UNBROKEN

THIRTY EIGHTH INSTALMENT

Every morning my mum would light the fires in both of our fire places so that Ava was warm when we got her out of bed.

The day before we left we sat at the table and had breakfast as normal then Arthur left for work. Not long after my house was filled with my friends.

Barry's friends had also arrived. He went to his room with all his friends. My heart sank as I saw him walk away his head was hung lower and I knew he wanted to cry but there was no way he would.

My situation had brought us here to this point. It wasn't Barry's fault or mums fault it was mine.. I had gotten involved with the wrong person and now everyone had to lose something. This day was the day we were losing all contact with everyone and everything we knew. We were leaving the house we had grown in and everyone we cared about. To this day I hold this in my heart.

I did this! And my family were prepared to drop everything just to make sure I was safe.

I sat with all of my friends and there were a lot of tears and beautiful words spoken. Kylie was there and she cried so much " I will never forget you Emily, you are my best friend, what am I going to do without you" she cried. I didn't know how to respond I couldn't speak my heart was breaking. I reached out and held her tight. Trisha gave me a silver charm bracelet and said " no matter what happens wear this and remember I will always be here for you". I still have this bracelet to this day.

Talk continued for hours and I told them all we had to leave so I could protect my family and them. Jay had threatened them through me and also made threats to some of them as I found out that day. They said they could protect me but they really had no idea who Jay was and what he was capable of.

They stayed for hours but had to leave before school finished so they could catch their buses. I didn't want to let them go, I held on so tight. This was the moment I realized that I was losing everything, my life would never be the same. I was falling to pieces and so were they but at least I knew they would look after each other as they always did.

After everyone left I went straight to my room. I stood looking at myself in the mirror 'what have you done? Why? You have messed up some many peoples lives' I turned to my bed and flopped faced down and the tears wouldn't stop flowing. Them I heard a little cry coming from the lounge room. I pulled myself together and walked out and picked up my beautiful baby girl. I walked back to my room and sat on my bed. I looked down at her and made a promise "I will always try my best to protect you and a year fell on her little face".

Arthur arrived home and he had no idea about our plans. We had dinner as usual and as usual it was quiet and not a word spoken. He them got up got himself a beer and drank until he was drunk and unable to hold a conversation. He got up and went to bed. Mum stayed up and we talked for a while. She was almost please to be getting out but she was truly going to miss a few people and Pa was one. We had told Pa about the move and he supported us.

The next morning after Arthur left for work Pam's mum arrived with a truck. Layla came over to help pack it up. Mum only took what was ours. We said long goodbyes to Layla and Pam's mum. There was a knock at the door and some of my friends had arrived to say a final goodbye. I couldn't tell them where we were going as at this stage we were going to stay with my great uncle while we looked for a place to live. We said our goodbyes and we got in to the two cabin truck and we started off down the road.

As we passed over the bridge to leave our town my heart was breaking. This was where I had grown up, were I had my first kiss, where I played sports, it was the only place I had ever called home. It felt like a million tiny little hands where reaching out and grabbing my heart trying to pull me back and as they pulled it was taring it in two. This was my heart breaking. My mind was playing tricks on me. I could hear my friends over and over in my head asking my not to leave.

I looked over at Barry and he had tears in his eyes that he wasn't going to let fall out and mum! Well she was not crying and not really showing any emotion. She looked a little relieved to be honest but I knew this was killing her also.

I made my friends promise not to tell Jay but I knew he would find out soon but by then we should be safe and far away or so I thought...