Hey thank you for reading Slowly re writing Chapter 1 – 5 will state if rewritten or not.

May include some violence but nothing major if there is I will state it at the beginning of the Chapter.

Reviews would be loved I don't even care if it is flames or happiness just a signal whether you liked it or hated it a smiley face would have me content :D

Italics are flashbacks

Comments with ' ' around them means thoughts.

Chapter 1 (Rewritten)

1876-May

Charles – Aged 16

Walking down the field from his home he stared towards the snake of the railroad thinking intently, 'nothing left for me here I'm walking away from home', he stopped himself 'that was unimportant now it wasn't home any more forget about it', but it still played in his mind like an unwanted shadow. The locomotive chunters pulling him out of his daze, it slowly started speeding up from its stop at the coalmine he chucks his single bag onto an open carriage and follows just as quick turning to glance back out of the carriage to see the last glimpse of his hometown. He sighs 'how had he come to this? Hitchhiking on a coal train?'

Four years ago he was sat in classroom, studying like his life depended on it the possibilities it could bring, who he could be, what he could do and then it all went wrong. His mother, Rose, was a hard working seamstress there was always something to mend or washing in the house, he had learned his strong work ethic from her, often helping as he hated being unhelpful.

His mother was a widow, his father had died when he was six from a mining accident. His father wasn't even a miner he was a groom at the Lord's house, tending to the horses and exercising them. One day the mine had collapsed partially and as the village was a small one every man turned out to help, his father and two other men went looking for a missing man only for the mine to fully collapse engulfing them. He could only just remember him as his father worked long hours to make ends neat, but his mother after the accident was distraught nothing seemed to calm her so she took even more work in to forget about it.

His mother took to working twelve hours a day it didn't help her forget but numbed it slightly any way they needed the money and Charles was to young to work.

He smiled his mother was so strict about his education especially after his father died, she said it was so he could have a chance at life, he could become someone not rich but well off. So Charles worked hard and when he ended up with a scholarship at the local grammar school, he very nearly burst with pride at his mother's expression. They had a religious routine over it he boarded Monday to Friday and visited home every Friday night from 7pm to Monday Morning 5am, as the school was only an hours walk from the village.

Rose had never sought another husband during all this though a fair share of widowers came forward but she always told Charles he came first and she still loved his father and couldn't move on. Then she started talking to a local man becoming good friends with him. The local blacksmith, Ernst Chapman, God in heaven he hated that man, loathed him. Ernst was a charmer not a widower but apparently never found the time to marry.

He was known as a wheeler dealer but Rose being Rose said there was good in everyone and everyone deserved a chance. Sometimes he wished his mother wasn't so kind, but soon to Charles' absolute dismay, Ernst and his mother were wed.

The minute the ring was on her finger Ernst's personality showed its true colours, not instantly Ernst kept working for a bit but slowly he started drinking. Bit by bit his mother's savings disappeared and Ernst became possessive his mother could talk to no one any more and because of it her contacts stopped giving her work so there was hardly any money coming in.

Rose always tried to keep Charles oblivious to the problem but he knew what was happening, he tried giving his mother some food from his school but his mother was horrified saying it was no more than stealing and he was never to do anything like this again. Ernst was fired within the year not that he did much work anyway he expected Rose to do everything. His mother tried to make ends neat but they were nearly destitute he felt so guilty every time he laid down in his warm bed at school.

He worked 14 hour shifts Saturday and Sunday doing any job available, his good nature towards his mother took over his school work he couldn't stand the state she was in and tried to help. He remembered the letter that finally broke his mother.

Mrs Chapman,

I am writing to inform you that you son, Charles Carson, has not kept up a high enough standard of grades needed for his scholarship. It seems over the past few months work has not been completed, he is constantly tired, and Charles has given excuse after excuse but after these examination results I can no longer ignore it.

It is with my greatest displeasure that I must expel Charles from the school due to failing to meet standards. I do this with a great amount of regret, Charles has always been an exceptional student always within the top three students, but has now fallen within the lowest scoring 20 students.

I will provide Charles with a provisional set of marks so he may apply for another school or work I also enclose a reference.

Yours Sincerely

Sir T. Moore

Headmaster

Even now 2 years later it made him shudder the look of utter disbelief and disappointment on his mother's face it broke him, However she had then realised the man she had married had ruined her son's chances, as Ernst never worked she had taken everything on and almost forgot about how it would affect Charles.

She couldn't leave Ernst though he was too mentally controlling, he always seemed to make it his mother's fault calling her an useless wife and mother. Charles had always tried to protect his mother but Ernst being the head of the household had him working long shifts at the local factory saying he would chuck Charles out if he didn't comply and Charles didn't want to leave his mother alone with Ernst any more. Charles had began to notice the bruising on her face and arms, but he was powerless he had no money as Ernst took it all and no where else to take his mother.

He was chucked out of home yesterday, his 16th birthday, he knew he would be Ernst hated him, it was only a matter of time really. His mam had cried throughout his goodbye holding on to him for dear life but she told him to go escape while he could. Even now sat on the train he had to brush his tears away at the image of his mother's broken face.

He had met Harry Moor last year when he did an odd shift at the pub; Harry said there was a lot of job opportunities in London, jobs that could get him big money if he wanted, so that is where he is heading.

PLEASE R&R