The Taking of Eleanor Ainsworth

Chapter 17

"Where are we going mum ?"  Little Theo asked as his mother dragged him along to the train station.

"On an adventure my handsome little boy." She beamed, but the smile she held never reached her blue eyes. Theo looked back at his mum and grinned back.

"I'm too big for adventures mum, i'm nine and a half remember." He huffed, trying to keep up with his mothers long strides. She looked back at him, her greying hair falling into her face,

"Of course my little sunshine, silly mummy we can go on missions instead ok ?" She laughed, running up the steps. Her heart was beating fast whilst her palms grew sweaty. She wiped them on her skirt and cast her eyes upwards trying to read the time the next overground train would come in.

3 minutes

Perfect.

She walked to the end of the platform, and stopped. Staring out into the slight fog. She sighed looking back at the board.

2 minutes

Oh Lord, please forgive me.

She looked down at her son and smiled softly, crouching so that she was at his level.

"Ryan baby."

He looked at his mother and smiled.

"I hope you know that mummy will always love you." She cried cradling her sons head in her arms.

1 minute.

"You are the best thing to ever happen to me, Mummy loves you so so much." She cried, tears falling freely down her face.

Puzzled, Little Theo wiped the tears from his mothers cheek. "Whats wrong ?" He asked. She shook her head, bells sounding in the distance along with the faint chug of the train.

It got closer

The sound getting louder.

She breathed in and stood up, giving her son one last squeeze before letting go. She looked to the sky and smiled, falling forwards onto the track, right in the way of the train.

People screamed whilst others shouted, but little Theo could not hear any of it, it was if the world had gone silent and slowed down. He looked around, watching as people ran about, trying to see if the woman in the tracks was still alive, and in one piece. Tears fell from his eyes as realisation hit him.

Mother is dead.

Someone caught him before he fell. Cradling him against them, stroking his hair and warming his shivering body.

"Its okay Ryan, Dad's here." His father whispered, "I will always be here." He said, holding his son tighter to his chest, as Little Theo lost consciousness, his head slumping to the side and tears still falling from his closed eyelids.

Theo bolted upright wiping the tears away from his face. He looked down at his blood stained hands and sighed. Looking over at Eleanor who was wide awake staring straight at him.

"You was crying in your sleep." She said rather bluntly.

"And your point is ?" He asked, throwing the duvet off of himself and getting out of the bed. He picked up the knife that was lying on the floor beside the bed, and turned back round to face Eleanor who was sitting up staring out the window.

God is she beautiful.

"You cry all the time whilst you sleep." He said walking towards the door.