The Boy That Changed My Life

Chapter 15

Mitch sat next to his dad in the waiting area of the hospital. Mitch could still feel tears running down his face, he thought they would have run out by now.

"Do you want me to get you a drink, Mitch?" Mike asked noticing how upset his son was. He was never good in these types of situations. He never knew how to handle someone crying in front of you. It was always his wife who could make someone happy again.

Mitch shook his head, slumping further into his seat, letting his mind wander. What were they doing to him? He thought. Have the police arrived? He thought. What if they don't believe him and send him back? He thought.

Meanwhile, Nel was speaking to the police. She explained everything to them. They nodded their heads and took down everything she said. They then asked where Scott lived. Nel shook her head. She didn't know.

"I think, my son knows. You can ask him." Nel lead the police to where Mitch and Mike were sat.

The police woman slowly crouched down in front of Mitch. Seeing the tears on his face she felt her heart shatter. To think that one man can hurt a boy and then affect the people around him. It was sort of maddening, she thought.

"Hello, Mitch." She whispered. Mitch looked up and tried to smile at her but his face wouldn't let him. His muscles had just given way. They just didn't want to move. "I'm inspector Marsh. I'm here to talk to you about Scott. Your mother here tells me you might know where he lives." She said.

Mitch felt a weight on his shoulders. He couldn't remember. It was last year when he had looked that up. "I found it on the school website but I don't remember. His.... His step dad has a criminal record. His name's Dave Sampson. He h-had a wife and child before and he abused them. He was put in jail for two years. Social services have been round to their house multiple times but..... They never saw anything bad."

"Mitch, can I ask you a question?" She asked. Mitch nodded. "How do you know all these things?"

"I... I was suspicious that something was going on. He always had bruises on his face. He never showed his arms. He was always scared. I thought maybe he was hurting himself. Maybe his mom just wanted to get out of the house because he was loud. I found out his step dads name and looked him up to see what kind of guy he was. I never expected to find a criminal record. The most I expected was a Facebook page. I...I..." Mitch stuttered letting fresh tears fall down his face.

After a small pause Inspector Marsh decided to speak again. "Mitch, is he your best friend?" She asked, placing her hand on his knee. Mitch looked around. His dad and mom were talking to the male police officer in the corner.

"He's much more than that." Mitch whispered, wiping the tears away only to be replaced by new ones.

"Do you love him?" She asked, reaching into her pocket and grabbing and packet of tissues. She handed him one. Mitch nodded and wiped at his eyes. "Does he love you?" She asked. Mitch nodded again.

She smiled up at Mitch. "I think that's all I need to know." She said, standing up and walking back over to where the policeman, Nel and Mike stood.

"He's a smart kid. If it wasn't for him this could have been going for another few years." She said. "We'll be in contact Mr and Mrs Grassi. But for now we have to go." She said and then they left.

Nel went back through the doors she had come through and Mike went and sat back down next to Mitch.

Meanwhile Scott had finally been put into a bed. The doctors had connected him to a nutrients drip.

Once Nel had found his bed she stopped. "How are you feeling, sweetie?" She asked but Scott didn't answer her. He sat with his head rested against the pillow, looking up at the ceiling. His head was racing. He didn't know which way was up and which way was down. He wanted to get out of this stupid hospital and get home before the beatings were too bad.

Scott was so wired to routine, that he thought that they'd really send him home. All he wanted was to get home so that things wouldn't as bad. He didn't realise that Nel and Mike were not going to let him go home. He didn't realise that they were going to make all this stop. He thought that he was just going to be patched and sent home and Scott didn't see any point in that. He just thought that it was stupid. And the longer he sat in that hospital bed the more and more his step dad would get. The more and more drunk he would get. The more time he had to think of a punishment for Scott staying out. Scott was wired to think like that. So concerned of what his step dad might do to him.

"Do you want to see Mitch?" Nel asked, knowing that this would get Scott's attention. She saw it. She saw earlier when she had asked a hard question. Scott had begged Mitch with his eyes, Mitch had taken Scott's hand and suddenly Scott has the strength to talk. That's why Nel knew, she knew that that was the only way to get Scott's attention.

And sure enough Scott looked at her and nodded. Nel went out to the waiting room and led Mitch with her to where Scott was. Mitch slowed down as he began to walk past beds. There were so many sick people around. He wished he could save them. The ones that looked to be dying of course.

Mitch turned the corner and his eyes fell upon the boy in the bed. He seemed smaller than usual. Defeated. Broken. Mitch sighed thinking about the fact that he hadn't asked earlier.

Nel watched as both of the boys made eye contact. Their faces lit up and Mitch walked a little faster to Scott's bedside. They both starred at each other until Scott's arms net around Mitch's body and they hugged.

Held in each other's arms they finally felt safe and neither of them wanted to move.

A/N
I'm going away for the weekend so there will be no update until maybe Tuesday. Sorry.