Chapter 2
AN: This is the next chapter of "A Little Late" to make up for me not updating for a while. I hope you enjoy it.
Flashback
Lorraine was three years old again. She was sat in front of the TV watching a kids programme when the front door slammed.
"Lorraine. Get your useless self in here and make me a drink!" The drunken voice of Mr Jones sounded throughout the house. Too frightened of her father's temper to disobey, she switched off the TV and walked into the kitchen, standing just where he couldn't reach her.
"Well, get moving then!" He yells at her.
"Yes, Master." She dutifully obeys, pouring out his drink exactly as he likes it, but her father still sees red.
"You useless piece of nothing! Is there a brain in that head of yours?"
She stayed silent. It didn't matter if she replied or not because it always ended in the same way.
"Sarah! Get down here!" He yells up the stairs for his wife.
"What has the thing done this time?" She says, looking at her daughter cowering in front of the dresser, without any sympathy.
"Not important right now. Hold her down." Jake orders as he spots Lorraine trying to crawl away. Sarah lunges forward and grabs her daughter roughly. For the next half hour, all that can be heard is Lorraine's pleas and screams for mercy...
End of Flashback
Lorraine's POV
I thought I'd stopped having those flashbacks a long time. I looked down at my arm and saw several deep crescent shapes. My doctor says it's psychological; I harm myself because that's what I'm used to. That's how I grew up.
He also said that the frequent nightmares of someone trying to kill me were the result of "night terrors" For three years, I wasn't able to sleep a wink because I was too afraid of what sleep might bring.
To this day, I still have trouble sleeping. I look at my clock and it reads 3:51am. It's too early to get up now; the library won't be open for another five hours. I sigh and pull my drawing pad out from under my pillow. Grabbing a pencil haphazardly, I started to draw. I never let anyone see my drawings; they're a part of me. They're my saving grace in this world of hate and anger. Kind of ironic, since Hate and Anger are my best friends right now, Envy and Confusion being my siblings.
Flashback 2
Lorraine was ten years old, sitting in her neighbour's house. Lucy Griffiths had a daughter a little younger than Lorraine. Her husband Michael was on leave from the army. She observed their family closely, watching as Millie dropped her biscuit on the floor accidentally.
Instinctively, Lorraine covered her head and began rocking back and forth, shielding herself from the screams that were undoubtedly sure to follow, but they never came.
"Sorry, Mummy." Millie said, looking at her mother earnestly.
"That's alright. Let's get a sweeping pan and brush and clean up the mess." Lucy said comfortingly.
"Am I in trouble for ruining your new carpet?" Millie says, looking down at her feet.
Lucy smiles. "No, love, it was an accident."
Lorraine was confused. Why wasn't Lucy hurting Millie? Was she a bad mum? Weren't all mums and dads supposed to hurt their children?
After Michael had taken Millie to the park, Lorraine plucked up the courage to ask Lucy her questions.
"Lucy, why didn't you hurt Millie when she was naughty?"
"Well, she wasn't naughty and I don't believe hitting children is right."
"But that makes you a bad mum!" Lorraine protests. "My mum and dad-"
"What?" Lucy probes her young neighbour gently.
"They hit me all the time, and they do other things too. Things I don't want to think about!" She sobs hysterically. "That's normal. Mummies and daddies do it all the time, don't they?"
Lucy had a grim look on her face. She marched over to the phone and dialled a number.
"Hello,this is Lucy Griffiths. I would like to speak to Social Services in regard to a potential child abuse case."
End of Flashback 2
Lorraine's POV
5:32am. Another three and a half hours to go.
I remember that incident vividly. After Lucy rang Social Services, they started coming to see me, asking me questions, some of which confused me, that I did my best to answer.
A month afterwards, Sarah and Jake (I could no longer call them Mum and Dad) appeared in court and were found guilty of all charges, including assault of a minor, sexual assault and rape. They were sentenced to 25 years imprisonment and I was unceremoniously shifted into the foster care system, which was my home until the age of sixteen, three years ago.
I look at the alarm clock. 6:13am. Perhaps I have time for a quick shower before I start my panic for getting up ready for another day at uni.
Great.
AN: Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It does contain sensitive content, so I hope I haven't offended/upset anyone.