Protector (EN)

Chapter 7

Tonight I dreamed about Mum. I was still too attached to the past. The loss hit me hard then, which is why it's still hard for me to forget her now.

I went into the bathroom and took a shower. I just wanted to have a clear head. Dad asked yesterday if we wanted to have breakfast together today. I agreed. Finished with everything, I then went downstairs.

When I was downstairs, something strange happened. I could tell I heard her voice. I ran down the rest of the stairs to the kitchen and it slipped out, "mum?" Shocked at the fact that I was still thinking about her, I sat down on the last step and propped my head against my hands.

Dad and Pepper were waiting for me together. Dad heard what I said and came up and sat next to me. He put a hand on my shoulder and comforted me. "How time flies." I couldn't say anything. I just sat there.

After a while, I was finally able to say something. "She died 13 years ago today." I mumbled so Dad could hear. Now Pepper came to me, too. We didn't say anything for a while until I got up and went back upstairs.

"July," my dad called to me. I looked at him wordlessly. "You don't have to deal with this alone. We're all here for you. Just reach out to someone if you need to talk." I nodded and continued on my way.

Once upstairs I lay down on my bed and must have been lost in thought thinking about the last time I saw my mum.

Back then
I sat quietly and tried to do my homework. I was already in the third grade. It was already 5 p.m. and I still hadn't finished my homework. It was quiet in the house when I heard a loud thud. I quickly jumped up and ran towards the living room and saw that my mum was having another nervous breakdown. This time it was worse. She was coughing. She was coughing blood. Shock took over me. I ran to her and tried to help her up. With her own strength she tried to get up. I helped her to the sofa and then she sat down. I knelt in front of her with full concern. Apparently my mom knew more.

"Juli , run to your room quickly and pack as much as you can carry." She ordered me. I nodded and dashed upstairs to my room. The first thing I did was put on a jacket, simply because I thought we were going to leave now. I took a travel bag with wheels and a backpack. I put as many clothes in the big bag as I could. When that was full, I put the rest in the backpack. This included the picture frame with my mum, Jonas and me on it. It looked lied happy. The chain with the picture of my mother could not be missing either. I hung the chain around my neck. Finished with everything I ran so fast with the things down to my mum. I missed the last step, which is why I fell down with all the stuff. But I quickly got up again.

While I was upstairs, my mom got up with the last of her strength and went to the closet that was in the living room, took a key that was hanging around her neck and opened a drawer. From the drawer, she took out a small box and sat down again on the sofa.

When I got back to her, she handed me a letter saying, "Juli, take the next train and leave this place. Then get into a cab and give the driver this letter. He will take you to Mr. Stark, he will know what to do with you. Trust him... And when you get to Mr. Stark you give him this letter" and handed me another letter "you give it to him personally and I forbid you to read this letter do you understand me?" She asked, to which I nodded hastily. She also handed me some money and put the box in my pocket, saying that only Mr. Stark should have it.

Tears were flowing down my face. One thing was clear. I should leave alone. What will happen to my mum. She sent me to the door, whereupon I already started to leave, but came back because my mum could hardly breathe and lay down. I knelt in front of her and stayed there.

"Juli, I want you to go." She ordered me.

"But I don't want you to stay here with Jonas." I cried.

"I won't stay with him much longer" she said weakly. I sobbed. Because now it had been clear. Mum won't live much longer. I put my hand in hers and held it tight.

"Juli do me a favor and give Mr. Stark a chance. He may not understand you directly, but you stay strong." She said more and more quietly. I sobbed even more. I couldn't stop crying until I realized how her hand was no longer tight around mine. I heard her last breath and my heart stopped. I knew this day would come, but not that I would see it. Silently the tears flowed and I bent over her and wept.

I don't know how long I was leaning over her, but long enough when I heard footsteps. I gave her a kiss on the forehead and also took my things and was about to leave. One last time I looked at her. She was so peaceful. The footsteps came closer. I should have been gone a long time ago, but I didn't want to leave my mother. She was the only thing I had in my life. I gathered all my courage and went out the back door. I ran as fast as I could. Jonas didn't know anything yet. He must have thought I was hiding. But when I got to the edge of town and was just outside the Stanford train station, I saw a phone booth. Jonas was not supposed to be at large, so I went there and dialed the police number. I didn't wait long before someone finally answered on the other line.

"Good evening." I was shaking and had to start crying when I started talking.

"Good evening. My name is Juli Donva. My stepfather is an alcoholic and beats us. My mum and me. He has only hit me once so far, but my mum suffered much more. She is sick and dead at our home. Please help me. You can find him on 56 downstreet" I sobbed once, at the mention of my mum.

"Little one where are you now?" Asked the policeman a little excitedly. I had to save time. I had to make the next train and get out of here, which is why I hung up after that question. If they find me, they will take me to an orphanage or foster home. But I still had to get to Mr. Stark. So I ran to the train station and just then the train came and I got on it.

When I was finally away from Stanford, I got off. It was already dark and raining. I looked around and saw a cab. The cab driver was standing outside smoking a cigarette. I approached him and he just looked at me for a moment.

"Don't you have to be home and in bed by this time"? Asked this one. I just handed him the letter my mum had written. He then took it and didn't take long to read. He then took my things and put them in the trunk. Meanwhile I got into the back of the car. Two minutes later he was already in the car and started it and we drove off.