Amelia's Secret

I had suspicions soon after Amelia was born, but it was dangerous even to think such things. I explained them away rather than face them.

Yes, I was closer with Amelia than the older three. I loved them all, of course, but she was my baby. Folks said breastfeeding helped bonding; I'd never got the hang of that with the others.

The signs were there: she was one of Them. She'd cry when I felt cross, even though I schooled voice and hands to gentleness. She held my gaze in a way that was odd for an infant.

As she grew, she said unnerving things. Things that made it plain she knew things she couldn't know. She'd answer unspoken thoughts, private musings. Inappropriate for a child. That shouldn't be spoken aloud by anyone.

When she was four, she approached Oscar's mum, Jane, at the school-gate. "Daddy wants to fuck you," she said. Jane turned beet-red.

"What?!"

"Daddy wants to f-"

I apologised loudly over her, and hurried her away. Jane's narrowed eyes followed us.

My husband confronted me about it after the children were in bed.

"We both know what she is," he said.

"She's not a what," I snapped.

He said we should get her tested. I refused, knowing what the result would be. He put his arms around me, "Even if she gets sent to the Compound," he said, "that's better than being found out later. You know what they'll do."

I tried to be strong, to remember daddywantstofuckyou, but I trembled.

"They won't find out," I whispered. "I'll homeschool her. I'll coach her to hide it."

He sighed.

He left. When I confronted him about child support, he merely raised an eyebrow, holding the secret over my head.

I loaded the children into the car that night, and drove to the flat he and Jane shared.

"Out!" I hissed at three pieces of my heart, pushing hastily packed bags into their arms. I blinked away tears, tried not to see the ones spilling down their cheeks, the confusion in their eyes.

I sped away, sobbing, before he'd even come to the door. Amelia beamed at me.

"We're going to disappear, aren't we, Mummy."

++++++++++++

Word count (excluding note): 366

Submitted on 24th February at 17:10

Quick Author's Note

First, and most importantly: thank you for reading!

Leave me a link to your latest, if I haven't already seen it! Especially if you're joining me on this "story every day" madne adventure, I'd love to see what you come up with for today.

If you enjoyed this story, the best compliment you can give me is to share it, or read another. Here is the one I posted yesterday, if you haven't already seen it.

Pay no attention to the writer behind the curtain: I want to write about the Compound at some point, so look out for that.

A Year of Stories: I'm writing a story every day this year. This one makes a 56 day streak. You can find all of them in my Index post. It's also pinned to the top of my profile.

Thank you

Thank you again! I do my best to reciprocate all reads. Please do leave a comment, and I'll pop over and read one of yours as soon as I can.