Thanks to everyone following this and an even bigger thanks for the great reviews.
Getting that letter from Dean was a sign. Things were starting to take a toll on Laura. She was so weak. She'd taken a particularly bad beating that day and could barely move. I made our escape plans. The only things we were gonna take with us was our treasures from before the fire and our letters from Dean. The plan was to head for the police station and turn ourselves in. We waited until about 3am and then left.
Being outside for the first time in 6 years was incredible. It was really cold, but it didn't matter. We were free. We started in the direction we hoped was toward town. Sometimes I had to carry Laura cause it was hard for her. I found out later that we'd gone 10 miles before anyone stopped to pick us up. Luckily we were picked up by highway patrol.
The officer took us straight to the police station. They tried to ask us what had happened, but we wouldn't tell them. Not until we could write to Dean first. They gave us paper and pencils and we wrote our letters. I told Dean that we were ok and I'd write back to him soon. I also asked him not to say anything to dad. If he didn't care enough to come find us when we needed him to, then he didn't need to come now cause he felt guilty. It was the start of what turned into true hatred of my father. I don't know what Laura wrote, but I'd hoped she didn't tell him what had happened to us all those years. He didn't need that. He had enough on his plate trying to raise Sam. He didn't need to worry about us too.
After we wrote our letters and made sure they were mailed, Laura just started talking. She told the officers and the social worker everything that had happened. She started with the night mom was killed and didn't stop until she got to us being picked up by highway patrol. Gave them every detail of every beating. I just sat there and listened. When they asked me if Laura's story was the truth, I just nodded.
When Laura was finished, the social worker scooped us up and took us to the hospital. We went through test after test. Full x-rays, everything they could throw at us. The social worker and the cops wanted full documentation on every injury. Laura kept telling the story over and over. Seemed like every time she told it, the better she felt. I just nodded when asked a question. I convinced myself that if I kept it inside me it would make me stronger. Strong enough to keep Laura safe. I wasn't going to let anyone hurt her ever again.
We spent a week in the hospital. Afterwards, the social worker took us to see a shrink. She needed an evaluation of our mental status and so did the courts. The courts wanted it to see if we were fit to testify against "them." The head doctor talked to us together first. I just sat there while Laura told our story for the hundredth time that week. When she was done he interviewed us separately. I went first. He tried to get me to tell him about those years and I told him no. I said I was only gonna tell the story one time, and that was in court. I wanted to see "their" faces while I did it. I also told him why I was only gonna say it one time. He got a strange look on his face.
After a few more minutes of trying he did something I didn't expect and asked about mom and dad. That got me talking. I told him everything Laura and I had seen the night mom was killed. I could tell by the look on his face that he didn't really believe any of it. I went on to tell him about dad and the boys. How I thought dad was neglecting them. He left them alone in motels for days at a time. Leaving my older brother to raise our baby brother. I also told him how I hated our dad for abandoning us and his treatment of my brothers only made me hate him more.
I talked about dad for a few more minutes, then stopped. I couldn't really believe I'd said all that stuff. The shrink tried to get me to keep talking, but I wouldn't. I said I was done talking to him. I just wanted to see my sister. He took me out into the waiting room and said it was Laura's turn. I sat in a chair next to the social worker and read a book that I'd found in her purse.
Laura was in the office for an hour. When she was done he asked his secretary to keep on eye on us so he could talk to the social worker. We sat on the floor and played with some toys we'd found in a corner. A few minutes later the social worker came out. She was carrying two blue file folders. One had my name on it and the other had Laura's. Laura asked if she could read hers and the social worker said no. She took us to her car and put the files in her trunk. Then she got into the driver's seat and we were off. On our way to the first in a long line of bad foster homes.
We never did have to go to court. The police found enough evidence in the house to convict them without our testimony. I always felt kinda robbed because of that. I wanted to see them one last time. Wanted to show them I wasn't afraid of them. That I never really was.