Chapter 4

Timmy opened his eyes to find the ward quiet, the only sounds he could hear was his sisters breathing and the soft bleeping of machines. He'd snuck into his sister's bed as soon as Daniel and Barbara left and could feel the heat coming off his sister. It was safer together; he had closed his eyes last night planning on getting a few minutes rest but had woken what looked to be a lot later. The ward was dark, the nurses had changed. They smiled at him as they came in to check on them, placing lots of wires on him them Zona writing down the results and leaving. Timmy waited for the door to close before moving.

"Zona" he whispered waking his sister up, gently shaking her shoulder, until she stirred.

"Timmy" Zona replied sleepily opening her non swollen eye, she blinked, trying not to drift off again, but failing Timmy shook her gently again, he could tell she was tired but she needed to wake up, this was important.

"We need to go, I heard the nurses talking, the social worker and the police are going to come to take us away" he said fearfully. Daddy had always told them about foster care, how foster children had to sleep outside in kennels, how they never let siblings stay together, how beatings were worse than what he dished out. Timmy knew foster kids weren't allowed at school that's why he had never met one they had to work in mines to earn their food. While most kids their age were scared of monsters, spiders or snakes, Zona and Timmy were petrified of foster care, to them it was the ultimate bogey man. At the thought of foster care Zona's eye shot open, she winced as she tried to open the other one, but it was firmly swollen closed.

"But Nurse B promised chocolate" Zona pouted, she really wanted to try it and was even more hungry now, hoping Timmy would agree to let them stay just a little longer, just until they got the chocolate. Just until she got to try it, just once. Nurse B had promised, and she didn't seem the type to break a promise.

"I know, I'll get you chocolate, I promise, but we have to go, daddies going to be angry if we don't get home soon" Timmy pleaded, not sure how he would fulfil his promise but needing his sister's co-operation. Zona's eye widened, she nodded the fear of the beating they were going to get, if daddy found them gone he would kill them, that thought motivating her more than the promise of chocolate.

"We should leave a note," Zona said, Timmy nodded, he liked Mr Daniel and didn't want him to be worried or to get angry at them. Looking around the room he spotted an activity table in the corner, with colouring crayons and paper on it. He grabbed some pencils and paper using his best handwriting,

Dear Mr Daniel Sir and Mrs Nurse BarBara,

We are going home, pleese don't be mad, or worrwe. You r nice peeple.

Timmy ArIZ0na

Finishing he passed the crayon to Zona to let her sign the letter too. She wrote her full name like she had to at school, only family called her Zona. Once she had signed it Zona then started drawing on the note taking the pencil drawing a unicorn eating chocolate on the side of the note. Timmy left her drawing, glad his sister was distracted while he snuck out. Zona was good at lots of things, but sneaking wasn't one of them. Timmy knew if they were wondering around wearing hospital gowns someone would get suspicious, he needed to either find their own clothes or find something more normal for them to wear. Since arriving in the ward, he had watched nurses go in and out of the closest opposite with children's gowns, clothes, and bed linen.

Using the quiet of the ward he snuck in picking out clothes that should fit them both, he used the storeroom to change into his outfit making sure it fit before taking his choice back to Zona. A pink t-shirt and some jogging bottoms. With difficultly Timmy helped his sister change, removing all the extra wires and a strange tube that was in her arm, adding a large jumper it was the warmest looking one they had in the cupboard, even if it was massive, coming down to her knees, it was still the nicest piece of clothing, and cleanest smelling she'd ever had on. She sniffed it, it smelt like flowers. Timmy noticed and helped her fold the sleeves up so her bandages peeked out.

"Are you ready?" he asked, Zona nodded. Her small body hurt as she moved it, but she knew it would hurt a lot more if daddy woke up and they were gone. Both children were used to being in pain, there wasn't really a day either of them could remember that they hadn't been hurt. This time though her body still felt fuzzy. Timmy helped her to stand leaving the note and all their hard-earned money on the bed hoping it was enough to cover the cost of their treatment and the stolen clothes.

Timmy peaked his head out of their room waiting for the nurses to be distracted, a seizing baby and a red flashing alarm timed perfectly proved all they needed as they ran to the fire exit, opening the door, glad no further alarm's sounded, they hit the fresh air, quickly Timmy looked around to make sure nobody was around before grabbing Zona's arm and disappearing into the night. As the ran down the streets Timmy had to practically carry his sister to make sure she made it too before everyone started waking up. It was testament to the early hours, that not even a car drove passed as they made their way home.

Arriving home both children were exhausted, Timmy had kept a fast pace convinced people from the hospital were chasing them, convinced the foster careers would find them. As normal the backdoor was open, Daddy didn't worry about locking the doors they had nothing to steal, and he kept losing his keys when he was drunk. Both kids tiptoed upstairs into Timmy's room.

"I think we should sleep in the safe place tonight" Timmy decided referring to the closet. Its where they always slept if they thought daddy was going to be mad and start hitting. Too many times he had come home angry and dragged them out of bed to beat them especially Zona. Screaming at her for killing mammy, for ruining his life, for taking up valuable money and space in the house. It had gotten so bad Zona often slept either in Timmy's bed or his wardrobe now.

Zona nodded. They could hear his snores so knew he was home. They crawled into the cupboard wrapping the blankets around them and positioning the wood to make sure the door couldn't be opened from the outside. That's what made it safe. Here daddy couldn't snatch them from bed without warning, Timmy made sure he was nearest the door and the Zona had the most blankets wrapping his arm gently around her side making sure it didn't hit her wound. He had to try and protect her. It wasn't long before both children were fast asleep unaware of the chaos they had left behind.

Afterall one thing both kids were sure about was that nobody cared about them, except their sibling and nobody would bother looking for them. They weren't important.

Thank's for the reviews, the surgery went well now just waiting for the results,

This was written on morphine so hopefully it makes sense.

As ususal let me know what you think