Chapter 225: Soldiers on the front line

I tried to maintain my balance but never really stood chance and before I knew it I was on the floor feeling disorientated and in pain as my already damaged wrist took the brunt of the force again. My insides screamed at the pain that now tortured every nerve of my body but I remained silent. Screaming and crying was fuel for the fire in her eyes. If my mother saw me crying she knew that it hurt, and if it hurt, she had exactly what she wanted.

  Esmee acted instantaneously. Without any thought for herself she throw herself in between where I was on the floor and my mother, her stance one so she covered my whole body with hers before Hospital security swarmed into take my mother out. My mother put up a fuss as I sobbed on the floor but eventually was contained by no fewer than three men who towed her away throw a set of doors as she swore at anyone in the A&E who dared look at her.

 

I tried to get to my feet but was pushed down into a lying position by the doctor who asked me if I was hurt. I stared at him confused. I was hurt, and I felt that pain, but what was the big deal? What was new about the situation? My mum had done worse; I had got of lightly and Esmee wasn’t hurt even though she had put herself in the firing line over and over again for me.

“Are you sure there is no pain in your neck or back?” The doctor asked while he grabbed something from his pocket and shone a bright light in both of my eyes without a warning making them hurt about as much as my wrist. It also made me panic as it robbed my sight temporary making Esmee Vanish.

 “Esmee!” I called squinting away from the light so I could try to see her again but a nurse had my neck in a grip stopping me from moving it.

   

“Did you hit your head on the floor?” The doctor asked again as I moaned trying to remove my head from the grips of the nurse. Why couldn’t they understand that the only thing that was hurting me was the fact that I didn’t know whether she was OK or not. I had to know what she was feeling, whether or not she was angry as me.

 

“Follow the tip of my pen.” The doctor said smiling at the nurse briefly.

“Dear god I am fine,” I shouted, finally braking free from the nurse and leaping to my feet where the arms I had been looking for grabbed me pulling me in towards her in a hug. It was becoming dangerous how at home I was beginning to feel when I was somewhere lost inside of her embrace.  


"Mi… Mi, it’s all OK, it’s all over now my love, I’ve got you, I will never let her hurt you again, never again. I promise - if it is the last thing I do - she will never touch you again.” Esmee said, whispering the impossible promises into my ear, but I didn’t really mind that she lied. Whatever kept her sane and happy I could live with. I was still just happy that she stood in front of me completely unharmed.

 "Has she hurt you badly?” Esmee asked pulling out of the hug and holding me at arm’s length so she could look at my red hot cheek, “Oh honey, I’m so sorry, I never thought she would actually hit you in front of all of those people and time I saw what was happening and tried to get in front of you it was too late.”

 

“Never, ever take on my mother!” I shouted at her, as I heard what she was saying and I was forced to imagine the feeling of my mother’s hand on Esmee’s cheek instead of mine. I could not comprehend what it would have felt like to See Esmee’s tiny body falling to the floor. All I knew was that it hurt my lungs as they squeezed in a protest to my overactive imagination.

 

“I am not afraid of people like your mother Mi.”

 

Well you should be. I am scared to death of her and if you were sensible you would be too,” I confirmed. “I mean what the hell possessed you to stand in front of me like that? Do you not understand what could have happened to you? Any sane person would have run a mile!” I am not sure why I shouted at Esmee. I didn’t really feel any real anger towards her. I think it was more fear that made me feel like I needed to yell at her more than anything.

 

“You’re worth protecting Mi,” Esmee whispered.

 

“No I’m not!” I shouted making all the other people in the A&E jump slightly while mothers called their children to come and sit on their laps so they could wrap their arms tightly around their wastes in protection. They would have all done the same for their children if someone had come at them with the intention of violence. They would have sprayed their bodies out in front of them to protect them from the monsters that lurked in the world. They would have all stood on the front line like soldiers to protect the innocence of the young. Mine, she was the drunken one that had been manoeuvred by force out of the A&E by security – she was the gunman they all feared and because I shared her last name and her bad blood I was her bullets.