flotsam

How’m I gonna get to school though?

Can your mum drive you? Or your dad?

No. But you said is not broken, yeah?

No. Just a sprain.

I can walk then, can’t I.

Not yet. A sprain can be quite nasty. You need to rest this for at least two weeks.

I’m not resting for two weeks, no way.

I’m afraid you’re going to need to May.

It’s my ankle though, it’s up to me if I rest it. I walked in here didn’t I?

And how did that go? Exactly. How far is it to school?

Mile and a half.

Could you walk a mile and a half?

No.

Is there a bus?

I ‘a’n’t got money for the bus though.

And your mum can’t drive you?

No.

Your dad?

No.

How did you get here today?

My friend drove me.

Could your friend take you to school?

He’s working though.

So your mum’s working, your dad’s working, and your friend’s working.

I didn’t say that, did I?

Okay?

My dad doesn’t live with us, and my mum’s asleep in the mornings.

And she won’t wake up to take you to school?

Well I’m not gonna wake her. What?

I’m just getting the sense that you have to cope with quite a lot on your own. Maybe more than most 14-year-olds would.

So?

May, why don’t you want to wake your mum?

None of your business.

Okay. Maybe not. Tell me again about how you hurt your ankle. Let’s make sure we haven’t missed anything.

I was jumping over the wall. I landed funny. That’s all.

Are you sure?

What do you mean? Of course I’m sure.

Why were you jumping over the wall?

I always jump over the wall.

Was anybody chasing you? May, was anybody chasing you?

No, I just jumped over the wall.

What’s over the wall?

Next door’s garden. I like it there. Can I go?

Soon. We just need to get this strapped.

Does it need a strap, does it?

It will. It’s going to support the ankle a little bit. You can take it off when you want to shower, and I’ll show you how to put it back on.

No, I don’t want one.

You’re being so good with this, I think a strap is really going to help get you back on your feet quicker. Come on, let’s pop one on and if you really hate it we can take it off again.

Promise?

Promise.

That hurts.

Sorry, I’ll try to be gentle.

Will the strap make me be able to walk?

No, you still need to keep off it.

I can’t miss school though.

So why don’t you want to wake your mother? May, I can’t help you if you won’t talk to me.

It’s nothing. She just gets angry. And sometimes she won’t wake up anyway.

Does that frighten you?

A bit. But I can handle it.

Are you often afraid of your mum, May?

She can just be a bitch, okay?

May, I have to ask, did she do this? Did she push you, shove you, does she hurt you?

I honestly did it jumping over a wall. Can you get that through your thick head.

Okay, sorry. Can you see what I’m doing here? I pull it quite tight, and go diagonally across the joint like this.

Are you nearly done?

Nearly. I think if there is no easy way for you to get to school, perhaps you need to take a little bit of time off?

I’m not doing that.

I can write a letter for school, you don’t need to worry about it.

No, I’ve got to go to school. I can’t stay home for two weeks just ‘cause I can’t walk.

Do you like school then?

No. I just… it’s just better than being at home, that’s all.

Why is that?

I just don’t like being at home, okay? It’s just boring.

Okay. You’re done. Should I give your mum a ring and ask her to come and pick you up?

No, I do not give consent for that. You can’t ring her if I’ve not given you consent for that.

Who told you that, May?

My friend.

The friend that brought you?

Yeah.

Is he still outside?

No. He had to go to work.

How old is your friend, May?

I Dunno. Twenty-four? He’s more kind of like, a neighbour.

Your next door neighbour? Were you jumping over the wall to see him?

No.

But he brought you in now?

Look, he was just doing me a favour, all right?

Were you in his garden when you hurt yourself?

Yeah. So he brought me in.

You’re lucky he found you.

He keeps an eye out for me. We’re friends.

He sounds like a good friend. Do you spend a lot of time together?

Some. He messages me and stuff.

What kind of things do you message about?

I dunno. Just messages.

You enjoy his company?

Kind of.

Is he your boyfriend?

Maybe.

Do you have sex together?

Sometimes.

Did you have sex together tonight?

How do you know that?

Did you want to have sex with him May?

I dunno. He’s nice to me.

Did he force you?

No. I didn’t say no or anything.

May, you know that what he’s doing is against the law, don’t you?

Yeah, but it’s not like that.

Tell me what you mean?

He’s nice to me. Tells me I’m pretty.

It doesn’t matter. He still not allowed to have sex with you.

Am I in trouble then?

No. You’re not in any trouble at all. You’ve done nothing wrong.

But he is?

May, what he’s done is very wrong.

But you can’t tell anybody. Doctor-patient confidentiality.

May, looking after you, making sure you’re safe, is the most important thing. Sometimes, we have to share information so that we can keep you safe.

But you can’t.

I understand you’re upset. I want to make sure you’re safe.

But you won’t will you? You’re just going to ruin my whole fucking life!

May, tell me what you’re afraid of happening if I tell people what you’ve told me.

I didn’t tell you anything.

No, you’re right, I guessed, didn’t I.

I didn’t tell you anything.

Okay, but is there anyone else who does know?

No. Ellie from school.

Does your mum?

Does my mum know? Are you joking? She says I’m a fucking slut just ‘cause HER man can’t keep his hands off me, if she knew I had a boyfriend she’d probably pay him to take me off her hands!

That sounds awful, May. Is your mum’s boyfriend hurting you as well?

No one is hurting me, okay? I can take care of myself. He’s too fucking off his head to catch me.

Is that what’s happening when you jump over the wall?

Okay, it’s simple. If Mum’s boyfriend is round, I go next door until he’s gone, and Mum doesn’t care ‘cause by the time he starts hassling me she’s already passed out, and as long as I keep between him and the door I can get out, so no one is hurting me, okay?

Tell me again then what happened tonight.

Nothing. Luke went for me, I went out the back door, I jumped over the wall, I landed badly, I hurt my ankle.

And?

Jack heard me shout when I landed, he carried me inside, we had sex, then I came here ‘cause my ankle was still hurting.

May, I’m going to ask one of the nurses to sit with you here while I make a phone call okay?

No. Please don’t? Please?

You’ve been really really brave talking to me, and I know you’re frightened, but our first priority is going to be keeping you safe, okay?

“No! This is confidential! I do not consent to that! Come back! You’re a FUCKING CUNT!”