A Bride for Jack

The Kids Run Away Part 3

Chapter 7

Mike and Lana were very unhappy with their new foster parents and their new school. At school, a couple of the girls made fun of Lana, because she was quiet and did not try to make friends. Their nasty taunts hurt her deeply. One girl Ann, was very obnoxious, one morning before school she pushed Lana that she fell into a mud puddle left by the previous evening's rain. Lana felt like crying because her dress was in a state and she could not go into class with a wet dress.

On top of that all the kids were laughing at her. All Lana's kept in sorrow and frustration exploded and she rushed at Ann and pushed her back. Ann fell down and of course screamed on top of her voice. Unfortunately Mrs Smith the English teacher saw Lana push Ann and immediately came to Ann's assistance while shouting at Lana. She would hear nothing in Lana's defense and send Lana to the principal's office. Just then the bell rang for assembly. Mrs Smith took Lana and Ann to the principal's waiting room.

"Sit here and wait until after assembly Lana, then the Headmaster can deal with your disruptive behavior. Come Ann dear let me take you to get cleaned up."

Lana sat shivering waiting for assembly to end and the Headmaster to return to his office. Mr Donovan was known for his discipline and had no time for hooligans as he often mentioned in his speeches. The unfairness of the situation was nearly too much for Lana and as if that was not enough she was developing a splitting headache. She had hit her head when she fell but Mrs Smith dismissed her complaint as looking for excuses. At last Mr Donovan went into his office. The secretary quickly took the note left by Mrs Smith explaining her version of the situation. When Lana was called in she was shivering, Mr Donovan stared at her from behind his glasses. For half an hour Lana had to listen as he gave her a lecture. She was not even allowed to give her version of the incident. Mrs Smith had seen what she had done and that was enough evidence for him. He then phoned her foster parents and arranged for them to come to the office and take her home. Lana was also given detention on the following Friday.

Lana's foster parents arrived and she was sent out to the waiting room while the Headmaster escorted them into his office. When they eventually came out of the office their annoyance was obvious. At home Mr Johnson hit Lana repeatedly although it was against the law to hit foster children in your care. Sobbing Lana was told to change into clean clothes so that he could return her to school. The unfairness of the situation was too much for Lana and she began to think of a way that she could contact Allison. At the school Lana had to endure the embarrassment of the other children pointing at her and snickering. She could not pay any attention to her school work and was shouted at by her class teacher. At last the last bell rang for the day.

That evening in bed Lana started making plans to return to the farm. Mike was not happy either. Lana missed the farm and Alison and Jake. The next morning the children had another lecture from their foster parents before they left for school. Lana and Mike walked to school every morning and on the way to school they passed the train station. Lana looked at the trains and thought about the time, about two years ago, when she was five and her brother three, when they climbed into the train with their mother and went all the way to Pietermaritzburg. It had been a wonderful experience.

So one day, when the girls made fun of Lana at school again, she decided that they must run away, and go back to the farm. The very next day as they walked to school, she said. "Mike, I'm not going to school and I don't want to see those foster parents of ours ever again. They are always picking on us. We are going to climb on the train that goes to Pietermaritzburg. I remember which platform we used to climb on the train when we went with mom. When we get to Pietermaritzburg, we will take another train to Underburg. Then we can phone Aunty Alison to fetch us at the station. I miss my pony, and Sue, and Aunty Alison and Uncle Jake."