Chapter One – Escape

I hadn't seen my cousin Sam since I was 10 years old, over 6 years ago, so God only knows why I rang him the night Ariel and I ran away from home. I wasn't thinking really. It was pouring with rain, I had spent the last of my money buying Ariel a sandwich and a drink, and I was only too aware that my dad could pull up any moment and drag us back home – and that couldn't happen. Not after what he had did to Ariel.

She was sitting on her rucksack, packed hastily with her clothes, favourite toys and photos of mama, in the corner of the phonebox talking to her favourite stuffed toy Lyon the Lion. And above her good eye, her right eye, was a big purple bruise. And across her lip was a cut.

I had tried to clean her up as best I could, but without medical treatment would else could I do? If I was to take her to the emergency room there were only two options:

Option one – return us to dad.

Option two – put us into care.

I didn't know which one was worse. I didn't know what to do. I was only 16 and I wanted my Mama –

But she wasn't here. No-one was. It was down to me to provide for my six-year-old sister, and so not knowing what to do I grabbed for the letter I had received months ago and dialed the number written on the back.

I waited and I waited and I waited…

Just when I thought nobody would pick up, a woman's voice answered on the other end.

"Umm hi," I said, "is Sam there?"

"No this is his wife Emily. Who's this?"

"Oh hi…Emily? We've never met – actually I haven't even seen Sam in the longest time. I'm Sam's cousin Angelina. Angelina Charlotte Louise Agatha Gray if you want to use the stupid name my mother gave me. They shouldn't let women name their children silly names like that."

I was rambling. Why did I always ramble when nervous?

"Anyway Emily I'm calling Sam because…I just don't know what to do. I'm all alone. Ariel – that's my little sister, Sam's other cousin – our mothers were sisters by the way, our fathers were best friends; Sam's dad is actually my godfather and vice-versa. Well Ariel and I we've left my dad. He hit her and we…well we just had to go, you know. But we've got nothing. No money, no where to go, nothing. I don't even know why I'm ringing apart from the fact that it's Sam and Sam always looked out for me. At Christmas he always made sure that I got the strawberry chocolates and made sure that nobody pulled my pigtails. Why am I telling you all this? I just….I just need help…"

I was trying my best not to cry. I think my voice broke end though.

"Angelina calm down, where are you?" came the calm but determined young voice from the other end.

I told her where I lived. I told her that I was in a telephone box with Ariel outside Sweet Dreams Motel just on the outskirts of our small town.

"Sweetie it's okay now. Sam's friends have just gone out to find him. He'll be there soon. We'll come and get you. Don't leave. Don't move. Don't get into any cars with any strangers-"

(No dur!)

"Just don't move Angelina. Sam will be there in an hour to bring you home."

"Home?" I panicked.

"Yes home honey. Home to La Push."