Janie's Got a Gun

CHAPTER THREE:
A Secret worth Keeping

-Tre’s P.O.V –
I sat there, with Janie. She looked almost dead… but I hoped to God that she wasn’t almost as dead as she looked. I told her she had to have a bath and clean up. I put her arm around my neck and helped her to the bathroom. I decided I couldn’t leave her in the bathroom and someone needed to monitor her.
“Someone needs to stay here with you- in case anything goes wrong.”
“In that case- can I bathe in my clothes?”
“Whatever makes you comfortable, which reminds me I’ll have to ask Adie if she has any clothes you could borrow until we get yours washed.”
“Okay thanks, but don’t leave. I don’t want anything to happen while you’re gone.”
One foot at a time, I helped her into the bathtub. As soon as she sat in the bath the water was tinted red. This poor girl, all I could think about was who could have done this to her and what exactly was it that they’d done? The cut on her neck was frightening, just as all her other scars and bruzes. How much more was under her clothes?
“I- I… I don’t mean to be nosey but…”
“You want to know what happened.” Janie’s eyes looked even sadder as she said this.
“If you don’t mind…”
“My dad, he did this to me, he tied me up, beat me and cut me. I shot him.”
“Why didn’t you go to the police?”
“I- shot him. Half the blood on me isn’t even mine. That’s why I refuse to go to the hospital or the police station; I could get into so much trouble.”
“Why did he do this?”
“My mum died, exactly a week ago. He blamed me- burnt me- beat me- cut me. I’m so scared.”
“Is he dead?”
“I don’t know. I shot him at first and he was knocked out for a few seconds. I went to pack my bags, turned around and he was standing there pointing the gun at me.”
“He didn’t shoot you?”
“No. There was only one bullet in it. In a quick instinct I grabbed a knife and stabbed him.”
“You poor thing, to have all this happen,”
Tears streamed down her face.
“Please don’t tell the police,” the look on her face was a mixture of desperation and worry. I couldn’t tell; I couldn’t stand to see her locked away, even though I had only just met Janie I felt like we had some sort of thing. Just the way she looked at me when she talked, it was like she was intrigued and I was sure it wasn’t the Doritos getting to my head. I could imagine marrying someone like her.
“Earth to Tre,” Billie said, snapping me out of my train of thought.
“Oh right- coffee.”
Billie handed Janie a warm mug. “How are you feeling?” he asked.
“A little better,” I’m still shaking a bit but I’m sure I’ll be alright. I’m so sorry about this- how I could thank you for this I have no idea. You don’t even know me and yet you’ve just welcomed me into your home.”
“Don’t thank me, thank Tre. He’s the one that saved you.”
Janie looked at me and smiled.
“I think you should be okay now hey? Jump out of the bath see how you are at walking, we’ll get you out of your clothes and into the shower. Adie probably has some stuff you can change into.”
“Yeah- can I have some help getting out though? I don’t wanna slip.”
Almost instantly, yet again there I was to the rescue, I helped her out of the bath and she seemed to be walking fine after the first few steps, Janie then started to get undressed.
“Come on Tre, let Janie have her privacy.”
Janie took her singlet off and looked over at me.
“It’s okay Tre, you can leave me. I’ll be fine,” she said, “I’ll call out if I’m not.”
“Okay,” I said, leaving.