Into the Gloaming

Interlude 6

I woke to my stomach rumbling. I hadn't felt like eating much for dinner. I needed to go to the bathroom as well but I was scared to leave the safety of bed. I squeezed myself into a little ball and tried not to think about it so I could go back to sleep and it would be morning. Then I remembered with dismay that the morning meant the trial, and that the trial meant dad going to jail or not, and that no matter what happened at the trial my life would be changed forever. I clung onto my knees, hugging them to my chest, trying to go back to sleep.

Now that Child Protection Services were onto him he knew it was only a matter of time before the whole thing unravelled. He could hold them off for a while but it would be difficult, and he certainly couldn't do it if they took his only remaining piece of Caroline away. Caroline... he hadn't anticipated something like this happening to her, or his reaction, he had always been so detached and objective, it was the only way he could do the things he did. Seffy had appeared in the doorway with the bloody jacket in her hand. Seeing it stirred up the emotions he'd felt seeing Caroline's body lying there. He had no choice but to explain it to her, he thought she was ready to know, but was disappointed by how childishly she took it, despite seeming to understand the idea. Caroline was constantly trying to explain to him that she was a child, not a small adult. Now Seffy was downstairs in the kitchen getting cans of food for their trip. He kept packing things and started feverishly loading them into the car. Just as he finished he heard the voice of the man who had been at Life Planning earlier. Child Protection. It was all over. He jumped in the car and drove.