“Would you like to step this way, please,” he said. Mouthing an apology to Stephanie, I followed the man. Run away now, whilst you can, you stupid boy. You’re going to go to prison for life! Maybe that’s where you belong though and Stephanie can see you for what you truly are.
I tried to control my thoughts, my feelings but they were overwhelming me. I almost blurted out my confession. After Stephanie was far enough away not to overhear, he stopped, turned round and patted me on the shoulder.
“We’ve been trying to find you for a while now. There’s something you should know. Your mother has been attacked. She’s in hospital now. I can take you there if you like.”
His words hit me like a fist to my face. Although no physical blow came, I felt as if I’d gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson. I struggled to remain on my feet.
“How?” I managed to stammer.
“We don’t know conclusively what happened but we think your father is the culprit. I’m very sorry.”
Oh, no. What had he done? I had left her there, home alone when he was drunk.
It’s all your fault. You’re the reason she’s fighting for her life on a hospital bed. You should have stayed home. You’re just a good for nothing idiot.
“Are you ok? Do you want to go to the hospital?” I managed to nod, still struggling with my emotions. I felt like going to sleep and never waking up again. Surely this was just a dream? Of course, it wasn’t just a dream. Stephanie was looking directly at me, concern etched across her face.
“Can she come with me?” I asked the man.
“If you want her to,” he said.
I beckoned her over and we strode towards the car.
“What’s happened?” she asked, when we were in the backseat alone. I told her about my father’s recent behaviour, about the miscarriage and that my mum was now in hospital.
“It’s all my fault, I should have been there to protect her. To help her. Now she could be dead because of me.”
Stephanie grabbed hold of me, shaking me from side to side. Her eyes looked straight into mine, the stare making me uncomfortable.
“Listen to me, Caleb. It’s not your fault. If you’d have been there you’d be lying in a bed next to her, trust me.”
“I’m the reason they argue in the first place. They hate me, you know? I’m not a normal child and they hate me because of it.”
“What’s so great about being normal? I’m not normal, you’re not normal and we’re all the better for it.”
“What makes you so abnormal? I’m the guy who has never had a friend all the way through school, who sat in the corner alone. I’m the guy who couldn’t even go to college because he was so messed up with psychological issues. What’s so different about you?”
She let go of my hand, and I began to fear that I had lost her. However, she turned around and looked at me again.
“You really want to know?” she asked.
YOU ARE READING
Caleb
Teen FictionCaleb is definitely a troubled child. Alone, with nothing going for him, he attempts to take his own life but fails at his first attempt. He desperately wants to try again but is put under constant supervision, especially by his new doctor, Dr Palme...
