"Come on sweetheart, it's not far now." The taller, older girl pulled her face into a forced smile as she shivered in the snow. She was barefoot, dressed in ripped jeans and a thin stolen sweater.
"My legs hurt!" The little girl whined.
"Okay, I'll carry you for a bit. Chrissie? Come back!"
The little girl was walking out onto the road,beaming at the small patch of wildflowers on the opposite roadside. Then the car came and the the older girl ran forward but all she could do was try to shield the frozen girl with her body and pray.
The first thing she knew when she woke up was that she was in a bed. The second thing she knew was that Chrissie wasn't in the room. She sat up and gasped in pain. A tall, muscular teen boy sat in the chair beside her fast asleep and she was terrified of him. From her past experiences of men, especially those who waited beside you until you regained consciousness, was that it was best to get as far away as you could. She needed to find Chrissie and get her belongings and-
"Oh good, you're awake. How do you feel?"
She stared at him in horror as her blue eyes welled up with tears and blood filled her mouth. He smiled kindly at her and offered his hand to shake. She flinched violently and his smile briefly faltered as he quickly withdrew his hand.
"Where's Chrissie?"
"The little girl? She's in the other room but-"
She clumsily stumbles out the room and into the one across the landing where she can see her unconscious baby sister.
"Chrissie!" She cries as she runs to the girl. She shakes her and tears run down her face. She was unaware of the middle aged women in the room until she gently put her hand on the distraught girls shoulder.
"She should wake up soon, I've just given her some more medicine. We hope she'll be okay."
"Chrissie?"
"I'm sorry Niki but it's time to go." Chrissie sounded much older and wiser, her voice tinted with sadness.
"No Chrissie it's not time please no!"
"I love you Niki"
"I love you too Chrissie but- Chrissie? Chrissie! No! Come back! Wake up!" The older girl is crying and screaming, shaking her sister and barely breathing. Strong gentle hands ease her away firmly and she screams as the door is closed in front of her, shutting her away from her sister and her light.
"Shh...shh...Niki it's okay."
"How can you say that when she's gone!"
"Shh..."
He carefully picks up the screaming broken girl and carries her to her bed. She is still sobbing into her scarred arms when he brings up her dinner over 4 hours later.
"Here's your dinner. Do you want to talk?"
"I don't want it." She knew she was being rude and she was going to get punished but she didn't care. All she cared about was her little sister. And now she was gone and it was all her fault...
"Niki you need to eat."
"I'm not hungry."
"You still need to eat. And mama needs to take a look at your injuries."
She moves slightly to look at him. She slowly sits up, wincing, and stares at him in confusion.
"You...you...actually care?"
"Course! Why wouldn't I?"
She tried to shrug and closed her eyes tightly. Soon, the middle aged lady that Niki saw before came in.
"Hello dear. You haven't eaten dinner? You look like you haven't had a decent meals in years!"
The boy left and the lady sat down on her bed.
"My name is Susie but you can call me mama. All the kids do. Now, I need to take off your jumper so I can see the damage."
Niki nodded and slowly peeled off her blood soaked jumper. It was much too big for her, one she'd stolen from one of the men. She heard the women's sharp intake of breath as her eyes took in the gashes, cuts, scars and bruises that practically covered her tiny bony back. All her ribs were clearly visible and a few were broken. The skin that wasn't injured was pale and dirty, her piercing blue eyes wide and fearful. Her wary, watchful eyes and mad flinches were noticed by both the mother and her son, but neither commented. Not yet anyway...
"Excuse me ma'am? I'm sorry but I don't have any money I can -"
"What do you need money for?"
"To pay for my stay...and Chrissie's..."
"No dear don't be daft, it's the least we could do! Now, I'll get some ice for those ribs, some cream and bandages and antiseptic."
A few minutes later she came bustling back in with a medium sized medical kit.
"Okay dear, this will probably hurt but it'll make it so much better in the future." Niki winced as the first antiseptic cotton round was gently pressed onto her back. She was too exhausted to even reply before she was dragged back under the cover of sub-conscious and her mind wandered one again...
