Chapter One:
Beginning of The End.

And there I was; just laid there. My dreams wide open and my head
held high. I knew this was the end, but who was there to judge. I was
happy; very happy. I knew I got away from the pain, away from the
hurt. My name is Leon, Leon Barrlow. People called me a freak, an
outcast but inside I was so much more than that.
It all started about 15 years ago. I was fifteen at this time. I had no
care in the world. My life in school was a bore, the teachers hated me,
the students hated me and most of all I hated me. But who cares that
my grades was low, who cared that my life was never going to be as
good as everyone else in my class. I was me, born this way; no one
could change that, well that's what I thought anyway. It was Friday,
Friday the 14th of March 2011. This one day I had English last period.
I was watching the hand ticking away until it reached 3; then I knew I
could be who I was born to be. Everyone shot up and ran to the door,
me? Well I just walked, calm and steady wins the race. The weekend
wasn't just a break of school for me, it was the end of the lie. I would
go home, get ready in my 'chav' clothes and think I was the coolest
kid around. I waiting till 4 o'clock to be able to go out and enjoy my
self. Friday meant party; well to me it did. My friend- Liam, he
through the biggest parties you could imagine. There was beer, fags,
weed; the lot. I thought my life couldn’t get any better until I finally
reached home to see the neighbourhood stood out side there door
staring, staring at my home. There was an ambulance and 2 police
cars parked out side my house, their siren's deafening the street. The
police banged there way into my house and fetched my Mum out, she
was laid on a medic table, inside a bag where they zipped her up.
Tears fled down my eyes. I ran to my Mum and screamed, I didn't
know what was going on, the police man told me to move away, but I
couldn't leave my Mum. My next door neighbour came and grabbed
me and took me inside and explained what has happened.
''I'm sorry about you Mother Leon'' she cried ''She died so peaceful
love''
I knew that was a lie. She was murdered, I had to find this out by talk
of the street, if it's true or not, I will never know but my heart still
thinks about her. I didn't have a dad, she was a single Mum, so I had
no where to go. No grandparents, no relatives or anything. They'd
been lost over the years. I had no where to go, I thought this was the
end, the end of Leon Barrlow...

Chapter Two:
A New Territory.

Deja vu. Once again, running from house to house. Town to town.
After a week I had moved in to Oakwood care home. It wasn't my
liking. The kids where friendly enough and the staff was okay but it
wasn't me, I didn't want to be here. I couldn't drink, smoke or do
anything I wanted. We had chores, rules... I might as well have got
locked up, been more fun. I use to just sit on my bed; staring and a
picture of me and my Mum. I missed her so much. It was unbearable,
the pain, it hurt so much. It was Friday 21st of March. It was sunny
outside, very surprising for England, I heard the post, I never got
anything, I use to hear all the kids running to the door to find theirs
and then leave what was left for the carers. Two minutes later there
was a knock on my door...
''Leon.. Leon'' I herd with a squeaky kids voice, a young boy walked
into my room, put a letter on my bed and ran off. I wondered, who
this could be off. It had my name across the envelope; the beautiful
neat writing made me think they had the wrong person; they didn't.
'I know where you live. I got your Mother, it's time to get you'.
I literally screamed.
It was a few days later. I was sat eating dinner in the front room with
Lewis (This boy who just moved in) I was about to pick my fork up
and then I saw a man. On the garden. He pointed a gun at me and
disappeared, I couldn't tell anyone, they'd think I had gone mental. I
just kept it to my self and got on with my life. I didn't go to school
any more, I got home tutored. It was brilliant. Didn't have to get up
early, could start when I wanted, do what I wanted, but I still had the
thought of been murdered on my hands, I couldn't help it. Who
wouldn't be worried. I never went out of the home, I was scared,
frightened. All I could think about was if I go out, do I get killed. I
couldn't risk it. The care workers slowly started to get worried about
me, I guess a smile doesn't hide everything. Then one day one of
them confronted me, I didn't know if to tell the truth or not. I couldn't
tell them, what would happen? Would I get sent to a secure building
with no life. I didn't want to be weird so like normal I said I'm just
missing my Mum.
Weeks went by and not a single word from the guy, I didn't get any
more threat letters; I felt safe at last. I knew it was all good to be true,
on the 28th August 2011, I got an other letter.
''Don't you think it's over, I've got you just where I want you. Your
probably scared. But it's okay, a quick slit to the neck will do you
quickly''.
I had to tell somebody, I couldn't bare the pain of not but I couldn't I
just couldn't find the courage. The next day, Lewis had gone out and
he didn't come back. I worried so much. He was like my brother now,
I grew so close. The police was phoned and they searched for him, A
few days later I got an other Letter.
''I got your so called brother. Who you got left now?''
Lewis was dead! I couldn't believe it, I just had to cry.
I knew I had to tell someone now. I just had to. I'd rather it be my
Mum, but a care workers good enough I guess. I just had to man up
and tell them the truth. I knocked on the office door and asked if I
could talk to them. I told them everything, the letters and how I don't
want to step a foot out the home. They got worried and phoned the
police. They asked me a few questions and sad everything's going to
be all good from now on, they promised. But in these 15 years I've
been a live, I knew adults never kept a promise.

Chapter Three:
Invisible To The World.

The police took me in for questioning about the letters and who could
be doing this to me. I couldn't think, everything was just a blur to me.
I got taken to a secure place. For privacy warning, I can't tell you. But
it was quite scary. It was run by police. I take back what I said earlier.
School is better than been in prison. I wondered how long I was going
to be here for. I just wanted to go back to my home. I actually felt
more safer. I felt as if I was a suspect but I knew that I wasn't.
Christmas came so fast. I got a box of chocolates of off a care worker
at my old home. That's all, but oh well, life goes on. I didn't expect to
get anything really. I got one Christmas card. Signed to Leon. Happy
Birthday. I recognized the writing, I wanted to cry.
''To Leon. Merry Christmas, make your last be the best. Love knifer.''
I don't know if he put knifer to scare me or what; but it worked. I
showed one of the officers and got the police involved again. There
was a case held for the murders. It was all over the news, I was on the
news. I guess the bit about been on TV was great, but I'd rather it be
because of something else. I knew something had to be done. I
wanted this guy locked up for good. Never to see daylight again. But
that was all bogus. I knew if he got arrested he would get hardly any
time. Not a lot happened in my life from then on. Apart from the odd
arrest and then finding out that he wasn't guilty. It was a bomb
waiting to explode in my body. I couldn't take it any more.

Chapter Four:
The Power of Verbal.

5 years had past. I was now 20 years old. I had my own house, with
my own job. I didn't hear anything from this boy any more, there was
the odd article on the news about him. But that's all. Nothing too big
happened in the last 5 years. Nothing at all. I got an other letter. This
will be the 4th. It read;
'You think I've gone, ha. Don't joke with me, I'm still hear, watching
you. You see me everyday. The I'm being stared at feeling. That's me.
You can't get away from me this easy. You will die. I promise. You
will die.'
I didn't want to get police involved any more so I just learnt not to tell
them. My life couldn't get any worse. I haven't got anyone left.
Months went by and again no letters. I'd rather him get it over and
done with and just kill me now. This particular day felt so normal
apart from on the way to work I met a girl. She was beautiful, long
brown hair, gorgeous brown eyes and a figure to beautiful, I thought
heaven had come for me. We got talking and I told her I liked her. She
felt the same way for me. After a few month of going out, she moved
in. My life was at sky high.
''Leon baby?'' - She cried.
''what's up?''
''Well, I'm pregnant'' she burst out crying and ran to hug me, I couldn't
believe it, I wanted a baby for ages and now I'm having one. All I
could think about from now on was baby names. Zac for a boy, and
Eleanor for a girl. She totally agreed. We tried to get a better home for
the children, we bought a new family car. Life was perfect.
8month had pasted and I still not herd from him. This is great he's
finally given up.. I guess I wasn't really thinking straight. Time flew
by, it was a miracle. We both went for the scan this one day and we
found out that we was having a girl.. and a boy. I was so happy. It was
just a dream come true. I fell in love with this girl. I thought we was
going to be together for ever. 1 month passed and the babies were
born. I was at the hight of my life everything was perfection.
On my 21st birthday, I went out with the guys (yes, I found friends)
for a drink. I still didn't hear from the knifer; I still felt like he was
here though. It was a Tuesday evening, the rest of the house had gone
out for the day because I had work to do. Then my life changed for
ever. I got the one letter that would ruin my life forever...

Chapter Five:
Written Words of Death.

''I've not gone yet dear. Don't worry, the games just started I'm about
to take away the only thing you have left in this world. Be scared. Be
very scared- knifer.''
I phoned the them up straight away.
''baby are you okay!?'' -I cried as I herd my children playing.
''yeah baby, we're just on the motorway now''.
I herd this bang and then loads of screams. I didn't know what to do
apart from break down and cry. He'd got to them; they're dead. A few
hours later the police phoned:
''Mr Barrlow. I'm sorry to tell you but you girlfriend and children have
been killed in a car crash''
I hung up straight away. I didn't want to even talk about it. My life
had come to an end. I couldn't live like this any more; something had
to be done.
The police phoned back the day after.
''Mr Barrlow. We have found out what happened; the tire wheel had
been shot causing the car to flip several times. Your girlfriend and
baby son didn't survive the crash''.
Straight away I hung up. Where's Eleanor! He had to have her. I
waited days on end until my next letter came.
''I'm guessing you found out about your Eleanor. I've got her and your
not having her back, by time you've got this. She'll be dead. Good
look son.''
She's dead. What do I have left. I couldn't do this any more.
Chapter Six:
It's Over Now Boy.
He had taken this too far. Too personal. Wait. He called me son? It
could be. The door started to open. There he was. He looked so like
me, it was unbelievable.
''Son, Time to die''.
And there I was; just laid there. My dreams wide open and my head
held high. I knew this was the end, but who was there to judge. I was
happy; very happy. I knew I got away from the pain, away from the
hurt. Away from my life. I hadn't got long left, my blood was dripping
out. I knew I couldn't have been something good. I knew I couldn't
have a good life. It was all too real. The date 20th February 2026...
''Top news this morning; Mr Barrlow aged just 25 died on the 20th of
February. He died from a fatal stab wound to the neck soon after been
taken into hospital, police haven't got any suspects yet, but where
ever you are. Who ever you are. You aren’t safe. No body will ever be
safe again.''

Imprint

Publication Date: 07-31-2011

All Rights Reserved