THE BIRDS HAVE FLOWN

“Johnny!” Mary screamed at her big brother, “I want to go higher.”

Johnathon smiled at his sister’s demands, pushing her harder and faster, making her petite body fly into a graceful arch. Her long, wavy blonde hair wrapping itself around her face and the rope of the swing.

Johnny pushed and pushed, making his sister fly into the air over and over again, though every now and then he had to dodge out of the way of Mary’s legs when she swung back towards him.

“Children!” he heard his mother call from the house.

Johnny reached out and grabbed the swings rope when Mary swung back to him. Jolting with the force of stopping the swing Johnny gripped the swing harder, trying to stay upright and not to cause Mary to fall out of the tyre.

“Yes, Mother?” Johnny called back.

The children waited patiently while they watched their mother start towards them. Johnny stood military straight and thought it weird that mother was disturbing them during play. Mother always let them play in peace during the day.

She’s much nicer than father though, thought Johnny.

“Children, your father just phoned and said he will be home early today.”

So that is why she stopped us playing, thought Johnny, father does not like to us ‘wasting’ our day outside.

“Johnny, take your sister inside. I have packed bags for us, we will be going on a trip once your father is home,” his mother told him.

Nodding, Johnny took Mary’s hands, helped her down form the tyre and led her inside the house.

**

Mother did not follow Johnny and Mary back inside. Johnny and Mary sat on the small single bed they shared in the back room. It was covered in thin, ripped sheets and an old scratchy, woollen blanket. Johnny sat back against the wall, leaning against the cold, wallpapered concrete, while Mary sat on a thin pillow in the middle of the bed.

“Where do you think we are going?” Mary asked Johnny for the fifth time.

“I don’t know, Mary. Can you stop asking? We will find out when father gets home.”

Mary hugged her legs close to her body then; tucking herself into a tight ball. Johnny reached over and placed his hand on her arm.

“Mary, what have I told you?”

“That father will never hurt us....” Mary stammered out.

Johnny nodded reassuringly, squeezing her arm a little, waiting for her to continue.

“That father doesn’t mean it when he yells at mother. That even though he screams, he would never actually harm us.”

“Exactly, father may seem scary but he would never hurt us.” Johnny told his sister.

Even though he said this, Johnny did not believe them. Father terrified him, he had seen the bruises that mother tries to hide from him and Mary. Johnny was scared that one day father would stop screaming at mother and turn on Mary.

It was then that Johnny heard tyres rumble on the dirt. He heard a car stop just outside the house and the door open and slam closed.

“Rebecca, what are you doing outside at this time?!” his father yelled at mother.

Johnny didn’t hear his mother reply.

Mother, please…

He will just get angry.

Though his mother still stayed silent what he did hear was three quick bangs coming from outside. Johnny reached out and grabbed Mary, keeping her still.

“What was that?” asked Mary.

Johnny didn’t answer his sister, just sat and stared forward. His eyes wide and his grip biting into Mary’s skin. He heard the front door open and close and footsteps through the house, getting closer and closer to the children’s room. Slowly the door was pushed open and their mother stood in the opening. She looked white as the sheets they sat on and her hands were shaking.

“Grab the bags children it is time to go,” mother said, “fortunately your father will not be joining us.’