Dark Secrets

3.

Recap
....their mother decided it was time she told them the truth. She owed them that much, she just asked one thing, "if I tell you the truth promise to hear me out before you judge me too harshly."

Chapter 3
They agreed, but they never expected what they were about to hear. Their mother told them that in high school, junior year, she had dated Tom. At the time, she was young and she believed she was in love. But she split up with him after he got drunk and beat her when he took her to the junior prom. 
    The way she met their father was that he saved her from Tom that night and gave her a ride home. After that evening, she and their father started dating. This caused a huge problem in their dad's friendship with Tom. Tom was furious that their dad had, "taken his girl." Though by the time of their mother and father's wedding, Tom was the best man, so it seemed that things had calmed down and they were ok with each other again.
     However, for their father's birthday one year, Tom bought him a hunting license and took him out hunting.  Several hours later, Tom came back alone. When Tom told the police how he "accidentally" shot him, his brother, the chief of police, ruled it as an accident and dropped all further investigations. Once their father got out of the hospital, he could not remember what had happened, so there was no way to prove one way or the other. It was only a few weeks after that that their father was back in the field working for the FBI and life went on for a while. Up until the day their father was shot. He was on a job when he was shot from behind. There were no suspects, no witnesses, and no clues, nothing; it was as if he just was erased from existence. Less than a month later Tom found her and told her that, "I've never given up on you." and that, "I still love you."
     He was so nice and acted like he really did care how she felt, so against her better judgment she fell in love with him again. After several dozen dates over the course of eight months, Tom got down on one knee and proposed to their mother. Lonely and deluded by love and the fantasy of being happy again, she went to the alter with him and they said their "I do's." It was a mere three or four weeks after the wedding that Tom started drinking again. At first, in small amounts but soon, he began to verbally abuse her, then the kids. Soon, he was getting drunk constantly and beating on whoever got in his way.
     That night neither J.J. nor Brook could hardly get any sleep, their minds were racing with everything that they'd heard. When they woke up, their mother had already left for work. According to the clock on the wall, it was close to one and JJ, at least, had woken up more out of hunger than out of being well rested. When he sat up in his cot and looked across  to the window, he could see his older sister Brook roasting bacon and eggs over a small fire while Mella watched. Savoring the delicious smell, he laid back down on his cot and waited for them to come back in so they could eat.
     After they ate, they went out and gathered up some more supplies, they were running low on berries, and apples, both of which grew near the tree house. When they finally made it back to the tree house, it was beginning to get dark out. Mella was in a rush to get home because if JJs watch was right, it's almost nine, and  their mom got home four hours ago. They had left a note so she wouldn't worry, but they still want to make it back by dark. The problem was, when they got there, there mom was nowhere to be seen. All three froze in their tracks, and then Mella said, "Look a note!" Brook scrambled forward to grab it and read:

Dear Brook, J.J., and Mella,
     I've gone back to the house to get us some of our stuff, clothes, and backpacks for school. As well as your homework for tomorrow, and other personal necessities for Brook and me. If I'm not back by dark DO NOT call my phone, I may be in the house. I will call you from work tomorrow morning before you go to school. Expect my call. I love you all see you soon.
        P. S. Don't forget to set the alarm.
                                          All my love,
                                                 ~Mommy~

When Brook finished reading the note, the silence in the room was absolute. Each knew what the others were thinking, but they were all too afraid to voice it for fear that it would ensure that as her fate. Finally, when the tension became too much JJ broke it in a voice not quite his own,  "So...let's...uh..." he looked away pulling his arms up into his sleeves like he always did when he wished he could just disappear. He was looking around the room but not really seeing it. His thoughts were on his mother and what Tom would do to her if he caught her. Giving up all hope of doing anything else constructive tonight JJ just goes to bed. The sooner the morning comes the sooner I can know of mom's all right. It wasn't long after he lay down that he heard his sister's do the same. His sleep was fitful and full of nightmares, visions of his mother beaten to death, or shot, with Tom laughing over her dead body.
     His sister's alarm was set to turn the radio on, in order to wake her up, and of course the song that came on to wake him up from his last nightmare was Papa Roach "Black Clouds."  He lay there for his first few moments awake listening to the course of it:

Confession of depression
This life I'm second guessing
Like ashes to ashes
I always seem to fall down
I'm tired of running
It's time to face my demons
Confession of depression
This life I'm second guessing

     JJ didn't hear the rest the song because it was at that time that his sister rolled over and hit the snooze button. JJ threw a pillow at her and reminded her they had school. Grudgingly, she got up and went to wake up Mella, when JJ asked her to check her cell phone and see if mom had called. Brook raced over to her phone, but turned pale when she flipped it open and the display said no calls. One look at his sister and he knew what he had to do, they all got ready for school and J.J walked his sisters to their classrooms. Then he turned around and left without a word, tired of running away; he knew it was time to face his demons.