Echoes in the Woods by Georgina Scott (ebook reader web txt) 📕

Jakie lad, keep your foot like that whilst I massage your calf muscle. You let me know if you feel your muscle pull again,” said Mac, with Jake nodding with his head. “How’s that?” said Mac, with Jake giving him the thumbs up. “Okay, let’s get you on your feet!” and with that Mac pulled Jake to his feet, “there you go, it will be tender for a while so nothing too strenuous, slowly walk around and you will be fine in no time,” said Mac.

They all got dried and dressed. Ella and Jake walked around hand in hand laughing and joking just being stupid. Whilst Mac and Mary put up the tent, then got the kids to get and put their duvets and pillows inside the tent with a battery-operated lamp. As night fell with the same routine as before, pyjamas and hot chocolate before bed; Ella and Jake were excited about sleeping in the tent.

Mac and Mary said goodnight to the kids and watched them go into the tent. “Now, no messing about you two, off to sleep,” said Mary.

Both Mary and Mac broke open the beers, “I’ve seen a change in Jake this weekend,” said Mary.

“Yes, I have seen it, too.”

“Do you fancy drinking up and then get an early night, babe?”

“Yes,” Mary said. They sat in silence and drank the rest of their beers. Mac took her hand and led her to the caravan where they made love and fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Ella, putting on the lamp giving off just enough light gave Jake a shove, “Jake, Jake!”

“What?”

“It’s my birthday next month; will you come to my party?”

“You woke me for that? Of course, I will.”

“Jake, Jake!” giving him another shove.

“What now?”

“You are my best friend and I love you.”

“I love you, too,” and pecks her on the cheek; they fell asleep holding each other’s hand.

It was still dark when Jake woke suddenly from a nightmare. He dreamt he was back at the farm in the basement in that dark dank stinking room. He wasn’t alone, the voices were with him, talking to him, echoing each other. Telling him to kill them, kill them all.

Jake held his head and shouted out, “No, no I won’t.”

Stirring Ella in the process, “Jake, you okay.” She sat up and put her arm on his. He was shaking, cold but sweating. She put the lamp on and held him tightly, “It’s gonna be ok,” she said to him.

It was early and the sun already had heat in it. Mac and Mary left the kids to sleep as they got themselves ready and packed up the camp in readiness to start their journey home. It was cereal for breakfast all round and a cup of Yorkshire Tea. Mac had the tea sent over from his cousin who lived in Sheffield, England.

Mary woke the kids and gave them breakfast whilst Mac put away the tent. She told them to brush their teeth, wash their faces, and they didn’t have to change out of their pyjamas as they will be staying in the truck with no diversions planned.

She noticed they were a little subdued and out of sorts. “You guys ok?” she said.

They both nodded, “We didn’t sleep very well last night,” said Ella looking at Jake. “Well, then you can sleep on the way home.” Once they were all packed up and a quick tidy up of the camp, both kids slept in the back seat of the truck for most of the journey home.

Chapter 8

After dropping the boys off at school, she noticed Matthew was not his self, “You okay, darling?”

“Yes,” replied Matthew before getting out of the truck and just walked off in the direction of his school friends. He didn’t acknowledge her or say goodbye like he usually does. She frowned and thought to herself that she would speak to him after school.

Saying goodbye to Henry and Mark, kissing them both on the cheeks, “Ooh, Mum do you have to? My friends are watching.” They both said, then walked through the gates towards their friends who were blowing kisses at them jokingly.

Faith thought, Kids, then got back into her car and headed into town towards the doctors surgery where she knew Mitch would be at the surgery. She had to see him, and doing so, made a double appointment with him so no one would get suspicious. She sat there, reading a magazine, but not taking in any of the celebrity gossip. She heard her name being called. She knocked on the door and heard Mitch say, “Come in.” She walked in and shut the door behind her.

“Hello,” they both said in unison. She pulled the chair around so she was close to him and directly looked at him, her heart skipped a beat as they both stared at one another. “I never got to say the other night, that I missed you too and I am sorry for shutting you out but I feel I owe you an explanation as to why I stopped being with you,” reaching out, her hand entwining their fingers together.

Mitch started to talk, “No don’t, Mitch, you need to listen. I didn’t stop seeing you because I didn’t care or stopped loving you. It was because John needed me, my boys need me. John was hurting Jake more frequently whilst being a doting Dad to the other boys. I had to make a choice and I chose them. I was being selfish with you, putting my own needs before theirs; hopefully, time will make him change and he can find resolution.”

“He doesn’t want to change Faith. I still stand by what I said, leave him, you and the boys can come and stay with me. We will get Jake back from your parents and be a family. Leave him, Faith, for your own sake as well as the boys’.”

“I can’t, I wish I could be with you but I can’t, you don’t know him, he scares me! I have made my