Do Mind Maps Ever End?

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I came in and out of nightmares all night. Everytime I woke, the pyjamas I was wearing that wearnt mine were drenched in sweat. I didnt know where I was. It was a small square shaped room the walls were luminated by a crack in the curtains and some light shone through. Ugh! The room was pink. Everything was petite and rosy unlike me. I tried to hold my head up but it was heavy and my head plunged back down. I started to panic. A lump rose in my throat and I couldnt scream. Recollections consumed me. I wrestled with the musty smelling bed covers, trying to kick my way free.

Then I heard a sharp knock on the door. Who was it? I quickly pulled the covers over my face. I heard the door open very slowly and out of curiousity I lifted my eyes over the covers slightly like a hippo in the water.

I spyed a short blonde haired woman with dimples smiling at me. She looked like a mother. This made me wince. Her dress was down to her knees and sort of danced about as she placed a tray on the dresser. A smell of sweet perfume floated around the room and then a smell of bacon. Suddenly my stomach growled and reminded me I needed food.

"Good morning Elle."

Good? Negative.

I slowly pulled the cover down from my face.

"Who are you?" My voice sounded harsher than intended. The woman took no notice of my hard words and just smiled with her straight white teeth. She laughed a pure happy laugh. Wow happiness..I remember that.

"Im Joanna." She smiled.

"I am Officer Taylor's wife."

Officer Taylor. Oh yes the good news bringer....

"Oh." I said.

Joanna looked down and then brightened again.

"I have some bacon and bread for you. Im sure your hungry."

"Starving." I said bluntly.

She picked up the tray and walked over to the bed, her dress dancing.

"So just to let you know you will be staying here for a while. Like only if you like, we would love for you to stay for a while," she was blabbering. "This can be your room, hasnt been used in a while..." She talked and talked.

"Oh yes and I have to ask you. You dont have any other family that you know about do you?"

Family. I was familyless. But dad.

"Dad..? Wheres my dad?"

Joanna sighed.

"Hes not dead too?" My heart raced at the word "dead."

"Oh no honey, your dad is just well not suitable right now."

"Suitable?"

"I suppose I should tell you." She sighed again and patted my bed and sat down. I stared at the place she was sitting but she didnt notice my attempt to make her uncomfortable.

"Well em..was your dad at home the morning of the...eh...accident."

"Yes." I stated.

"You sure?"

"Well mum said he was up in bed sick."

Mum.

"Well he was probably half way to New Zealand by then."

"New zealand? Why?"

"Well your father is involved in some illegal drug smuggling. And that morning he was on his way to New Zealand with highly illegal substances. He was caught in the airport long story short and is now under trial and will most likely be jailed for life. Hes been involved with a lot of money and they still arent sure where he got the capital so they have to look into that."

I started choking on the piece of bacon that was in my mouth. My dad? The charity worker was a DRUG SMUGGLER? This had to be some kind of cruel prank show this could not be true. Unless... The money he was raising for charity was not actually for charity... No! No way! Not my dad. Sure, he didnt come home a lot and when he did he was either extremely happy or extremely down.

I remembered back to one day he had come home down after I had not seen him in a week. He said he had been in London campaigning his new charity event. I had been upstairs. I ran to the landing to see my dad swing his heavy suitcase at my mums face. Mum had fallen to the ground sobbing silently, holding her face. Peter had been wailing in his cot. Dad suddenly looked up at me.

"What? What are you looking at you fat beast." I had been twelve and I had not lost my baby fat and the words hit hard.

"You dont tell anyone about this ya hear?" His words had slurred.

"Or this" he pointed at my mother.

"Will be you."

He had somewhat apologised afterwards. He had never used the word "sorry" but Id forgiven him. It had not happened just once. His favourite name for me was Fedex he told me I had been delivered by Fedex and was not their real child. Mum had always held me and told me he was only messing but the words hit me like a tonne of bricks every time.

"Are you ok?" Joanna's soft voice broke my flashbacks.

"Would you be ok? Im on my own. ALONE." I shouted.

Joanna placed her hand on top of mine but I quickly pulled away.

"You have us."

"Yea for now."

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