Family Portrait (Fam Series #1)

Chapter 112 - Quarantine, Richmond

Adeline -

'At least for now, I've gotta go my own way'

Somebody suddenly bangs loudly on the door as I jump out of my skin, heart beating out of my chest as I look in the direction of the entrance. It seems I'm paralysed to the spot, unable to move.

'What about us? What about everything we've been through?'

I quickly stand up on tiptoes, slowly creeping over to the door in case it's my brother, mother or father coming back home. I'm starving!

'You know I never wanted to hurt you'

Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens' vocals on Gotta Go My Own Way of High School Musical 2 continue to play in the background as I grab the edge of the curtain, peeking outside. Immediately, I panic and scream as I bolt for Lachie's bedroom, wedging myself under his bed.

What could they possibly want?

'VICTORIA POLICE!'

The police continue banging on the door and yelling for my attention as 9 year old me covers my ears and closes my eyes, begging for it all to just stop.

The house phone suddenly rings loudly as I jump again. It can go to voicemail, I'm not answering it.

'ADELINE! MISS PLOWMAN! WE JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU!'

My mother always told me to never answer people I don't know at the front door, and to never let people know I'm home alone.

Tears continue rolling down my face as the police harass the front door. They knock for roughly 20 minutes, before I suddenly hear a loud smashing, creaking and crashing.

They've broken the doors down.

I wince as I squeeze my eyes shut tightly as possible and cover my ears so hard it feels like my head might explode. My hair is wet from my tears. A few of my brother's clothes are under here with me, the jacket he thought he'd lost and blamed mom for misplacing. It was just under here all along.

'Miss Plowman?'

I panic as I hear their loud footsteps as someone suddenly pulls the blanket up off Lachie's bed and, on his hands and knees, comes face to face with me.

I scream a loud, brutal, blood curdling, ear shattering scream in fear as I grab Lachie's jacket and cover my face with it, crying.

'Miss Plowman, you're not in trouble' the police officer says. I don't buy it. Momma and daddy have always hated the police.

'Adeline, sweetheart, if you don't come out from under there, we're gonna have to use force to pull you out ourselves' his partner says.

I quickly push myself up against the wall, as far away from the officer as possible, terrified. I haven't seen people in days. This wasn't the sort of people I prayed to see.

One of the officers suddenly pushes Lachie's bed onto its side, sending his pillows and football flying as the other officer scoops me up from my little corner. I fight him, tackling him with all I have as I suddenly elbow him and bolt through the house, running into my parents' room and hiding in their large walk in wardrobe. I quickly climb up onto their shelf as I bury myself in mom's clothes. I'm terrified and I really don't want to go to jail.

'What are we supposed to do? She's 9 years old and won't comply with us' one of the officers says from the lounge room. I try to listen as best I can.

'The parents are so cruel for this. They're going to end up raising a very troubled little girl' the other officer says. I lower my eyebrows. My parents aren't cruel? I'm not troubled? I'm good! I did the dishes for my brother last night! And the night before!