Memories- Part 14
Disclaimer- I do not own any original higher ground members. But I do own all the new ones to numerous to mention here
In this chapter- Jordan is forced to tell. What will happen to him now?
And a note- For those of you who have read my other HG fic- A New Horizon, I am changing Sophie's past. Not only did her father leave when she was 8, and her brother (I made him up, read the story if you need to) Mark (age 12) for another woman, but also he used to hit them, one of the other reasons Mark hated him so much.
You might need some tissues!!!!
Jordan woke up with a start. He knew instantly he wasn't where he had fallen asleep last night. And the splitting headache wasn't helping trying to come to terms with what he had done last night. He tried to come to terms with where he was.
"No, it can't be." He thought panicky as he sat up and looked around. It was the nurses office.
"No way." He said, grabbing his head, he had sat up way to fast. He lay back down. And as he did noticed some of his worse bruises and cuts were bandaged. No one had done that since he'd landed in the hospital. 'How come it always hurts the day after?' he asked himself.
"I gotta get out of here." He said in a whisper to himself. He tried to get off the bed and almost fell, but someone caught him. It was Sophie.
"Seems worse the day after doesn't it Jordan?" she asked him. He looked at her, how did she know, how did she know what he was thinking.
"Sit, let me tell you a story." She said to him. "13 years ago my brother mark committed suicide." She said sadly. "When our dad left it hurt him and me, I was 8, Mark was 12. Mark never forgave him for leaving my mom, or for what he did to Mark. See my dad hit him. Not all the time, just enough. And You wouldn't know until later, I couldn't tell till he woke up the next day, in pain." Sophie said. "And I knew, even then that something was wrong, but I loved my dad, until he left."
Jordan lay back down. Sophie was trying to help him, but it was making it worse. Didn't she know what was going to happen to him. This beating was nothing, he had had worse, and when they finally found out it would be a lot worse. He never stayed away from their clutches for long.
Just the Peter came in. Sophie saw Peters face and left. Peter sat down on the chair next to Peter's office.
"Jordan, we need to talk." Peter said.
Jordan turned to face him. "Let me guess." Jordan said sarcastically. "By the laws of blah blah blah , insert state here, I am ordered to report all suspected cases of abuse."
"So you've heard this all before." Peter said perking his eyebrow up.
"It's all in the..." he said stopping.
"Jordan!"
"It's all in the file." Jordan said breathing too tired to fight, it was the headache.
"Which is where may I ask."
"Under the bunk in the dorm." Jordan said, it was unraveling anyway, might as well tell it all.
'And How did you get it?" Peter asked.
"The night I broke into the office, I went to get that." Jordan said.
"Why'd you do it Jordan?" Peter asked.
"Cause I'm not stupid." Jordan said, and then put a pillow over his head, the headache was unbearable. It was like a drill going through his skull.
"What do you want from us Jordan?" Peter asked.
"What do I want?" Jordan asked sarcastically, "What I want is for you guys to stop butting around in my business. I've learned to take care of myself. So what if my parents... I mean they, hit me. I mean I've lived with it and dealed. Why can't you deal with it."
"Cause it's wrong Jordan, that's why." Peter said. "But maybe you can't see it for exactly the same reason that you just said. Cause you don't know anything else."
Jordan sat up, Peter had no right to say what Jordan knew and didn't know, he didn't know anything (Peter that is) "Don't tell me what I don't know." He said angrily, bitterly, and directly.
"Fine then tell me." Peter challenged him. "I would love to know what you know. Give me some insight."
"GOD!" Jordan screamed. "Can't you lay off. I have a headache that's about to split my brain in two. Just leave me alone."
Peter looked at him. "Fine, we'll talk later Jordan, I'll be back, you think about what I said." Peter said. "And I'll sent Anne Marie in with an aspirin for you."
Being alone the fear returned. How come it always returns when you think that it won't. Jordan lay back down and put his pillow over his head. What he wouldn't do to write in his journal right now. But of course that was under his bed and they'd probably find and read that too.
How could this have happened. He thought to himself. He had tried so hard to keep all the lies straight, all the tracks covered up. Stealing the file, burning the pictures and the Journal entry. Why was this happening again?
He hated this feeling, of failure. Of the extreme fear, the fear that made you go practically crazy, made your heart race and made you do crazy things. He was so scared. And there was no one there, no one to understand him. No one at Horizon did. Only Jamie and daddy and Hailey Jade and Dillion had understood. And where were they now? They were gone now. Far away from him. There was no one to comfort him. And he needed it so bad. Everyone's lies, everyone's false hopes and dreams for him, all the people saying he would one day be safe. That one day he'd be taken far far away from them, from his mom and Jackson, and they would never hurt him again. All the things that had once brought him a glimmer of hope and of comfort were gone. They were all lies.
He'd never be safe, he'd learned that a long time ago. After the first promise was broken when he was taken away the first time and returned. But still it was always there, maybe he could be good, maybe they would change, maybe they wouldn't hit him so hard the next time. Maybe next time they wouldn't use the buckle side of the belt, maybe next time they wouldn't punch so hard, maybe next time they won't break a bone, maybe next time he could stop them, maybe...maybe...maybe... That's all it had been for so long. The maybes. And he knew that wasn't true. They never stopped hurting him, the punches always bruised, the belt always fell, bones were always broken and set just to be broken again. He was never good enough for them, for them to stop hitting him.
He was never safe, never free from that fear. Even in foster homes he feared going back, and facing them again. He feared his foster parents would hurt him like they did, and in some occasions it was true. He feared for Hailey Jade and Dillion's safety. He couldn't see them hurt.
But yet no one cared. Jackson and Kendra didn't care how much they hurt him, they thrived on it, it made them stronger. The social workers didn't care; they always sent him back, why would they send him back there if they really cared. Even Hailey Jade and Dillion didn't care, and he had sacrificed himself for them.
He had done so much for them, for Hailey Jade and Dillion. He had nursed their scrapes, put Band-Aids on their cuts. Congratulated them on good grades and gave them presents on Christmas and birthdays. He had wiped away their tears after nightmares, or after the freak chance that mom or Jackson had gotten their hands on them. He made sure that almost never happened. He couldn't stand them hurt. All those times he had gotten beaten for them. He had comforted them when they were sick, held their hair when they were throwing up, placing a cold hand on their head when they had a fever. He made dinner for them, even when there wasn't enough food for him, cause Jackson and Kendra had spent all the money on beer and wine and the like. He saved them. He let them go when he still needed them, just so they could be safe. And that hurt. What good was it?
Had they ever thanked him? NO. Had they ever written to him, called him to come for a visit? NO. Had he gotten a Christmas or a birthday card from them, even though he sent one at every birthday and holiday? NO. Had they even told the police or anyone what their parents had done to him, what he shielded them from? NO. They just left him.
He had given them so much, and got nothing...nothing at all back. No one was there when he was battered and beaten, bleeding from cuts, his bones broken. No one was there to congratulate him when he did good, and he tried to do good all the time, he was on the top of his class. No one was there when he woke up crying in the middle of the night, no one to hug him and tell him it would be all better. No one to protect him from them, to spare him one punishment. No one cared when he was sick, there was no one to make him feel better. He hadn't had a party... a Christmas in years, since Daddy left. When he cried out in pain, no one came. When he was sick no one was there to comfort him, to make him soup, to place a cool palm on the back of his neck when he was throwing up. No one had tried to save him. No one tried to take him away, to make sure he was safe. No one...no one...no one...
Was that to much for him to ask? To have some one keep him safe. To have some one protect him for once, To have someone comfort him when he was having a nightmare. To care when he was sick. To know what his favorite things were, to know all the things moms and dads should know, all the things he had known about Hailey Jade and Dillion. To get a present, a card, a phone call, anything from them. Why couldn't he have it when they did. Didn't he deserve it too?
But it would never happen. He could never be safe. He had been once, but that didn't last long and felt so long ago.. Why did it have to be like this. And Jordan couldn't tell. Didn't anyone understand he couldn't tell. They'd kill him if he told. Didn't anyone realize that, they'd kill him. They would hunt him down and kill him.
Jordan started crying. Tears were coming down his face, fast and hot. The pillow soaking them up. "Daddy...why....daddy." he cried. He wanted his daddy. Daddy had cared. He had hugged him and kissed him and comforted him. But he wasn't there... why couldn't he be there....
Daddy had died cause Jordan was bad. He had gotten sick because Jordan was a bad boy, and bad boys needed to be punished. That's what Mom said wasn't it. That meant Jordan deserved all this. Why did he have to leave, why did he have to leave him. Didn't he love him enough. Jordan had tried to be good when daddy was sick. Daddy kept saying Jordan was being a good boy. Then why did he die? Why did he leave if he wasn't mad at him? Why did he have to go away, leave Jordan alone with them. Why? What had he done that was so bad. To get this. It must have been something but what?
"Daddy." Jordan cried continuously. No one answered, no one came. He was alone, and scared, and no one was there. He cried himself to sleep......
(PLEASE NOTE- THIS IS A DREAM.... THIS IS A DREAM)
"Jordan." A voice called out, "Jordan."
Jordan opened his eyes from sleep. He adjusted his eyes to the light for a moment, searching for the voice. It was coming from a figure, it looked like... but it couldn't be...."Daddy?" Jordan whispered.
"Yes Jordan." Matthew answered.
"Daddy." Jordan cried. "How? Wha?" Jordan said shocked.
"Shhh Jordan. No questions. Not like that. I'm here only for a while." Matthew said hugging his son.
"Daddy." Jordan said crying.
"Jordan, look how much you've grown, my little boy. You're wonderful." Matthew said kissing his forehead.
"Why?" Jordan asked.
"Why did I leave?" Matthew replied. "I didn't know Jordan, if I had known I wouldn't have left you. I didn't know they'd do this. I never wanted you hurt."
"Jordan I love you. Understand I wouldn't have left you if I had know. I love you to much,"
"I love you to daddy."
"I wanted to protect you. I want you to be safe." Matthew said. "You deserve that."
"No I don't." Jordan said crying.
"Yes you do." Matthew said.
"No, I'm bad, I made you sick. I made you die." Jordan cried.
"No Jordan, the cancer did that. The cancer made me sick." Matthew said, "It wasn't anything you did, it wasn't your fault."
"Daddy I'm scared. They'll hurt me again when I go back." Jordan cried.
"I know your scared baby. But they won't hurt you I know they won't. I'll protect you." Matthew said wiping away Jordan's tears.
"But Daddy, how can you? Why is this happening."
"You mean why did Hailey Jade and Dillion get out first, why you have to go through this?" Matthew asked.
Jordan nodded.
"I knew you were strong, you protected them, You needed to, I couldn't. And I left you in a difficult place. And I am so sorry. But you, Jordan I love you. And you aren't supposed to be with them, your grandparents. Hailey and Dillion yes, they need to be with your mothers family. They didn't know me like you did. But you Jordan, you did, and you need someone, you need someone special." Matthew said. "I know, it's not a good explanation but it's the only one I have."
'Daddy." Jordan cried. "Why's it so hard."
"Cause your scared. But don't worry. I know you can make it."
"Now I have to go Jordan. I want you to know That I love you, and I never meant for any of this to happen." Matthew said Hugging his son hard. "I love you and you don't deserve anything that's happened to you. You need to be safe, what they did was wrong. I want you to tell for me okay? Tell Jordan."
"I can't." Jordan said crying harder.
"Yes... Yes you can." Matthew said getting up. "I love you Jordan, never ever forget that." Matthew said As he walked away. "There are people in this world that love you Jordan, Love you like I do. Care for you. Your brother and sister, they love you. Jamie, she loves you You'll be together soon, and Peter and Sophie, They'll help you. I love you."
"I love you to daddy." Jordan said before realizing what was happening. As he realized his dad was walking away he cried out. "Daddy...Daddy..." but there was no answer. He woke up.
LATER ON
Jordan sat up against the wall. Daddy had come to him. He was still letting the words sink in of what he had said. Daddy really came to him. He was still shocked at the idea.
"He said he wouldn't have left." Jordan whispered.
"Who wouldn't have left?" Daisy asked coming in.
"No one." Jordan said to her, taking his food tray from her.
"Didn't look like no one from the look on your face." Daisy said. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Not exactly a ghost." Jordan said taking a sip of water.
"Intriguing." Daisy said.
"What ever." Jordan said.
"Who was it." Daisy asked, not really expecting to have Jordan answer.
"My daddy." Jordan said, breathlessly.
"Your Daddy?" Daisy said almost laughing at the word, it seamed so childish.
Jordan glared at her.
"Sorry." She said.
"Sure." He said, not believing her. "Sorry Daisy, but can you leave me alone please." He said kindly, but absently.
"Sure Jordan." She said getting up, without a battle which was unusual for her.
When she left Jordan went to the phone. He dialed Jamie's number. But this time he wasn't lucky enough to get her.
"Hello?" It was Jamie's mom.
"Hi, Mrs. J. Is Jamie there?" he asked.
"Is this Jordan?" Her mom asked happily.
"Yes it is." Jordan said.
"Oh Jordan, we've missed you so much. How is everything?" she said. "I heard your parents are taking a trip over there, to your new school."
"Yeah Mrs. J, they are." Jordan said. "They got here yesterday."
"Well that's good Honey. Listen I love you, here is Jamie."
"Hey!!" Jamie answered the phone happily.
"He came to me Jamie!" Jordan said happily. "He came to me."
"Who Jordan? Who came to you?" she asked confused.
"Daddy. Daddy came to me, and I was dreaming but I wasn't and..." he said.
"Oh my god." Jamie said astonished. It was hard to believe.
"And he said he wouldn't have died if they were going to hurt me, and that you love me and that soon we'll be together and that I should tell, and that I'll be safe soon." Jordan said hurriedly.
"Wait slow down Jordan. He told you that you should tell.... And that we'd be together?" she asked slowly, unsure.
"Yeah, together Jamie. I love you Jamie." He said, he hadn't said that to her like this before and he heard her gasp on the other end. "And He told me I had to tell, that he'll protect me. But..." Jordan stopped.
"But nothing, this is your dad, he wouldn't lie to you. Don't you see Jordan, you'll be safe."
Back at Horizon Peter stepped in the room. "Oh shoot I got to go." Jordan said to her, blowing a sudden kiss. "They're here. I need to go, love you buh bye Jams." He said and hung up.
Jamie held the phone, letting the dead ring settle in her ears for a moment, he loved her, and was going to tell. He'd be safe... He'd be safe... It was a dream come true.
HORIZON
"So given any thought to what I said Jordan?" Peter asked, with slight annoyance on his voice.
"You don't know what I know." Jordan started. "You don't know what it's like, you can't pretend you do. And you... You don't know what they're capable of. What they'll do to me, what they've done to me." He said. "You don't know."
"Tell me then." Peter said. "Tell me, and then I'll know."
Jordan breathed in, 'You need to do this.' A voice in his head told him 'Yeah only if you have a death wish. They'll kill you and put your hide on the wall if you do.' Another voice popped in.
"Can I have a glass of water?" he asked suddenly.
"Sure." Peter said, and went out and got it then came back. This time bringing Sophie, and a tape recorder, Jordan knew what it would be for.
He was ready. "My daddy was a good man. He never hurt me. He, he even taught me to mountain climb. I loved him." Jordan said with a tear in his eye. "Daddy loved me. He was always there to protect me. I don't want you ever to call him a bad guy. No one could ever be as good as him, got it." Jordan said, they needed to get that straight first, Kendra and Jackson might have hurt him, but Matthew never had.
"Got it." Peter and Sophie said in unison.
"Mom, she wasn't always like that, just before dad got sick, and after. She just changed." He said softly. "And when she met Jackson I didn't have a chance. God, I hate him so much. He'd never be like daddy. They were perfect for each other, mom and Jackson. Both of them were perfect with each other, the both wanted to hurt me.
Peter and Sophie looked at him.
"I remember the first time the two of them sent me to the hospital. It was Christmas day, I was 8. I tripped on the Christmas light cord and knocked down some ornaments on the tree, and one of them happened to be Jackson's. Got a right hook right above the eye. Mom was wearing her diamond ring. Cut me in the forehead, needed 7 stitches. Jackson broke my arm."
"And when we got there and said I had just fallen on the ice hard outside, no one questioned." Jordan said. "It's so easy to lie to them, their patients are numerous and they work to long. It's the nurses and Doctors that are easiest to lie to. Way easy."
"When they broke my Jaw the first time, They said I got in a fight with my brother. Dillion was 9, do you really think he could have done that." Jordan said. "And then they were taken away." Jordan said thinking of his brother and sister.
"Your brother and sister?" Sophie asked.
"I love them you know." Jordan said solemnly. "When they went to court, to get custody, my grandparents, moms parents, blamed me. Said that if all of this really happened, I should have gotten them out earlier. Said that if I had loved them I wouldn't have had them get hurt." Jordan said crying on his voice; the words hurt as much now in memory as when they had first been said. "I did love them, I protected them. It was my body that got the blows, my skin that burned my flesh that ripped my bones that broke. I needed them. I needed them and no one understood that. I could have protected them, I did protect them. But I had to leave them. I gave so much, and those people took it all away. Just like that."
"That's what they do, is take it all away and hurt you." Jordan said. "They say social services, CPS, they're all supposed to help you. They take you away, tell you your gonna be safe this time, that you won't have to be hurt again. They send you to a foster home, some were bad to, as bad as home. But then you get sent back and sent back, and the beatings are worse the next time. To get Hailey Jade and Dillion out I had to lie. I had to get up there and say that my parents had never laid a hand on me, just my brother and sister, make me look like a bad guy so they could get out. So only I would have to face Mom and Jackson later. And no one cared. I came to court with bruises that day, but no one cares about a 12-year-old when your brother and sister are 9 and 6. They're so innocent, and you... your not. Your nothing."
"The day that my grandparents got custody, they beat me so bad that I was in the hospital for 2 weeks. Did anyone question that?" Jordan asked.
"No" Sophie whispered sadly.
"Right, give the lady a cookie." Jordan said bitterly. "Cause mummy dearest and good ol' step-dad have cop friends. Got to cover it up nice and pretty. All smooth and tied with a bow. According to the record I got in this big huge fight with this kid, this kid that doesn't even exist anywhere in my town. And that's what's in the file. Why don't you think you didn't have it for so long. Cause Jackson's got friends on the inside. Want to know how you got the file anyway?" Jordan asked looking at peter. "Cause you got the cop that he didn't buy off. The ones that always caught me when I ran and turned me over, not knowing anything. Or you got the ones sick of lying now that I wasn't there."
"And You don't know what it's like to get beat for nothing. Ever had Your Jaw broken? Your elbow and wrist at the same time? To have so many broken ribs that you can't breath without that jolting pain that makes you cry, and to get beaten on top of that. No you don't but I do. I know." He said. "What you saw, what you see, Is nothing. Get it nothing. It could be a lot worse. And If they knew I was telling they'd kill me. And You wonder why I didn't want to. Cause they would kill me. And I mean it. They've almost done it before, the only thing stopping them was other people. And if I told they wouldn't have a reason not to kill me, everyone would know, and yet no one would care."
Jordan sat silently for a minute. "You wanna hear the details, read the file, that's a good piece of literature, make sure to bring a tissue cause you'll be laughing till you cry. Read the doctors reports, most of that at least is true. But don't say you understand how hard this is, that you know how hard it is cause you don't."
"You'll be okay Jordan. We'll help you. You'll be safe." Sophie said, trying to make her words sound real to him, though she knew they fell on deaf ears. To him they weren't true.
"They have their ways." Jordan said. "They'll know the second you pick up that phone and be here. They're like blood hounds, like starving dogs on the scent of fresh meat. They'll know." He said. 'They always know."
Peter and Sophie looked at each other. "Jordan, why don't you go to the lodge and meet with the group. We'll be there soon okay."
"What ever." Jordan said getting up painstakingly.
When he left Peter and Sophie got up.
"How could we not see it Peter?" Sophie asked.
"Like Jordan said he's good at hiding. Good at lying." Peter said.
"But we suspected it." Sophie said insistently.
"Sophie. I know. But it's hard. All we can do now is help him." Peter said reassuring her with a hug. "That's all we can do."
LATER ON
Jordan sat on the bridge. The cold air burning his bare arms. It was cold and he should have worn a coat. But he didn't care. It didn't matter to him right now. Nothing really did.
Wasn't it enough for them that he told them? No now they wanted him to talk to counselors at the school, and to the police when they came. God when would it all end, he thought to himself. If telling was supposed to be the good part, why wasn't he feeling any better. He hated talking to people about his problems. He hated being pitied, people thinking they could help him, they could save him. When he knew they couldn't. To put his trust in them just so they could take it all away and hurt him with it. He hated when people made promises he knew they wouldn't keep. He had always kept his promises why couldn't everyone else keep theirs?
He hated counselors, if there was anything he hated more than a counselor it was a doctor. He had been to one once, right after Daddy died. All those "How does this make you feel?" "How does that make you feel?" "Express your feelings, talk about it it will be alright." Junk was pathetic. Imagine what it would be like "When you get hit how does it feel." 'Um duh it hurts.' "And when your brother and sister were taken away how did that make you feel." "Let me guess, it sucks." Even a moron could figure out the answers to those questions.
And Cops. Cops were evil. They tried to act all nice sometimes, but then they always played the good cop bad cop routine. And Jordan always got the bad cop. How many police had Jackson already gotten to around here? On the freak chance that Jordan would tell. The cops couldn't protect him. No one could.
Jordan was deep in thought when he heard a car pull up and 2 doors slam hard. It was them, Mom and Jackson. Jordan gulped. "Dead meat." He whispered, got up and ran towards the admit building where he knew they were going. He might as well beg their forgiveness before they found out from Peter and Sophie.
"Well if it isn't Mr. Tattle-tail." Jackson sneered, grabbing Jordan's arm.
How could they have known already. It wasn't possible was it??
"I'm...I'm sorry." Jordan said.
"Give me one reason I shouldn't beat the crap out of you right here and right now." Jackson whispered harshly in his ear.
"Please, I'm sorry. They made me tell." Jordan said almost in tears, he hated crying in front of them, it made them stronger, made the blows come quicker and harder. He didn't even know why he was crying.
"You are so dead." His mother whispered in his other ear, grabbing his other arm and twisting it.
"I'm sorry." He said. "Tell them something else, anything, just don't hurt me anymore please." He said as he was hearing his elbow joint pop, and no one was there to help him. All at once he was a little boy again.
******Flashback******
Jordan came home from school terrified, it was school physical day and the made all the kids have physicals. Of course that meant having to take off your shirt for the nurse to check you out. And Jordan had gotten hit the night before and bruises were on his back. And he would not take off his shirt. They couldn't see them. The nurse got mad at him and called mom AND Jackson. He knew they'd be waiting for him when he got home.
He opened the door slowly. They were on him like lions on their prey.
"So what's this we hear about the nurse and you not obeying her?" Kendra asked pulling Jordan in by his arm and squeezing it and twisting it.
"How do you think that looks Jordan. What do you think she'll say?" Jackson asked slapping him. "You think those bruises are enough to have to keep your shirt on just wait." Jackson said kicking out his knees so Jordan fell to the ground. He took off his belt slowly. It fell again and again.
"What are we going to tell her Jordan?" Kendra asked.
"Tell them anything. Please stop." He said gasping. "Please, anything, tell them anything you want to. They'll believe you. Please." He said crying trying to curl up to protect himself, to be safe, but they didn't stop.
******END FLASHBACK*******
Jordan's face hit the gravel stones. It stung.
"Come on big man." Jackson said.
'Where is everyone?' Jordan asked as Jackson kicked him. The minutes seamed to be ticking on slowly. It was all in slow motion, but the pain... God the pain was unbearable.
"STOP!" Jordan heard a voice yell. "GET AWAY FROM HIM." That was the last Jordan heard till the final blow came and all he saw was darkness.
LATER ON
Jordan woke up. He was really woozy. And the pain... He tried to sit up but couldn't make it. He looked around light blinding him. Where was he what had happened.
"Jordan are you awake?" he hear a faint voice.
"Daddy?" Jordan asked barely audible. He was so out of it.
"Jordan, It's Peter, your okay, your safe."
It was becoming clearer, at least he wasn't with them. "Where am I?" he moaned.
"Your at the hospital." Peter said.
"No...No..." Jordan whined trying to move, to get away. Bad things happened in hospitals. People died, people got hurt, people got taken away... No. It was wrong, he couldn't be there. He needed to get away.
"Shh Jordan your okay." Jordan heard another voice say, knowing it had to be Sophie's. "Get some rest Jordan."
Jordan felt her hand on his forehead. It felt nice, safe. He curled to the touch. It was like when Daddy used to make him feel better after a nightmare. Jordan drifted back to sleep.
DOCTORS OFFICE
"Mr. Scarbrow, Miss Becker, please sit down." Dr. Robinson said. The doctor was a man in his mid 30s.
"So how is he doctor, what are his injuries?" Peter asked.
"Well he suffered a minor concussion, a head injury atleast. Probably from the blows he suffered. That's why he blacked out. The medicine we're giving him will release the pressure. Also we've given him some medicine to keep him relativily tranquil, that will give the body time to heal and also relieve the pain. He's got a broken arm, but that will heal, and the bruises will go away eventually." Dr. Robinson reported.
"So there was nothing major really, other than the head injury I mean." Sophie asked.
"Correct." The doctor answered. "But I am inquired to ask, This is a child abuse case is it not. I mean by the extent of these injuries, it's appalling." Dr. Robinson said. "How any doctor couldn't have caught on earlier, I have no idea."
"Let me show you something." Doctor Robinson said, Getting up and turning on his x-ray boards. "These x-rays are the bones of the normal body, all laid out. Without fractures, breaks anything. Notice how clean cut and well defined they all are." He said pointing them out.
Peter and Sophie nodded. "Now look at the ones From your student, Jordan Thomas." He said turning on another light board. There was a drastic difference. "I've counted over 25 fractures, that doesn't include ones that are no longer evident. At any point and time an x-ray would have shown this. A number a lot lower than this would even have had numerable questionalbility." He said gravely. "Especially if you have had your arm broken 3 times. And your jaw twice. The jaws a hard bone to break mind you."
Sophie gulped.
"According to these x-rays Jordan's had basically every rib broken atleast once, the recent ones not even 5 months old. The Jaw was broken twice. The fingers Numerous times. And his feet, that hurts, they look like they've been broken a lot to. All of this is gross negligence on the part of the doctors. But I have to say, I give him a lot of credit for keeping it hidden this long. And some of these bones will never heal right. He'll live with it forever." The doctor said.
"Thanks, Dr. Robinson." Sophie said shaking his hand.
` "Your welcome, sorry to deliver the bad news." He said.
"Thanks." Peter said shaking his hand also. They walked out of the room.
AT THE LODGE- Horizon- CLIFFHANGER MEETING
"Did you see what they did to him?" Scott asked.
"Man that was bad. J's gotta be aching." Auggie said to him.
"Yeah I know." Daisy said.
Everyone just happened to be walking to group from the school building when Jordan's parents came up and Peter and Sophie stopped them. They were also there when the ambulance arrived. They were astonished at him. And worried to.
"So he told." Shelby said. "We were right."
"Yes you were, congratulations." Ezra said bitterly.
"What's up with you guys?" Kat asked.
"You didn't see what we saw last night. We were there when Peter and Sophie found out. It was bad." Auggie said. "J freaked."
"Lets get back to group guys, Peter, Sophie and Jordan wouldn't want us to worry about them. So lets get back to work ok." Kat said taking charge. She hated when they were all down trodden.
"Fine." The group said sad for Jordan, and worried, wanting to get their minds off of it.
Later on- The Hospital
Jordan drifted in and out of consciousness. He could hear voices talking around him but nothing registered to him. The panic and fear came and went. He felt woozy at times but then went back to sleep. He knew that it was over.
But with that he felt a twang of guilt. He had told. He had betrayed them. Sure all they had ever done to him was hurt him and cause him pain. But mom was good once, and she was still his mom. And he had betrayed her. And what would they do with all the stuff he still had there? Now that he was so far away. A lot of memories of daddy were there in that house, along with the memories of them, of course, but still It was daddy.
"Don't think" Jordan told himself. It won't be any better.
He also worried if the cliffhangers knew. He hated when people knew what was happening to him. They looked at him like he was pathetic. That he couldn't take care of himself. And that made him feel stupid. He didn't like it when people pitied him/ That's why he hid it, what would people think of him if they knew. It wasn't like sexual abuse where people know it's not your fault. This was different. In a way it was his fault wasn't it. He was a bad boy. That was true wasn't it?? All they said wasn't it true?
He sighed and went back to sleep.
Peter and Sophie sat looking at Jordan sleep. The bruises on his face were becoming more evident now, and they knew that when he woke up again he would be in a lot of pain. They wanted to stay with him to be with him when he woke up. But they had to get back to Horizon. They had other things, other kids to take care of. They decided to take turns watching him. Peter left first. And Sophie sat alone.
Sophie tried flipping though a magazine. How come the only times she was in a hospital was when one of the kids got hurt. That sucked.
"Sophie, are you okay?" a voice asked. It was Frank.
"Yeah frank." She said shaking her head in that way you do when your shocked about something.
"It's tough, isn't it."
"Yeah. Look at him." She said motioning over to Jordan.
"How could someone do this to their own kid. I mean, they could have killed him." Sophie said. "Killed him."
"I know Sophie." Frank said. "It doesn't get easier either, let me tell you."
"And these cases hurt." He said again. "So many unanswered questions. So much guilt from the victims. He's going to have a lot of emotional damage now." He said sadly. "I decided that I would let Jordan stay at Horizon free of charge. He needs to know he's safe. He needs help."
"What about other family members, friends?" Sophie asked.
"His grandparents don't want him, say he's a trouble maker. Will be a bad influence on his brother and sister."
"Jordan's going to be heartbroken." Sophie said sadly. "Isn't there anyone else?"
"There is a family, They've been calling up on Jordan every so often, without wanting him to know about it. The Johnson's. His best friends family I believe." Frank said. "I spoke with them earlier today, about this situation. They said they wanted to see him but they live across from his parents and said that they would fear for him. They are on their way here now. They want to be with him, now that they know he's safe and they can help him/. They offered to take him when Jordan's parents moved or something happened." Frank said.
"So what do we do now then?" Sophie asked.
"Just wait." Frank said.
TO BE CONTINUED
I know I don't know how to end this chapter. But this is the kinda end. There will be more, the cliffhanger reaction, and Jamie and her family's arrival. Well hope you liked it.
Disclaimer- I do not own any original higher ground members. But I do own all the new ones to numerous to mention here
In this chapter- Jordan is forced to tell. What will happen to him now?
And a note- For those of you who have read my other HG fic- A New Horizon, I am changing Sophie's past. Not only did her father leave when she was 8, and her brother (I made him up, read the story if you need to) Mark (age 12) for another woman, but also he used to hit them, one of the other reasons Mark hated him so much.
You might need some tissues!!!!
Jordan woke up with a start. He knew instantly he wasn't where he had fallen asleep last night. And the splitting headache wasn't helping trying to come to terms with what he had done last night. He tried to come to terms with where he was.
"No, it can't be." He thought panicky as he sat up and looked around. It was the nurses office.
"No way." He said, grabbing his head, he had sat up way to fast. He lay back down. And as he did noticed some of his worse bruises and cuts were bandaged. No one had done that since he'd landed in the hospital. 'How come it always hurts the day after?' he asked himself.
"I gotta get out of here." He said in a whisper to himself. He tried to get off the bed and almost fell, but someone caught him. It was Sophie.
"Seems worse the day after doesn't it Jordan?" she asked him. He looked at her, how did she know, how did she know what he was thinking.
"Sit, let me tell you a story." She said to him. "13 years ago my brother mark committed suicide." She said sadly. "When our dad left it hurt him and me, I was 8, Mark was 12. Mark never forgave him for leaving my mom, or for what he did to Mark. See my dad hit him. Not all the time, just enough. And You wouldn't know until later, I couldn't tell till he woke up the next day, in pain." Sophie said. "And I knew, even then that something was wrong, but I loved my dad, until he left."
Jordan lay back down. Sophie was trying to help him, but it was making it worse. Didn't she know what was going to happen to him. This beating was nothing, he had had worse, and when they finally found out it would be a lot worse. He never stayed away from their clutches for long.
Just the Peter came in. Sophie saw Peters face and left. Peter sat down on the chair next to Peter's office.
"Jordan, we need to talk." Peter said.
Jordan turned to face him. "Let me guess." Jordan said sarcastically. "By the laws of blah blah blah , insert state here, I am ordered to report all suspected cases of abuse."
"So you've heard this all before." Peter said perking his eyebrow up.
"It's all in the..." he said stopping.
"Jordan!"
"It's all in the file." Jordan said breathing too tired to fight, it was the headache.
"Which is where may I ask."
"Under the bunk in the dorm." Jordan said, it was unraveling anyway, might as well tell it all.
'And How did you get it?" Peter asked.
"The night I broke into the office, I went to get that." Jordan said.
"Why'd you do it Jordan?" Peter asked.
"Cause I'm not stupid." Jordan said, and then put a pillow over his head, the headache was unbearable. It was like a drill going through his skull.
"What do you want from us Jordan?" Peter asked.
"What do I want?" Jordan asked sarcastically, "What I want is for you guys to stop butting around in my business. I've learned to take care of myself. So what if my parents... I mean they, hit me. I mean I've lived with it and dealed. Why can't you deal with it."
"Cause it's wrong Jordan, that's why." Peter said. "But maybe you can't see it for exactly the same reason that you just said. Cause you don't know anything else."
Jordan sat up, Peter had no right to say what Jordan knew and didn't know, he didn't know anything (Peter that is) "Don't tell me what I don't know." He said angrily, bitterly, and directly.
"Fine then tell me." Peter challenged him. "I would love to know what you know. Give me some insight."
"GOD!" Jordan screamed. "Can't you lay off. I have a headache that's about to split my brain in two. Just leave me alone."
Peter looked at him. "Fine, we'll talk later Jordan, I'll be back, you think about what I said." Peter said. "And I'll sent Anne Marie in with an aspirin for you."
Being alone the fear returned. How come it always returns when you think that it won't. Jordan lay back down and put his pillow over his head. What he wouldn't do to write in his journal right now. But of course that was under his bed and they'd probably find and read that too.
How could this have happened. He thought to himself. He had tried so hard to keep all the lies straight, all the tracks covered up. Stealing the file, burning the pictures and the Journal entry. Why was this happening again?
He hated this feeling, of failure. Of the extreme fear, the fear that made you go practically crazy, made your heart race and made you do crazy things. He was so scared. And there was no one there, no one to understand him. No one at Horizon did. Only Jamie and daddy and Hailey Jade and Dillion had understood. And where were they now? They were gone now. Far away from him. There was no one to comfort him. And he needed it so bad. Everyone's lies, everyone's false hopes and dreams for him, all the people saying he would one day be safe. That one day he'd be taken far far away from them, from his mom and Jackson, and they would never hurt him again. All the things that had once brought him a glimmer of hope and of comfort were gone. They were all lies.
He'd never be safe, he'd learned that a long time ago. After the first promise was broken when he was taken away the first time and returned. But still it was always there, maybe he could be good, maybe they would change, maybe they wouldn't hit him so hard the next time. Maybe next time they wouldn't use the buckle side of the belt, maybe next time they wouldn't punch so hard, maybe next time they won't break a bone, maybe next time he could stop them, maybe...maybe...maybe... That's all it had been for so long. The maybes. And he knew that wasn't true. They never stopped hurting him, the punches always bruised, the belt always fell, bones were always broken and set just to be broken again. He was never good enough for them, for them to stop hitting him.
He was never safe, never free from that fear. Even in foster homes he feared going back, and facing them again. He feared his foster parents would hurt him like they did, and in some occasions it was true. He feared for Hailey Jade and Dillion's safety. He couldn't see them hurt.
But yet no one cared. Jackson and Kendra didn't care how much they hurt him, they thrived on it, it made them stronger. The social workers didn't care; they always sent him back, why would they send him back there if they really cared. Even Hailey Jade and Dillion didn't care, and he had sacrificed himself for them.
He had done so much for them, for Hailey Jade and Dillion. He had nursed their scrapes, put Band-Aids on their cuts. Congratulated them on good grades and gave them presents on Christmas and birthdays. He had wiped away their tears after nightmares, or after the freak chance that mom or Jackson had gotten their hands on them. He made sure that almost never happened. He couldn't stand them hurt. All those times he had gotten beaten for them. He had comforted them when they were sick, held their hair when they were throwing up, placing a cold hand on their head when they had a fever. He made dinner for them, even when there wasn't enough food for him, cause Jackson and Kendra had spent all the money on beer and wine and the like. He saved them. He let them go when he still needed them, just so they could be safe. And that hurt. What good was it?
Had they ever thanked him? NO. Had they ever written to him, called him to come for a visit? NO. Had he gotten a Christmas or a birthday card from them, even though he sent one at every birthday and holiday? NO. Had they even told the police or anyone what their parents had done to him, what he shielded them from? NO. They just left him.
He had given them so much, and got nothing...nothing at all back. No one was there when he was battered and beaten, bleeding from cuts, his bones broken. No one was there to congratulate him when he did good, and he tried to do good all the time, he was on the top of his class. No one was there when he woke up crying in the middle of the night, no one to hug him and tell him it would be all better. No one to protect him from them, to spare him one punishment. No one cared when he was sick, there was no one to make him feel better. He hadn't had a party... a Christmas in years, since Daddy left. When he cried out in pain, no one came. When he was sick no one was there to comfort him, to make him soup, to place a cool palm on the back of his neck when he was throwing up. No one had tried to save him. No one tried to take him away, to make sure he was safe. No one...no one...no one...
Was that to much for him to ask? To have some one keep him safe. To have some one protect him for once, To have someone comfort him when he was having a nightmare. To care when he was sick. To know what his favorite things were, to know all the things moms and dads should know, all the things he had known about Hailey Jade and Dillion. To get a present, a card, a phone call, anything from them. Why couldn't he have it when they did. Didn't he deserve it too?
But it would never happen. He could never be safe. He had been once, but that didn't last long and felt so long ago.. Why did it have to be like this. And Jordan couldn't tell. Didn't anyone understand he couldn't tell. They'd kill him if he told. Didn't anyone realize that, they'd kill him. They would hunt him down and kill him.
Jordan started crying. Tears were coming down his face, fast and hot. The pillow soaking them up. "Daddy...why....daddy." he cried. He wanted his daddy. Daddy had cared. He had hugged him and kissed him and comforted him. But he wasn't there... why couldn't he be there....
Daddy had died cause Jordan was bad. He had gotten sick because Jordan was a bad boy, and bad boys needed to be punished. That's what Mom said wasn't it. That meant Jordan deserved all this. Why did he have to leave, why did he have to leave him. Didn't he love him enough. Jordan had tried to be good when daddy was sick. Daddy kept saying Jordan was being a good boy. Then why did he die? Why did he leave if he wasn't mad at him? Why did he have to go away, leave Jordan alone with them. Why? What had he done that was so bad. To get this. It must have been something but what?
"Daddy." Jordan cried continuously. No one answered, no one came. He was alone, and scared, and no one was there. He cried himself to sleep......
(PLEASE NOTE- THIS IS A DREAM.... THIS IS A DREAM)
"Jordan." A voice called out, "Jordan."
Jordan opened his eyes from sleep. He adjusted his eyes to the light for a moment, searching for the voice. It was coming from a figure, it looked like... but it couldn't be...."Daddy?" Jordan whispered.
"Yes Jordan." Matthew answered.
"Daddy." Jordan cried. "How? Wha?" Jordan said shocked.
"Shhh Jordan. No questions. Not like that. I'm here only for a while." Matthew said hugging his son.
"Daddy." Jordan said crying.
"Jordan, look how much you've grown, my little boy. You're wonderful." Matthew said kissing his forehead.
"Why?" Jordan asked.
"Why did I leave?" Matthew replied. "I didn't know Jordan, if I had known I wouldn't have left you. I didn't know they'd do this. I never wanted you hurt."
"Jordan I love you. Understand I wouldn't have left you if I had know. I love you to much,"
"I love you to daddy."
"I wanted to protect you. I want you to be safe." Matthew said. "You deserve that."
"No I don't." Jordan said crying.
"Yes you do." Matthew said.
"No, I'm bad, I made you sick. I made you die." Jordan cried.
"No Jordan, the cancer did that. The cancer made me sick." Matthew said, "It wasn't anything you did, it wasn't your fault."
"Daddy I'm scared. They'll hurt me again when I go back." Jordan cried.
"I know your scared baby. But they won't hurt you I know they won't. I'll protect you." Matthew said wiping away Jordan's tears.
"But Daddy, how can you? Why is this happening."
"You mean why did Hailey Jade and Dillion get out first, why you have to go through this?" Matthew asked.
Jordan nodded.
"I knew you were strong, you protected them, You needed to, I couldn't. And I left you in a difficult place. And I am so sorry. But you, Jordan I love you. And you aren't supposed to be with them, your grandparents. Hailey and Dillion yes, they need to be with your mothers family. They didn't know me like you did. But you Jordan, you did, and you need someone, you need someone special." Matthew said. "I know, it's not a good explanation but it's the only one I have."
'Daddy." Jordan cried. "Why's it so hard."
"Cause your scared. But don't worry. I know you can make it."
"Now I have to go Jordan. I want you to know That I love you, and I never meant for any of this to happen." Matthew said Hugging his son hard. "I love you and you don't deserve anything that's happened to you. You need to be safe, what they did was wrong. I want you to tell for me okay? Tell Jordan."
"I can't." Jordan said crying harder.
"Yes... Yes you can." Matthew said getting up. "I love you Jordan, never ever forget that." Matthew said As he walked away. "There are people in this world that love you Jordan, Love you like I do. Care for you. Your brother and sister, they love you. Jamie, she loves you You'll be together soon, and Peter and Sophie, They'll help you. I love you."
"I love you to daddy." Jordan said before realizing what was happening. As he realized his dad was walking away he cried out. "Daddy...Daddy..." but there was no answer. He woke up.
LATER ON
Jordan sat up against the wall. Daddy had come to him. He was still letting the words sink in of what he had said. Daddy really came to him. He was still shocked at the idea.
"He said he wouldn't have left." Jordan whispered.
"Who wouldn't have left?" Daisy asked coming in.
"No one." Jordan said to her, taking his food tray from her.
"Didn't look like no one from the look on your face." Daisy said. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Not exactly a ghost." Jordan said taking a sip of water.
"Intriguing." Daisy said.
"What ever." Jordan said.
"Who was it." Daisy asked, not really expecting to have Jordan answer.
"My daddy." Jordan said, breathlessly.
"Your Daddy?" Daisy said almost laughing at the word, it seamed so childish.
Jordan glared at her.
"Sorry." She said.
"Sure." He said, not believing her. "Sorry Daisy, but can you leave me alone please." He said kindly, but absently.
"Sure Jordan." She said getting up, without a battle which was unusual for her.
When she left Jordan went to the phone. He dialed Jamie's number. But this time he wasn't lucky enough to get her.
"Hello?" It was Jamie's mom.
"Hi, Mrs. J. Is Jamie there?" he asked.
"Is this Jordan?" Her mom asked happily.
"Yes it is." Jordan said.
"Oh Jordan, we've missed you so much. How is everything?" she said. "I heard your parents are taking a trip over there, to your new school."
"Yeah Mrs. J, they are." Jordan said. "They got here yesterday."
"Well that's good Honey. Listen I love you, here is Jamie."
"Hey!!" Jamie answered the phone happily.
"He came to me Jamie!" Jordan said happily. "He came to me."
"Who Jordan? Who came to you?" she asked confused.
"Daddy. Daddy came to me, and I was dreaming but I wasn't and..." he said.
"Oh my god." Jamie said astonished. It was hard to believe.
"And he said he wouldn't have died if they were going to hurt me, and that you love me and that soon we'll be together and that I should tell, and that I'll be safe soon." Jordan said hurriedly.
"Wait slow down Jordan. He told you that you should tell.... And that we'd be together?" she asked slowly, unsure.
"Yeah, together Jamie. I love you Jamie." He said, he hadn't said that to her like this before and he heard her gasp on the other end. "And He told me I had to tell, that he'll protect me. But..." Jordan stopped.
"But nothing, this is your dad, he wouldn't lie to you. Don't you see Jordan, you'll be safe."
Back at Horizon Peter stepped in the room. "Oh shoot I got to go." Jordan said to her, blowing a sudden kiss. "They're here. I need to go, love you buh bye Jams." He said and hung up.
Jamie held the phone, letting the dead ring settle in her ears for a moment, he loved her, and was going to tell. He'd be safe... He'd be safe... It was a dream come true.
HORIZON
"So given any thought to what I said Jordan?" Peter asked, with slight annoyance on his voice.
"You don't know what I know." Jordan started. "You don't know what it's like, you can't pretend you do. And you... You don't know what they're capable of. What they'll do to me, what they've done to me." He said. "You don't know."
"Tell me then." Peter said. "Tell me, and then I'll know."
Jordan breathed in, 'You need to do this.' A voice in his head told him 'Yeah only if you have a death wish. They'll kill you and put your hide on the wall if you do.' Another voice popped in.
"Can I have a glass of water?" he asked suddenly.
"Sure." Peter said, and went out and got it then came back. This time bringing Sophie, and a tape recorder, Jordan knew what it would be for.
He was ready. "My daddy was a good man. He never hurt me. He, he even taught me to mountain climb. I loved him." Jordan said with a tear in his eye. "Daddy loved me. He was always there to protect me. I don't want you ever to call him a bad guy. No one could ever be as good as him, got it." Jordan said, they needed to get that straight first, Kendra and Jackson might have hurt him, but Matthew never had.
"Got it." Peter and Sophie said in unison.
"Mom, she wasn't always like that, just before dad got sick, and after. She just changed." He said softly. "And when she met Jackson I didn't have a chance. God, I hate him so much. He'd never be like daddy. They were perfect for each other, mom and Jackson. Both of them were perfect with each other, the both wanted to hurt me.
Peter and Sophie looked at him.
"I remember the first time the two of them sent me to the hospital. It was Christmas day, I was 8. I tripped on the Christmas light cord and knocked down some ornaments on the tree, and one of them happened to be Jackson's. Got a right hook right above the eye. Mom was wearing her diamond ring. Cut me in the forehead, needed 7 stitches. Jackson broke my arm."
"And when we got there and said I had just fallen on the ice hard outside, no one questioned." Jordan said. "It's so easy to lie to them, their patients are numerous and they work to long. It's the nurses and Doctors that are easiest to lie to. Way easy."
"When they broke my Jaw the first time, They said I got in a fight with my brother. Dillion was 9, do you really think he could have done that." Jordan said. "And then they were taken away." Jordan said thinking of his brother and sister.
"Your brother and sister?" Sophie asked.
"I love them you know." Jordan said solemnly. "When they went to court, to get custody, my grandparents, moms parents, blamed me. Said that if all of this really happened, I should have gotten them out earlier. Said that if I had loved them I wouldn't have had them get hurt." Jordan said crying on his voice; the words hurt as much now in memory as when they had first been said. "I did love them, I protected them. It was my body that got the blows, my skin that burned my flesh that ripped my bones that broke. I needed them. I needed them and no one understood that. I could have protected them, I did protect them. But I had to leave them. I gave so much, and those people took it all away. Just like that."
"That's what they do, is take it all away and hurt you." Jordan said. "They say social services, CPS, they're all supposed to help you. They take you away, tell you your gonna be safe this time, that you won't have to be hurt again. They send you to a foster home, some were bad to, as bad as home. But then you get sent back and sent back, and the beatings are worse the next time. To get Hailey Jade and Dillion out I had to lie. I had to get up there and say that my parents had never laid a hand on me, just my brother and sister, make me look like a bad guy so they could get out. So only I would have to face Mom and Jackson later. And no one cared. I came to court with bruises that day, but no one cares about a 12-year-old when your brother and sister are 9 and 6. They're so innocent, and you... your not. Your nothing."
"The day that my grandparents got custody, they beat me so bad that I was in the hospital for 2 weeks. Did anyone question that?" Jordan asked.
"No" Sophie whispered sadly.
"Right, give the lady a cookie." Jordan said bitterly. "Cause mummy dearest and good ol' step-dad have cop friends. Got to cover it up nice and pretty. All smooth and tied with a bow. According to the record I got in this big huge fight with this kid, this kid that doesn't even exist anywhere in my town. And that's what's in the file. Why don't you think you didn't have it for so long. Cause Jackson's got friends on the inside. Want to know how you got the file anyway?" Jordan asked looking at peter. "Cause you got the cop that he didn't buy off. The ones that always caught me when I ran and turned me over, not knowing anything. Or you got the ones sick of lying now that I wasn't there."
"And You don't know what it's like to get beat for nothing. Ever had Your Jaw broken? Your elbow and wrist at the same time? To have so many broken ribs that you can't breath without that jolting pain that makes you cry, and to get beaten on top of that. No you don't but I do. I know." He said. "What you saw, what you see, Is nothing. Get it nothing. It could be a lot worse. And If they knew I was telling they'd kill me. And You wonder why I didn't want to. Cause they would kill me. And I mean it. They've almost done it before, the only thing stopping them was other people. And if I told they wouldn't have a reason not to kill me, everyone would know, and yet no one would care."
Jordan sat silently for a minute. "You wanna hear the details, read the file, that's a good piece of literature, make sure to bring a tissue cause you'll be laughing till you cry. Read the doctors reports, most of that at least is true. But don't say you understand how hard this is, that you know how hard it is cause you don't."
"You'll be okay Jordan. We'll help you. You'll be safe." Sophie said, trying to make her words sound real to him, though she knew they fell on deaf ears. To him they weren't true.
"They have their ways." Jordan said. "They'll know the second you pick up that phone and be here. They're like blood hounds, like starving dogs on the scent of fresh meat. They'll know." He said. 'They always know."
Peter and Sophie looked at each other. "Jordan, why don't you go to the lodge and meet with the group. We'll be there soon okay."
"What ever." Jordan said getting up painstakingly.
When he left Peter and Sophie got up.
"How could we not see it Peter?" Sophie asked.
"Like Jordan said he's good at hiding. Good at lying." Peter said.
"But we suspected it." Sophie said insistently.
"Sophie. I know. But it's hard. All we can do now is help him." Peter said reassuring her with a hug. "That's all we can do."
LATER ON
Jordan sat on the bridge. The cold air burning his bare arms. It was cold and he should have worn a coat. But he didn't care. It didn't matter to him right now. Nothing really did.
Wasn't it enough for them that he told them? No now they wanted him to talk to counselors at the school, and to the police when they came. God when would it all end, he thought to himself. If telling was supposed to be the good part, why wasn't he feeling any better. He hated talking to people about his problems. He hated being pitied, people thinking they could help him, they could save him. When he knew they couldn't. To put his trust in them just so they could take it all away and hurt him with it. He hated when people made promises he knew they wouldn't keep. He had always kept his promises why couldn't everyone else keep theirs?
He hated counselors, if there was anything he hated more than a counselor it was a doctor. He had been to one once, right after Daddy died. All those "How does this make you feel?" "How does that make you feel?" "Express your feelings, talk about it it will be alright." Junk was pathetic. Imagine what it would be like "When you get hit how does it feel." 'Um duh it hurts.' "And when your brother and sister were taken away how did that make you feel." "Let me guess, it sucks." Even a moron could figure out the answers to those questions.
And Cops. Cops were evil. They tried to act all nice sometimes, but then they always played the good cop bad cop routine. And Jordan always got the bad cop. How many police had Jackson already gotten to around here? On the freak chance that Jordan would tell. The cops couldn't protect him. No one could.
Jordan was deep in thought when he heard a car pull up and 2 doors slam hard. It was them, Mom and Jackson. Jordan gulped. "Dead meat." He whispered, got up and ran towards the admit building where he knew they were going. He might as well beg their forgiveness before they found out from Peter and Sophie.
"Well if it isn't Mr. Tattle-tail." Jackson sneered, grabbing Jordan's arm.
How could they have known already. It wasn't possible was it??
"I'm...I'm sorry." Jordan said.
"Give me one reason I shouldn't beat the crap out of you right here and right now." Jackson whispered harshly in his ear.
"Please, I'm sorry. They made me tell." Jordan said almost in tears, he hated crying in front of them, it made them stronger, made the blows come quicker and harder. He didn't even know why he was crying.
"You are so dead." His mother whispered in his other ear, grabbing his other arm and twisting it.
"I'm sorry." He said. "Tell them something else, anything, just don't hurt me anymore please." He said as he was hearing his elbow joint pop, and no one was there to help him. All at once he was a little boy again.
******Flashback******
Jordan came home from school terrified, it was school physical day and the made all the kids have physicals. Of course that meant having to take off your shirt for the nurse to check you out. And Jordan had gotten hit the night before and bruises were on his back. And he would not take off his shirt. They couldn't see them. The nurse got mad at him and called mom AND Jackson. He knew they'd be waiting for him when he got home.
He opened the door slowly. They were on him like lions on their prey.
"So what's this we hear about the nurse and you not obeying her?" Kendra asked pulling Jordan in by his arm and squeezing it and twisting it.
"How do you think that looks Jordan. What do you think she'll say?" Jackson asked slapping him. "You think those bruises are enough to have to keep your shirt on just wait." Jackson said kicking out his knees so Jordan fell to the ground. He took off his belt slowly. It fell again and again.
"What are we going to tell her Jordan?" Kendra asked.
"Tell them anything. Please stop." He said gasping. "Please, anything, tell them anything you want to. They'll believe you. Please." He said crying trying to curl up to protect himself, to be safe, but they didn't stop.
******END FLASHBACK*******
Jordan's face hit the gravel stones. It stung.
"Come on big man." Jackson said.
'Where is everyone?' Jordan asked as Jackson kicked him. The minutes seamed to be ticking on slowly. It was all in slow motion, but the pain... God the pain was unbearable.
"STOP!" Jordan heard a voice yell. "GET AWAY FROM HIM." That was the last Jordan heard till the final blow came and all he saw was darkness.
LATER ON
Jordan woke up. He was really woozy. And the pain... He tried to sit up but couldn't make it. He looked around light blinding him. Where was he what had happened.
"Jordan are you awake?" he hear a faint voice.
"Daddy?" Jordan asked barely audible. He was so out of it.
"Jordan, It's Peter, your okay, your safe."
It was becoming clearer, at least he wasn't with them. "Where am I?" he moaned.
"Your at the hospital." Peter said.
"No...No..." Jordan whined trying to move, to get away. Bad things happened in hospitals. People died, people got hurt, people got taken away... No. It was wrong, he couldn't be there. He needed to get away.
"Shh Jordan your okay." Jordan heard another voice say, knowing it had to be Sophie's. "Get some rest Jordan."
Jordan felt her hand on his forehead. It felt nice, safe. He curled to the touch. It was like when Daddy used to make him feel better after a nightmare. Jordan drifted back to sleep.
DOCTORS OFFICE
"Mr. Scarbrow, Miss Becker, please sit down." Dr. Robinson said. The doctor was a man in his mid 30s.
"So how is he doctor, what are his injuries?" Peter asked.
"Well he suffered a minor concussion, a head injury atleast. Probably from the blows he suffered. That's why he blacked out. The medicine we're giving him will release the pressure. Also we've given him some medicine to keep him relativily tranquil, that will give the body time to heal and also relieve the pain. He's got a broken arm, but that will heal, and the bruises will go away eventually." Dr. Robinson reported.
"So there was nothing major really, other than the head injury I mean." Sophie asked.
"Correct." The doctor answered. "But I am inquired to ask, This is a child abuse case is it not. I mean by the extent of these injuries, it's appalling." Dr. Robinson said. "How any doctor couldn't have caught on earlier, I have no idea."
"Let me show you something." Doctor Robinson said, Getting up and turning on his x-ray boards. "These x-rays are the bones of the normal body, all laid out. Without fractures, breaks anything. Notice how clean cut and well defined they all are." He said pointing them out.
Peter and Sophie nodded. "Now look at the ones From your student, Jordan Thomas." He said turning on another light board. There was a drastic difference. "I've counted over 25 fractures, that doesn't include ones that are no longer evident. At any point and time an x-ray would have shown this. A number a lot lower than this would even have had numerable questionalbility." He said gravely. "Especially if you have had your arm broken 3 times. And your jaw twice. The jaws a hard bone to break mind you."
Sophie gulped.
"According to these x-rays Jordan's had basically every rib broken atleast once, the recent ones not even 5 months old. The Jaw was broken twice. The fingers Numerous times. And his feet, that hurts, they look like they've been broken a lot to. All of this is gross negligence on the part of the doctors. But I have to say, I give him a lot of credit for keeping it hidden this long. And some of these bones will never heal right. He'll live with it forever." The doctor said.
"Thanks, Dr. Robinson." Sophie said shaking his hand.
` "Your welcome, sorry to deliver the bad news." He said.
"Thanks." Peter said shaking his hand also. They walked out of the room.
AT THE LODGE- Horizon- CLIFFHANGER MEETING
"Did you see what they did to him?" Scott asked.
"Man that was bad. J's gotta be aching." Auggie said to him.
"Yeah I know." Daisy said.
Everyone just happened to be walking to group from the school building when Jordan's parents came up and Peter and Sophie stopped them. They were also there when the ambulance arrived. They were astonished at him. And worried to.
"So he told." Shelby said. "We were right."
"Yes you were, congratulations." Ezra said bitterly.
"What's up with you guys?" Kat asked.
"You didn't see what we saw last night. We were there when Peter and Sophie found out. It was bad." Auggie said. "J freaked."
"Lets get back to group guys, Peter, Sophie and Jordan wouldn't want us to worry about them. So lets get back to work ok." Kat said taking charge. She hated when they were all down trodden.
"Fine." The group said sad for Jordan, and worried, wanting to get their minds off of it.
Later on- The Hospital
Jordan drifted in and out of consciousness. He could hear voices talking around him but nothing registered to him. The panic and fear came and went. He felt woozy at times but then went back to sleep. He knew that it was over.
But with that he felt a twang of guilt. He had told. He had betrayed them. Sure all they had ever done to him was hurt him and cause him pain. But mom was good once, and she was still his mom. And he had betrayed her. And what would they do with all the stuff he still had there? Now that he was so far away. A lot of memories of daddy were there in that house, along with the memories of them, of course, but still It was daddy.
"Don't think" Jordan told himself. It won't be any better.
He also worried if the cliffhangers knew. He hated when people knew what was happening to him. They looked at him like he was pathetic. That he couldn't take care of himself. And that made him feel stupid. He didn't like it when people pitied him/ That's why he hid it, what would people think of him if they knew. It wasn't like sexual abuse where people know it's not your fault. This was different. In a way it was his fault wasn't it. He was a bad boy. That was true wasn't it?? All they said wasn't it true?
He sighed and went back to sleep.
Peter and Sophie sat looking at Jordan sleep. The bruises on his face were becoming more evident now, and they knew that when he woke up again he would be in a lot of pain. They wanted to stay with him to be with him when he woke up. But they had to get back to Horizon. They had other things, other kids to take care of. They decided to take turns watching him. Peter left first. And Sophie sat alone.
Sophie tried flipping though a magazine. How come the only times she was in a hospital was when one of the kids got hurt. That sucked.
"Sophie, are you okay?" a voice asked. It was Frank.
"Yeah frank." She said shaking her head in that way you do when your shocked about something.
"It's tough, isn't it."
"Yeah. Look at him." She said motioning over to Jordan.
"How could someone do this to their own kid. I mean, they could have killed him." Sophie said. "Killed him."
"I know Sophie." Frank said. "It doesn't get easier either, let me tell you."
"And these cases hurt." He said again. "So many unanswered questions. So much guilt from the victims. He's going to have a lot of emotional damage now." He said sadly. "I decided that I would let Jordan stay at Horizon free of charge. He needs to know he's safe. He needs help."
"What about other family members, friends?" Sophie asked.
"His grandparents don't want him, say he's a trouble maker. Will be a bad influence on his brother and sister."
"Jordan's going to be heartbroken." Sophie said sadly. "Isn't there anyone else?"
"There is a family, They've been calling up on Jordan every so often, without wanting him to know about it. The Johnson's. His best friends family I believe." Frank said. "I spoke with them earlier today, about this situation. They said they wanted to see him but they live across from his parents and said that they would fear for him. They are on their way here now. They want to be with him, now that they know he's safe and they can help him/. They offered to take him when Jordan's parents moved or something happened." Frank said.
"So what do we do now then?" Sophie asked.
"Just wait." Frank said.
TO BE CONTINUED
I know I don't know how to end this chapter. But this is the kinda end. There will be more, the cliffhanger reaction, and Jamie and her family's arrival. Well hope you liked it.