The Boys

coming down

"It's going to be great when you get there, Eve." Mrs Brooks counselled me. I ignore her and keep looking out the window. "The Andrew's are lovely people. They'll take care of you."

My parents haven't taken care of me properly for the last few months and now I'm being sent 300 miles up to the north of England so that other people can do their job. My friends don't know I'm gone. No one knows I'm gone yet apart from my parents. I lost contact with my family when I was young so they couldn't look after me.

"I know this is hard for you, Eve. But you've got to work with us here. The Andrew's have fostered many children before and they've gone on to be fine. And if you don't like them for some reason, you can appeal against them and go to a different fostering system. It wouldn't be ideal but it can still happen." I don't know why this woman is still talking to me. For the past 10 months I've only spoken to my friends. My parents wouldn't let me speak and now I won't speak to anyone but my friends.

When the police came to arrest my parents, Mrs Brooks arrived and took me to the police station as well. I didn't say a word to the police. No 'thank you' when they gave me a hot chocolate. No 'please' when they offered a phone call to my friends. I sat with my head down, hugging myself and crying.

I'm in the car for another half an hour before she stops the car in front of a rather large house. I shouldn't stare but this house is massive. Mrs Brooks gets out of the car, shutting the door behind. She opens the boot and takes my suitcase out for me. I have to get out now. I know I have to. And I'm not moving.

"Eve, you need to move, honey." The tall grey lady opened my door for me with a nervous smile. I bite down on my lip, pull my sleeves over my hands and get out of the car. I tried my best not to look scared but I was shaking as bad as a chihuahua.

I take my suitcase from Mrs Brooks and follow behind her slowly to the front door. She knocks on it swiftly 4 times and steps back.

A lady answered it, a small boy holding onto her trouser leg standing behind her. She wore the biggest smile I've ever seen.

"You're early! I didn't expect you to be here yet, the house is kind of a mess right now." The lady chuckled a little. I could hear a lot of commotion going on behind her in the house but I just couldn't figure what.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Andrew. Traffic was almost nonexistent on the way over here. I do hope that doesn't cause any trouble for you." Mrs Brooks can bullshit so hard. We left the station early because she though there was going to be traffic. We aren't meant to be here for another half an hour.

"Not at all, come in, come in." She tries to step back and open the door a little but the small boy was making it difficult. "Why don't you go find Luke, Nathan?" Mrs Andrew picked Nathan off of her leg gets him moving.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" Mrs Andrew offered both of us. I shake my head as an answer.

"I've got to get going soon. I have a lot of work at the office still and it's a 4 hour journey." Mrs Brooks shakes her head as well, standing beside the door. Oh god, I may hate her but she's the only one I know right now.

"Oh, I'm sorry to see you go." Mrs Andrew's smile faltered but somehow still kept it up.

"You'll be okay from here, won't you, Eve?" Mrs Brooks turned to me. I nodded to answer her and clutched onto my suitcase a little harder in fear. "Okay then."

"I'll get one of the boys to help you with your things." Mrs Andrew looks at me briefly then turns her head to shout, "MARCUS! CAN I HAVE YOUR HELP PLEASE?" I jump at the yelling. The only yelling I've heard the past almost year has been from my parents at me. I say 'parents' but it was mainly my dad. My mum was in and out of hospital most of the time and when she was home, she was too tired to do anything but sleep.

I hear tumbling footsteps down some stairs and then a few along a corridor until a tall boy is standing in front of us. He looked a little flustered and red in the face. He had Mrs Andrew's eyes and smile. He was really tall, as well.

"Can you take Eve's suitcase to her room for me, please? You should probably follow, Eve, honey." Mrs Andrew instructed. I let go of my suitcase awkwardly and let Marcus pick it up.

"Is there an elephant in there?" Is Marcus' first sentence to me. I look away and he apologises.

"Bye, Eve. Have a nice time. Mrs Andrew has my number if you ever need it." Mrs Brooks waves at me. I don't bother waving back because that would seem friendly and I want her to know that I think she should be burnt at the stake.

Marcus takes me upstairs, past a few other boys. We take a left, down the corridor with 3 doors on each side. He walks down to the end on on the right and opens it for me, leading into the room that was a fair size. It was bigger than my last room, that's for sure. There's a double bed, a wardrobe, a desk, a book case with a few books on already, a mirror and some draws in my room.

"So, uh, this is it, I guess." Marcus shrugged and brought a hand to the back of his neck, itching it nervously. "I'm Marcus, by the way. And you're Eve, right?" I nodded. "So, umm. My room is just down the hallway, if you need me." He smiled then left. I close the door after him and go sit by the window that looked out onto the garden. The garden was massive, as well. I don't get why everything is so big!

I sit on the window pane and rest my head against the window tiredly. It's been a long past few days. I've hardly slept because I've been so scared.

I take out my phone and read a few texts I got from my friends back in Wiltshire.

09:13: Suzie

Where are you? Are you ill?

10:11: Abbey

Y aren't u in school???

10:15 Abbey

WE MISS U

10:24 Suzie

Why aren't you answering us?

11: 02 Phoebe

What's going on, Eve?

11:43 Suzie

Abbey had her phone taken away from her. Can I call you at lunch?

11:58 Phoebe

Suzie had her phone taken away as well :( What's going on?

They were only a few of the text messages I was sent by a few friends. I have to tell them something. I can't tell them that my dad was hitting me. They knew my mum was ill and I don't know what's happened with her anymore. I... There's nothing I can make up right now. I should just tell Phoebe that I'll call her tonight.

Once I send the message, I try take a nap on the window pane, listening to all the conversations going on in the house as I do.