CHAPTER 1
Me, Aiden and Jane used to be the best. We were like the three musketeers. Even though me and Aiden didn’t get along so well with Jane cause she was a girly girl I always tried to make her belong with us. We used to spend all our time out on the fields chasing after the sheep, building huts in the tree’s and sleeping out there night after night until Mum came looking for us, angry as a mad hyena. She would then take us home where we all ate dinner at the lonely table where no one dared to speak a word and then got locked in our rooms till sunlight. But every night at home was a nightmare. I could never sleep. I always jumped out the window and snuck into Aiden’s room because I couldn’t handle the screams. Everytime Dad was home late Mum always had a go at him, but in the end she’s the one who paid, one night she lay unconscious, just lay there until finally she woke up and took a look at herself in the mirror in shame.
Things are a little different now, we no longer live in a farm, and we live in the city surrounded by all these lovely people where I get to have an education and great friends. But things still go on the same way. Dads still always home late, drunk, high and in the worse state to be facing Mum.
One afternoon, I was catching the bus home from school. I was at the bus stop with all my mates and with Jordan we were having the nicest little chat until the bus arrived. When we got on he even gave up a seat for me but I wouldn’t let him. Man I couldn’t help but smile around him. It was just like every other day catching the bus home but he kept on telling me how it felt different. ‘Man this bus driver is crazy, he has major road rage’ I said as I almost fell over, into Jordan’s arms. ‘Yeah I know right, but if you fall, don’t worry, I’m here to catch you’. I was smiling so much and he kept on telling me how I was blushing. I pushed the bell for the next stop and Jordan just looked at me and shook his head. ‘Please don’t leave me’ ‘You know I have to get off’ He started giving me puppy dog eyes. As I turned towards the door while it opened Jordan took my hand and jumped off with me. “So you’re coming with me now too aye?” I smirked. “I’m going to walk you home now” He chuckled. Now that was true friendship. As we walked down my street we heard Dad and Aiden arguing. My moment of joy was ruined. I knew this happiness wouldn’t last long. I just wish I was back at school or at the bus stop, where all my worries could fade away. But now there seems no such place when I’m surrounded by all this darkness. I just wondered what they were arguing about this time. I said good bye to Jordan after giving him a hug and letting him hold me for minutes in his arms. As the silence broke all I could hear was my Dad, yelling at my brother, making him feel so sunken into the ground and so small yet he was strongest boy I knew, but he was breaking up slowly on the inside. Then Jordan let me go, released me from his arms only leading me into despair. His final good bye before I went back into my viscous world I call home.
As I walked round the back it then became a murder scene. I walked in trying not to be noticed but Dad just looked me straight in the eye and I could tell at that moment he just wanted me to die, he had so much anger in his eyes it was indescribable. He kept a studied gaze before Aiden told him to give it up and tried to take the bottle of alcohol out of his hand. But before he got a firm clasp Dad was already brutally smashing the bottle over Aiden’s head. Aiden told me to run straight to my room and lock the door and hide, and keep on hiding till he came in and told me it was safe. As Aiden fell to the ground I ducked in behind Dad and ran into Jane’s room. She was in the corner, huddled under the blankets, trembling oh so much. I locked the door behind me and cuddled up next to Jane and tried to comfort her. But I knew I couldn’t when I was in much more pain than her, she was scared, and I was scarred for life, seeing Aiden like that, only being able to watch closely at what was going on. I heard a few more screams before I couldn’t handle it anymore.
