Chapter 4: The Place I Call Home

Hi guys,

If there is actually anyone reading this, sorry I haven't updated in so long, I've been camping. So thanks for reading my story. But I want 5 reviews before I post chapter 5.

May sat on the roof of her house, her long legs dangling over the edge. She swang them back and forth, lost in her thoughts. She didn't know what to do. She had so many things to worry about but the thing that kept playing on her mind was her dad. 'My mum killed my dad.' The thought kept racing through her brain. What was she going to do? She could tell the police or just leave it. But the real problem was that if her mum was heartless enough to kill her dad, would she want to kill them too? May was scared. Terrified of her mother and what she would do to her and Harry. She would just keep on running if she could, but she couldn't leave Harry.

She knew the others would be wondering where she was, but at that second in time she didn't care. For most people sitting on the roof of a house would be terrifyingly dangerous but for May it was the only place she felt safe. Up there she felt like no one could hurt her. She felt free. Finally, after what felt like minutes but was probably a few hours, May climbed down and went to pick Harry up. She had missed the rest of school, but she didn't care. At school she felt claustrophobic and uncomfortable, she hated the crush of people in the corridors and the deafening pointless chatter that echoed through the building. School sucks. Everyone knows that.

Ruby's POV

After the bell rings and the swarms of kids have gone I make my way towards the park. I often go there to think. And today I have a lot to think about. For a while I sit and think about May. The bruises and tears, I know they're connected and I'm pretty sure I know what's going on. It doesn't really take much deduction and her poker face is rubbish. But now I'm beginning to think about my own problematic past and whatever I do, whatever I try I can't help but think about it.

Flashback

For a week now, I have waited. I have waited for KORPS to come and take me like they did my father. I know why they took him. He was becoming a threat to them. One of the best M.I.9 agents who had landed at least 100 KORPS agents in prison. I know why they took him, but why take me? After a while it clicks, if they harm me they can get to him. They know that most people don't fear for their lives as much as they fear for those that they love. And my dad loves me. More so since Mum died. We only have each other. My mother too, was an M.I.9 agent, but three years ago she was killed by KORPS agents. That's why Dads so determined to take down KORPS and I am too. If they dare set foot in my house I will bash them. I'm only eight but I'm strong and I tell myself I'll never ever give up. Not to those bullies. But I'm scared now. I don't know how to cook or look after the house. I had no need to, until now. The food that I can prepare is all gone now and as I sit, waiting, I slowly begin to starve.

End of Flashback

I snap out of my flashback and realise that the idiot who calls himself Snazz is standing in front of me. "Yo, anybody in?" He says slowly like I'm stupid or something. "No," I say. "They left as soon as you showed up." I promptly stand up and walk away.

When I reach my foster home I notice the car is not in the drive. Mr and Mrs Wilson must have gone out somewhere, but no matter, I have my own keys. As soon as I step in I see utter chaos. They must've left Sam and Adam home alone for half an hour and already the place looks like a war zone. I sigh and begin to tidy up. Adam comes crashing into me on his scooter. "Adam Stevens you're not supposed to ride that in the house!" I say in my best impression of Mrs Wilson. Adam looks up at me and breathes a sigh of relief when he sees its only me. "You're still gonna have to tidy up mate, or Mrs Wilson's gonna drive you up the wall." Adam is a foster kid like me but we're not related. "Where's Sam?"

"Dunno, probably in the garden," says Adam and scoots away. A hear a car in the drive and panic. The Wilsons will kill me if they see this mess. They'll say I should've been more responsible and made Adam and Sam tidy up. Sam heard the car too. He runs in and peeks out the window, his floppy brown hair wobbling from the movement. "They're talking to Mr Fisher next door. That gives us about ten minutes," he reports. We all rush around shoving things back where they belong. We hear keys in the front door and the Wilsons step in. "Hello?" Calls Msr Wilson. She finds us in the living room. "Well you tidied up quick."

Jacks POV

It's about four o'clock when I finally get back to Whitewood. It's about a half hour walk from school but I stayed behind an extra half hour in detention, which I got for bunking off maths. I don't usually bunk off, but after May ran away I waited around to see if she'd come back. She didn't. So I got detention. Lucy and Jim won't be happy. Sure enough as soon as I knock on the door, I get a telling off. I shrug my shoulders and sit down on the sofa. "Get up," says Felicity shoving me, George wants to talk to you. "Great," I say sarcastically and wonder off to find him. He's in the garden. "Jack," he says running his fingers through his blonde hair. He's the kind of blonde haired, blue eyed kid that behaves like an angel to the adults whilst beating kids up behind their backs. He stares at me with cold dead eyes and I wonder how the adults see him as an adorable little pet. He may be a care kid, like me but it's almost impossible to feel sympathetic towards him. That's probably because both his parents are in prison for murder and it looks like he's following in their footsteps. "Felicity said you wanted to talk," I venture cautiously. "Yeah, I saw you in the park the other day, stopping some guys for beating up a couple o' kids."

"That was weeks ago, at the start of the summer holidays, why haven't you said before now?"

"Well you haven't exactly been here that much, have you? Always off doin somefin or the other; well the point is, those were my guys, so you gotta leave em alone and respect em," he pauses and cracks his knuckles. "Or else. Understand?" I nod and walk back inside. Whatever he says I'm not going to let 'his guys' beat up innocent kids.

Whitewood Hall is a kids care home. All of us here haven't exactly had an easy life. There's loads of us here. First theres Lucy and Jim the care workers and a bunch of different social workers who turn up every now and then. Then there's George of course. And Felicity and Samantha who are identical twins, they never met their mum and their dad got ill and later died. There's Elliot and Hannah, who were abandoned outside a library, nobody even knows if they're actually related, but they might as well be. There's Mark who was abused by his dad and left to starve. There's Stella who came home from school to find her parents had upped and left, Raya who ran away from home and lived on the streets. Carlos whose parents died in a car crash, Mickey whose mum comitted suicide after his dad died, Abigail whose parents split up and both decided they were bored of her and me, with my mum and sister blown to pieces and my dad shot dead in his own car. Yes, we're all very happy.

I bet May and Rubyaresitting happy at home with their parents and siblings, while I live in this dump with a bunch of messed up kids. It's alright really, once you know who to look out for and how to get your own back without anybody knowing. Lucy and Jim just don't see the frienemyships, truces, tricks and alliances that is the chaos of a kids care home. You've got to watch out for George if you want to keep your face intact and Raya'll nick stuff right out your pockets without you even noticing. Hannah's the prankster and Micky can't help playing the odd trick, but really anyone'll get they're own back if you annoy them. It's just life. I've lived here for four years, before that I spent a year living with Aneisha and was then kicked out. I went back to my own house and lived there for a while before social services found me and I was fostered for a few months. Then they decided they didn't like me anymore and dumped me here. But that's just life, I guess.

I know this chapter is mostly explaining the more complicated parts of the story but I found it interesting and fun to write, so I hope you found it fun to read or interesting at the very least. I'd also like to find out who your favourite character is in my story so you can add that in your reviews if youd be so kind to write one. Thanks.