driving. They started abusing me, hitting and punching until I couldn't even stand up. Not that I wanted to, I just sat there staring at the distance until I heard someone scream
"HAYLES!"
It was my mum. She was kneeling next to my fathers body, and she was holding two babies. I had two new siblings!!
I suddenly knew that I had to escape, I had to reassure my mum and tell my new siblings all about our Dad.
I screamed "MOM!" And made a dash for it. I thought about what my Dad had taught me, sometimes elbows can be more important than weapons. I elbowed the man holding me in the stomach and he groaned. Immediately everyone started trying to grab me, but I hardly noticed. I just had to get out of there.
I jumped off the end of the truck without thinking and closed my eyes, expecting a hard fall. But it was then that I heard another gunshot and everything went black before I hit the ground.
When I woke up I was in the hospital, but I still remembered everything.
I made a promise to myself there and then, aged 7 years old and in the hospital after being shot, that I would never be violent ever again and I would never get involved in anything violent either.
Little did I know how much things were going to change 7 years later...
YOU ARE READING
Spy Girls
ActionHaleigh Crossford has hated violence ever since she was 7 and she watched her Dad get killed in a fight. But when she is chosen to be a teenage spy 7 years later, everything changes. Suddenly she's expected to go on dangerous missions with her two b...