The Door
"Well, son, you've been in a coma for some time now, almost 6 weeks. We were afraid we'd lose you." explains Dr. Farrell.
Bradley is definately confused now. What was happening? Had he just escaped Hell, or had it all been a terrible nightmare?
"Do you remember what happened, Bradley?" asks the doctor.
Bradley mutely shakes his head "no."
"Well, a call went out that the old Marston Manor was on fire. By the time firemen arrived it was a blazing inferno, but miraculously you were still alive, but just barely. But I'm afraid that the rest of your family perished. Should I tell you the rest, Bradley? Are you up to it?"
Bradley responds with a "yes."
"For a while it was a mystery as to how you and your family happened to be in the manor. But a neighbor later came forward and told us that you were known to hide in there from your family and they probably went looking for you to drag you back home. We still don't know how they came to be found in the basement of the house, but the fire was probably started by one of your twin brothers, which trapped everyone inside."
"The neighbor?" asks Bradley. "A neighbor came forward?"
"Yes, Bradley. One of your neighbors had been making frequent reports to Child Protection for many years, with no results. She said try as they might she and her husband could never rescue you from your abusive family. But they tried, Bradley. You were never as alone as you probably thought you were. They've offered you a place in their home, Bradley, and have offered to help you finish high school and go to college later if you'd like"
Bradley, overwhelmed with feelings of relief, hangs his head and cries, and these are the first tears of joy he has ever cried. He is free, finally FREE!
Bradley is definately confused now. What was happening? Had he just escaped Hell, or had it all been a terrible nightmare?
"Do you remember what happened, Bradley?" asks the doctor.
Bradley mutely shakes his head "no."
"Well, a call went out that the old Marston Manor was on fire. By the time firemen arrived it was a blazing inferno, but miraculously you were still alive, but just barely. But I'm afraid that the rest of your family perished. Should I tell you the rest, Bradley? Are you up to it?"
Bradley responds with a "yes."
"For a while it was a mystery as to how you and your family happened to be in the manor. But a neighbor later came forward and told us that you were known to hide in there from your family and they probably went looking for you to drag you back home. We still don't know how they came to be found in the basement of the house, but the fire was probably started by one of your twin brothers, which trapped everyone inside."
"The neighbor?" asks Bradley. "A neighbor came forward?"
"Yes, Bradley. One of your neighbors had been making frequent reports to Child Protection for many years, with no results. She said try as they might she and her husband could never rescue you from your abusive family. But they tried, Bradley. You were never as alone as you probably thought you were. They've offered you a place in their home, Bradley, and have offered to help you finish high school and go to college later if you'd like"
Bradley, overwhelmed with feelings of relief, hangs his head and cries, and these are the first tears of joy he has ever cried. He is free, finally FREE!
