The Time to Run

The Day Bourne Left

This is a another chapter on Avon's past, commemorating the story reaching 200 views. Enjoy the chapter and thank you for reading my story!

It was sweltering outside but Avon had still worked hard that day. It was August seventeenth, her brother's birthday. Bourne was to turn thirteen today and Avon had been working hard all week to save enough money for his present. Thirteen was the the age where someone was allowed to wield a weapon, so she had bought a small, ornate dagger with the name Bourne Fair engraved onto the hilt. It had cost one hundred and fifty rirso. The weapon had been discounted, as it was made by a family friend, but it still took a long time to save up the money. She was skipping home, ready to surprise her brother.
Avon unlocked the door and walked in. The bottom floor was empty. Her father and brother were nowhere to be seen. Father had promised to have Bourne downstairs by the time Avon would come home. She wasn't there any earlier than she was meant to be. He's probably just forgotten, Avon thought. She walked up the stairs and heard din coming from one of the rooms. The door was partially open. Avon slipped in and her ears immediately filled with loud shouting. Bourne was standing by his bed and Father was next to the door. Both of them were infuriated. Bourne saw Avon walking and shouted, "Avon! Tell father I'm responsible!"
"Wait, what's going on?"
"Bourne thinks he can leave the house!" Father screamed.
"Yes I can! I'm old enough!"
"Bourne, your thirteen. You're too young!"
"Not by law!"
Avon's father stormed out the room, pushing her out of the way. He hit her arm with the back of his hand and she winced.
"You just hurt Avon! This is why I want to leave!" Bourne said, gesturing towards Avon's red arm. Father just continued to walk through the door and slammed it shut.
"I'm fine, Bourne." Avon reassured him.
"No you're not!"
"Bourne, why do you want to leave?"
"How can you stand to live with him? He just sits around all day doing nothing."
"My god, Bourne! He's fifty and retired!"
"Unemployed, you mean! Anyway, it was only a year ago when he was abusing both of us. You weren't there when he did, but he'd say things about us."
"He was drunk!"
"But he chose to be! It wasn't anything else. He was the one buying all the drinks, not anyone else!"
"Bourne!" Avon's brother was about to walk out of the room. "I can't stop you from going, but take this."
She passed him the dagger.
"It was meant to be a birthday present, but it's more of a parting gift now."
"Thank you, Avon."
He took the dagger and analysed it. Then, he put it in his pocket and ran out of the room. Avon saw her father through the now open door. He looked at here and began to shout, "Why did you let him go?"
He grabbed the front of her shirt and lifted her to the tips of her toes. His eyes were overflowing with tears and Avon said, "I couldn't do anything."
Her father dropped her and walked into his room. Avon ran outside and found her brother walking down the road. He was about to turn around the corner when Avon called out to him, "Goodbye."
Bourne looked back, tears rolling down his face, and waved. He went round the corner and Avon realised that was the last she would see of her brother for a long time.