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Take Me Home
Written by H. R. Connelly
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CHAPTER THREE...
I reached Bloomington, a larger, more modern town than Springfield, around seven-thirty. It was about 18 miles away from Springfield, and I was very tired. I had been moving as quickly as I could. Ahead of me there was a nice looking family restaurant. I headed towards it, eager for breakfast.
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"You decided what you would like to eat yet?" The waitress asked me nicely.
"Yes, I'll have the French toast, please." I chose my favorite breakfast, one that was a rarely afforded luxury at Charity. In no time I was enjoying a nice hot breakfast. Half-way done, I happened to glance up. I noticed a police officer standing at the front desk. The hostess was nodding, and pointed to my waitress. He walked over to her, and started talking to her, asking questions. As she started leading him toward me, my apprehensions were confirmed. I quickly slipped out of my chair, and dragging my backpack with me, headed towards the kitchen and bathrooms. I started running, unsure as to why I would be, when I head a man's voice shout, then he called my name. I reached the back exit as he started to call out again, but the sharp bang of the door cut him off mid-word. I ran around the side of the restaurant, heart pounding, but stopped before rounding the corner of the building. I peered around the corner, out front were two cars. One was Mrs. Cranton's; the other was a police car from Springfield. I silently cursed my luck, and wondered why they would be making such a fuss. After all, it wasn't as if I was wanted.
No one had noticed me, so I slowly stepped backwards till the building hid me completely. I turned around intending to look for a quick getaway, but encountered a tall blond man who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. He didn't move, just looked at me, and I thought I saw amazement in his blue eyes. I shivered slightly, and wondered if I should run back towards the police cars and Mrs. Cranton. I had been raised with a healthy fear of strangers, especially given my past.
"Julianne." He said calmly, and reached out a hand. "Its time to come home." When I made no movements, he came towards me and took my arm. I felt as if I had been asleep and his touch had suddenly woken me. I tried to jerk away, but he already had a strong grasp on my arm. "Julianne!" He said again, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Don't you know me?" He was slightly more insistent this time, and his grasp on my arm tightened, his fingers starting to dig into my skin. I panicked slightly, and unsuccessfully tried to pull away from him.
"Who are you?" I cried when his grip on my arm held firm. He didn't answer me and somehow or another was able to get a hold of my other arm.
"Julianne, it's me." He gave me a small shake, like an adult frustrated with a small child, yet still maintained his calm demeanor. "Don't you remember me?" His fingers dug into my skin and loosing all sense of safety started screaming for help. It seemed like ages before I heard footsteps rounding the corner of the building.
Strong hands pried his fingers from my skin. A feeling of freedom and safety flooded my senses as Mrs. Cranton and Mrs. McKinnely ran to me. As I slowly calmed down, I realized salty tears were on my lips and cheeks, and I was shaking uncontrollably. It was as if my horrible dreams had come true, dreams filled with hands grasping my waist, my arms, hurting me dreadfully. The tears slowly stopped coming, and I soon beheld the man, and now a dark haired woman, standing beside him, they were both staring at me. Mrs. Cranton stood to one side, and the police stood scattered around.
"Becky, these people have claimed they are your parents." Mrs. Cranton said shortly. She was rather annoyed with Becky for disappearing like she had, especially on top of this new affair concerning the Teasdales.
I stared at Mrs. Cranton in awe, and then turned to look at the two people before me. "My parents?"
I didn't know what to say, and it seemed neither did anyone else.
Mrs. Cranton sighed, realizing that her training didn't cover just such a situation. She put a hand on Becky's back and rubbed it softly. "Well..., lets all go back to Charity, we have a lot of details to work through."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Why didn't you tell me what He did to her!" Sarah stormed, brushing her hair viciously. The beautiful brunette sat before a large wooden framed mirror. She turned to stare at her husband, who sat spread out comfortably on the large bed. Her stare was bitingly accusing.
"We had been through so much already, I didn't want to make it any harder on you." He replied as he sat up and came over to her.
"Did you know that she wouldn't remember who we were? That He took her memory from her? I just can't believe my baby, your daughter, doesn't know who we are! You didn't tell me anything, and I wish you had." Sarah put her brush down and stood up to face her husband. "It would have made it easier if you'd have just told me."
"I should have known better." Her husband conceded. "But you do not understand what I saw when I confronted Him. It was enough to make me... I wanted to kill him for what he had done. I wanted to keep it from you if I could."
"Don't you know that I realized something was wrong when you came back without her? How could He take her and not be cruel to her?" Sarah sighed and slowly went to the bed and sat down on the edge, back straight. "I have waited for so long to find our daughter, and the first thing you do is scare her out of her wits, which I might add isn't in our favor with the damned investigation they have to perform."
"My darling, I am not infallible, as many would like to believe. I thought there might be some hope she'd remember us when she saw us. It will all go well, I've arranged it."
"Oh… I know. I just wish-" her husband had swiftly silenced her with a finger to her lips.
"Remember where that got you last time." He said softly. "The important thing is that we will be able to bring her home at last."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After the Teasdales found me at the restaurant, we all drove back to Charity. Mrs. Cranton took the Teasdales into her office with some policemen, and then came out to explain the situation to me. An investigation, at which I must testify, and drudge up the unhappy memories of my first year in Charity
After a few hours, Mrs. McKinnely came up to let me know that the Teasdales had left.
"Dear, till the investigation is over, I'm afraid you won't be allowed to meet with the Teasdales," she looked at me, waiting for my response.
"Do I have to testify? Everyone knows I don't remember anything. I don't see the point."
"I'm sorry, but there is no other option. You must testify, as hard as it may be to do so. We have to make sure that you aren't being put back in the same situation you came from. We do want to place you in a home, and preferably with your biological parents… if they can prove that you were kidnapped."
"Oh, I know. I'm glad that everyone is being so careful, but to tell the truth, I'm scared of them."
"You're bound to be. Perhaps when it's proven that you were kidnapped, and not beaten by your parents, you will feel safer around them."
"I doubt it." Becky replied. She couldn't feature all that had happened that day, and couldn't quite decide whether she had stumbled on extreme fortune or bad luck.
"I'm sure it will turn out for the best." Mrs. McKinnely rose with a note of finality in her voice. She went to the door. "Things most often do," she said and closed the door behind her.
Take Me Home
Written by H. R. Connelly
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CHAPTER THREE...
I reached Bloomington, a larger, more modern town than Springfield, around seven-thirty. It was about 18 miles away from Springfield, and I was very tired. I had been moving as quickly as I could. Ahead of me there was a nice looking family restaurant. I headed towards it, eager for breakfast.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"You decided what you would like to eat yet?" The waitress asked me nicely.
"Yes, I'll have the French toast, please." I chose my favorite breakfast, one that was a rarely afforded luxury at Charity. In no time I was enjoying a nice hot breakfast. Half-way done, I happened to glance up. I noticed a police officer standing at the front desk. The hostess was nodding, and pointed to my waitress. He walked over to her, and started talking to her, asking questions. As she started leading him toward me, my apprehensions were confirmed. I quickly slipped out of my chair, and dragging my backpack with me, headed towards the kitchen and bathrooms. I started running, unsure as to why I would be, when I head a man's voice shout, then he called my name. I reached the back exit as he started to call out again, but the sharp bang of the door cut him off mid-word. I ran around the side of the restaurant, heart pounding, but stopped before rounding the corner of the building. I peered around the corner, out front were two cars. One was Mrs. Cranton's; the other was a police car from Springfield. I silently cursed my luck, and wondered why they would be making such a fuss. After all, it wasn't as if I was wanted.
No one had noticed me, so I slowly stepped backwards till the building hid me completely. I turned around intending to look for a quick getaway, but encountered a tall blond man who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. He didn't move, just looked at me, and I thought I saw amazement in his blue eyes. I shivered slightly, and wondered if I should run back towards the police cars and Mrs. Cranton. I had been raised with a healthy fear of strangers, especially given my past.
"Julianne." He said calmly, and reached out a hand. "Its time to come home." When I made no movements, he came towards me and took my arm. I felt as if I had been asleep and his touch had suddenly woken me. I tried to jerk away, but he already had a strong grasp on my arm. "Julianne!" He said again, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Don't you know me?" He was slightly more insistent this time, and his grasp on my arm tightened, his fingers starting to dig into my skin. I panicked slightly, and unsuccessfully tried to pull away from him.
"Who are you?" I cried when his grip on my arm held firm. He didn't answer me and somehow or another was able to get a hold of my other arm.
"Julianne, it's me." He gave me a small shake, like an adult frustrated with a small child, yet still maintained his calm demeanor. "Don't you remember me?" His fingers dug into my skin and loosing all sense of safety started screaming for help. It seemed like ages before I heard footsteps rounding the corner of the building.
Strong hands pried his fingers from my skin. A feeling of freedom and safety flooded my senses as Mrs. Cranton and Mrs. McKinnely ran to me. As I slowly calmed down, I realized salty tears were on my lips and cheeks, and I was shaking uncontrollably. It was as if my horrible dreams had come true, dreams filled with hands grasping my waist, my arms, hurting me dreadfully. The tears slowly stopped coming, and I soon beheld the man, and now a dark haired woman, standing beside him, they were both staring at me. Mrs. Cranton stood to one side, and the police stood scattered around.
"Becky, these people have claimed they are your parents." Mrs. Cranton said shortly. She was rather annoyed with Becky for disappearing like she had, especially on top of this new affair concerning the Teasdales.
I stared at Mrs. Cranton in awe, and then turned to look at the two people before me. "My parents?"
I didn't know what to say, and it seemed neither did anyone else.
Mrs. Cranton sighed, realizing that her training didn't cover just such a situation. She put a hand on Becky's back and rubbed it softly. "Well..., lets all go back to Charity, we have a lot of details to work through."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Why didn't you tell me what He did to her!" Sarah stormed, brushing her hair viciously. The beautiful brunette sat before a large wooden framed mirror. She turned to stare at her husband, who sat spread out comfortably on the large bed. Her stare was bitingly accusing.
"We had been through so much already, I didn't want to make it any harder on you." He replied as he sat up and came over to her.
"Did you know that she wouldn't remember who we were? That He took her memory from her? I just can't believe my baby, your daughter, doesn't know who we are! You didn't tell me anything, and I wish you had." Sarah put her brush down and stood up to face her husband. "It would have made it easier if you'd have just told me."
"I should have known better." Her husband conceded. "But you do not understand what I saw when I confronted Him. It was enough to make me... I wanted to kill him for what he had done. I wanted to keep it from you if I could."
"Don't you know that I realized something was wrong when you came back without her? How could He take her and not be cruel to her?" Sarah sighed and slowly went to the bed and sat down on the edge, back straight. "I have waited for so long to find our daughter, and the first thing you do is scare her out of her wits, which I might add isn't in our favor with the damned investigation they have to perform."
"My darling, I am not infallible, as many would like to believe. I thought there might be some hope she'd remember us when she saw us. It will all go well, I've arranged it."
"Oh… I know. I just wish-" her husband had swiftly silenced her with a finger to her lips.
"Remember where that got you last time." He said softly. "The important thing is that we will be able to bring her home at last."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After the Teasdales found me at the restaurant, we all drove back to Charity. Mrs. Cranton took the Teasdales into her office with some policemen, and then came out to explain the situation to me. An investigation, at which I must testify, and drudge up the unhappy memories of my first year in Charity
After a few hours, Mrs. McKinnely came up to let me know that the Teasdales had left.
"Dear, till the investigation is over, I'm afraid you won't be allowed to meet with the Teasdales," she looked at me, waiting for my response.
"Do I have to testify? Everyone knows I don't remember anything. I don't see the point."
"I'm sorry, but there is no other option. You must testify, as hard as it may be to do so. We have to make sure that you aren't being put back in the same situation you came from. We do want to place you in a home, and preferably with your biological parents… if they can prove that you were kidnapped."
"Oh, I know. I'm glad that everyone is being so careful, but to tell the truth, I'm scared of them."
"You're bound to be. Perhaps when it's proven that you were kidnapped, and not beaten by your parents, you will feel safer around them."
"I doubt it." Becky replied. She couldn't feature all that had happened that day, and couldn't quite decide whether she had stumbled on extreme fortune or bad luck.
"I'm sure it will turn out for the best." Mrs. McKinnely rose with a note of finality in her voice. She went to the door. "Things most often do," she said and closed the door behind her.