Chapter 5: Nowhere to Hide
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May's POV
I don't want to go home. I don't want to take Harry into that dreadful, dreadful place, with her. I know it's wrong but I hate her, more than anything in the whole world. I don't care if she's my mother. I know that when she lost her parents and sister in that explosion six years ago she became really depressed. But that's no excuse for killing your husband and beating your kids half to death. I'm planning an escape as we walk, perhaps we can pack some stuff and just up and leave in the middle of the night. Harry would hate it though, all the new things and noises and colours, it would be a sensory overload for him. Anyway, where would we go? We arrive home and as soon as I open the door she is there. She grabs Harry's arm and pulls him away, shoving him against the wall, he screams at her touch and again in pain as he hits the wall. She slams him against it again and again and I cry out. Harry slumps to the floor. Then she turns on me.
Jack's POV
I look down at my phone and see a text from Ruby. 'I know what's going on with May. Meet me in the park ASAP. And bring your pencil.' I stare and realise she means the communicator pencil we use in MIHigh, I grab it and run to the park. I find Ruby sitting on a picnic bench. "Finally," she says, "I had enough trouble getting away from my foster parents and then you take half an hour to get here."
"Sorry. Hang on a second did you say foster parents?"
"Yeah," Maybe Ruby doesn't live the happy perfect life I always imagined her to, maybe we have more in common than we realised. "Where are your real parents?" I ask before I can stop myself. One of the most important unspoken rules in a care home, never, and I mean never, ask about the parents. They'll tell you if they want to. Ruby just stares at me and then says, bluntly: "They're dead." I don't give her that look, like she's a sad little kicked puppy. No. I know only to well that most people, especially people like Ruby, don't want your sympathy. "May," I remind her.
"Yeah, the bruises her refusal to tell us what happened. The way she said 'something like that," when you asked if she was getting bullied, I think it's worse than that. I think she's getting abused." I gape at her.
"That's a pretty serious accusation."
"I have my evidence. Remember when McNab said he'd get her mum to pick her brother up from school and she cried out 'No!' And her dad didn't show up to work today, no sick call or anything. We're gonna go to her house and see what's going on."
We run all the way there. I'm petrified. If Ruby's right May could be in serious danger. At Whitewood there's this kid, Mark Shenneth, who was abused by his dad and then left to starve. He only came about a year ago. When he first arrived his face was a mess of black and blue, as were his ribs and stomach. He was so thin his cheeks were hollow and his eyes were sunken. He wouldn't let anyone touch him, he still doesn't let Jim touch him. Probably because Jim's a large man, who unfortunately shares his name with Marks father. I remember how May tensed up slightly when I hugged her. We arrive at May's house and hear the unmistakable noise of a gunshot. I cry out and Ruby rushes over to the front door. It's wide open so we go inside. Instantly we see a small crumple body on the floor. I bend over and see black hair and pale chocolate-coloured skin. He has big blue eyes. This must be Harry. I check his pulse and breathing which is thankfully fine, although his head is bleeding slightly and the position his wrist is in doesn't look quite right. Ruby speaks quietly into her communicator. "Frank, Frank? We're at May's house. We heard a gunshot and the front door was wide open so we let ourselves in. Yes, I know! But her little brother, Harry is unconcious on the floor with a minor head injury and broken wrist. That's what I thought, we're going to see if May's ok. Good." We head down the hall and into the kitchen. We see a woman, who must be May's mother, standing stock still, a gun in her hands. I can't see May anywhere. I knock the gun out of May's mums hands and knock her out. She's obviously dangerous. Ruby looks around and suddenly cries out. "Jack!" I turn and see May leaning against the wall. I run over to her and sit down next to her. I see a puddle of blood staining her blouse. Slowly growing ever bigger. Her eyes are half shut and she looks up at me. She tries to talk and I hush her. "Ssh, it's ok. It's all going to be fine." She smiles at me. Who am I kidding? Not her, not me, not anyone. "It's not," she whispers. Her voice so quiet I can barely hear her. "He's dead, Jack, she killed him." A tear rolls down her cheek. "She killed my dad." I don't care at that second, all I can think about is her, dying in my arms. I hold her hand and look into her eyes. "She's not going to kill you." I say.
"She already has."
I don't mean to do it. Maybe I just lost my mind. I couldn't bear it if she died. I didn't realise it before. But the minute I set eyes on her I fell in love. And now she's dying. I kiss her, just a quick little peck on the lips. But it's enough. She looks surprised but happy and as she smiles her eyes begin to close. "No," I say, squeezing her hand. "No, you're not leaving me too," her eyes focus a little more and I almost laugh. Here she is on her death bed and she is curious to know why I said 'too'. I realise I'm crying. It was so hard losing my family, but at least they died quickly, before they even knew what hit them. May knows she's dying, she feels such pain. Maybe it's selfish of me for wanting her to stay alive. Maybe it's not.
I look down at her and realise she's still curious, that's May I guess. "Six years ago, my mum and my big sister Lou died in an explosion and then my dad was shot, only ten minutes later. I can't lose you too." Until now I had forgotten about Ruby, but when I say explosion she gasps. "My dad..." She trails off. I hear May murmur: "Grandparents, aunt. Mums side." I realise slowly that we all lost someone in that same explosion. What a horrible twist of fate. We all lost someone then and now when we're just about to lose May, it is revealed. May coughs a little and her mouth is smudged red. I realise her breathing is shallow, gasping and wheezing. She coughs again and stops suddenly, her eyes glazing over as her head lolls to the side.
Sorry, it's so short, but it's effective and emotional. Please, please, please review!