Chapter Eight

-NORMAL POV-

“Jess, Jess, stop!” Nic called. He sprinted behind her and grabbed her arm.

“Let me go” she cried.

“Not until you tell me what I did wrong” Nic replied, tightening his grip. “Do I offend you or something?”

“No, that’s not it” Jess replied, shaking her head.

“Then what is it, what’s wrong?” Nic cried. Jess whirled around, her eyes blazing with anger and…sadness?

“I’m scared ok?!” she snapped. Nic dropped his hand in shock.

“What do you have to be scared about?” he asked.

“Scared of my dad coming back to get me, scared of not having a normal life, scared of…being rejected” she replied.

“You don’t have to be” Nic replied, shaking his head. “You don’t get it, Jess. I like you, a lot, and I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you, which is why I’m your best friend, which is also the reason why I asked mom and dad to let you guys live with us”

“Seriously?” Jess asked, brightening instantly.

“Yes seriously” Nic replied, rolling his eyes and kissed her cheek. Jess blushed and smiled.

“Well, I can tell from the smile on your face that Nic told you that we’re going to live with them” Sydney said as he latched onto her waist.

“Yeah, but all we have to do is go home and get a few things, and then we’ll be back” Mere said, nodding in agreement.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Tristan asked.

“We’ll be fine” Noah said, although he sounded doubtful.

-

-Patrick’s POV-

“Shh” I whispered, opening the door to the dark house.

“Patrick, what if we get caught?” Sydney whispered.

“Don’t worry about that, we’ll-“ Noah was cut off as the lights came on. We turned in horror towards dad. The smell of alcohol easily overpowered us.

“Where have you brats been?” he demanded. I looked towards the stairs. “No, don’t think of running. Your siblings aren’t here, and you’re here alone, and you’re in trouble. NOW WHERE WERE YOU?”

Sydney started to cry and Robert slapped him.

“DON’T CRY! YOU’RE SUCH A DUMBASS, CRYBABY!” Robert yelled.

“DON’T HIT HIM!” Mere and Jess yelled in unison, shoving him. Robert shoved me and Sydney to the side and grabbed Noah around the neck.

It seemed like I could feel the pain that Noah was. I couldn’t breath. A staccato heartbeat
Harsh, thudding against my ribcage. Noah’s breath started coming out in rattling breath, desperately seeking air. Suffocating. He tries to open his mouth but he can’t scream. Sydney jumps onto Robert’s back, desperately trying to pry his hands off. Robert flung him across the room. I didn’t see where he landed. He crashed into something and I heard his scream of pain.

Jess and Mere try to pull him off, but he just side swept them into the stair banister.

Noah’s eyes bulge, as Robert’s grasp tightens. I can’t breath either. Please let got of my brother, I can’t breath. Noah starts to claw at the air, clutching at nothing, clawing at the tormentor just out of reach

Robert laughs, mocking the pain he feels

Sardonically watching

As he suffers

As he struggles

Then his body heaves

Convulsing

And is still

Soon, I felt him dragging me, Jess, and Mere up the stairs to the bathroom, where the bath tub water was already drawn. He shoved our heads underwater, and we thrashed around, trying to pull our heads out of the water.

Far away, I could hear my father laughing as he pushed our heads further underwater. My lungs screamed for air, and I couldn’t hold my breath any longer. I opened my mouth and everything turned black.

-

-Sydney’s POV-

I remember awaking in the hospital, my eyes fluttered as I tried to see clearly. ‘I survived…’ I thought to myself. I didn’t stay awake for that long, my conscience was going in and out, and I fell asleep again. What seemed like three seconds happened to be two hours that I was out for.

“Sydney, Sydney? Can you hear me?” I heard a voice call out. “Can you open your eyes for us?” It said again. I wanted to know who was calling me, so I opened my eyes. There were four doctors and nurses standing over me and my siblings were there too.

“Sydney?” One of them asked. I couldn’t respond my vocal cords for some reason didn’t want to respond. “If you can hear me blink twice.” It said again. I blinked twice; they breathed a sigh of relief. My siblings had tears running down their cheeks; I was surprised that Jessie and Mere did. And they all hugged me out of happiness. The doctors started to murmur amongst themselves and I wanted to know what they were talking about. “Sydney, we’re going to put you to sleep so you get some rest. If you understand blink twice.” One doctor said. I blinked twice, and I heard a contraption go on. It must have been the gas they were going to use, and I soon found myself asleep.

-

I don’t know how long I was out for, but when I woke up nobody was in the room. I slowly sat on the hospital bed and looked around the room. ‘Where am I?’ I thought to myself. Well, I knew I was in a hospital but I wanted to know which one. A male nurse walked by my room and must have seen me because He walked back over to the door and came in. He walked over to me and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“How are you feeling Sydney?” He asked me. I thought about it for a second, ‘I’m not dead…My Father will kill me…’

“I feel fine…” I told him.

“Good,” He responded. “I’ll be near o.k.? If you need one of us, press this blue button on the stool, o.k. Sydney?” He ended.

I said “Ok” and the nurse left the room, probably tending to some other sick person.

I wanted to fall asleep and pretend that my Father would never come and claim me, so I rested back in the bed. That wasn’t for too long because my Father rushed into the room, but someone followed.

“Mr. Jackson, you are not allowed into this room!” This lady said, she was wearing a suit. Like a lawyer or something.

My Father turned and faced her. “This is my son, and I will if I please.” He angrily told her. I didn’t notice the policeman with her, but I soon did.

“Mr. Jackson, If you do not leave I will have to place you under arrest.” He said. My Father looked at me, and gave me the most evil look I have ever seen; He mouthed the words I’LL KILL YOU to me, and then faced the policeman.

“Fine…” He said giving up, and walked out of the room. The lady in the suit faced the policeman, “Wait outside and make sure Mr. Jackson doesn’t pull anything funny.” He told him. He just nodded and walked out of the room.

The lady walked over to me and I was scared. She sat on my bed and looked into my eyes. “Hi Sydney, I’m Ms. Hues, but you can call me Janet. Can I talk to you about something Sydney?” She asked me. She seemed very friendly, I didn’t feel any danger with her, so I approved.

“Yes…” I softly told her, I was a bit nervous.

“First off Sydney, I want to let you know that you can tell me anything, Ok? I won’t tell anyone, not a soul, I promise.” She said placing her hand over her heart, still smiling.

“Even my Father?” I asked.

She gave a soft chuckle, “Yes, even your Father.” She told me. I felt like I could tell her anything, and I could answer any of her questions. So we began.

“Sydney, has your Father ever hit you?” She asked me. My stomach dropped, I felt nauseas and sick.

‘Why was she asking me this?’ I thought. If I told her my Father would kill me! What was I going to say? “No, never.” I told her. She gave me a concerned look.

“Sydney, remember. You can tell me anything, no one will find out.” She said again. Then She moved closer to me. “Sydney, has your Father ever hit you?” She repeated. I started to sweat, I was so nervous. I was going to tell her, I had to, She promised not to tell.

“Yes…” I replied. “He hits me and my siblings, you probably met them. But my oldest siblings, my sisters, Jess and Mere, they protect us and take most of the pain” I whispered. Ms. Hues, or Janet, took a deep breath; she knew she was getting somewhere.

“See, was that so hard?” She asked me. I slowly shook my head. “Sydney, where did those marks come from on your body?” She asked me.

‘What? How does she know!!’ I screamed in my head. I couldn’t say anything, I just stared at her.

“Sydney?” She would say. “Tell me, please. It’s for your safety.” She said.

“My Father did it!” I cried out. I gave up, I folded under the pressure.

“All of the marks Sydney?” She asked me. I was crying,

“Yes!” I sobbed. She held my head into her chest.

“It’s ok Sydney, I knew it all along. I had to make sure it was true. It’s ok…” She soothed me. I cried into her arms for a while, and then looked up at her.

“What are you going to do?” I asked. Janet took a deep breath, and looked at me shaking her head a bit.

“I’m a DCF worker Sydney…do you know what that is?” She asked me.

‘DCF?’ I thought. I’ve heard that a few times but I never knew what it was. “No…” I told her.

“Well, I work for children. I make sure that they are safe with their parents, and if they are not safe, we make sure they will be. Do you understand?” She asked. I did.

“Yes…” I said.

“You and your brothers and sisters wont fear your Father anymore Sydney, we’re going to take you with us for a while ok?” She added. My heart collapsed, I was devastated.

“No!” I screamed. “You can’t!!” I pushed away from her. “My Father will kill me, please!” I pleaded; I was drowning in my own tears.

“Sydney, calm down.” Janet said.

“NO! Please!” I still cried. “He can’t hurt you or your siblings anymore Sydney, trust me.” She tried to tell me but I wouldn’t listen.

“NO! HE’LL KILL YOU TOO! PLEASE! ” I screamed. I was so frightened. “HE’LL KNOW I TOLD ON HIM! PLEASE! NO! HE WARNED ME NEVER TO TELL! OH GOD! PLEASE!” I begged. “HE’LL KILLE ME! HE’LL KILL YOU! HE’LL KILL MY SIBLINGS! PLEASE!”

Janet sat there in shock, I must have scared her. “Sydney, come with me.” She said calmly, outstretching her hand to me. I was so scared, but for some reason I trusted her so I took her hand. We began to walk out.

My Father was sitting on the bench when I arrived out of the room, He arose. “Come on, lets go home Sydney.” He told me. Janet pulled me close to her.

“Mr. Jackson, your son is staying with us.” Was all she needed to say. My Father’s face turned bright red.

“You little shit!” He screamed, and he lunged at me. There was arguing and screaming, I couldn’t hear it all at once. The policeman jumped up from his chair and tried to detain my Father, it failed. He had to wrestle him to the ground and put him in handcuffs. He fought, but He lost. He was picked up off of the floor and they began to walk away, my Father was screaming my name.

“SYDNEY!” He would scream. “I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU FOR THIS!!” Was the last thing I heard.

“Ms. Hues…Janet, please. Take me away from him.” I finally begged. Janet picked me up in her arms and gave me the biggest hug I ever got. “Don’t worry Sydney, it’ll be ok.” She reassured me.

We walked down the hallway and into the parking lot. We walked over to Ms. Hues’ car and got in. She started the car and we began to leave the parking lot. She was driving pretty fast; she probably wanted to get the hell away from my Father as much as I wanted to die right now.

I wanted to just die…my father was my one escape, but it failed, and now I must live with this. I didn’t know what Ms. Hues was going to do with me, but anything would be ok as long as I never saw my Father again.

As long as my siblings were with me…we were safe…

I just hope it was over forever…

-

Epilogue

Sydney and his siblings were taken to Ms. Hue’s house to stay until the mess was sorted out. Janet (Ms. Hues) and some other social workers got together with state authority, and gathered enough evidence to put Mr. Jackson on trial. The trial lasted over two years, and was frequently on the news. The trial was started in July 16th, 2003 and was overlooked by Judge Melanomi. The trial started with Mr. Jackson telling the jury his side of the story, and telling them that the children deserved everything that came their way. Mr. Jackson also stated that, “Everything I did was for reason, and I do not feel guilty about anything.”

Sydney was brought in and asked only a few questions before coming to a conclusion, but due to health problems arising in Mr. Jackson, the final decision was delayed for about 2 years. The jury found Mr. Jackson guilty on all charges of child abuse and child neglect, and was sent for 30 years in prison, but sadly (or not) Mr. Jackson was admitted to a hospital where he died of health complications, mostly his alcohol problems, and his smoking. Mr. Jackson never got a chance to make amends with his sons and daughters, and for that, Sydney, Jess, Mere, Patrick, and Noah still has a burning hate towards their father.

The court finally settled the case recently in March 4, 2005. The Jacksons now lives with Nic, Tristan, Mr. Pueshe, and Mrs. Pueshe. So we all pray that they can finally live in peace, without anymore fear in their life…