Runaway

Chapter 1

‘Oh, I hate needles get away from me!’ moaned Tanya kicking out at the doctor. Doctor Nancy held onto her legs firmly and mum fought with her arms.

‘Oh do be quiet!’ hissed mum angrily, ‘Doctor Nancy is only giving you a tiny injection!! Only a pinprick compared to some needles.’ Tanya began to roll around on the bed.

‘She’s very, er… very strong for a thirteen year old.’ Said the small doctor. Mum nodded and glared at her daughter. Suddenly, Tanya gave an almighty growl, and pushed off both mum and Doctor Nancy, taking them by surprise. She raced out of the door, and skidded down the shiny, disinfected hospital floor. As she passed the waiting room, patients covered up their own children’s eyes and looked away, shaking their heads sadly. When Tanya reached the exit, she stopped and panted just outside the door.

‘Tut-tut! It’s that Robinsons’ girl again. Poor mother has never been able to control that little brat. Horrible child, like her horrible father.’ Whispered a passing old lady with her friend.

‘I know,’ replied the friend, ‘Awfully brought up, mainly the mum’s fault, but the dad leaving can’t have helped. However, Andy’s such a gentle man, so loving and caring for that child.’ They trotted away, and Tanya stuck out her very pink tongue at them. Her unusually pink tongue… Tanya pressed a finger onto her tongue and gently brought it away. It was covered in blood.

‘Oh no!’ called a man beside her, ‘What have you done dear? You’d better get that checked out. Where’s your mummy huh?’

‘I’m not five you know,’ retorted Tanya, ‘I’m bloody thirteen for god’s sake! Why can nobody appreciate that? Even my stupid, idiot mum can never remember how old I am. I hate her, I hate you, I hate this stupid place!!!’ screamed Tanya and began running away again. She ran and ran, all the way home, which was a good four miles, and grabbed the spare key from under the plant pot. She opened the door, and walked slowly into the living room. That was her first mistake.

‘Hi, Tanya.’ Smirked Andy, mum’s boyfriend, ‘Your mum called me, and said you’d been a naughty girl…’ He crossed his legs, and wrapped his fingers together. Tanya felt her face grow hot, and not just from running. Her hands were clammy and she clasped them behind her back.

‘DID YOU HEAR ME?’ shouted Andy, clearly already in a bad mood. Tanya nodded, not daring to speak.

‘Explain to me what you did,’ said Andy, quietening his voice, ‘Tell me what you did.’ Tanya gulped, and stared down at her feet.

‘I…I… I err I wouldn’t go for my injection.’

Andy smiled sickly.

‘I see. And why not, Tanya?’ Tanya grimaced. She hated the way he paused before he said her name.

‘It well, it was because it hurt, and I didn’t like Doctor Nancy holding me down.’ Whispered Tanya. Andy’s eyes gleamed in the dim light.

‘I see.’ Andy got up, and slowly walked over to where Tanya was standing.  Suddenly, he clasped her long brown hair, making her yelp. He stared straight into her eyes, and whispered in her ears, ‘Get into the cellar before your mum gets back, and don’t say a word.’ Tanya nodded. Andy dragged her by her scalp to the thick oak door that led to the cellar, and opened it slowly. ‘Get in.’ Tanya was roughly thrown through the door. She landed on her arm on one of the cold stone steps, and rolled down like a rag doll. ‘I suppose I’m not much different to a rag doll in his eyes.’ Thought Tanya. As the cellar door was closed, and the key turned in the lock, Tanya began to weep in the dark, musty room. Although, it was not unusual for Tanya to be locked in the cellar. It was never mum that did it, always mum’s boyfriend Andy. But mum never stopped it as she was so ‘in love’ with Andy, like many men before him. He acted all sweet to everyone but Tanya, and often hit her, or locked her down in the cellar for hours on end, with no food, just a bowl of water like a dog would have. To be honest she was not treated much better than a dog. Tanya crawled over to the furthest corner of the small stone room, and pulled her knees up to her chin. She huddled in the cold in her jeans and t-shirt. Her jacket was still at the Hospital from where it had been taken off for her to have her injection. Tanya’s straight hair fell over her face, curtaining her in her own little world. As she had so often been locked down here, she had learned to make her own imaginary life. Everything was perfect in Tanyatia, her imaginary place, and her mum was just a normal forty year old woman, a bit plump, not all tall and blonde like her real mum was, and she had a lovely caring father, her REAL father. Not some abusive guy mum had picked up from the pub. In Tanyatia, her parents were married and were always happy. They never shouted at each other or Tanya. They loved her dearly, and bought her lovely presents and designer labels that actually fitted. They lived in a huge mansion and had lovely red velvet sofas, and four poster beds. Her dad was a lawyer and earned loads of cash, and mum was an artist. Her paintings were known all over the world, and she was very famous. Tanya had loads of friends who all looked up to her, and she had lovely teachers who didn’t mind at all if you couldn’t answer a question. There was an especially nice teacher, Miss Laiter. She was very pretty, and was very kind. Tanya was her favourite pupil and she always gave her help with things she didn’t understand. Sometimes they had tea together.

Tanya got so caught up in her perfect world that she almost thought it was real. ‘If only it was…’ she whispered. She lay down on her side, still huddled up. Tanya must have eventually fallen asleep because she woke up in an even blacker room than before. Tanya looked at her watch tentatively. It glowed in the dark, a very useful source when you’re locked up in a cellar. The time was 2:48 am. It may have been late but Tanya still heard roars of laughter coming from the kitchen. Mum and Andy were having a party. They had one nearly every night, like a bunch of teenagers. Tanya knew she would be hurt even more if Andy found her listening in on an ‘adult conversation’, but she needed to hear if they were talking about her. If they had even remembered that she was in there. She crept up the steps and leaned her ear against the door.

‘Yeah and did you see the bloody football last night? Man – city 4-0!’

‘Ah I know mate, flippin’ awesome. GO MAN – CITY!’

‘Honey, have you told Jack ‘bout our holiday?’ crooned mum.

‘Oh yeah, Jack mate. Guess what? We’re going on holiday to Florida. Two weeks, I’m treating my girl.’ Grunted Andy.

‘Whoa! Man, you never told me that! When are you going?’

‘Oh err, like tomorrow. Our flight’s at 9:00 in the morning.’

‘You mean like today? Later on?’

‘Yeah.’

Tanya breathed a sigh of relief. She was going on a nice holiday! To Florida! Wow, Andy must be feeling generous. But, how could she pack in time? She wouldn’t be let out at least until the party ended and who knew how long that would be? Tanya started to panic. What if mum had packed her bag, and it was full of all her old tops and things?? Tanya decided sleep was the best thing, and when she was let out she could worry about packing. She crept back to her corner, silently smiling to herself. She slept well that night, dreaming of swimming with dolphins and sunbathing by a glistening pool. But it wasn’t Andy and mum in the dream, it was her Tanyatia mum and dad.

Tanya woke with a start. The room was light and sunrays pushed through the cellar door. Someone must have been in because a plate with two slices of bread was next to her. Tanya hurriedly looked at her watch. 9:12 am. She screamed. She banged on the door. She cried. She bashed the floor. She shouldered the door. She listened for any sounds coming from the kitchen. None. Maybe they were still in bed? Maybe the flight was actually tomorrow? Maybe Andy was wrong. Maybe it was just a dream, and they weren’t going to Florida at all.

But Tanya knew these were all just excuses. Mum and Andy had gone to Florida, and left her alone in the cellar, and nobody knew where she was.