The Date

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Dagenham, 2000

The memories of a young girl...

The walls are torn and rusty. The carpet was damp, hard and worn. The air was cold. The room bear with a sink and cooker in one corner and a mattress in the other.

There's a table where a woman sits rocking back and forth... back and forth.

A man is sitting on the bed with his hands in his hair... crying.

I can't see their faces. A grey cloud-like mist swims around the room. Flying out of the stick in the woman's shaking hand. It didn't smell nice and it was everywhere. On my clothes, in my hair and I could taste it. It makes me feel dizzy and tired. It stings my eyes and makes me cough.

I was on the floor. Why was I on the floor?

I was watching them. Did they know I was there? Could they see me?

I saw a spider crawl across the floor. I wasn't scared. I liked animals. There was a mouse that used to live with us but the man crying sent it away. I liked the mouse. I called him Russel. He was my friend. But he's gone now. I was alone. Again.

With these two strangers.

"They'll take her away again" the lady with the fire stick spoke. Her voice sounded familiar.

"Maybe they should" the crying man spoke. He didn't sound familiar. He sounded sad.

"How can you say that? She's our daughter" she shouted. I was their daughter. These were my parents. Yes. I remember now. I went away for a little while but I came back. Mum had the same dark hair like me but her face was not a happy one.

I went away. I was in a big room with lots of other children. There were toys and the floors were clean. The air wasn't so grey anymore.

"We can't take care of her. I don't know why you fought so hard to get her back" I didn't understand what he was saying but the room went quiet.

The only noise I could hear was my belly. I was so hungry. Maybe they'll feed me soon. Everything felt better after food.

Just then the front door smashes open. The woman... my Mum was on her feet, rushing over to Dad. Three large men came into the room grabbing my Mum and Dad.

Crying and screaming sung through the room.

A large giant man hit Mum. She landed near me and I wanted to go to her

"Stay" she whispered to me. Fear was rushing through me but I kept quiet and I stayed. This wasn't the first time a large scary man came crashing into our home but I never understood why.

"Bill... Bill please" my Dad cried as a large fat man gripped him by the neck crashing him into the hard wall. It felt like the whole world shook.

I hid my face in my lap in fear of being seen. I was scared... so scared.

"Where's my money?!" The man shouted. I couldn't see anything but I could hear more groans and cries.

"Please stop! We don't have your money but we'll get it! We promise" Mum cried.

"Look at you, sweating till your next fix. I gave you the gear" the fat man shouted as another groan screamed through the room. I looked up seeing the men kick my Dad over and over again. "I did my goodwill" another kick. I looked away again. Please go, I thought. Please go. Please go. "Now it's time for you to do yours".

Get rid of them, Daddy. Get rid of them as you did with Russel.

"Please Bill, we don't have your money" Mum cried. Hear Mum's voice the men must have turned to look at her on the floor finally spotting me in the corner.