Somewhere in Between

By: Broken Shadow Dragon

Chapter 6:

A few more days past without a word from Helga. She hadn't returned to school and no one not even Phoebe had seen her. Arnold strolled into his bedroom pondering the possible whereabouts of Helga. He flipped on his light and noticed the skylight was open. "What the crap?" He turned to the bed. Helga was there and she was sound asleep. "Helga?"

She woke with a start. "I didn't mean to startle you. What are you doing here?"

"I ran away from Frankie a few days ago. I know he's looking for me. I need a place to hide out."

"You left…" he echoed obviously relieved, "What made you?"

"We fought about my parents. He got me pretty good. I didn't want to deal with him anymore."

He could see the fresh bruises on her arms and legs. "It's okay. You can hide out here."

"I can't go back to school can I?"

"It may not be the best thing to do."

"I've already missed 5 days. I won't graduate if I fall too far behind. I have to graduate."

"Let's go to your parents' house. We can get you transferred to another school. Out of the district. That way you can still graduate."

Helga sighed, "They may not listen to me but I guess we can try."

Miriam was very happy to see that her daughter was still alive. But Bob on the other hand wanted to kick her out. "Daddy, please. I don't have anywhere else to go."

"That's not my problem."

"I told you this was a waste of time, Arnold. I should just go back to Frankie."

Miriam stood and spoke, "B, you will not throw my daughter out on the streets where a lunatic is out there looking for her. Helga, you are free to live here if you want. You do not have to go back to him baby." She whispered smoothing her hair.

Helga smiled and looked at her father, "Daddy?"

"Whatever." Bob got up and walked out of the room.

"Just ignore him. You look so tired, go to bed and get some rest, okay my sweet." She kissed Helga's bruised forehead and sent her upstairs. "Thank you so much for bringing my daughter home."

"Frankie's not gonna leave her alone."

"I know. I gotta protect her. She's my baby girl and I gotta protect her. We're going to the police tomorrow."

The next morning as promised Miriam and Helga arrived at the police station. Everything was going well until Helga asked: "So how are you going to keep Frankie away from me?"

"You can get a protection order."

"Wait one of those little papers that supposed to keep him away?"

"Yeah."

"That's funny. Seriously, how are you going to keep him away?"

"I was being serious."

"You think that's gonna stop him? He won't care about what some protection order says. If he wants me, he's gonna get me. Mom, this is a waste of time." Helga got up and walked out of the station. She walked briskly down the sidewalk with her head bent. She didn't notice the figure in front of her until she smacked into him. Frankie grabbed her shoulders and stopped her, "Come home Helga." He whispered viciously.

"Let me go. I'm done Frankie."

"Come home or I will kill you." His grip on her shoulders tightened.

"Frankie no, let go of me." she pleaded struggling to break free.

"Helga?" Miriam called running toward her.

Frankie looked at Miriam then to Helga, "Come home or I will kill you." he repeated walking away quickly.

"Helga?" Miriam said taking her daughter's hand, "Who was that? Was that him?"

Helga cried out slipped into her mother's arms. She cried helplessly as her mother tried hard to comfort her.