The winter had arrived with a vengeance, it had been raining continuously for a good week and the fields had started to overflow and flood on to the narrow country lanes, cars were getting stuck on the road blocking any other road users and the school had closed due to flooding. Farmers were all working together to help get the cars out, and the news reporters on the television had prompted everyone to stay indoors unless it was an emergency. They had even issued an amber weather warning. Amy got sent home from work as the buses had to stop running and mum was unable to collect her from town. As we were all home we had started to be prepared for a thunderstorm, we had found all the candles from underneath the sink, and we had moved all of our mattresses into mum's room, so we could all sleep together. We decided to watch a film and have hot chocolates. It was perfect!
My back had started to play up in the night and I decided I couldn't sleep on the floor any longer. As I was nearer to the door I decided to move my mattress back onto my bed as quietly as I could, I refreshed my tumbler with cold water and then got myself in to bed. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
It was the early hours of the morning and I couldn't sleep, the rain was forcefully bouncing on my windowsill so as I climbed out of bed to shut the window I had seen a dimmed headlight of a car reflecting on the pavement by Jenny's house, I woke mum up, and she came into my bedroom with her little notebook in one hand and a coffee cup in the other. Mum never minded me waking her up when I wanted to talk to her about Jenny or show her something, she would have been more annoyed if I left her sleeping. I left my window slightly ajar and me and mum watched and listened as we heard the commotion unfold outside. Thomas and Elias stepped out of the car first and as they walked in front of the headlight to go into their house, you could see they looked dirty and scruffy in appearance, they looked weak like they were unable to balance and walk, and they lent their bodies up against the house for support. Next out the car was Jenny, she immediately fell to the ground as soon as her foot had touched the ground and Thomas quickly stumbled back to hold her up, she was frail looking, she looked extremely vulnerable and fragile. Jenny's mum then casually stepped out the car, she had her hair in a tight bun, a red dress which looked new covered her body and she looked in immaculate condition. The driver then turned the engine off and got out slowly, it looked like it was the same man that had run away from the park that night. He was rough looking, an untidy beard covered his face, a beer belly that hanged over his waistline and unkempt, not the normal type of man that Jenny's mum had connections with in the past.
Thomas and Elias tried to push the front door open, they barged with their elbows and tried to kick it, but it was no use, the build up of letters on the other side of the door was acting as a barricade. The man stepped forward, and using his body with his weight behind him, he didn't take long until the door budged, and they were all inside the house.
It was then completely silent and still. No lights were turned on and there was no sign of movement, there were five people that had just entered that house, yet there was no sign of life.
The school made the announcement early the following morning and to our disappointment they had chosen to reopen, however; there would be two classrooms remained closed off due to the flooding. I was half hoping they would remain shut as the farmer had promised some work for me on the farm to help after all the water had caused chaos and all the animals needed clean bedding and food, a job I was very happy to help with, but my education had to come first, and it wasn't long until we would be sitting our exams.
Like every other school day myself, Becki and Adam met at the end of the road and had started our normal route to school, we didn't have much longer left now, and we were all revising as it was nearly time to sit our exams. We turned the corner and then started to walk down the hill for the last stretch of the walk when we heard a quiet shuffling sound coming from behind us, someone was walking without picking their feet up, a habit that used to annoy Jenny. I quickly glanced over my shoulder and couldn't believe my eyes when Jenny was trying to walk behind us, she was dressed in dirty school uniform, her hair looked like it was stuck to her head and her school bag was slung over her shoulder, Thomas and Elias were following closely behind. I nudged Becki who turned around and waved at them, they didn't respond.
I couldn't remember the last time they had attended school as they continuously skipped school, which by now it was obvious it was no fault of their own.
I slowed down my walking pace, but I noticed every time I did, they also stopped. Jenny was anxiously looking over her shoulder, and in the distance I could make out the blue Audi was slowly driving behind them up the road. They were being followed. As the road to our school was very narrow, a lot of cars had stopped using the stretch of road during peak times to promote safety and avoid any collisions. This driver however did not care, he watched Jenny, Thomas and Elias closely and when he was happy that they were not talking to anyone, he quickly sped past us and honked his horn, we had to all jump in to the hedge to avoid being hit.
Once we walked through the school gate I knew I was able to try and talk to Jenny, the man driving the car would be unable to come onto the school grounds due to safeguarding reasons. I knew I couldn't just ask her straight out what was going on, and I had to bide my time. I messaged mum to inform her that they were attending school today, she knew, she had already seen them walking up the road and had already rung the school and the head mistress and safeguard lead had agreed to meet with her to discuss the welfare of the children. Their welfare was paramount.
I noticed at lunchtime Becki and Jenny were sat together on a picnic bench on the school field, they had been distancing their selves away from everyone else, and I was hoping and praying that Jenny was disclosing information to Becki. Adam who at the time was playing football with a group of boys noticed me staring at them and ran over, he urged me to join them and gave me a reassuring nudge in their direction.
I hesitated, I didn't want to approach them, so I ended up sitting under a tree on my own to eat my lunch. I saw Jenny stand up from a sitting position, she was hunched over as if she was in pain and started to slowly make her way towards the toilet block, another student had held the door open for her as she was far too weak. I waited for several minutes and then decided this was my chance to talk to her, if we were both in the toilets together she couldn't avoid me, however the school bell had started to ring which informed us lunchtime was over, and we had to go back to our lessons.
Jenny had spent at least twenty minutes in the toilet cubicle, and she sounded in pain, holding her breath and rapidly breathing.
I unfortunately was unable to speak to her at that time.
I did, however, see Thomas and Elias sitting by their selves at break time later in the day and as I approached them Thomas signalled to Elias to be quiet. These boys had been like brothers to me in the past, I was always able to have a laugh with them and give them cuddles, yet they were now acting as if they didn't know me. Their eyes looked sunken, their skin was full of yellow, green and blue brusies, and they avoided eye contact with me. Before, they were always kept so clean, their mum had always taken pride in how her children looked and their appearances, yet as I looked down at their uniforms, they were stained and ragged, I could smell a dirty aroma around them, and they looked like they hadn't washed for a while. It was extremely hard for me to see.
I asked how Jenny was, I didn't expect an answer, however Elias quickly blurted out "she's been cut", he was then booted in the leg by Thomas, and he instantly knew they were going to be in trouble!
As they stood up to walk away from me, I heard Elias panicky saying "I'm so scared, he's going to use the belt again isn't he, Thomas please help me, will he use the belt again?" Thomas looked at his brother and nodded his head, "you told a secret, and you spoke to someone, you know what happens now, don't you?" Elias looked at Thomas, tears streaming down his face, and he slowly nodded his head.
YOU ARE READING
A Mother's Word
Non-Fiction"Can Annette stop the abuse from happening and finally with the help of the authority take Jenny and her brothers away from their cruel mum - The abuser?" Cassie, Jenny and Becki were the best of friends living in the same street in their small vill...
