The Run-aWays (I)

~ChaptEr Six~

"Your perfect"

The sun started to coward behind the hills, the moon taking its pride. Athena waved slightly, as Elijah exited her garden, doing playful salute before running off. Athena laughed seeing his curly hair disappear behind the fence...

Alone again.

Athena looked around in her empty room , slightly thirsty she approached her door, wrapping her sweaty palms on the handle. She looked down the dark corridor, about to take a step. The bathroom door creaked open, a lanky figure, with a round belly limped out. Her hair in chunks hanging off her scalp, the smell of bio caught Athena's nostrils. Her head slowly turned and stared at Athena. Her eyes hidden in the shadows of her face.

"The nurse came, to check for alcohol and drugs." She said in a raspy voice. Athena said nothing. "I'm clean" she growled and spat on the floor beside her. That's right, A nurse comes to check every 2 weeks to see if a pregnant lady took alcohol or drugs. Due to it being illegal to take these while being pregnant or any AT ALL, this is to prevent disabilities in babies. This is a fairer rule. If hey found out Athenas mum takes drugs, and is doing it while pregnant, Death.She started to approach Athena, step by step, almost limping. "Athena." She whispered. "y-yes mum"

She lifted her head, revealing a broken, sick women. Her eyes showed physical brokenness and fatigue, she rested her head on Athena's shoulder. She wants to bathe, but she is too weak. She felt her mother stomach against her. "help me, please...Before the baby comes."

They wobbled to the bathroom, feeling of tension between them grew.  Athena kept her mouth clamped shut, to terrified to say something that will anger her mum, causing more pain.She sat her mother down on the toilet and started quietly running a bath. The sounds of water hitting the bath surface, and heavy breathing from Athena's mum , struggling. probably from not taking the regular drugs.

Her body is craving it, her body needs it. But the baby doesn't. The unwell women started peeling of her t-shirt which hugs her body sticky with sweat from her fever. Athena assisted, revealing the malnourished body of someone she once called her mother. Her heart skipped a beat seeing the round belly, knowing there was a human being in there freaked her out... She helps her mum sink into the bath where she let out a long sigh of relief as her mums relaxes.

"Your dad." her mum argues, "He , he" she struggled to find words. Athena tensed up, almost in anger. "how dare he leaves us, to suffer like this"  thought Athena.

"He is a Run-away."

Her heart released a painful heart beat, "w-what?"

Her mum said nothing more, and simply stared at her belly before stroking it, "to think that it isn't his, pains me. My only true love" she whimpers "left us for politics, rebellion." Tears prickled down her tender cheeks. Nothing else was said. Athena squeezed her hands in anger.

-----

Athena pulled the blankets over her now clean mum, before creeping out and closing the door, she slowly slid down it in a cradle positions, fighting her conflict emotions.

"Should I leave my mum?"

"Does she love me?"

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" You never realise how much you need someone....until they're gone."

"ATHENA"

April snapped Athena out of the intense stare off with the locker, In a deep melancholy state of extreme tiredness, flashes back of her mums recent beating haunts her still. April notices this, her heart breaks a little to see the fear in her friend's eyes.

"I have a gift for you" Blurted April.

"Apri-"

"WAit, wait. let me explain. My mum, Mary, she brought it she is best friends with you mum. She told me to tell you that, if you need her call her...I input her number in (also mine and Elijah) and also." she placed the phone into Athena's hand and pulled her close so her lips were by her ear.

"it can help us."