I Am Unbreakable: (Josh and Izzy, #2)

by Angela Mack

  Just as I was about to cross the threshold, my head smacked into the glass, the impact throwing me backwards until I landed on my arse. I frowned up at the doors, looking around to see if anyone had noticed my fall. Everyone was carrying on with their business, no one even glancing in my direction. A little girl clutching a teddy even ran right through me.

  I stood, brushing myself down. Frowning, I strode back towards the doors. They opened to allow a paramedic to leave and I moved to follow in his steps, but it was like hitting a wall. I couldn’t move forwards. The doors were still open, and I stared in shock as I was unable to walk through the opening. I ground my head forwards, but it was uncompromising. I hammered my fists against the invisible force field, thrashing as hard as I could. But it was futile. There was no escape.

  Chapter 5

  Isabel

  “Right, I think I should get you two home, yes? It’s getting late.” Mum walked in and Georgie and I looked up from How to Train Your Dragon 2. I pressed pause and Georgie began to gather his things in silence. We both hated leaving. We would camp out in this room all day and night if we could.

  Dad edged into the room, looking sheepish.

  “Sorry you had to see that earlier, Georgie, Izzy. I was just a little frustrated with Ryan’s doctors.” I was about to argue as I’d guessed that wasn't the real reason, but Dad widened his eyes, nodding towards Georgie. Georgie was stuffing pens into his backpack and hadn’t seen our exchange. I nodded wordlessly―we’d talk later.

  “Hello. Are you Mr and Mrs Johnson?” A woman entered the room, a broad smile stretched across her face. She was wearing a navy-blue pencil skirt, a cream blouse with ruffles on the chest, and had a large grey satchel slung across her shoulder. Although she was smartly dressed, everything was a little unkempt, as if she had been rushing around all day. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, but golden wisps were flying around her face and at the back of her neck. She had started the day wearing a dark red lipstick, but it had worn away now, only a narrow line around her lips remaining.

  “We are,” Mum nodded at her. “And you are?” The woman reached out her hand towards Mum.

  “I’m Deborah Meadows. I’m a social worker with Suffolk County Council.” Mum hesitated but eventually shook Deborah’s hand, Dad reaching out to do the same.

  “How can we help?” Mum smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. I could tell she had her guard up. Georgie and I both stopped packing away our things, listening.

  “I’m afraid that the hospital was delayed in notifying us of your circumstances and there was a bit of a mix up at the office, I do apologise, but all is well now.” She smiled again, looking at each of us in turn. We stared back blankly. Her smile faltered for a second before she continued.

  “You have been ever so kind looking after Georgie. You’re Georgie, right?” She bent at the waist, beaming at Georgie. I wasn't sure why, but I had the urge to hide him away from her. I edged closer towards him, reaching out to hold his hand. Georgie looked up at me, ignoring Deborah. She straightened from her crouch, facing Mum and Dad.

  “OK, well, we’ll need to get his things brought over, preferably before the end of the day, but for now, Georgie, are you ready?” Deborah held her hand out to him. This time I took an obvious step in front of Georgie, pulling him behind me. Deborah tilted her head, confusion drawing her eyebrows together.

  “I’m sorry, what exactly are you here for?” Mum pulled her shoulders back, standing as tall as she could.

  “Has no one phoned you? Oh jeez, what a pain. I’m sorry, we’re a bit snowed under at the moment.” She let out a bark of nervous laughter. “I’m here to take Georgie off your hands. He’ll come back with me to the children’s home until we can find somewhere more permanent for him.” Dad went to step forward, opening his mouth to speak, but Mum put her hand on his chest. Oh no, she was going into ‘full business mode,’ as I liked to call it. This was when Mum stopped being Mum and instead morphed into Samantha Johnson, Director of MedEd Publishing. She worked for a publishing company specialising in medical textbooks and reference books. She was the youngest woman to ever be promoted to their Board of Directors and when I occasionally got a glimpse of the strong, professional woman she was, I completely understood why.

  “That won’t be necessary. Georgie is staying with us. Permanently.” Mum smiled back, her lips tight. She smoothed down her top, as if she were wearing a tailored shirt instead of a baggy jumper. She might be wearing leggings and trainers, and her hair was all over the place, but she instantly commanded respect; she was in charge. I felt sorry for Deborah Meadows.

  “Um, I’m afraid that’s not protocol. Georgie has to come with me, so I can place him into a safe, pre-approved setting.” Deborah emphasised the word ‘pre-approved.’

  “Well, you haven’t been bothered about him staying with us the past three weeks. In fact, it’s been almost a month now. Georgie is a part of our family and he will be staying with us.” Mum crossed her arms and Dad wrapped his arm around her waist, grinning at Deborah. I stepped up next to them, Georgie pushing through to stand in front of Mum. She relaxed her arms and rested her hands on his shoulders. We all looked to Deborah; a determined, united front.

  “I, um, it’s not…” Deborah tailed off, looking flustered. She took a few moments to collect her thoughts.

  “I am sorry, I know you have all gone through a terrible trauma”―she nodded towards Josh’s bed, which for some reason, infuriated me―“but you are not registered carers with the Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership or even authorised foster carers. You have not been vetted; we have no idea how safe Georgie really is with you! Please understand that we have Georgie’s best interests at heart.” Gone was Deborah’s friendly smile and her bumbling social worker act, instead replaced by a determined, impersonal jobsworth. Mum took a step closer to Deborah, using her extra four inches in height to her full advantage.

  “Please listen carefully, Debbie”―Deborah winced at the shortening of her name―”You have not cared about Georgie’s wellbeing not only for the past month whilst he’s been staying with us, but for God knows how many years when he was living with his abusive father. Take a good look at the young man lying in that bed and do go behind that curtain over there and look at Georgie’s other brother, Ryan.” Mum gestured wildly at Josh and then behind her towards Ryan, her chest rising and falling. “You left these three boys in the hands of a monster and now, when Georgie is finally surrounded by people who truly love him, you want to take him away? I don’t think so.”

  “But―”

  “I’m not finished. Under no circumstances is Georgie to be removed from our care. He has been through enough, without you threatening to remove him from a stable home. I don’t care how much paperwork you want me to sign, how many phone calls you have to make, but you make it happen. Georgie stays with us.” Deborah shrunk back, her eyes flitting left and right as she tried to figure out her next move.

  “I’m going to have to involve the authorities in this matter,” she tried one last time.

  “Oh, please do. Please tell them how you neglected this boy and his family, so much so that two minors are in critical condition, and how you’ve been so ‘snowed under’ that you didn’t even know of Georgie’s current whereabouts. The only way you’re going to get me out of your way is if you arrest me for kidnapping. Superintendent White is probably still around here somewhere, I’m sure you can track him down.”

  “Now, now, Sammy. Let’s not give Debbie any ideas,” Dad smiled. Mum was panting and I was surprised we couldn't see steam coming out of her nose as she huffed. Dad ushered Deborah out of the room, closing the door gently behind him. Mum was glued to the spot, glaring daggers at the closed door. Georgie looked up at Mum.

  “I’m really staying with you? You’re not going to make me leave?” Mum swooped down and picked him up, holding him close to her chest. She put one hand at the back of his head and kissed his hair, before pulling back to look him
in the eye.

  “I meant every word, Georgie. You are a part of this family and you are not going anywhere. You are safe with us, I promise.” Georgie smiled and flung his arms around Mum’s neck, tucking in close again. I was the same height as Mum so had no problem wrapping my arms around them both, Georgie squished between the two of us.

  “You were awesome, Mum,” I mumbled into Georgie’s shoulder, still locked tight in our embrace. She laughed, reaching out a hand to caress my cheek.

  Chapter 6

  Joshua

  Fucking stupid, bloody hospital. None of this made sense. What do you call that place that’s not quite heaven or hell? I racked my brain. Ah yes, purgatory. Was that where I was? I tried to remember what we’d discussed in religious studies a few years ago. What had Mr Lucas said again? People believed you got stuck in purgatory if you had unfinished business?

  “Well? What business do I have, eh? WHAT BUSINESS DO I HAVE?” I shouted, looking up at the ceiling as I held my arms out wide, slowly turning. “I don’t know why I’m here!” Nah, no way this was actually happening. I was in a coma, right? So, this was all just a figment of my imagination―I would wake up soon.

  “I’m not falling for it, do you hear me? I’ve figured it out. THIS ISN’T REAL!”

  “Who are you talking to?” Ryan peered up at the ceiling alongside me, his eyebrows raised.

  “Nobody,” I mumbled. “Oh, and you don’t have to worry about going near the exits. You can’t leave. Door just slams right in your bloody face.” Ryan looked at me sharply, head tilting a little. He looked like he was about to say something but stopped, his eyes drawn behind me instead.

  We were back on our floor, at the intersection of two corridors; left was back towards our room in the children’s ward, right went to another ward. There was a set of double doors and beyond them, the hospital turned back into it’s usual, clinically boring self. The walls were a stark white and dotted with framed pictures of random scientists and doctors that had made their mark on history. The children’s ward, however, was its own world. The bottom half of the walls were painted a dark yellow and the top half a deep blue. The halves were distinguished by a wavy line, trying to represent the beach and the sea. There were kid’s drawings in both halves―no wonder Georgie had felt inspired. Shells and sandcastles were stuck to the bottom half, with fish, dolphins and other sea creatures stuck to the top half. But as soon as you got to those double doors, it was like a switch had been flipped and no one cared about trying to look cheerful. It wasn’t worth the effort of trying to fool the adults into thinking this was a happy place. They knew that misery lurked around every corner, waiting for its next victim.

  “Isn’t that Ollie?” Ryan nodded behind me. I turned and saw Ollie hurrying past us. He paused at the end of our corridor, looking towards our room. For a split second, I could have sworn we’d made eye contact. My heart lurched in my chest, but Ollie scurried past and pushed through the double doors. Ryan and I looked at each other, agreeing with unspoken words that we would follow. I only hesitated a split second before passing through the closed doors. I glanced back over my shoulder, still marvelling that I had walked through a goddamn solid door, for Christ’s sake. I wasn't sure I would ever get used to it.

  We skidded to a stop. There was a policeman standing tall outside of a room, his back almost touching the closed door behind him. He was wearing a short-sleeved black shirt, with a black stab-proof vest over the top. His thumbs were threaded through the belt loops of his black trousers as he spoke to the officer in front of him. The other guy had his back to us, but you could tell he was important. He was in uniform too, but it was far more formal. He wore a similar police cap to the other officer, but he was in a jacket, like a suit jacket, that had shiny chrome epaulettes. He was also a giant. Like seriously, this dude was a motherfucking beast. He was at least three inches taller than me and so wide that even his jacket was protesting.

  “Thanks McNeil, just keep me posted.” The beasty officer slapped the other one on the side of his shoulder and the guy, McNeil, nodded, folding his arms and resuming a watchful position. Ollie was hovering near the two of them, waiting for them to finish. The beasty guy spotted him, giving him a weak smile before heading over.

  “Hey, Ollie.” He clasped Ollie’s shoulder in one of his massive hands, guiding him to a bench a little further down the corridor. We shuffled after them.

  “Why do you have someone standing outside now?” Ollie lifted his chin towards McNeil standing guard. He twisted towards the beasty guy, glaring at him with his teeth clenched and his fists balled. The beasty guy sighed.

  “There was an altercation earlier today, so as well as the guy we have inside the room, we’ve added an additional officer outside. As a deterrent. To prevent any unrest.”

  “Unrest? UNREST!” Ollie sprung up off the bench, turning to face him. “You’re protecting that fucking prick!” Ollie started pacing back and forth across the corridor. He was breathing hard.

  “Ollie, son. We’ve been over this. I am protecting other people from getting into some serious trouble if they try to retaliate. Do you think it would do Josh or Ryan any good if Charlie got arrested?” The beasty guy’s voice was firm, and I was surprised he tolerated Ollie talking to him like that. Ollie didn't respond, continuing to pace.

  “We are also making damn well sure that fucker doesn’t escape, you hear me? He’s cuffed to the bed and we have two officers watching him. He’s not going anywhere but a dark prison cell.”

  “He doesn’t deserve to go to fucking prison. That’s too good for him. He deserves to rot in the ground, the fucking bastard.” Ollie didn’t break his pacing or even look at the guy as he spoke.

  The beasty guy changed the subject. “Where’s your mum?”

  “Getting coffee for you,” Ollie mumbled, and the guy nodded.

  “I know this is hard for you, Ollie―”

  “Hard? HARD! My best friend and his little brother are in a fucking coma and no one thinks they are going to wake up!”

  “Josh is showing signs of improvement―”

  “Don’t feed me that bullshit, Bill.” Hmmm, so they were on a first-name basis. “This is all my fault. All my fucking fault. I told Josh we needed to tell someone, to go to the police.” Ollie’s pacing had sped up; he was almost turning around on the same spot now. Bill (I couldn’t quite match the name to the guy in front of me. ‘Bill’ didn’t seem hard core enough) stood and grabbed both of Ollie’s shoulders, forcing him to stop. He crouched, trying to look into Ollie’s eyes but Ollie turned his head away. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, and he frowned down at the floor.

  “This is not your fault, son. No one is to blame but that piece of shit in there.” Bill jerked his head towards McNeil and the room behind him.

  “I should have trusted you. I should have told you. But I was too busy trying to be a dick to my mum’s new boyfriend.” Ah, so this was Detective Dickwad, Tracey’s new fella. “I’m such a fucking idiot.” My chest constricted as angry tears began rolling down Ollie’s cheeks.

  “Ollie, look at me.” Ollie huffed, continuing to frown at the floor. “Look at me,” Bill insisted. Ollie lifted his head, roughly palming away his tears.

  “You are NOT to blame. You didn’t know who to trust. But I’m here now, OK? I’m here and I am going to do everything in my power to help Josh and his family. Georgie is in good hands―Charlie’s worked on our house for years and he’s a solid guy. Everyone I’ve spoken to likes him and his wife. No matter what that bloody social worker says.” Ollie looked alarmed, but Bill waved him off. “Don’t worry, I’m sorting it. Anyone with half a brain can see from a mile off how much the Johnsons love that kid.” Ryan looked up at me and smiled, but I was too busy concentrating on what Bill was saying. I was trying to process what he had already said whilst still trying to pay attention to what was going on now.

  “We will put that bastard in a hole so deep that he will never see the light of day again
, you hear me?”

  “You better. ‘Cos if you don’t, I will find a way to kill him myself.” Before Bill could respond to Ollie’s statement, Tracey came up behind the pair of them.

  “Hey." She leaned in and kissed Bill on the cheek, handing him a Styrofoam cup. She held one out to Ollie.

  “I got you a hot chocolate, too.” Ollie took a sip, avoiding looking at his mum. She looked thinner, tired.

  “Shall we go see the boys?” she asked. Ollie walked off, stomping through the double doors towards our room. Me and Ryan didn’t follow. Tracey sighed, the air pushing through her lips as her shoulders sagged lower and lower.

  “He blames me,” she whispered, tears in her eyes. “He never told me exactly what was going on, but I saw the bruises every time Josh came to Martins. I knew their father was a piece of work. But I was too wrapped up in my own life to do anything. I convinced myself it wasn’t my place to get involved and that it couldn’t be that bad.” Tracey’s tears splashed onto her t-shirt. Bill wrapped his arms around her and pulled her head into his humongous chest.

  “He blames himself. He’s ashamed he didn’t do more to protect them,” Bill said into her hair.

  “But he’s my son. He shouldn’t have to protect anyone. I should have protected him, protected them all,” Tracey sobbed.

  “Shhhh.” Bill squeezed her tighter. “Come on, let’s go sit with them for a while. Charlie can take his family home; they always feel better if the boys aren’t alone when they leave.” Tracey nodded, taking a deep breath and pulling a tissue out of her pocket. It was already crumpled and flimsy, as if she had used it many times before. She blew her nose and stuffed the tissue back into her pocket. Bill grabbed her hand, leading her away. Ryan and I began to follow but both of us stopped by McNeil, turning to face him as Bill and Tracey disappeared around the corner. My heart was pounding, and it felt like a thousand waves were crashing in my ear drums. I scowled through McNeil, through the door and at what lay inside the room.