Amelia's story by D. G Torrens Read Free Book Online Page B

the netting , and carpets were taken up to be refitted into our new home. Even the garden plan ts were uprooted as these were M other ’ s pride and joy.

On arrival at our new home, the excitement was evident; M other had assured us this was going to be a fresh start for all of us. W e basked in this glorious news and were rushing around the new house all placing claim to our chosen bedroom. Jake and I had the smalles t of the three rooms available, and Jenny and Susie had to share a room so they had the largest one. Mother had the master bedroom. I caught her adding those large bolts to the doors to each of our rooms, watching her while she was doing this, my stomach feeling queasy at the very tho ught of it. I was hop ing with this fresh start that M other would do away with the locks and bolts on our bedroom doors. For the first time ever I questioned the bolts and asked her why? I was met with a cold reply, a reply that was a harsh reminder that our real mo ther was still hovering around, “ T o stop you from leaving your bedrooms , of course ,” s he replied coldly.

I knew then that our unpredictable, bad- tempered mother had not gone away, that she wo uld again resurface before long. T here was a look in her eye that made my blood run cold. I was no longer feeling so positive, no longer feel ing that this was a fresh start. I knew all too well that our unpredictable mother would still make our lives un be a ra ble . We would still be locked in our rooms with no lights most of the time, and we would still have to spend all day on the weekends outs ide no matter what the weather because she could not cope with us all in the house when school was out.

The house was a basic four- bedroom council house sandwiched in a row of three on Broughton Estate. We had a new house, a new school, a new life. Once again we had to make a new friend, which was not a hard task on this estate as it was full of kids of a similar age, and everyone was living in poverty of one form or another. Uncle Steven was a r egular visitor at our new house and helped M other out a lot on his visits, fixing this and that around the house , and making sure M other had enough money.

Then o ne day M other gathered us all a round the table in the dining room and announced she was getting ma rried to Uncle Steven. W e were all delighted, and our screams could be heard all the way down the street. On his next visit , Uncle Steven w as armed with gifts for us all. Mother told us how we we re all going to live together, which was music to our ears. Uncle Steven had a son from a previous marri age, who was older than me at thirteen years of age . We had not met him yet , as he had not been very well for some time, but we had seen a photo of him. We knew he was not well, but we had no idea what the problem was or how serious his condition was. Uncle Steven did not speak of him much.

He was always talking of the future and making elaborate promises. I was p romised a flat when I reached eighteen years old , and Jake was promised a top of the range motorbike! These were dreams beyond our wildest imagination; we had never in our life been this happy. But it was not to last. Uncle Steven left us all on that visit full of hope and promise for the future, but it soon transpire d that we were never to see him again.

A week later , we enroll ed in our new school , Broughton Middle School. W e settled in well and took an imme diate liking to this new school. M ost of the children who attended were from poor families, who also lived on our new estate, so we did not stand out at all. In fact, we blended in very well and made lots of friends. I loved school and it was my favour ite place to be; sometimes it felt like a sanctuary from our home life.
     
    I was in the year above Jake , but we always met up at break times, and after school I wait ed for Jake outside the school gates so we could walk home togeth er. We had a dog called Sooty. I cannot remember how or