Connor when I hide something so awful? Jutting her chin outwards in defiance, she retrieved her kitbag from the wet room, got back into her car, and turned the music up loud.
Anything to drown out the screaming.
4 th November, 0905 hours – detached house, outskirts of Hetton-Le-Hole
Elvie strained, her ear to the door, listening. She had heard voices outside her room a few minutes before and wondered what was going on.
Suddenly the key turned in the lock, and she leapt backwards to the bed, curling her knees to her chest as the woman entered.
Elvie sat silently. She knew the woman was from her home land, could tell by looking at her. The man who had kicked her was there also, following the woman inside. The other driver was there too, his face looking shameful as he glanced up at her and shuffled on his feet.
‘She needs to be taken to Wear Street. Rocko has man there wanting to pay for this one. He pay much. He come at ten o’clock. She must be there before then and she must remain pure.’ The woman sidled a hateful glance at the man who had kicked Elvie.
The woman walked to the bed and sat down beside Elvie, not suspecting for one moment that the girl had understood every word she had said. Reverting to Filipino now, she spoke to Elvie. ‘ Shhh, child, it’s OK. These men will take you to your new home. You will meet your husband there. He will teach you to be a woman and take care of you .’
Elvie knew a response was required, and she knew there was no way in hell she was going home with a man to be his wife. She was only fifteen; even at home it wouldn’t be forced on her like this. But this woman couldn’t know that Elvie knew what she’d said to the men. Forcing tears to her eyes, she nodded slowly at the woman. ‘ But why must I go, I want to stay here? This room is bigger than my whole house was at home. Can’t you look after me?’
‘No, child. But you will be fine, I will check on you soon.’
As the woman stood to leave, Elvie heard one of the men snigger. They didn’t have a clue what the woman had said, that much was obvious. But they knew it was a lie.
Wherever they were going to take Elvie, it wasn’t going to be a good place. Suddenly she remembered that they’d mentioned the street before; it was where they had taken Nita. She would get to see her friend again. Nita would help her. She just knew she would.
Chapter Six
4 th November, 0840 hours – Connor’s parent’s residence, Sunderland
Connor had been sitting in the car for almost half an hour. He’d purposely parked behind the hedge that surrounded his parent’s property so he could take a minute to prepare himself. But the minute had turned into more before he even realised.
He loved his parents, he really did. And he felt so guilty over what his mum was going through that it tore him apart at times.
Like today.
He sat in the car not wanting to go in and face his mother, or his dad for that matter. His dad had called him half an hour ago. I can’t even spend an hour in the gym without interruption. This sucks. Why won’t Dad just let me put her in a home? I’d choose a nice one, she’d be way better off. Hell, I’d be better off.
Frowning, he realised how selfish he sounded. His mother had carried him, cared for him and raised him into a good man, despite the family trying to intervene. Who was he not to want to care for her now she needed it. But she would be better off; that’s not selfish if it’s true.
Shaking his head he pulled the car key from the ignition. He’d been battling with himself over this for months now and half an hour in the car wasn’t going to make it any clearer, or easier. Sighing, he got out of the car and carefully shut the door, knowing if he didn’t concentrate on it, then his mood would cause him to slam it out of frustration.
When he entered the house, all seemed calm. There was no screaming, no shouting. Just peaceful quiet.
His suspicions instantly aroused, he
Anything to drown out the screaming.
4 th November, 0905 hours – detached house, outskirts of Hetton-Le-Hole
Elvie strained, her ear to the door, listening. She had heard voices outside her room a few minutes before and wondered what was going on.
Suddenly the key turned in the lock, and she leapt backwards to the bed, curling her knees to her chest as the woman entered.
Elvie sat silently. She knew the woman was from her home land, could tell by looking at her. The man who had kicked her was there also, following the woman inside. The other driver was there too, his face looking shameful as he glanced up at her and shuffled on his feet.
‘She needs to be taken to Wear Street. Rocko has man there wanting to pay for this one. He pay much. He come at ten o’clock. She must be there before then and she must remain pure.’ The woman sidled a hateful glance at the man who had kicked Elvie.
The woman walked to the bed and sat down beside Elvie, not suspecting for one moment that the girl had understood every word she had said. Reverting to Filipino now, she spoke to Elvie. ‘ Shhh, child, it’s OK. These men will take you to your new home. You will meet your husband there. He will teach you to be a woman and take care of you .’
Elvie knew a response was required, and she knew there was no way in hell she was going home with a man to be his wife. She was only fifteen; even at home it wouldn’t be forced on her like this. But this woman couldn’t know that Elvie knew what she’d said to the men. Forcing tears to her eyes, she nodded slowly at the woman. ‘ But why must I go, I want to stay here? This room is bigger than my whole house was at home. Can’t you look after me?’
‘No, child. But you will be fine, I will check on you soon.’
As the woman stood to leave, Elvie heard one of the men snigger. They didn’t have a clue what the woman had said, that much was obvious. But they knew it was a lie.
Wherever they were going to take Elvie, it wasn’t going to be a good place. Suddenly she remembered that they’d mentioned the street before; it was where they had taken Nita. She would get to see her friend again. Nita would help her. She just knew she would.
Chapter Six
4 th November, 0840 hours – Connor’s parent’s residence, Sunderland
Connor had been sitting in the car for almost half an hour. He’d purposely parked behind the hedge that surrounded his parent’s property so he could take a minute to prepare himself. But the minute had turned into more before he even realised.
He loved his parents, he really did. And he felt so guilty over what his mum was going through that it tore him apart at times.
Like today.
He sat in the car not wanting to go in and face his mother, or his dad for that matter. His dad had called him half an hour ago. I can’t even spend an hour in the gym without interruption. This sucks. Why won’t Dad just let me put her in a home? I’d choose a nice one, she’d be way better off. Hell, I’d be better off.
Frowning, he realised how selfish he sounded. His mother had carried him, cared for him and raised him into a good man, despite the family trying to intervene. Who was he not to want to care for her now she needed it. But she would be better off; that’s not selfish if it’s true.
Shaking his head he pulled the car key from the ignition. He’d been battling with himself over this for months now and half an hour in the car wasn’t going to make it any clearer, or easier. Sighing, he got out of the car and carefully shut the door, knowing if he didn’t concentrate on it, then his mood would cause him to slam it out of frustration.
When he entered the house, all seemed calm. There was no screaming, no shouting. Just peaceful quiet.
His suspicions instantly aroused, he
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