Questions

Oh Sarah, I didn't mean to let you down
But you left me on my own, Sarah
Why didn't you scream? Why didn't you shout?
Sarah, I hate it that I let you down
But you left me on my own, Sarah
Why didn't you scream? Why didn't you shout?
Why didn't you shout?

During the same night a loud crash was heard outside the Zhang family’ front porch. The sound roused Lealia, her parents and her younger siblings from their sleep. While Lealia’s baby sister, Evangeline, cried in her crib, her parents opened the front door. To find, to their complete and utter horror a burned and bloodied Aspen Thomas unconscious on their front steps.

Still a asleep Lealia stumbled onto the porch behind her parents, and was jerked awake cruelly at the sight. A blood curdling scream escaped her mouth and tears began to race down her cheeks as she caught sight of the bleeding burn on her best friend’s cheek and her pale scalp that was shining under the porch’s lights. For many years the sight of her best friend collapsed in front of her would erupt in her mind every time she closed her eyes.  

Aspen’s consciousness did not return as Lealia and her parents lifted Aspen and carried her to the lounge room where they laid her gently on the sofa, arranging her lanky frame carefully amongst the cushions and blankets. All throughout the night Lealia sat by Aspen’s side, gripping her hand tightly and her eyes never once dropping through sleep.

Hours later, the shining sun was peering curiously through the curtains, placing the small room in a subtle light. Even now, in the early hours of the morning, Lealia was sitting by her best friend’s side, gripping her frail hand. Though her normally lively eyes were now red and swollen from the many tears she had shed and lack of sleep.  

Still sleeping deeply amongst the cushions and blanket, but her long blonde hair no longer fell over the cushions like a golden halo, instead small clumps were barely visible amongst the cushions. The random tufts of blonde hair amongst her brutally bald scalp, could only be seen if one caught a glimpse of the dry blood that coated it. Aspen’s beautiful face was streaked with dry tears and dried blood. And though a horrifying burn travelled down the length of her arm, it was most frightening was her left cheek. Where the flesh of her cheek had been only hours earlier, a huge gaping wound now stood in its place. The small amount of skin that remained was utterly and terribly raw, still seeping sticky yellow pus and wet with crimson blood that occasionally dripped further down her cheek.

As Lealia looked down at her best friend, a thoughts filled her mind

“How could I not have noticed? She was best friend and I didn’t even notice.”

“The one time that she needed me most I wasn’t there!”

“I didn’t mean to let you down.”

As if sensing that Lealia was thinking about her, Aspen began to stir and she opened her eyes slightly. 

“Lealia?” she murmured, he voice slurred slightly. But suddenly the brightness in her eyes disappeared, as if she had remembered. Remembered her father’s maniacal smile. Remembered the feeling of the poker melting her skin. Remembered the sound of the rusted scissors sawing away at her blonde hair.

Aspen’s breathing quickened in to short, rapid gasps of air and she whipped her head from side to side, as if she was searching for any evidence that her father was in the room with her. Seeming to finally be convinced that she and Lealia were alone, she began to calm down. But then she glanced down at Lealia’s hand that was still gripping tightly onto hers and pure panic and terror filled her eyes. Tearing her hand from Lealia’s with surprising strength, she began to scream. It was a scream that could shatter eardrums and break peoples’ hearts into a thousand tiny unfixable pieces. Earnestly Lealia tried to calm Aspen down, yelling words that were supposed to bring the screaming girl comfort. Then Lealia made a mistake, she lent forwards and attempted to hold Aspen in her arms. A mistake that caused Aspen’s scream to become even louder. Not knowing what to do Lealia began to sob, crying out desperately for her mother.

Thundering footsteps could be heard over top of Aspen’s unrelenting screams and Lealia’s sobs, and Mr Zhang came bursting into the room his tie loose around his collar and his wife following closely behind him; shoving their sobbing daughter aside they rushed  forwards, eyes only on the frightened girl before them. Upon seeing Deshi Zhang, Lealia’s father, Aspen rose on her elbows and scrambled backwards, attempting to increase the distance between her and the man that reminded her of her father; her screams never ceasing.

Lealia’s Mum, Anaelle, wrenched him backwards quickly, pulling him away from the girl who he seemed to frighten even more. Seeming to understand his wife’s intentions he turned and left the room, pulling a still sobbing Lealia along with him. Once the door was closed softly behind them, leaving Anaelle and Aspen alone in the lounge room, Anaelle raised her arms up as if in surrender and took a small step forwards, holding her breathe.

Anaelle Zhang looked completely harmless, her arms raised in surrender leaving the sleeves of her pink dressing gown to fall to her elbows, her unbrushed hair fell in tangled curves to her shoulders and her chocolate brown eyes filled with kindness and gentleness.

Suddenly Aspen stopped screaming, leaving her throat raw and sore, and Anaelle took this as a signal that she could take another small step forward.

Anaelle’s French heritage became evident as she whispered softly to Aspen “It’s okay, my darling. You’re safe now.”

“What about Dadda?” Aspen croaked, her face contorting in pain as the movement stung the hideous burn on her cheek.

“He’s gone” She reassured her softly, sadness lacing every word “and he won’t reach you here. We won’t let him!”

Finding no words, Aspen did not speak. Yet silent tears fell down her eyelashes, stinging her cheek. Hesitantly, Lealia’s mum took another step forwards, wanting to wrap her arms around girl with so many battle scars. Unexpectedly, Aspen opened her arms wide like a child and Anaelle stepped into them, gently wrapping her arms around Aspen’s thin frame. For a long time, Anaelle did not speak, only stoked the Aspen’s back gently and whispered “mon bébé” over and over again.

While she held Aspen, her mind was filled with questions

“Will Deshi and I be able to protect her?”

“Is this the right place for her to be?”

“Will she ever heal, physically and emotionally?”

“How could God let this happen to this beautiful, innocent child?”