Beginnings

Chapter one =]

"Stacey Hurry up tea’s on the table!"

"Hold on mom, I'm coming"

Stacey shouted back wiping the sweat of her face.

Stacey Newcome lived in the windy west side of Franklin, Tennessee.

She was the only child of single mother Shanie.

Stacey’s long dark blonde hair swept back behind her head as she opened an old attic window, the wind was strong today.

Like most days.

She'd been cleaning out the attic for 3 hours now, slaving and sweating away.

But she knew if she didn't clean it out herself her mom wouldn't give her it as a bedroom.

Sure her mom might help her, but Stacey knew she could do it on her own.

Obviously a 15 year old could clean an attic out!

Stacey's birthday was heading towards her with only 2 days to go.

She was hoping for a girly party in this newly refurbished attic.

There was one thing she dreamt of though.

Her dad showing up at the door.

Her mother always told her that her dad had to leave.

Stacey knew there was more to the story than that though.

She wanted to be wrapped in his arms, to smell his sweet scent.

She wanted to know how much he loved her and how he had missed her over the years.

Every morning she would wake up with the same dream, and then end the day with her heart broken.

Yawning, Stacey leaned over to shut the window she’d had enough air.

Before she could shut it a massive gasp of wind filled the room knocking everything out of its place.

"Aww man!"

Stacey shut the window firmly and went over to the corner of the attic.

Starting to pick up her mothers possessions that had fallen out of an old box on the wooden floor.

Something caught her eye though, a red thick book.

"What’s this?"

"Some kind of bible?"

A smile came to Stacey’s face.

It then sank when she turned it over.

Autobiography of Claude Newcome,

"Claude Newcome, who the hells that?"

She sat there quiet, thinking for a few minutes, her mother shouting to her still to get her tea.

That’s when it all came clear.

Clear as Crystal.

Claude Newcome?

Claude Newcome, could it be?

My father?"

Stacey took the so called autobiography downstairs, thinking she would read it later.

"Stacey, are you coming or not?"

"Tea's getting cold love!"

"Yeah I'm coming now"

She shoved the book under her double bed, and then dashed off to the dining room.

She couldn't keep her mother waiting anymore.

"Beans on toast tonight love, Is that alright?"

Her mother said leaning over picking up her knife and fork.

"My favourite"

Stacey gave her mum a warm smile and dug into her meal.

"So who are you planning on inviting?"

Every night her mum would start a conversation at the table.

For some reason she hated to sit in silence.

"Just a few close friends. Emily, Sophie of course and maybe Drew.

That’s if you let me have a boy round, I know how mums are!"

"I don't see why not hun, Drew has been round before, He seems nice"

"Nice as in what mum?

"Nice as in he’s a nice friend for me right?"

"Yes of course, but is there anything more between you two?"

"Ew, Obviously not mother, we have been friends for 5 years.

Yes mum, Friends. Nothing more. Nothing less"

Deep down Stacey knew that she was lying to herself.

She did have feelings for Drew, she was sure he had them for her as well.

"Yes, I get it, Friends and that’s it. Okay"

"You got it. So where did my dad go exactly?"

Shanie's face went all horrified. She then got up and placed her plate in the sink.

She was restless.

Why was this?

"Well mum?

"Where did my dad go?"

"What's brought this up?"

"Why must you need to know?"

"I've told you over and over again. He had to go!"

Shanie started washing up her plate. Vigorously.

"Mum. Calm down, I'm only asking where my dad went"

"Well don't, go get that attic done before it gets late"

"Fine but think about what I’ve just said"

"Please I have a right to know"

Stacey left the kitchen confused.

A tear crept from Shanie’s face as she planted her plate on the drying rack.

She took a deep breath and took a seat.

 

Stacey went moodily back into her room. Not the attic.

"I know he's still out there, I know he wants to see me as much as I want to see him"

"This book is my answer"

"It has to be!"

Stacey shut her door and sat on a chair near her window, just incase her mother came in she could shove the book down the side of the chair.

No one would know it would be there.

She opened the book.

Her eyes widened with great excitement.

This could tell her what she'd wanted to know for the past 15 years of her life.

Quietly.

Silently she began to read.

 

So I have decided to write an autobiography.

I'm not that great in the writing of English, although I shall try my best.

I hate sitting in this office.

Day in Day out no one knowing who I really am.

Treating me as one of them.

I can now tell you that Bob and Billy the Twilly twins are sat behind me reading every word I put with great detail.

"What do you mean Treating me as one of them?"

"You’re one crazy jerk Claude"

Bob was always the first to speak out of the twins.

Telling everyone what he thought of them.

I don't think it came to mind that you should keep your thoughts to yourself, especially if you had ones like he had.

Both of them are sat here.

Straight behind me, wearing the same old clothes they usually wear that old Bluey Green blazer and more Greyish shirts than white.

Their hair all waxed back like they had no hair at all.

Those red shoes everyone would laugh at as they walked into the office in the morning.

And pathetic Pink ties.

I don't think they realise that they weren’t complimenting their faces at all.

They have both gone away now I put that.

Thank god.

I know I’ll have to leave this job soon.

In another year or so.

Let’s just see, I have to leave before they notice though.

I must say, I don't think I’ll miss it.

Would anyone miss it?

I don't think they would.

My Blood ran like thick ice when I checked the date today.

July Twelfth.

It sent shivers up my spine just writing it.

How many memories this date held.

How many Nightmares it has.

So powerful, yet so precious.

I think it's time to let go though.

Let go of everything that I’ve ever done.

That’s one of the reasons I am writing this.

So let’s go back.

Back to the day July 11th 1940.

I remember it so well.

Like it was just yesterday.

It was a cold summer that year, but the breeze smelt of sweet flowers.

Occasionally the sweat would get the better of me and drip down my face.

I was 10 at the time.

My birthday had fallen the beginning of the year, January 17th to be precise.

My mother? My father? Nowhere to be seen.

I had been living on the streets for at least two years.

Maybe three, Everyday seemed the same to me.

I haven't got any great memory of my parents at all.

I had been living with my grandma.

When she passed away I had no choice but to run.

I was scared and no way wanted to be moved to a children’s home to be slaved away to death.

I made no money at all.

I guess my entire grandma's money the police had kept.

No doubt about it my parents would grab it at any chance they got.

Sunday was my favourite day, when the hotdog stalls all came out.

The elders went away to church.

When they finished that when the fun began.

Hotdog stall owners would chat to the elders for ages, when their back was turned I would grab a hot dog.

Maybe one, Maybe two occasionally I got three all depended on how hungry I was and if they noticed me.

Mr. Richard was my favourite man of the town, over at his stall in his farming clothes, his fat belly bouncing over his trousers his grey hair tucked under that Green hat of his I always used to talk to him. He gave me free hotdogs and let me stay in his barn to sleep on hay.

He would have had me in the house if it wasn’t for his b***h of a wife.

Every night he would come and tuck me in with a blanket he brought out, and placed a pillow under my head.

He would then talk to me, give me a kiss on the head and plod along to his wife.

She had no idea what he was doing.

He had to make up a different excuse every night.

This night he would have been checking on the chicken’s water.

The next thing I knew it was morning, the chickens clucking in my face.

Little things like this made me smile.

Mr. Richards would check on me giving me some porridge and water.

We would then head out to his stall where he would run it and I would sit and talk to him all day.

I loved Mr. Richards he was like a dad to me, my hero.

 

Today was a new day although it would be exactly the same as the day before.

So I would have thought back then, July twelfth today.

"Another day, another shilling my son"

Mr. Richards would put me on the head and say that quote every morning.

I turned my head and smiled warmly

"Lets go, shall we Mr"

"Haha that’s the spirit. Let’s go!"

with that we was gone.

About six am I think it was, we had been out on the stall for at least an hour.

I remember the sun beaming that day.

Seven am came a customer, not just any customer but Lady Rosenberg.

She was the prettiest girl of the village aged just 19, her hair Golden and her eyes emerald green.

Her lips creamy pink and cheeks blushed with primrose red.

Her parents where the wealthiest family in town living in the mansion near that posh bridge on the outskirts of town.

I could see that there was something unhappy with her though, by how she gave those fake smiles to everyone.

Why was she so unhappy?

Only I knew.

She didn't want to be everything her parents wanted her to be.

She loved the countryside.

She loved animals.

Her parents would disapprove of her having one animal in the house.

They'd say it would distract her from all of her studying.

But that’s wasn't it at all, they was scared it would make her happy.

Lady.Rosenburg over the years had taken a liking to Mr. Richards; she always got a hotdog from his stand and left a massive tip for him.

She would then smile at me and say hello handing over some money.

Then like a flash, she was gone.

I had a crazy dream once, that Lady.

Rosenberg was my long lost mother and Mr. Richards was my farther.

We lived on that mansion and had a massive farm.

I would chase the chickens and pigs round for hours and then they'd come and call me for supper.

But I wouldn't go I was having too much fun.

They would then come and chase me until they got me and then tickle me on my belly until I was crying with laughter.

Oh how much I wish that dream was true, I’d do anything...anything.

Everyone was rushing around that day i could hear children screams echoing inside my ear drums, around twelve pm I wondered what it was. But it was too late; I had nowhere to run when they came for me.

Children’s home staff.

They smelt of that place all mustardy and dusty.

I hate that smell.

They grabbed me Mr. Richards shouted and told them I was with him.

Apparently they needed paper work, and that he did not have.

Therefore he had no proof.

He had to let me go.

That was the last time I saw him heartbroken, his face with a tear on his left eye.

That was the picture that stayed with me all my life.

The one I would never forget.

 

Still twelfth of July and my life were rapidly changing already.

I couldn't believe it.

I got shoved about all day until I reached the old worn down home.

They didn’t show me around they got this boy to.

"Hey you're new here, I'm Alexander, Everyone around here calls me Alex though, You're going to love it here"

His eyes where beaming at me.

Did he really think I’d like it here?

"I doubt that is true Alex, You can call me Claude if you like.

How long have you been here, you know this place pretty well don't you?"

He turned to me with a friendly smile

"I know it like the back of my hand".

That’s the line that saved me. Hah, i love that line.

We turned into the last place of the room and the most important one to me. The room id be spending most my time.

"And this is the bedroom"

In frount of me stood a long wooden hall, and lines of Broken down rusty smelly old beds each side of me.

Taking a look around

"Which ones mine then?"

A quiet blonde haired boy sat in the corner and pointed to the bed near the big window.

"Oh I see, Okay, I'll have that bed"

I went over to the bed and slammed myself down on it.

I felt air for a second followed by a huge echoing bang and then I was on the floor.

The bed had completely collapsed under me.

Few seconds after it was replaced with laughter.

Everyone in the hall looking and laughing at me, Maybe it wasn't so bad here.

Maybe I’d have a great time and like it, but as the days went on.

It got worse.

Day after day you slaved away.

From cleaning the staff's rooms to being trapped inside your own room with the huge giant walls staring back at you.

Most of the time they wouldn’t give you any food.

Their excuse was there was none left.

Obviously they were snacking on it anyone could tell.

Day after day we were all getting more boney and weak.

I had made friends my best friend being Alex.

Me and Alex were a team and the strongest members of the home.

Tonight was the night we would get the food.

Our first challenge together.

"So we sneak in and then grab the food and run out?"

My plans where always bold and uncomplicated for my mind.

"No Claude you look out for staff down the hall and ill sneak the food"

I looked at Alex scared

"No, I don’t want to be the one looking at the staff; I want to go with you.

You can't carry all that food yourself!"

Alex sighed and looks at me

"Okay, Okay.

Dylan you're looking at the staff.

You're a fast runner Dylan.

Run to us if they leave their rooms.

Remember to be as silent as you can, Or no food"

"Okay yeah, easy as pie, Ahhh pie"

Dylan told all the rest of the group to leave the bedroom doors open and to wait in silent.

We all placed one hand on top of each other’s and then together and then our plan was to take place.

Reviews

[Moods]

Very nice...it's great to see you tackle a story. And I think you have a wonderful one here.

Keep going with it...I'll read more.

Nice...

S