Mother

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Mother

Nicky grabbed her car keys and picked up Amy who was already belted into her car seat, and then she dashed out of the house, locking the door behind her.

Securing the child in the back, she jumped in the driver’s seat and reversed out onto the road, putting her foot down hard on the brake as a car sped up the street, missing the back end of her car by centimetres. Moving the car again, she straightened up the wheel and headed up the street. Turning the radio on, a presenter’s voice different to normal filled the air waves.

“please stay inside if you can, stay away from the city as there is rioting in the centre, we are still trying to confirm the reason behind this, I and will update you on any information we receive. Please stay tuned for more information”

Nicky turned right up towards her son’s school. It was about a twenty minute drive but there was a lot of traffic on the road, so she knew it was going to take longer.

The traffic only got worse as she got closer to the school. As she approached the local supermarket, the traffic was at a standstill, queues of cars trying to get into the supermarket blocking the road ahead. Nicky, like other cars, mounted the pavement to get past.

Drivers leaned on their car horns to try and get the traffic moving, others hung out of the windows shouting at each other, all trying to get into the supermarket to stock up on any supplies they needed. 

Crowds of kids filled the road ahead as they headed home to safety. She slowly drove through them, hoping to see Ben stood where he normally waited for her. Scanning the crowds she looked franticly hoping to see her son.

Eventually she spotted him leaning up against the wall listening to his MP3 player. She stopped the car and hit the horn. He didn’t notice her and she pressed the horn again.

A driver in another car also sounded his horn; she looked around and stuck up her middle finger. Pushing the button on her side the window glided down.

“Ben” she yelled.

With Ben still not acknowledging, she yelled again. “Ben, Ben” she repeated twice

Another school kid noticed the woman shouting for Ben and tapped him on the shoulder.

Ben pulled out his earphone “what?” he snapped.

“There” he said pointing “is that your mum?”

Ben glanced over to the car “oh yeah, thanks”.

“Quick get in the car” yelled Nicky

Ben walked over to the car and pulled on the handle.

“Jesus Ben, I have sounded the horn and I’ve been shouting for ages”

He slung his back pack in the foot well, and slid into the passenger seat.

“Okay, sorry mum”

Nicky moved off dodging the school kids crossing the roads

Ben turned to Amy and smiled “hey gorgeous, what you doing?”

He tickled her tummy and she started to giggle “what you doing, what you doing” he said in the typical tone used when speaking to a baby?

While entertaining his sister, he spoke to his mum.

“So what’s going on?”

“Not sure, but this morning there have been a lot of attacks on people, it’s some sort of riot, but it’s happening all over, I bet it’s the bloody students moaning about something.”

Ben ignored his mum, still making Amy laugh.

Nicky took the back roads home to avoid the heavy traffic, at one point noticing a man pull into his drive and fall out of his car holding his neck, blood seeping between his fingers and soaking into his white shirt.

 “Bloody hell, did you see that?” she asked Ben.

 He turned towards her “what?”

 “That guy had been injured, he should be at the hospital” she said rubber-necking.

 She turned the radio up again.

 “Police are advising that you remain indoors until they have things under control, the armed forces are now helping to control outburst of violence within the city and the surrounding areas.”

 “I hope your father is okay, I have tried ringing him, but I can’t get through”

 “I bet he’s fine, I’m sure he will be on his way home now” said Ben trying to sound hopeful.

 Nicky stopped at a junction, and was just to pull out when two police cars came speeding round the corner their blue lights flashing, but with no sirens.

 “God it’s really kicking off isn’t it mum”

 “I just hope dad’s ok”

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