Safe and Sound (Watty Awards 2012).

Chapter Three.

Author's Note: Here's the third chapter guys. :D I quite like this one, so I hope you all like it too! Please do let me know what you all think- I love to hear everyone's views. (:

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Chapter Three.
Madeline's Point of View.

As soon as the bell rang for first lesson I grabbed my bag and practically ran from the room. I hated the stares that people had given me when I was being introduced so I had kept my head low, my hair forming a curtain against my face. I pulled out the school map that I had been given, and unfolded it. I stared down at it as I tried to figure out where the hell I was actually going.

Where on earth was the library? There! I spotted it on the map, and walked quickly through the throng of students. After having looked at my timetable I had figured out that I had two free lessons first, so I planned to avoid other students by going to the library and immersing myself in a good book. After break time I would have double English literature, and then after lunch I would have a single lesson of it. Keeping my head slightly bowed, I pushed through the noisy students until I came to the end of the corridor.

According to my map, the library would be one flight down. I pushed the door open into the stair well and made my way down the stairs and through another door. Any other student would have asked for directions but I planned to speak to as few people as possible, and it wasn't essential for me to ask for directions- so I didn't.

Finding the library, I placed my bag onto the bag rack and unzipped it, pulling out the book that I had brought with me before wandering into the library. I was immensely careful to keep my head down as I quickly found myself a seat. I didn't really want people to see the mess that was my face.

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That morning my alarm clock had gone off at 6am and I had rapidly silenced it so that William could sleep a little longer. I had crept out of my room and down the stairs, peering into the living room to find my mother sprawled across the sofa, a half full bottle of vodka safely tucked against her side. With a sigh I had made my way into the kitchen and silently prepared William a packed lunch- sanwiches, a piece of fruit and a treat- for him to take to school with him. For myself, I had just taken an apple. I didn't want to waste the food on myself when William was younger and needed it more.

I would have to make mum go shopping later. She had forgotten that we actually needed food in the house. I had expected it though- as long as there was alcohol, she was happy. I had tipped the last of the cereal into a bowl for William so that it was ready to just add milk when he was awake. My eyes snapped up and away from what I was doing as I head clattering in the living room. Mum was awake; how bloody brilliant, eh? Moments later she had stumbled in through the kitchen door, vodka in one hand as her other hand clutched at her forehead.

"I've got a bangin' headache. Make me a coffee will ya' love?"

I had obediently put the kettle on and pulled out a mug, putting a spoon of coffee in and one and a half spoons of brown sugar. When the kettle had boiled I had poured water into the mug and stired with the spoon before placing the mug in front of her as she sat at the table.

"Get me the milk."

She had said, giving me a stern look. I shook my head at her.

"William needs the milk for his cereal."

I had told her quietly, looking down at my feet. The chair legs had screeched against the dirty tiled floor as mum pushed her chair back. She had stepped toward me and before I knew it she had slapped me around the face, forming a hand shaped red mark just underneath one of the bruises that she had given me last night. My face stinging, I had continued to stare at the floor, not daring to move or look up at her.