Chapter 1
I’m finally free, as me and my kids walk towards the big looming gates surrounding the compound, all I can think about and hope is my kids will feel finally safe, like I did all those years ago when they took us in. As we approached the daunting gates the kids started to cower behind me, it doesn’t help that standing guard at the gates are to huge men on watch with huge guns … I don’t recognise them so even I cower a bit back from them. But I remember that I need to be strong for my kids. I slowly turn around and crouch down in front of Jake and Ali, still holding Leah within her baby carrier ..
“okay guys, so you see the guys behind me,” both nervously and reluctantly nod at me “well they are friends of my brother; your uncle danny. They are stood there to make sure that no one that is not allowed comes into the property, meaning that once we are in there only good people can come in.” they both look at me a bit dubiously, but still relax slightly. I take that as a slight win standing back up, I take my 4 year old twins hands within mine and start walking towards the gate, this is where I start getting more nervous, thoughts going through my head ‘talk politely’ ‘ don’t slouch’ ‘your too loud’ ‘your mumbling’, looking up at the giants of men stood Infront of me, I take a deep breath, shaking the thoughts out of my head projected by our devil.
“Um hi … we are looking for Danny.” They both continued to stare me down I had never felt so intimidated,
“sorry ma’am, there is no one here by that name, did you know his club name?”
“oh god no I forgot, shit, what is his club name … what is it … what is it ... what is it” at this point I’m pacing back and forth in front of these men, their staring at me confused, my children are staring at me worried. And at this time where we need somewhere safe and warm and somewhere to put my kids down to sleep I couldn’t remember a stupid club name, ‘ what is it, stupid, stupid.”
“Okay, this is what we do if you and you kids come inside, it will be warmer and clearly you need our help,” all I could do is sigh in relief as the gates started opening, the younger, lanky guard crouched down in front of the kids, making me and them all freeze in our steps.
“hey guys, I’m tracker, I want you to know that you guys are safe here, plus we have a really cool treehouse, that is perfect for you guys” he said this with the warmest smile that I have seen anyone have in a long time. This received the slightest smirk from Jake he has always told me that he wanted a tree house where he could hide away from him. That memory clouds over the slight joy that I had from seeing my boy with the slightest of spark back. Shaking my head to try shake the memory away, with this we continued into the building that brings back so many memories, the tree house catching the corner of my eye where I’ve spent so many hours in.
“if you wait here in pres office he’ll be in shortly, he may know who Danny is” they start to leave back through the door,
“Thank you guys, .. for letting us in, I know that it isn’t protocol, but … thank you.” They both give us a warm smile, with slight worry in it,
“your welcome, we would never let someone be stranded” and with that they leave, and me and the kids finally sit down huddled together on the couch in the corner, all that could be heard was leah’s snoring as she cuddled into my chest finally warm, soothed into sleep.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LEFT, STRANGERS IN MY OFFICE” All of a sudden, this voice boomed through the office door, making the twins cower into my sides and Leah wake up with a start screaming out in crys, from being awoken from her slumber. However through the anger laced in his voice, I still heard a voice that I remembered as if no time had passed. Suddenly the door slammed open and in stormed him, the boy that held my heart through all though high school, stood there staring at me in anger that suddenly transformed into shock, worry still mixed with a bit of anger,
“Leah …”
