Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than the storyline :)
~ Chapter One ~
~ & she tries to cover every bruise ~
Allison Munroe clung onto her mother outside the school gates, she was glad to see other children doing the same but she knew it wouldn't be for the same reasons. Allison didn't want to go to school because she was too scared that something would happen to her mummy if she wasn't there to help her.
"Allison, you have to go." She could see the tears in the woman's eyes and she shook her head, not letting go of her hand. She looked up at her mum's face, at the black eye that seemed to cover most of her face and she sighed. Daddy was going to hurt her again, and there was nothing she could do about it.
"Mummy." She muttered, looking down at the floor. She knew her mother knew why she wouldn't go into school – not only did her small five year old daughter want to protect her mother, but she had developed an immense fear of all men and boys, and the thought of any boy tugging at her pigtails like she saw on television terrified her.
"Honey, you know you have to." Connie whispered, kneeling down to meet her daughters eyes, trying her best to smile as she ignored the other mum's who she knew was watching the scene. Allison had heavy tears running down her face and with the hand that wasn't clung to her mothers, she was sucking her thumb.
Connie looked down at the floor, ashamed of what she put her small daughter through. She deserved so much better, she deserved to be able to go to school like everyone else her age but she could see others laughing at the girl already – she knew it wouldn't be the last time.
"Everyone hates me." Allison whispered, ignoring Connie as she protested. They both knew it wasn't the little girl they hated, it was their family. Everyone knew everyone in this small town, and they all knew what a drunk her father was.
"I have to be back soon, do you want mummy to get into trouble?" Allison's eyes widened with the fear of getting her mum in trouble and she shook her head quickly, dropping her grip on her mum's hand and grabbing her bag off the ground before walking through the school gates without another word.
Connie knew that it would be the last time the little girl ever protested to going to school again – she would do anything to make sure her mummy was okay. At four years old she had learned how to treat any wounds herself or her mother had, and at five she had learned that a simple hug would mean everything to her mum when she was sad. Connie wished she could just leave him but he would find her, he always did.
A/N: I know this is short, but I promise you the next chapter will be a lot longer :) This is just a build-up. And I am off on holiday or whatever you call being sent away these days, please review and I will update as soon as I get back next week.