Michael

CHAPTER ONE

"Dad where are you going?" called Michael as his father pulled out of the drive way. "Michael come here and listen carefully. Don't tell anyone about this. They can find out what has happened in there own time."

"What has happened?" said Michael with a tear in his eye. He did know what had happened but he didn't want to believe it.

"Your mum and I had an argument and I'm getting out of here. I know I have always taught you to stand up for yourself so I want you to pretend this never happened and get on with your life. Okay?"

"Okay."

As Michael watched his father speed down the road, he thought over what  his dad said and realised in his speech he did not say I love you to him at any stage, it was all advice on how to handle it. How not to tell his mother and how ignore the fact that he may never see his father again.

When he went inside and saw his mum cooking breakfast Michael burst out crying and ran to his room in the attic.

"I Hate my life!" bawled Michael. He was so unhappy. He didn't even know where his father was going. Finally he stopped crying he went downstairs. To his surprise his mother wasn't even concerned that Richard (Michael's father) was missing. Didn't she love Richard. Did she know?

"Richard, Mary, Spike, Michael breakfast!"

"I'm right here," exclaimed Michael.

Spike was Michael's twin brother and was favoured by his mother. He was chubby and disgusting because his mother fed him whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. He was a pig.

Mary was Michael's older sister. She was 21 and as skinny as anything. She was a twig, and she hated everyone and everything around her.

Michael had a saying that he made up as soon as he knew his mother well enough to know how horrible she was. Every time she insulted him, or got angry at him for something he didn't do, he would say, "It's not the end of the world. I've still got dad." But that saying didn't exist anymore as far as he was concerned. He didn't have a father any more. He was gone.

"Mum. Dad's gone!" screamed Michael. The pressure was just too much for him.

"Don't you think I know that. Your dad and I discussed it last night, and you know what I say Michael? GOOD RIDDENS!"

Michael didn't believe what he was hearing. His father had lied to him. Why would he do that? Maybe he didn't love him after all.

The next day when he went to school his teacher came up to him and said, "Why?"

Michael didn't know what she was talking about. He stared at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Your mother told me how you broke her and your father up."

Michael stood there in disarray for about 10 seconds thinking about what had just happened.

Suddenly he felt a sharp jolt at his ear. It was his mother.

"Hello Lauren," said Michael's mother. Lauren was Michael's teacher and Michael hated her.

"Why are you here mum?"

"I'm taking you to a counselor"

Michael could feel the anger building up inside him.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME MUM? DON'T YOU LOVE ME?"

Michael was letting it all out.

"No!" said Michael's mother.

"What?" said Michael in a faint voice

"No I don't love you! Now come on."

Michael ran out of the school yard in tears. Thoughts kept running through his mind like - don't love me - what's that supposed to mean? And counseling, why? But the thing that most distressed him was the fact that both his parents had lied to him and both of his parents supposedly didn't love him.

"Michael where are you going?"called his mother. Michael was running as fast as he could.

 As he ran he past Spike and Mary, she asked "Were are you going Michael and why are you crying? Are you in trouble? Why? Don't go to grandma's, you'll be in for it."

Grandmas. That's it. He knew he wasn't allowed at his grandma's after the fight her and his mum had there a couple of years ago. But he needed to go somewhere.

"Grandma." cried Michael as he leapt into her arms.

She had a soft scent of lavender and sweets about her and she made Michael feel warm all over.

"Michael what are you doing here? You know your not allowed here. Where's Mary and Spike? she said.

Lilly (Michael's grandma) was a nice lady with soft blue eyes, curly gray hair and soft pink lips. She was really a lovely person all around, and Michael couldn't work out why his mother could be so mad at her. As he released him self from her arms he noticed something about her, she was his mothers mother but didn't look anything like her.

"Grandma," sobbed Michael.

"Yes dear," replied Lilly

"Why don't you look like mum?" Lilly looked at him and laughed.

"Come in sweetie and sit down and you can tell me why your here."

Michael stepped inside. It was a typical granny's house, old paintings, old furniture, old everything. He loved it.

"Sit down Michael," said Lilly.

"Now why are you here? Shouldn't you be at school?"

"Yes, but mum was going to take me to a counselor," he said with a sigh

"A counselor! Why?"

"It's all part of a silly game. She's trying to make it look like I broke her and dad up so she doesn't look like the bad one. And she said se didn't love me, and it's true. I mean, why would anyone want to love me? I'm only her son."

"She has never loved anyone. She has no heart. Not even for her father, not even for me."said Lilly with a sigh as she walked into the kichen. As Michael got up to follow Lilly, he heard a scream. Michael dropped hi glass and ran. When he got to the kichen he saw Lilly leaning over the bench with a pair of scissors, the exact pair of scissors that her mother had given to her. But they weren't in her hand, they were in her neck.

Michael ran. He ran as fast as he could. He had to get help. But he couldn't go home. Not now that he knew his mother's secret.

by: Madeleine

21/11/01