Underdawgs

Chapter 17

I wake up, my head throbbing, my eyelids as heavy as lead with absolutely no will at all to get up from this bed. Grudgingly, I yank back the covers and force my eyelids open, and as I do, the sad, pathetic reality that is my life comes flooding back to me.

      I'm in a room about twice as big as the room Sarah and I share back at the flat and it's way too symmetrical for my liking. On each side of the room is a single bed and the one opposite mine has ruffled sheets and covers – some random kid must have slept there last night.

      I sit on the edge of the bed, rubbing my eyes and yawning. I feel like absolute shit. My body aches from the fight, and the hours we spent at the cop station last night have taken their toll.

      I think back to the interview where the cops had taken statements from us. I told them everything, leaving no detail out. I told them about Sarah getting bullied, about us coming home to Robert drunk and me exploding in anger. I told them how I punched

      Robert and he punched me back and how I slashed him with the broken bottle.

I didn't have the energy to lie or cover up my actions, or act like this was just a one off. I want something to change – anything to make life a little more bearable, even if it means putting a bit of faith in the law.

      I stretch again, yawning loudly, and examine myself all over. I'm still fully clothed from the night before, except for my shoes which are lying on the floor

      I freaked out at first when they told me Sarah and I couldn't be in the same room, but the nice elderly lady at reception insisted that Sarah would be sharing a room in the care house with a lovely fourteen-year-old called Monique and I'd been too exhausted to put up much of a fight.

      I grab my shoes and pull them on, heading out the door in search of Sarah. Quietly I creep down the hall, past closed bedroom doors, trying to make as little noise as possible. I reach the entrance to the meal area and poke my head around the door hoping to find Sarah, but to my disappointment the only person in the room is a lady in her forties reading a newspaper.

      She spots me almost instantly. 'Ah, Jason, I wondered when you were going to wake up. It's already past 11 am.'

      She's one of the social workers from last night who picked us up from the cop station after I'd been charged and bailed pending further investigation.

      I grin sheepishly and step through the door. 'Sorry,' I say. 'I kinda had a rough night.'

      'Yes, I know, you poor dear. It's fine – you deserve a rest. Here –' she gestures to the chair opposite her '– take a seat. Would you like a coffee? Something to eat?'

      I shake my head, sitting down, racking my brains to try to remember what her name is. I think it's Amy or Angela or something – possibly even Francine. She did tell me, but it's now lost in among everything else that happened last night. She has short brown hair and is dressed in a blazer and business skirt. She seems nice, and despite her professional look she has a kind, motherly feel about her which puts me at ease.

      'Um, do you know where Sarah is?' I ask, looking around the room.

      The social worker smiles softly at me. 'Yes, she just popped out with Michael to get some supplies.'

      'Michael?'

      'My colleague. You met him last night.'

      My blood pressure rises. 'I want to see her,' I demand.

      'They should be back shortly,' Francine – or whatever her name is – smiles again. But I'm not having any of it. I don't know anything about these people and they've just taken Sarah somewhere without my permission.