A New England

Chapter Three- Finch

"Maria?" Finch called her name as he rattled the door handle. Locked.

The door to Maria's room was just at the top of the stairs and, like most of the kids, she had decorated it in her own way to reflect her personality. It had a name plaque, of course, this was compulsory, and below that was a skull and cross bones, well a rabbit skull and cross bones, with the word 'Hell Bunny' emblazoned across the bottom. There where various other stickers and banners too, all similarly hinting that the occupant of this room was a rebellious teenager who was was into rock music. Finch was all too aware that his own influence was part of the reason for this.

He rattled the door but there was no response. She must have wedged something against it as it wouldn't move and it was not common practice to allow the kids to have locks on their doors.

"Maria, if you don't open the door in ten seconds I'll break it down, you know the rules kid."

He listened. Silence from the other side.

"Ok, you've got til the count of ten...10...9...8..." he paused between each number, listening for a response. By the time he reached one there was still no sign of co-operation from the troubled teen, "Alright Maria, you had your chance, I'm coming in."

Finch took a few steps back and charged at the door. It only took that one heavy knock to dislodge the chair that she had forced under the handle. Finch was by no means a large man but her home made defense system was flimsy and no match for the weight he threw at it. He fell into the room as the door gave way and it took him a moment to regain his balance. As he regained his footing he prepared his speech for Maria, the speech in which he would tell her that the fact that he had a girlfriend did not change how much he cared about all the kids at Pleasant View and that he valued them all equally, none more or less than another, including her.

Then he saw her and all of his carefully planned words died on his lips and the colour drained from his face.

"Oh my God, Maria!" he flung himself to the floor, calling over his shoulder, "Can I get some help in here?"

Maria was sitting on the floor, her back against the bed and her knees pulled up to her chin. There was blood on the cream carpet around her and Finch could see it had come from the countless gashes on her arms. Thankfully she seemed to be conscious and she glared at him with a look that made him freeze. It was a look of black and pure hatred and there was a hint of something dark and brooding hiding behind her eyes.

"What's going on here? Oh dear lord..." Eleanor, one of the senior staff members, had appeared at the door and was at Maria's side in a flash, taking her arms and unwrapping them from around her legs so she could examine the damage.

"Oh my child, you've been doing so well, why would you go and do such a thing to yourself?"

The look of hatred had dissolved and had been replaced by one of child like sorrow and fear. She pulled away from Eleanor and twisted around so she could lift the mattress on her bed. Her hands left bloody prints on the sheets as she fished around. Finch had not moved from his position on the floor and he watched curiously as Maria pulled out a battered looking notepad whose cover was adorned with countless stickers.

She handed the notebook to Eleanor then she turned and fixed Finch with a meaningful glance, a glance that was almost threatening, before she burst into tears and fell into Eleanor's arms.