A Life - As It Was - 1. Chapter 1

I woke up. The pillow was wet. The sheets were wet. The bed was wet. I was wet. There was someone stood next to the bed. I was scared. I knew what was going to happen. I was going to get beaten again.

I froze too scared to move or do anything. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness I saw that whoever was stood there was small, like me. But who was it? Then I remembered, I wasn't at home anymore, or in the hospital, so that meant it was Carl, the son of the people looking after me. I thought if I kept quiet and didn't move then he would go away and not notice what I'd done. He started to get back in his bed and I felt relief.

Then I started to think about what was going to happen in the morning when his Mum and Dad woke up. I was going to get beaten and sent back to the home, nobody wanted a useless little boy who pisses the bed. I knew that. It's what I was always told when it happened.

I remembered what my Mum and Dad said; 'You're a dirty little bastard. Why did you have to be fucking born?' 'Why can't you just die and leave us all alone?' 'You're not fucking wanted, nobody would ever want you.' Each word punctuated with another hit with either a belt or a slipper, sometimes a punch.

I started to tremble. Then the tears came. They became sobs. Carl got back out of his bed and walked over to me. “Chris are you ok? What's wrong are you scared of the dark? I'll look after you.”

He started to get into bed with me. When it registered I panicked and shouted at him getting louder with each word and pushing him away “No you can't. Leave me alone. Don't touch me. Get away from me.”

I heard a bump and he started to cry just as the door opened and the light went on. Now I was really scared I'd hurt him and his Mum and Dad were coming in. I jumped out of the bed and curled up cowering in the corner trying to cover my head with my arms. I was hysterical. I'd really lost it.

I just knew that I was hated, unwanted and going to get beaten, again. I wanted to stay at the hospital, the nurses were really nice there. They gave me a glass of milk and one gave me a bar of chocolate.

“What's happened, are you two alright?” it was Carl's Dad and he didn't sound very happy as he came in. He was really tired but that didn't register in my little boy brain. I got even more scared and I was screaming now.

“Jack you see to Carl and I'll check on Chris”. That was Carl's Mum. Suddenly I couldn't breath as she came towards me. Then it all went black.

*****

I don't remember what happened next, I'd fainted. It was years later when Jack told me.

Jack and Maggie had heard me shouting and the sound of a bump like someone hitting the floor. That's what made them come into Carl's bedroom. They wanted to find out what the problem was and calm things down. They hadn't been given many details about me, just that I was an emergency case, abused and abandoned at the hospital. The police had insisted my parents, who only gave my name and date of birth, take me to the Children's Hospital. They then informed the Children's Welfare Department who didn't have much detail it as I wouldn't speak to the hard faced woman, Joan Smith, who had been assigned as my Emergency Case Worker. With the local Children's Home being full she just wanted me off her hands, she hurriedly placed me with Jack and Maggie.

Now where was I? Oh yeah..

Carl was fine, just shaken up by the fall and upset that I'd shouted at him, he just wanted us to be friends. He didn't have many friends at school most made fun of him because he liked to listen and learn. When Jack and Maggie told him that I was coming to live with them for a while he was excited and hoped that I would like him and stay for a long time.

Carl saw his Mum lifting me in her arms, he looking lifeless and my flopping around and got frightened and upset and started crying saying something like 'I'm sorry mummy I didn't mean to do anything he was crying and woke me up and I only wanted to be his friend and make him feel better.'

Jack got Carl to tell him what had happened and made him understand that nobody had done anything wrong, or had anything to be sorry for.

When I started to come round all Maggie was interested in was making sure that I was ok and getting me cleaned up. Jack got the job of stripping and checking the bed and Carl cheered up when I was brought back to bedroom.

*****

Let's get back to what I remember.

As I come round I could hear Carl's Mum talking. When she turned at me I got scared again. She was smiling. That's not right she should be shouting at me and hitting me. It's going to start any minute. I know it is then I'll be gone in the morning.

I was taken to the bathroom and stripped naked. I braced myself as she turned me around.

Something really strange happened. Maggie started crying and as I cringed she shouted, “Jack come here quick we need you.

I heard the door open. Jack was shocked saying, “My god Maggie didn't they say anything about this when you picked him up at the hospital?”

“Jack all they said was that Joan Smith would give us all the info that we needed. Then when I saw her, she just wanted us to get him home and told me that he'd be ok until she could call in and see us with his files. Nobody said anything about these bruises or anything.”

Maggie turned me round and looked me in the face I could see tears streaming down her face, I looked up at Jack and he had tears in his eyes too. Then I started to cry again.

That's when Maggie took me in her arms and hugged me and said “Honey everything is going to be ok. You're not in any trouble, me and Jack are here to look after you. Now let's get you cleaned up and in fresh pyjamas then you can go back to bed, how does that sound?”

“Aren't you going to hit me now, I know your going to” I asked looking at Jack.

“Chris why do you think we should hit you and why do you think we're going to?”

“I've been a naughty dirty little boy and I always get hit for doing that.” I looked up at Jack as I answered him then down at the floor when I finished.

“Chris look at me please.” I looked up at Maggie then Jack, they both looked horrified, then he continued “You are living with us now and we will never hit you, ever. We don't hit Carl and we will not treat you any different.”

I stuttered out an 'ok', I didn't know if I could believe them. I stood there while Maggie got a flannel and washed me down. Jack left and I could hear him talking to Carl as he stripped the bed. Then I was taken back to the bedroom and Maggie dressed me in some of Carl's pyjamas.

“Maggie he can't sleep in this bed tonight what do you think we should do?”

“Mom, Dad can't Chris sleep in my bed with me? We'll be ok my bed is big enough.”

They looked at each other and smiled before Maggie spoke up, “Yes honey he can, just come get us if either of you need us.”

They tucked us both up in Carl's bed and wished us both goodnight, then turned the light off and went back to their room.

I lay there stiff as a board and nervous hoping that I don't wet the bed again if I fell asleep.

I felt Carl put his arm around me and pull me to him, he kissed me on head and said, “Please don't be scared, we can be friends and my Mum and Dad will look after you. We can even be brothers and you can stay here always.”

I felt tears in my eyes and relaxed pretending to be asleep, then the last thing I heard before I really fell asleep was a whispered, “We will love you.”

I hope your still with me and will pass on your comments.
I already have the next chapter prepared but it will be a few days or more before it's fully ready, just in case I need to make any final adjustments.
I have no editors or beta readers so any help/support and or suggestions would be appreciated. Comments good or bad will be read and may prove helpful. 
Thanks in advance.
a special thank you to Cia for the help in getting this  story posted.
A huge thank you to mikiesboy for giving me his time and all the help he's given me to revise and improve the story. The story has not been changed but has undergone some major editing.