A story they'll never forget

Chapter 12

Ali's POV

I've been in this basement for two days now. So today was Monday, a school day. I wondered if my mother would let me out and go to school so no one would get suspicious. Through the gap in the window I could see the sun rising and the sky turning orange. It was a beautiful sight. A couple of minutes later I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I quickly got away from the window and turned to the door. My mom walked in with a smile on her face.

"Hi honey. How are you feeling today?"

I just stared at her in disbelieve, how could she act like this while she locked me up for two whole days? She ignored me and kept talking.

"School day today, do you have any tests? I hope you studied for them."

Now I was just shocked. What was going on in her head for her to do this to me?

"Well, have fun and don't forget what we talked about." Her voice turned ice cold at the last words.

"N-no, of course not." I stuttered. "Can I please g-go?"

She smiled again and took a step back motioning me to pass her. But just when I passed her she grabbed my arm. "After school you come straight home you understand? No word about all of this!" I swallowed and nodded. I ran upstairs, grabbed my backpack and ran out of the door heading for Anna's house. I hoped she was still home and hadn't left for school yet. I couldn't go back home, I had to tell someone. I tried to catch my breath as I knocked on her door. Her father opened the door and let me in with a concerned look on his face.

"ANNA?" He called upstairs. So she was still home, luckily.

"Yeah?" She came downstairs and as soon as she saw me she attacked me with a hug.

"ALI! You don't know how worried I was!"

I sighed in relieve and hugged her back. "I really need to talk to you."

"Of course come on, I'll get my bag and we can go to school. I nodded and she went to grab her stuff. Her dad was still looking at me with that weird look on his face, I was just going to ask what was wrong but then I remembered I didn't put on any concealer today. My bruises were healing but still visible. I forced a smile and turned so he couldn't see my face anymore. Anna came back down and we left for school. On the way there we got our daily coffee and I told her everything. She listened without interrupting me but her eyes grew wider and wider. When I was finished talking she didn't say anything for a couple of minutes and stared at the ground, thinking. Then she looked back at me, horrified. "Sh-She knocked you unconscious and locked you up in the basement for two days? I knew something was wrong! We need to go to the police, you can't go back home!"

I nodded. "I know, but I'm scared that they won't be able to proof it and then my mom will know I told you."

She stepped in front of me, forcing me to stop and look at her. "I know you're scared but this can't go on. We need to tell them, now." I nodded again and started crying. She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me tight.

"Shh, it's gonna be okay. She'll go to jail and you come live with us."

I pulled back and looked at her. "Wait, what about my dad? He'd still be free. He never hurt me but he didn't stop her either. I don't even know where he is now."

Anna thought about that for a minute. "If he didn't stop you then he's also guilty and maybe he left, that's why he isn't here."

"I can't blame him."

When we got to the police station, they made us sit in a waiting room for ten minutes before a detective came to get us and brought us to some kind of lounge. He offered us some coffee, which I gladly accepted. I told him everything, to the smallest detail and felt relieved after. He just nodded sometimes and wrote things down in his notebook. He asked a couple of questions to clarify some parts and then left us for a couple of minutes. Anna send me an encouraging look and squeezed my hand. "You did great."

I smiled and took a deep breath. Well, there's no going back now. When the cop returned he had some papers in his hand and gave them to me.

"This is your statement, could you please read it and put your autograph at the bottom?" I nodded and started reading.

After I'd signed it I handed the papers back to the officer, he smiled and patted my back. "You're going to be alright. We've already send two cops to your house to get your mom. You don't have to be afraid anymore."

Tears of joy filled up my eyes when he said that. I turned to Anna and wrapped her in a tight hug. "It's over."

"It's over."