Cry For Help by Clara Lewis (books for students to read .txt) 📕

Evelynn knew exactly who this diary belonged to. She flipped through the pages and brought a hand to her mouth as she read its contents.

Jennifer had been terrible to her lately, but these girls had spent years with Jennifer. The first few pages had been Emily pouring her heart into the diary. She was terrified of her own mother. For years, Jennifer had been obsessed with perfection.

I didn’t want to play the piano. I wanted to travel, and I met someone who will help me escape this hell.

Those were the last words that Emily had written in her diary. The following pages were filled with someone else’s handwriting.

“This must be Becca.” Evelynn whispered to herself.

Becca had known Emily personally. She’d even gone as far as describing Emily as her best friend. It was only after Jennifer had killed her that she understood why Emily missed school a lot. She had always thought Emily was just sickly. However, after she had now stayed in the same room as Emily and experienced the same abuse at the hands of Jennifer, she understood why Emily had random bruises on her hands and body.

I should have been careful. I should have listened to Emily when she said I should no longer visit.

Evelynn felt for Becca. She recalled the information she read in the case notes. Becca had stayed in this house for nearly five years before her dead body wound up in the woods nearby. Out of everyone, she had suffered the most.

Within those five years, people had simply given up searching for her. While they had all moved on with their lives, Becca was subject to Jennifer’s treatment. In all her time, she had finished up the remaining pages of the book.

Leah Sanchez. Her neat scrawl crowded the margins of the diary. She was slightly younger than the two previous victims. Compared to the others, Leah’s story had caused a tear to slip out of Evelynn’s eye. Becca and Cassie had families who would look for them.

No one will look for me.

Early into her diary entries, she had given up.

Evelynn flipped to the beginning of the diary again and looked for Cassie’s entry. Sure enough, in the spaces available, she spotted the girl’s scribbles.

She was the youngest. Despite the horrible situation that she was put in, she always looked at the bright side. Jennifer would hurl abuse her way both physically and verbally and she would just take it. Her positivity hurt Evelynn to the core.

I’ll try harder tomorrow. Maybe then Ms. Campbell will let me see my mom and grandma again.

The experiences the girls shared were different in a few ways. They had all come from different circumstances in life. Evelynn could even tell their handwriting apart, the more she read through the diary. However, there was one thing each of the girls shared.

Each girl had cried while writing in the diary. Evelynn didn’t know if they cried for themselves or if they cried when they realized that there were more victims aside from themselves.

Evelynn shut the book, no longer able to read more. This diary was all she needed to get Jennifer in a prison cell with no way of her ever getting out. And it still wasn’t what she deserved.

She placed the book within the walls again and focused on pulling away loose boards. She kicked at the wall across her and the wood gave way. Evelynn scrambled out then reached back in the wall to grab the diary. She held it close to her chest as she looked around her.

Evelynn stood up and dusted pieces of the wall off her borrowed clothes. She needed to find her phone. She ran from room to room and found her phone in one of the drawers in Jennifer’s room. With her phone safely tucked into her dress, she took a moment to stand back and examine the room.

Every surface had either a trophy or a medal on it. Evelynn looked closer. All these awards were dedicated to Jennifer Campbell. Jennifer had built up a collection of prizes, and they were consistent. However, after a certain year, it stopped.

Evelynn guessed that was her breaking point. That was the point she decided that if she wasn’t going to be a successful pianist, her daughter would become one.

There was no time to waste. Evelynn left the room and entered the living room. She finally stood at the front door. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand on the handle.

Of course, it was locked.

Chapter 8

Jennifer was meticulous. Evelynn hoped the door was flimsy enough to at least crack when she slammed into it. It didn’t. Frustrated, Evelynn kicked at the door.

She continued to search for any opening. She had to get out. However, the windows were all barred. There was no getting out.

So caught up was Evelynn in trying to look for a way out, she didn’t notice Jennifer’s car pull up in the driveway. She didn’t hear the sound of keys jingling outside the front door nor the key turning in the lock. She had been so distracted with locating an escape route, she didn’t notice the front door open.

“What are you doing?”

Jennifer’s voice stopped Evelynn in her tracks. She turned and looked at Jennifer whose stare had turned icy.

“You’re trying to run away from me again, Emily?”

The door slammed.

Evelynn threw the diary under one of the sofas and hoped Jennifer wouldn’t find her phone. She backed up into a corner as Jennifer stormed towards her.

“You’re leaving me for a boy you knew for a few months? After everything I sacrificed? To raise you?”

Jennifer was in a haze of anger, but Evelynn had no idea what she was talking about. There was one thing she knew for sure. This anger would be enough to make her the fifth victim. Evelynn looked from side to side, eager for a way out, but she found none.

“I’m not Emily!” Evelynn yelled