No Way Out

Would there ever be a way out? That was what Kylie wanted to know. She hated being at home. She wanted to get away. Her mum’s new boyfriend was the problem. She couldn’t stand him. Why did he have to move in with them?

He seemed OK at first, being nice to her and all that, but things seemed to change and they changed quickly. What was she going to do? Then seeing one of her friends, she said:

‘Oh, Daisy, I can’t take any more. What am I going to do?’

‘You could always leave home.’

I'm fifteen, where would I go?’

‘Got any relatives that would take you in?’

‘I have a sister in London.’

‘Well, there is your answer then.’

Kylie left her friend and started towards home, thinking about what she had just said, but what would her sister say if she just turned up on her doorstep? And where would she get the fare form?

Kylie got inside her house and there he was - lying on the sofa, drinking. It was only two-thirty in the afternoon. He didn't even have a job to go to. She was determined she wasn’t going to put up with the situation any longer. So she phoned Daisy.

‘Hi, Kylie, what can I do for you? 'Daisy said when she answered the phone.

‘Couldn't lend me some money, could you?’

‘You serious?’

‘Very. I need some for the fare to London. I’ve got a bit saved up, but I need more.’

‘I’ll lend it to you but I’ll need it back at some point. Fortunately, thanks to all my aunts and uncles who give me birthday money every year, I'm not exactly short of money.’

Hours later Kylie went round to her friend’s house.

‘Here you are,’ said daisy, handing her the money. ‘I just hope you know what you are doing.’

‘Oh, Daisy, I can’t stay in that house a moment longer.’

Kylie left and went back to her house to pick up her stuff. She was hoping he would be in the pub. He usually was at that time. But there he was, drinking a can of lager as though he hadn’t a care.

‘What you looking at?’ he said to Kylie.

‘I dunno, the label has dropped off.’

He gave her a strange stare. Kylie feared the worst. Then he went to hit her, but as he did, she managed to grab hold of the iron, which was on the ironing board next to her. Luckily her mum was not very good at putting things away. So Kylie picked up the iron and hit him as hard as she could with it. He fell to the ground. Kylie panicked and went up the stairs. She hurriedly packed some stuff together. Then scrambled to the door as quick as she could. She wanted out.

Kylie arrived at the railway station. She bought her ticket, got on the train and before she knew it, she was in London. She had her sister's address. Someone told her which bus to get and she was on her way.

'What the bloody hell are you doing here?' her sister said to her after she had answered the door.

'Oh, Chloe, I've done a terrible thing.'

'You'd better come in, love.'

Kylie went inside and told her the whole story.

'You'll have to stay here for a couple of days,' her sister said, wondering what she should do next.

While at her sister's. Kylie had even managed to get a job, in a shop, just around the corner. if she kept her head low, she'd probably be in the clear, but her sister had other ideas.

Then one night as Kylie was making her way home from work, she saw her mum on her sister's doorstep. That was it. Kylie walked off and came back later, hoping her sister and her mum weren't there. She packed her stuff up and made her way to a friend's house - one she had made while working in the shop.

'You can stay for a couple of nights, but I think you are going to have to think about going home,' the friend said after she had answered the door to Kylie.

'Go home? Are you windin' us up? You don't know what I've done.'

'I think you had better tell me, don't you?'

After telling her friend, the friend still suggested she should go home and offered to go with her. So that is what they did.

On arriving at the railway station, Kylie was ready to do another runner, but before she could, her friend caught hold of her arm.

Once back at home, they went to Starbucks to get a coffee. As far as Kylie was concerned, it was her last day of freedom. She imagined being locked away in a place she would find it difficult to get out of.

Both arrived on Kylie's doorstep.

'I can't do this,' she said to her friend.

'Yes, you can, love. You've done nothing wrong. You acted in self-defence. Anyway, you didn't hang around long enough to know what damage you caused.'

Kylie and her friend went inside.

'And where have you been? I've traipsed halfway around London looking for you.'

'Oh, mum, is he dead?'

'Dead? Didn't your sister tell you?'

'Tell me what?'

'There's nowt wrong with him. He gashed his head. That is all.'

'Oh, mum, I am so sorry.'

'It's all right, love.'

'It isn't. He'll kill me when he gets in.'

'I doubt it, love. he's decided to run off with the barmaid from the Rose and Crown.'

Thank God for that, Kylie thought to herself, while wondering what her mum was going to make for her tea!