Finding Emma

Can't Go Back

Earlier that night Emma had just got home from hanging out with Cassie after school. Kelly had just came home from the store as well. "Hey Emma I got us a pizza for dinner are you hungry?" Kelly asked her. "Yeah that sounds great" Emma replied. Mike had already headed to the bar and usually comes home around midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Kelly made the pizza for the two of them and watched a movie in the living room. It was about 10:00. "I'm going to head up to bed." Emma told Kelly. "Alright, goodnight" Kelly said.

It was about 11:00 that night and Mike came home from the bar. He was extremely drunk and extremely mad. He had gotten kicked out of the bar he was at and decided to come home instead of going to another bar. He walked in the house and kicked the door closed. "Mike be quiet, Emma is asleep." Kelly told him. "Who gives a crap about that little brat? Cause I sure don't" Mike yelled back. Mike saw that Emma left her backpack next to the couch and picked it up and stormed upstairs. "Mike, don't! Leave her alone!" Kelly yelled. "She knows better than to leave her shit laying around here!" Mike yelled.

Emma woke up once Mike got home. She heard him slam the door shut and she jolted up. "Great" she thought to herself. She heard yelling then she heard loud footsteps coming up the stairs and she was scared. She grabbed the piece of paper that Karen gave her with the phone numbers on it and shoved it in her pocket. Mike opened the door. "Get up you little brat!" Mike yelled at her. He pulled her out of bed by her arm and shoved her down the stairs. "You know better than to leave your shit laying around my house!" he yelled. Kelly helped her up and told her to go in the kitchen. Mike was furious with Kelly. Mike started walking towards Emma. "EMMA, RUN. GET OUT OF HERE" Kelly yelled because she knew that Mike was going to beat her until she had bruises on every inch of her body. Emma did as she was told. She picked up her shoes on the way out the back door and started running down the street. She didn't want to go to Cassie's because Mike would go looking for her there. She kept on running until she got to the nearest gas station. She saw a payphone, but realized she had no change. A women walked out of the store part and asked Emma if she needed some money. Emma said yes and the women gave her a few quarters so she could make her call. She called the first number on the piece of paper hoping and praying that someone would answer. "Hello" she heard on the other line. "Thank God" she thought. "Do you remember how you said that I could call you if I was in trouble and I didn't feel safe?" Emma asked. "Emma?" Karen asked. "What's wrong? What happened? Are you Ok? Where are you?" Karen questioned. "Mike came home angry and drunk and pushed me down the stairs and then he was going to hit me so Kelly told me to run, so I did and now I'm here" Emma said all jumbled together while crying. "Emma, where are you?" Karen asked worriedly. "I'm at the gas station down the road from my house." Emma replied. "Ok, stay where you are, Jimi and I are on our way." Karen said.

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"Jimi, we need to go, now!" Karen said panicked. "What happened?!" Jimi asked worriedly. "It's Emma, she was pushed down the stairs and was about to get beat before she ran. WE NEED TO GO NOW!" Karen yelled. "Alright let's go!" Jimi said. They hopped in the car and went to find Emma. "Where is she?" Jimi asked. "She said she was at the gas station down the road from her house." Karen stated. Karen looked it up on her phone and was giving directions until they got there. Emma was standing outside of the building. Jimi parked the car and Karen got out and helped Emma in the car. Emma has scrapes and bruises on her arms and legs. Karen started to tear up when she saw her. "Emma got in the car and buckled her seat belt. "Emma are you alright?" Jimi asked. "Yeah" she said shaking from crying. "Are you sure?" he asked again. "Yeah I'm sure." Emma said again. They drove home. The ride was silent so Emma could have a chance to calm down before Jimi and Karen would ask her exactly what happened.