Chapter 1 - Brandon
Sixteen year old Brandon Hooper really doesn’t want anyone knowing about the abuse he has been and still is suffering at home from his own mother. She's been sexually abusing him for six months, it started the day straight after his father died of lung cancer and the worst part of all is that when his mother does this she goes all the way, it just doesn’t stop at her handling his penis.
They aren’t well off financially, his mother works part time but still finds the money to drink away which means he always goes without things that he really needs, sometimes there isn't even food in the house. He left for school that morning with a large sports bag holding his clothes, bathroom items, shoes and his sketch books.
He seriously wasn’t gonna be going home to her that afternoon he needed space from her and some time to make a plan on what he's going to do about what she does to him. His first period today is algebra so he simply shoved the bag in his locker, locked the combination padlock and headed to the designated classroom with his books. His abuse makes it rather hard for him to concentrate during class, so he always sits in the far back left-hand corner away from everyone to hide it as best as he can, hoping that no one finds out what’s happening to him at home.
He just looked up when a really pretty new girl he has never seen before walks into the already full classroom and he screams internally as the only available seat is right beside him, he gulped and just kept his mouth shut. He continued his sketch of a contrasting skeletal woman surrounded by roses and vines.
He’s been drawing like this for months as a form of stress relief, he is a little embarrassed to admit it but he’s pretty good and his drawings are tattoo quality. The girl sat beside him and he saw out of the corner of his eye an appreciative smile on her face as she looked at his drawing, the class picked up their work and talked between themselves like the teacher permits as long as they do their work at the same time.
"That’s amazing." The girl says. "I’m Sarah."
"Uh? Thanks I guess. I’m Brandon." He said not looking up.
"I would get that tattooed on my ribs, it’s quite stunning. Is there anywhere in this town that isn’t dangerous to go for space?" She asked.
"You’re bloody nuts girl. I have got an awesome spot that no one else knows about." He said.
He hadn’t expected it but she slid a note to his desk.
“I need to get away for awhile, need some space. That’s why I asked. Family drama.”
He finally looked at her and upon seeing a broken look in her eyes he gulped, he knew all too well that he has the very same pained expression, he looked down at her note and flipped it over without anyone seeing it.
“Well, it’s up in the mountains, it’s my fathers secret underground bunker. Everything is still there, it’s furnished, security coded, absolutely no one knows about the spot so it’s safe.”
"If you say it’s okay. I’m coming too." She said with a smile.
"As long as you don't tell anyone about it then I don't mind the company, I've never taken anyone up there before because it's my hideaway from reality spot." He explained.
"I don't share things that aren't mine to tell." She said happily.
