Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2012 13:05:52 -0600 From: Michael king Subject: They Ran Away Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction the people involved are solely in my imagination. If they resemble you or someone you know then I am not held accountable. Copyright laws of both Canada and the U.S. do apply. This story my not be copied, uploaded to any other such sites without my express permission. THEY RAN AWAY July 01 2002 Monday at 7:30 am, Jesse and his brother Peter woke and dressed, the boys could see the marks running across their backs from the night before, the wire hanger they felt, the muffled screams as both boys were beaten still echoed in their minds. A quick breakfast of cereal and juice, Peter then told Jess to get there packs together, and then he went to his mother's room and found all the money she had. Stuffing it into his jeans pocket he called for Jesse and the two left the house. Thumbing a ride the boys got to highway that took them out of the city. Peter was hoping to be able to make it to Texas, and there friends place before their mother called the police and filed a missing child report, though to Peter's thinking that there was no way she would do that, but teachers might call to check on them but he was hoping that they would be long gone before things happened. Once the boys got to highway 10 and headed west they started walking thumbing for a ride, with each step the boys took the more relieved they felt, their backs hurt as the shirts and jackets rubbed, but they didn't stop for each step forward meant more freedom to them. After two hours of walking, the boys started to have second thoughts, their feet were sore and they just wanted to sit. They were just about to give up when a motor home pulled over. As the boys walked towards the vehicle and elderly lady stepped out, come on boys we can't stay parked here for ever. Running up they thanked the lady as they stepped inside. Sitting at the wheel was her husband a man of equal age. "Where are you two going on such a hot day?" The driver asked with a smile creasing his face. " We are going to San Antonio to see our uncle and cousin." Peter lied. " Well we are going to Waco so we can take you all the way, we are going to see out grand children, we do this trip twice a year, the start of the summer holidays and at Christmas, and since their vacation starts in a weeks time we decided to head out this morning. Besides Prescott at this time of year really doesn't have much for the elderly." The driver notice a look of fear shoot through Peter's eyes at the mention of Prescott, The elderly gentleman felt that something was wrong and that the boys were running from something or some one The first night of their trip, the couple stopped at a campsite just outside of Lordsburg, New Mexico. The boys sat on the couch as the elderly lady made dinner; the man settled the motor home then came in and washed his hands then set with the boys. As the lady set dinner on the table the boys moved closer together, fear flashing across their faces. Both the older people noticed and glancing at each other decided that they should try and see if they could help. "Peter, Jesse, neither of you have to worry about us," The elderly man spoke in a whisper. "You knew who we were?" Peter asked. "Hard not to know you and your brother, we live on the same street; we also noticed that you both have missed a lot of school, as to why we have no idea. Both my wife and I would watch as you two walked to school. We never saw your parents, though we often saw cars parked in front of your home. When we saw you both walking down towards the highway both Edith and I decided to leave early in hopes that we could find you before something happened." The elderly man spoke "Why didn't you say something sooner, or take us back home then?" Peter asked. "Graham and I talked about it as we were looking for you, we felt that if you were running away you had a reason, we are not going to force the two of you to talk, we wanted to wait, to see if either of you would say something to us, the fact you mentioned San Antonio showed us that you wanted to hide." The lady spoke softly as the four of them ate. "Edith wanted to leave a note for your mother telling her that we had invited you camping for the weekend, but we decided not to since this would only have the police asking questions when you didn't come home." Graham stated. "So you're not going to take us back?" Jesse asked. "No son we will get you to San Antonio, if that is really where you're going," Graham answered. "It is." quickly spoke Peter, maybe a bit to fast causing Graham and Edith to glance at each other. "Well we can pull out the couch there and you both can sleep on it, you won't be bothered in here." "Thanks, we don't know how to repay you back for this." "Just get a good sleep." As the couch was turned in to a bed Jesse and Peter took their jackets and shirts off leaving them in just their t-shirt and jeans. As Jesse walked down to the back where the bathroom was, Edith noticed that Jesse's shirt was streaked with red lines, she knew what they were, but decided to wait until she was alone with her husband, she wanted to talk to him, to get his opinion on what she saw, she felt, no she knew that these two boys had been whipped, beaten, abused and lord who knew what else. She hid her tears as Jesse came back and climbed into bed beside his brother. After seeing that the boys were a sleep, Edith and Graham went to bed themselves, Edith spoke her concerns and Graham told her what he has seen on Peter's back, the marks that both had seen told them that is would be best to get the boys away, but to leave them on the streets was something that they agreed they couldn't do, they were determined to find out just exactly where the boys were going and to make sure they got there safely. During the night Graham heard Peter talking to his brother, telling him that soon he would be safe, that Jeff and his dad would take care of them. "Jesse, mom won't ever find us, she can't hurt us any more, we are free unless these people are lying to us, and are going to take us back, and if that is going to happen then we will have to get away when they tell us that we are going back." Peter whispered as he held Jesse. "I am not going back Peter, I will kill myself before I do, I can't take it any more." "I know bud, I will keep you safe, I will never leave you, I made you that promise and I meant it, I love you Jesse, your all that I care about, now hush and try to sleep." As Graham heard those words, tears flowed down his cheeks, little did he know that his wife had heard it also and she too was softly crying, in her mind she vowed to keep these boys safe. The next morning as the two boys still slept Graham and Edith stepped outside and sitting under the awning sipping coffee. "Graham, those boys can't go back there. I won't even think of doing that." Edith spoke. "I agree with you, I heard them talking last night, Jesse is close to suicide, and Peter is the only thing keeping him sane. He loves his brother and wants to keep him safe." "Well I guess we agree on one thing, now maybe we can agree on the next, I want to buy them some new clothes and some cream for there backs, I ant to help them heal." "Well then I guess we have to go shopping we will need more food if we are going to feed two growing boys, or have you forgotten how much our boy ate when he was there age." "How can I forget, I never figured I could never fill him, he could eat everything in the house and two minutes later be hungry again. Well I guess I better get some pancakes going, if I know those two they will wake up hungry. Then we can go shopping for them." As Edith and Graham were talking Peter had woken up and was standing listening to them a small smile on his lips as he knew that they would never be sent back, It still didn't mean he could trust them, but he would stay with them until they showed him otherwise. Walking over he shook Jesse awake. "Come on bro time to get up, Edith is going to make us some pancakes, I bet I can eat more than you." Peter quietly spoke as he shook Jesse's shoulder. " No way bro you know I always beat you on those." grinning Jesse jumped up and ran to the bathroom, the bright lights making his head hurt and causing him to squint. Watching as he let go he could still see the redness in his urine, something he hadn't told his brother about, he had been hoping that it would go away, but it hadn't. When he got his shirt back on he turned. "Edith do you have any aspirin?" Jesse asked. "Yes I think we do." Edith replied. "Can I have a couple please I have bad headache." Taking the aspirin and after eating Jesse laid down on the couch and fell asleep, to Peter this was something he never did and it scared him. "Graham, can we please talk outside?" "Sure son, come on." "Sir something is wrong Jesse never goes back to sleep and he has never had a headache like he says he has now. I am worried. Thing is if we go to the doctors we get sent back and I can't have that." "I know son, my wife and I agree you can't go back to that. So if you can trust us I am sure we can help you both." "I don't know, but I guess I gotta trust some one." "Well I have a doctor friend in Los Cruces New Mexico that I am sure will have a look at him without filing a report. Will you let me contact him and get Jesse looked at?" "I will do anything for my bro." "OK let's get on the road, I will call him as we drive." "Thanks sir." An hour later they pulled into Los Cruces, found the doctors office and took Jesse inside. Thirty minutes later the doctor came out with Jesse. Handing Graham a prescription he told him to make sure he took one every four hours, "What is wrong with him?" Peter asked "And who might you be young man." The Doctor asked. "I am his brother, is he going to be OK?" "Well yes he will be OK in a week, he has a bruised bladder, but if he takes it easy he will be back to playing games with you in no time, now I need to talk to your grandparents for a minute." "What is it doctor?" "I didn't tell the young man but Jesse needs to be in a hospital, I think there is some bruising or more." "We'll see that everything is done for him." Leaving the doctors office they met up with Edith at the motor home, and got ready to leave. Lunch was burger king and then it was out on the highway, Edith sitting in the back with Jesse, as Peter and Graham sat up front quietly talking, every so often you could hear Peter's laugh as Graham told him some funny story. Then Graham got serious. "Peter, both Edith and I know that you and Jesse were abused, we saw the marks though both your shirts and the doctor just proved that also, with the bruising of his bladder, so please trust us both and tell us just what happened. Don't worry we are not going to send you back there." "You promise?" "Yes we promise." "I have to talk to Jesse first, he has a say in this also." "Your right, if you said anything about him he would feel you betrayed him and that could ruin his trust in you." "For an old guy your pretty cool, you seem to understand." " I have my own boy, so yes I understand." Six o'clock found everyone eating dinner just outside Fredericksburg, Texas, Jesse and Peter had spent the afternoon talking so now they sat with Graham and Edith and told them the whole story, the way their mother would whip them, the nights she had her boyfriend over and let them use the boys for their perverse pleasures, the pain and humiliation they went through for 3 years, they told how her latest boyfriend had beaten them with his hands and a coat hanger. After telling their story you could see the anger in Graham's face, Edith was openly crying. Jesse was holding onto Peter tight afraid that he would take off. " Boy's you no longer have to worry, we will take you right to your friend Jeff and his dad, we just want you to be safe and not living on the streets." "Thanks, I don't want Jesse on the streets, I don't want him hurting any more, he has been through enough, and Jesse needs to laugh even just once." " You both need to laugh Peter life shouldn't be this hard on children, but it is, there is so many children out there like you and Jesse, but there is not enough people who care." "Why do parent's beat there kids?" Jesse asked, his voice soft his head resting against Peter. The sincerity of his question shocked both Graham and his wife, it was like he had asked why the sun rose. "There is no answer to that Jesse, and yet there are many, some use the reason of drugs others use alcohol, and yet many others were raised the same way, so they think it is acceptable to beat on children. However, what ever the reason, there is absolutely no reason for a child to be abused. One thing you both have to remember is that neither of you are at fault, you did everything you could to behave and yet it still happened. So just remember that OK." "We'll try, though it might be hard at times." Jesse whispered. "Sure it will, but you have each other to lean on, don't ever give that up. Now you two go climb into bed and get some sleep, we should be in Canyon City late tomorrow afternoon. Do you have a way of getting in contact with Jeff's dad?" "Yeah we have his phone number said we could call him any time we needed it," Peter said a slight smile on his lips. "Then in the morning why don't you call him and tell him you will be in around four pm. Let him know that if we are going to be later we will call him." "Thanks Graham, Your son is very lucky." With that both, Jesse and Peter gave, Edith and Graham a hug good night then disappeared into the motor home. "Those two really are nice boys they need a good home and I hope this man they are going to can give them that." Edith whispered. "So do I love, so do I, if not then I know one man that will take them no questions asked." "Well dear if we were a few years younger I bet you would want to take care of them yourself." "Your right, they do seem to grow on you don't they?" "That they do. Now it is time for us to go to bed we have to get up early if we are going to get them to their friend." Please email me if you wish to read the rest of this short story, FLAMESs will be ignored. thewriter1@live.ca