Your Change is coming
Publisher: Smashword
Published: 2nd August 2014
Place of publication: USA
Language: eng
Format: ebook
Number of pages: 142
Description: Naomi had fulfilled her dream of becoming a social worker. Her dream is shattered by the tragic death of Baby G. Forced to change directions by the admission of her mother in a care home, Naomi turns to her estranged sister Jill and her childhood friend Mantel for solace. What is revealed over the next few months is a family torn apart by secrets and betrayal.  A chance encounter with a stranger from the past helps her to confront the past and look forward a different future.
The ebook is available from Smashword.
Table of contents: title: Smashwords Edition; title: Arts Council funded Copyright © 2014 Antony Douglas; title: Published in 2013 by FeedARead.com Publishing; title: License Notes: This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.; title: Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com; title: One; title: Naomi and her mum were deep in conversation walking through Lower Ashworth Park in the early morning of a midsummer day, when unexpectedly a masked man leaped out of the hedges and held a knife to Naomi's throat. The tall figure of a man threatened to stab her for money. His large, dirty hands were shaking uncontrollably. He was waiting there for some time. His voice sounded strangely familiar to Naomi's mum.; title: "Do I know you?"; title: "No."; title: He was cold and emotionless as though he was in a trance. The man must be on heavy drugs. He wore a balaclava hiding his face. His piercing ebony eyes isolated Naomi as the weakest link.; title: Naomi felt numb and was panic-stricken. Mrs. Ava Brown tried to calm down her eleven years old daughter, Naomi.; title: "It will be okay, my darling."; title: "Woman, give me your money or I will kill your daughter."; title: "Don't you harm her? I'll give you anything you want, but don't harm her!"; title: "Hurry up woman or she'll be a dead girl. Do you think I'm joking?"; title: The man wielded a large metal blade reflecting the bright sunlight into Mrs. Ava Brown's face which frightened her to death and she replied, "Oh no, no-one is laughing at you, son."; title: He tightened his grip around Naomi's throat pulling her closer to his body. She hated his unwashed smells invading her personal space. It made her feel intensely sick. His clothing was filthy and his finger nails were black like a man who had lived rough on the streets for years. Naomi felt vulnerable and unsafe. Her mum tried to protect her.; title: "I am begging you, please, don't harm my daughter."; title: "Give me your money or else."; title: Mrs. Ava Brown nervously emptied the full content of her handbag onto the grass. Her bag was in a chaotic state. Having tipped over her handbag, she rediscovered a few out of date aspirins and fragments of last year cream cracker. The bottom of the bag was covered with sticky sweets glued to lining. The coins were concealed inside the torn lining of her handbag.; title: "Please leave my daughter alone, you."; title: "Give me your money, then."; title: "Thank God for Jesus I've found some coins. Here they are and now leave us alone."; title: "Is that all you've got?"; title: "Yes."; title: "I want more money."; title: "That's all I've got."; title: "Please, I'm begging you to leave my daughter alone, man," cried Naomi's mum.; title: Mrs. Ava Brown, was a woman in her mid-forties with a bodily shape of a sumo wrestler, shouted the name of Jesus and went into the spiritual realm. She spoke in foreign languages and the man became so afraid that he released his hold on Naomi. He pressed his both hands against his ears.; title: "Shut up, will you" and "Make her stop it."; title: "I can't," pleaded Naomi.; title: Mrs. Ava Brown was lost in the spirit and the man ran quickly through the alleyway leaving both Naomi and her mother both in tears. Mrs. Ava Brown hugged Naomi and waved her hands in the air praising God. Naomi would normally be embarrassed by her mother behaviour of waving her hands in the air and shouting the name of Jesus in public. Before the mugging it was not so cool to praise God. It had usually attracted the unwelcomed attentions of her school friends. For the first time in her life Jesus was all right and he had saved her life.; title: Naomi was now scared of the community she grew up in and had called home. For Naomi, the neighbourhood was no longer a safe place to live in. It had changed dramatically over a number of years because of drug dealers peddling addictions. Most of the houses on her street were burgled to feed drug habits.; title: "Are you okay, my darling?"; title: "Yes mum. I am a little bit shaken."; title: Mrs. Ava shouted, "He is a thief!"; title: "Calm yourself down, mum."; title: "Okay, honey."; title: "We need to report him to the police, Naomi."; title: "The police won't do anything, mum."; title: "We can't let him think he can go around robbing innocent people. His voice sounded so familiar to me, Naomi."; title: "Do you know him, mum? Who is he?"; title: "I think he is living locally in our area."; title: "Mum, he's a monster. He should be locked away in prison."; title: "Where is the nearest police station, Naomi?"; title: "It's at the other end of the park. I wish your dad was here."; title: "He's away on missionary work for the church, mum."; title: "He's never here when you need him."; title: Naomi held her mother's hand on their way to the police station. Naomi kept her eyes focused on every hedge in the park anticipating another attack from the knifeman.; title: "Here it is, Naomi."; title: "I can't go inside the police station, mum. I am feeling too anxious."; title: "Yes, you can, Naomi."; title: Mrs. Ava Brown gently coached Naomi to go inside the police station. As they approached the duty desk an overweight officer, Arthur Jenks, sat bonded to his chair. He had barely notice them as he was lost in his paperwork. Mrs. Ava Brown pressed the bell repetitively to attract his attention.; title: "Hello officer," said Mrs. Ava Brown.; title: He raised his head from the mountain of paperwork. Mrs. Ava Brown and Naomi stared at his thin strands of grey and black hair sparingly covering his bald white patch. They thought to themselves, how a man of his size, a hippo, could possibly be running after criminals? He spent far too many years sitting behind the desk typing out esquires from members of the public due to poor health. He was a bit disgruntled with working behind the front desk because he wanted to be solving crimes on the streets.; title: "Good morning ladies, what can I do to help you?"; title: Mrs. Ava Brown wasn't at her most vocal best. The trauma of the incident affected her speech. Her head were scrambling for the words to say and they came out all repetitively.; title: "Officer, my daughter has been a victim of a serious crime."; title: "Yes."; title: "Officer, my daughter has been a victim of a serious crime."; title: "You told me that before. Take a seat and someone will speak to you later."; title: "No. I need to report a crime."; title: The duty officer called in another police officer to speak to Mrs. Ava Brown and her daughter, Naomi. He was a tall, slim and young man with a full set of his own hair. He was strikingly handsome in appearance with youthful looks. A clear skin without blemish, sharp noise, bright blue eyes and he was dress in a smart suit. He turned to the mother and her daughter to start the interview.; title: "Officer, my daughter has been a victim of a most serious crime."; title: "Please come with me to the interview room."; title: She followed the young officer into the room. It was a small room with a large tape recorder on the table. Before they were seated he asked her an awareness question.; title: "Do you know who the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is?"; title: "He is Tony Brown."; title: "Good girl."; title: "Pardon me. I'm a grown woman and am old enough to be your mother."; title: "I meant you no harm."; title: "Okay, my darling."; title: "Madam, please take a seat in the interview room and afterwards I can take a statement from you."; title: "Can my daughter come too?"; title: "We will need to interview you both separately."; title: "What is your full name and address?"; title: "My name is Mrs. Ava May Brown and I live at 24 Lower Street, Lower Ashworth."; title: "Are you from Africa or the Caribbean?"; title: "Pardon me, officer."; title: Mrs. Ava Brown was a woman of mixed heritage with light brown skin and plaited hair. She felt alienated by the police officer comments. She wasn't white enough to be British. She had a right to be British. She had been cooking English meals for the patients in the Royal Hospital for over twenty years. She had paid her tax and was insulted by the officer line of questioning.; title: "Are you from Africa or the Caribbean?"; title: "My daughter is a victim of a serious crime and you are asking me about my ethnic background."; title: "It's just for monitoring purposes only."; title: "Why don't you monitor the area and find the thief who had threatened to kill me daughter?"; title: "Do you want me to proceed with your witness statement or not madam?"; title: "Yes officer."; title: "Then please answer my questions."; title: "Yes officer."; title: "What is your ethnic background?"; title: "I am a black African, Caribbean woman whose father was British."; title: "Thank you for that. Can you tell me what happened to your daughter?"; title: "Oh yes. My daughter has been a victim of a most serious crime."; title: "When did the crime take place? And who committed the crime against your daughter?"; title: "I have told you before officer, a serious crime had taken place."; title: "Where did this serious crime take place?"; title: "It happened in the park."; title: "Which park?"; title: "It was in Lower Ashworth Park."; title: "We are now getting somewhere. What happened inside the park?"; title: "A serious crime was committed against my daughter."; title: "Unless you tell me what had actually happened to your daughter you will be wasting police time."; title: "You are not taking this serious, officer."; title: "I take every crime seriously but I need a statement from you."; title: The officer was perplexed by Mrs. Ava Brown repetitive comments contained within her witness statement. Her statement was awry and ineffectual. He must now turn to Naomi for further clarification of the incident.; title: "I have decided to stop this interview and we will speak to your daughter."; title: A confused and distressed Mrs. Ava Brown left the interview room in floods of tears and she greeted her daughter with a hug in the reception area of the police station.; title: "Are you okay, mum?"; title: "Yes me dear" and "I warned you, my daughter, that the police won't do anything."; title: "We are doing all that we can to help you, madam."; title: "Can I ask you, young lady, to accompany me to the interview room for questioning?"; title: "Yes."; title: "I need to take down a witness statement from you to help us with our investigation."; title: "She is far too young to be interviewed on her own, officer."; title: "You are welcome to attend the interview room with your daughter."; title: "I need you here, mum."; title: "I'll sit in the background and you can talk to the police love as my brain is a bit dazed."; title: Mrs. Ava Brown and Naomi followed the young officer into the interview room. He offered Naomi a chair and sat opposite to her. She inspected the chair before sitting on it.; title: "Can you tell me in your own words what had happened to you in the park?"; title: "A young black man wearing a mask held a knife to my throat and he demanded money from my mum" and "It happened about thirty minutes ago in the park."; title: "The man stole three pounds out of my mum's handbag."; title: "How do you know he was black?"; title: "I knew he was black because he had a Jamaican dialect."; title: Mrs. Ava Brown stood up waving fanatically to the officer catching his attention.; title: "What do you want Mrs. Brown?"; title: "I need to go to the toilet I'm bursting."; title: "It's down those stairs and through the corridors."; title: She rushed out the interview room running down the stairs along the corridors. The young police officer waited patiently for Naomi's mum to return back to the interviewing room before proceeding to question Naomi.; title: "What is your name and address madam?"; title: "My name is Naomi, Vida, Brown and I live at 24 Lower Street in Lower Ashworth."; title: "How long have you been in this country, Naomi?"; title: "Say what!"; title: "When did you first enter into the country?"; title: "Someone attacked me with a knife and you are asking me about when I had entered into the country. Go away."; title: "Are you from the Caribbean?"; title: "No, I'm a British citizen and I was born in England."; title: "No offence meant, Naomi. We are just carrying out a survey on ethnic monitoring and we needed to know this information."; title: "Don't just sit there officer, go out there and arrest him. He is a menace to society," said Mrs. Ava Brown.; title: "With due respect to you, Mrs. Brown, you and your daughter have yet not given me a description of the attacker."; title: "We have told you before, he is a young black man wearing a mask and is living in Lower Ashworth."; title: "There are thousands of young black men living in Lower Ashworth. I am sorry we can't arrest them all."; title: "He is different. He doesn't wash himself."; title: "As I said before we cannot arrest someone because he is black and he doesn't wash himself."; title: "Why don't you stop and search them all, officer?"; title: "We can't do that, Mrs. Brown."; title: "Why can't you, officer?"; title: "We don't want to cause another riot."; title: "We will log the incident down. Do you want the incident number?"; title: "Yes officer."; title: "I told you this was a waste of time going to the police station, mum."; title: Naomi and Mrs. Ava Brown walked out of the interview room looking upset. Outside of the police station, Ava Brown pointed nose was streaming with summer cold and her eyes were red and itchy. She could hardly breathe through her nostrils without the hay fever causing her some discomfort.; title: "Mum, I told you before, the police won't help us."; title: Two; title: A distressed mum and a despondent daughter left the police station with their hope of finding the Knifeman in tatters. More significantly, it was the first time in her life that Naomi was robbed of her British identity and her mother was robbed of her right to protect her daughter and her status as a British citizen.; title: "It's going to be okay, love. Something good will come out of this."; title: "I'm scared, mum."; title: "Everyone is afraid of something or someone. You'll be fine, love."; title: "I am afraid that we will never be accepted into the British society, mum."; title: "There are still some good people left in this world, Naomi, who will see beyond our colour."; title: "It's the twentieth first century, mum, and gorillas still can't swim."; title: "They can learn to swim, love. Nothing is impossible. We must keep our faith strong and believe that faith can move mountains."; title: "Then why do black people rob black people, mum?"; title: "If a black person robbed a white person it would never make it better. We are all God's children. One day Jesus will wipe away all of our tears and he will bring about equality on earth for all regardless of race and culture."; title: "Yes mum, I can't wait for that to happen."; title: "Let us get the bus home. We need to get back home to cook the dinner for your dad."; title: "Why do we need to catch a bus, mum, when we only live two stops away?"; title: "I can hardly walk on my feet. My rheumatism is killing me."; title: "Fair enough, mum."; title: They boarded the bus and Naomi sat far away from the driver who was a black male. She was shaking in her seat. Naomi was in a thoughtful mood. She was reliving the incident in her mind.; title: "What is wrong with you, girl-child? He is not the Knifeman. He is only the bus driver."; title: Naomi burst out crying uncontrollably. It was the first time in her life that she had ever cried in public. Most of the passengers on the bus were shocked by Naomi's heartbreak whilst others were untouched emotionally.; title: "What's wrong with your daughter, Mrs. Brown?" said a concerned passenger.; title: "She will be okay," replied Mrs. Brown.; title: "Are you sure?"; title: "Yes, man."; title: "Is that Pastor Fred's daughter?" One passenger whispered it to another.; title: The two passengers were gossiping amongst themselves. They were former members of Pastor Fred's church.; title: "I bet he is leaving them."; title: "I have always said it and you have heard me tell you before that all children need their fathers."; title: "How can he abandon his family and act like he is a man of God."; title: Mrs. Ava Brown overheard the passengers' conversation and she was very upset with them. She went over to the two passengers and gently tapped one of them on her shoulder.; title: "Excuse me, what are saying about my husband?"; title: "We were just saying Mrs. Brown that your daughter is the splitting image of Pastor Fred."; title: The lies made Mrs. Brown even more furious with them and she began to confront them head on.; title: "No, you weren't saying that. You should speak the truth always. The truth is no offense."; title: They were now on the defensive and were even more infuriated with Mrs. Ava Brown challenging them.; title: "Are you calling us a liar, Mrs. Brown?"; title: "Yes. Gossip is worse than adultery and the truth shall set you free."; title: "What is wrong with you, Mrs. Ava Brown?"; title: "Stop spreading your ugly rumours and lies. Pastor Fred is not leaving us."; title: The female passengers were stunned by Mrs. Ava Brown direct stance and they looked away from her.; title: "Mum, what are they saying about dad?"; title: "It's nothing."; title: "Why are you so being angry with them?"; title: "They are talking rubbish."; title: "Mum, tell me the truth."; title: "You need to trust me on this" and "I don't want to talk about this anymore."; title: From inside the bus Naomi zoomed onto the graffiti drawings displayed visibly on the community walls. She saw the back of a tall man clothed in a black trench coat.; title: "Mum, look over there."; title: "Why?"; title: "Just look over there?"; title: "I can't see anything."; title: "You are not seeing what I'm seeing?"; title: "What are you seeing, Naomi?"; title: "I'm seeing the knifeman."; title: "Where is he, dear?"; title: "There he is, mum?"; title: "I can't see him."; title: "He is spraying graffiti on the walls."; title: "That's not him, Naomi."; title: "I swear to God, he is definitely the knifeman."; title: "That is not the knifeman, love. He is Erik, your eldest cousin."; title: "Am I losing my mind, mum?"; title: "No child, you are not."; title: "When I shut my eyes I can see the knifeman and I can see him everywhere. I don't want to live in Lower Ashworth anymore. I want to escape from here."; title: "We are here to stay."; title: "We don't belong here anymore even the young policeman thought I was either from Africa or the Caribbean."; title: "Don't let the police officers comments upset you."; title: "Mum, I would be far happier leaving Lower Ashworth and going to live in Jamaica."; title: "Lower Ashworth is our home, Naomi. I have settled here ever since I left my parent's house in Jamaica and Lower Ashworth was the only place that welcomed migrants like me. It provided me with a job and a home. Therefore, I am not moving out of here regardless of what other people think of me."; title: "Open your eyes mum and take a good look at Lower Ashworth."; title: "What's wrong with Lower Ashworth, Naomi?"; title: "Nothing is wrong mum. It's a great place to live in," said Naomi sarcastically.; title: In Lower Ashworth, stolen cars were frequently being raced and abandoned by joy drivers. The houses were showing the grim appearances of crumbling grey stone cladding. Rats were rampaging through walls and floor boards scaring tenants to voluntarily vacate their homes. The new emerging migrants were renting poor dilapidated properties in need of basic repairs whilst others were sleeping in makeshift garages and outbuildings. Most of the houses in Lower Ashworth had no central heating so people were moving paraffin heaters from one room to the next to keep themselves warm. The windows were sweating with condensation.; title: "Lower Ashworth is one the most deprived and decrepit place in the West Midland."; title: "Thank you for your running commentary of Lower Ashworth, Moira Stewart at the BBC News at Nine."; title: "I really hate this place, mum. It stinks like the knifeman" and "I swear to God I'm going leave Lower Ashworth as soon as I am able to do so."; title: "Be careful what you wish for, Naomi. The grass is not always greener on the other side. What shines like silver and gold is not always silver and gold."; title: "So what are you saying to me, mum. I can't live anywhere else except in Lower Ashworth."; title: "You belong here, Naomi. Don't let the incident in the park stop you from living in Lower Ashworth. Always follow your dreams. You are one of us and you can be yourself here."; title: "I can't be myself here. I'm terrified of being here. I want to live in Upper Ashworth."; title: "Your father and I wanted to live in suburbia. We were not welcomed there. The estate agents told us we can't live there and they increased the house prices in Upper Ashworth to keep us out."; title: "Why."; title: "It's a long story. This is our bus stop, love."; title: Three; title: By mid-day Naomi and her mother walked back quickly from the bus stop to their home. Struggling with anxiety and hay fever Mrs. Ava Brown searched her bag frantically for the house keys.; title: "Hurry up, mother."; title: "I can't find me keys."; title: "It's in your bag."; title: "Here it is."; title: "Finally, open the door, mum."; title: "Shut the door, mum."; title: "What's the hurry, girl?"; title: "We were robbed mum, remember."; title: "You must think I am an idiot."; title: "Shut the door quickly, mum."; title: The impact of the robbery had a negative effect on Naomi's wellbeing. She was obviously scared and had accidentally soiled her underwear.; title: "What is that smell, Naomi?"; title: "It's me, mum."; title: "Go to the toilet, girl."; title: Mrs. Ava Brown bolted the front door and drew open the curtains letting in the sunlight through the kitchen windows. The light was greater than the darkness. Good will overcome evil. She refused to be a prisoner inside of her own home. If the teddy boys had failed to drive her out of town, so would the knifeman fail dismally too.; title: "If only your dad was here."; title: "Have you flushed the toilet, Naomi?"; title: "Yes, mum."; title: "Where is your dad now, Naomi?"; title: "You know dad is busy doing the Lord's work."; title: "Naomi, stop defending him. He should be here to protect us."; title: "We don't need dad to protect us. Wasn't it you who told me that we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus, mum."; title: "Yes."; title: "Besides, dad might have been hurt."; title: "Naomi, he is still the man of the house."; title: "But, you are right Naomi, master Jesus is our defender. Pastor Fred can't fight our battles. You must be strong and determine to get your career on track."; title: "Yes, mum."; title: There was a sudden knock on the door which jumped them both. Mrs. Ava Brown held her chest and breathed out gently as if she was having a heart attack.; title: "Who is it, Naomi?"; title: "I don't know, mum. I don't want to speak to anyone."; title: "Open the door, girl-child."; title: "I can't face the outside world, mum. I'm not going to open the door, mum."; title: "You can't live your life as a hermit, Naomi. For god sake open the door."; title: An anxious Naomi walked slowly towards the door against her will and her emotional well-being. She nervously unbolted the door holding back tears and keeping her hands from shaking.; title: "Who is it?"; title: "It's me, Mantel."; title: "Do you want me?"; title: There was no answer from Mantel. So, Naomi opened the door ajar not allowing Mantel in. He stared more intensely at Naomi sombre face. He was hypnotized by her smooth dark, brown skin and her ebony eyes glaring at him. Mantel admired Naomi wholeheartedly. He loved her boldness but he was afraid of her feistiness. Naomi smiled openly at Mantel.; title: "Let him in, if you must," shouted Mrs. Ava Brown; title: Mantel lived nearby in the neighbourhood. He was a year older than Naomi and he was a youth deacon in her dad's church. He had a calming influence on her but he was immensely shy. Mantel avoided eye to eye contact with Naomi. He was immature with girls and was not brave enough to take up the challenge. Mantel legs felt heavier and they were stuck within the door entrance.; title: "Would you like to comb my hair, Mantel?"; title: "Why."; title: "Do you want to run away with me, Mantel?"; title: "No."; title: "Leave the boy alone, Naomi," shouted Mrs. Ava Brown.; title: "Come inside, Mantel and tell me why you are here?"; title: "Hello Mrs. Brown. Mum baked you toto cake.; title: "Tell your mum, thank you for me."; title: "No problem, Mrs. Brown."; title: "Do you want to stay for dinner, Mantel?"; title: "No thank you, Mrs. Brown."; title: "You can go home now, Mantel."; title: "Yes, Mrs. Brown."; title: Naomi walked Mantel back to the front door. Mantel felt a mixture of embarrassment and exhilaration when Naomi placed her lips over his right ear and quietly whispered into it.; title: "Do you like me?"; title: He departed quietly from the house refusing to respond Naomi's playful tease.; title: "Has he gone, Naomi?"; title: "Yes, mum."; title: "Good. Then listen to me, girl. You must use this awful experience to make a difference in the world."; title: "I hate my life, mum."; title: "God will wipe away the tears from your eyes, Naomi and He will exchange your hatred for love."; title: Mrs. Ava Brown held Naomi hand tightly to reassure her that everything would be alright.; title: "I can't do it, mum. I don't want to speak to anyone."; title: "Your pain will heal in time, love. You must think beyond your distress and have a vision to be a blessing for others."; title: "What do you want me to do, mum?"; title: "What are you passionate about?"; title: "I wanted to be a social worker. I wanted to protect the most vulnerable people in our society and to make their world a safer place to live in."; title: "Good for you, my daughter. Do it, then."; title: Mrs. Ava Brown wasn't going to give up on her dreams for Naomi. No mugging was going to rob her of the vision which she held so clearly for her daughter. It was a temporary setback. She shared her vision with Naomi of how she wanted to improve her own living standards when she was a girl.; title: "My dad died when I was fifteen. We were really poor living on a few dollars a day. I used to walk on the rocky hills of Beniston with my bare feet. I couldn't afford to buy new shoes."; title: "You are not going to tell me about your life story again and again," chuckled Naomi.; title: "You haven't heard anything yet, dear."; title: "Things were hard back home. There was hardly any money going around in those days. We wore pass me down clothes and ate leftover food."; title: "You were poor, mum."; title: "We were you very poor?"; title: "We had pit toilets when I was a little girl living in Jamaica."; title: "I know that, mum."; title: "We are now in England, mum and things are a lot different."; title: "Yes my dear, you have it much easier here."; title: "Why don't you sit on the sofa, mum and rest your legs for a while."; title: "I could do with shut eyes."; title: Four; title: Five years have passed by since the mugging and a sixth form Naomi stared out of her bedroom window overlooking the industrial landscape of Lower Ashworth. Most days were the same. Each day followed a similar pattern. Boys were playing football on the streets and they would be using plastic bins as makeshift goal posts. The girls would be doing cartwheels on the communal land. But today was an exceptional day in the life of Lower Ashworth. The unusually arctic weather conditions in August kept the streets cleared of boys and girls. Everyone was saying if the weather forecast holds out much longer, Lower Ashworth would be a much safer neighbourhood. That was all about to change for the worst. It was too good to be true. The feel good factor was short lived. We didn't need to wait too long before a fatal tragedy shocked the citizens of Lower Ashworth and brought the world to its doorstep.; title: It all started when large clumps of snow slid off the BT phone Kiosk and two dark silhouette figures angrily emerged from the booth. The security lights of the grey stone wall church building shone bright enough to briefly highlight their facial features. The man's hair was matted and his black long hairy beard was smudged with white yogurt. His partner wore a full length brown fur coat with matching hat. She painted her dark black cheeks with a bright red lipstick and had replaced her missing eyebrows with the same lipstick.; title: They walked unsteadily onto the snowy ground, a few yards closer to the church building. The man's hair was matted and his dark black skin was covered with scabies and his body was shivering with cold but he was able to help the woman across the icy surface.; title: The shorter woman was holding a baby wrapped up in a blanket pressed closely to her chest. She lost her footing on the ice bringing down her companion. He felled awkwardly onto his back whilst the woman managed to stand up quickly onto her feet. The tall man felt embarrassedly on his backside. Because of his height he was struggling to stand up. His feet kept on slipping on the ice like a giraffe skating on the ice rink. The woman laughed at him hysterically and mocked him relentlessly.; title: "You are such a clumsy pig."; title: "I hate you, Sally."; title: "The feeling is mutual, Rupert."; title: "I can't help it, if I am falling down. It is slippery out here, woman."; title: "You can't do anything right, Rupert."; title: "Oh yes, I can."; title: "Oh no, you can't?"; title: "Go away, man."; title: He waved his fist furiously at her. She refused to react. He watched her like a lion eyeing his prey. He was ready to pounce for the kill.; title: "Come on then let's me see what you've got Sally."; title: She shied away from the man avoiding eye to eye contact with him. He was foaming from the mouth. He was mad with rage and slim in built. But, it was his intimidating voice which made her shake like a white bed sheet caught up in the wind.; title: "You are such an illiterate man" and "Don't you dear wave your fist at me again."; title: "Why don't you leave me alone, woman."; title: "I don't know what I ever saw in you, Rupert. It wasn't your brain and neither was it your looks."; title: "Yes. It must have been my personality."; title: "You don't have a personality, Rupert."; title: "Well why don't you leave me alone, Sally?"; title: "You're such a bully, Rupert."; title: "What did you say?"; title: "You heard me," shouted the woman.; title: "Really," shouted the man in response.; title: "I called you a bully," cried the woman.; title: She threw her shoe at Rupert hitting him on the head. The man grabbed her round her throat trying to chock her. He wanted to kill her but she was far too strong for him. She loosened his fingers from around her neck.; title: "You're one crazy man."; title: "One day I'm going to kill you, Sally" and "I mean it."; title: "I'll kill you first, Rupert."; title: "Why don't you leave me alone, Sally?"; title: "You're such a coward, Rupert."; title: "I'm no coward."; title: "You are a coward."; title: "Go away, Sally."; title: "You can only beat up defenceless women, Rupert."; title: "Just cool it woman."; title: "Where is he, Sally?"; title: "Who are you talking about, Rupert?"; title: "I am talking about the pastor, silly. Don't you know anything?"; title: "He'll be here soon."; title: "He'll better be here soon."; title: Rupert was becoming increasingly agitated. He hated waiting at the doctors to collect his medication and didn't want to wait at the old church building. They left several messages on the pastor's answering machine from the telephone booth. He was late.; title: "Did you phone the pastor yesterday?"; title: "Yes. You know I did, Rupert."; title: "I don't know whether you did or not."; title: "I phoned him yesterday and he told me he was coming to meet us here."; title: "Are you sure you phoned the right number, Sally?"; title: "I'm sure, Rupert."; title: "Are you really, really sure?"; title: "I have told you before mister, stop questioning me."; title: "And why isn't he here yet, dummy?"; title: "Don't you dear call me a dummy, Rupert?"; title: "You are such a dummy, Sally."; title: "I'm no dummy."; title: "You can't do anything right, can you, Sally?"; title: "Yes, I can."; title: "What can you do right then?"; title: "Well."; title: "Well what, I'm still waiting to hear from you."; title: "The pastor will soon be here. You must be patient, Rupert."; title: "Don't you dare tell me about being patient?"; title: "You are such a selfish man who cares only about himself."; title: "I don't care."; title: "My poor baby is sick and a prayer of a righteous man would definitely heal him."; title: "Let me pray for your baby."; title: "No Rupert."; title: "Why not Sally?"; title: The thought of Rupert praying for the baby were ridiculous to Sally. It made her giggle with laughter.; title: "I have more righteousness in my index finger than you will ever have, Rupert."; title: "I can pray for the baby."; title: "Rupert, look what you've done to my child."; title: "It was you, Sally, who told me that the baby had a demon inside him."; title: "I was unwell and my thoughts were unstable, Rupert. I couldn't think rationally."; title: "You looked alright to me, Sally."; title: "Everyone look well to you, Rupert. You've never been the same ever since you served time inside of prison. What on earth happened to you in prison, Rupert?"; title: "I don't want to ever talk about prison, Sally."; title: "I hate the living sight of you, Rupert. You went too far with my baby."; title: Rupert had not taken his medication for a few days when he was taking care of the baby. In fact, he had a psychotic episode when he was smoking marijuana with his so called friends on payday.; title: "I tried to beat the demon out of him as the voices commanded me."; title: "You were beating my baby not the devil."; title: "The voices inside of my head wouldn't shut up. They kept on crying all day long. I wanted them to stop. But they wouldn't. Where is the pastor now?"; title: "I have told you before the pastor will be here."; title: "How do you know? He's late and it's cold outside."; title: "It's not that cold, Rupert."; title: "Really, Sally."; title: "It's freezing cold, you dummy. Just feel the tip of my nose and fingers, they are dead. Touch me, then."; title: "Stop calling me a dummy, Rupert."; title: "You are a dummy and I hate you."; title: "Call me a dummy one more time and I'll..."; title: "And you do what?"; title: "If you think you're man enough to lay a finger on me. Come on then and touch me if you think you are a man," teased the woman.; title: "Don't dare me, Sally."; title: "I'm not a baby and I can defend myself. I'll fight you with all of my strength, Rupert."; title: The man turned his back and proceeded to walk away from the woman. He was extremely upset. The many years of criticisms, abuse and put me downs have ripped apart their relationships. There was no more respect or love for each other. For Sally, the relationship was over, dead and buried. But for Rupert, he had no place of his own. Sally's name was written down on the tenancy agreement. He needed to stay at Sally's accommodation or he would be made homeless and there was a shortage of rented properties in Lower Ashworth.; title: "Don't you dare turn your back away from me, Rupert?"; title: "I have had enough of you, Sally. I'm sick of you. I'm through with you. It's over."; title: "You are such a loser, Rupert. You have never been the man in our relationship. You're useless and you disgust me."; title: "I'll show you who the man is, Sally."; title: "Why now, it's too late."; title: "We can start a new life in a new place."; title: "I want my baby to be well."; title: "We can start afresh with a new baby. This time it will be our baby, Sally."; title: "You have always resented the baby because you weren't the baby father."; title: "You spent far too much time with the baby and not enough time with me."; title: "You're far too jealous of the baby, Rupert."; title: "I need some attention from you Sally as much as the baby."; title: "It's my baby. He can't feed himself. You can Rupert."; title: "I know that. But every time I look at the baby I see Philip. I disliked that man intensely."; title: "I don't care whether you like Philip or not, I want my baby to be healed."; title: "Come here, woman."; title: "Don't touch me, Rupert."; title: "You are my woman and I have a right to touch you."; title: "And I have a right to say no."; title: They squared up to each exchanging verbally insults. Tempers were boiling over.; title: "Mind my baby, jerk."; title: "Put the baby down, woman."; title: The baby was laid on the ground for safety reasons. The woman was now in her element pushing and shoving him back. The man held his ground standing firm in defiance. He refused to retaliate even when she scratched his face with her overgrown nails.; title: "Don't scratch me, woman."; title: "Do you want more?"; title: "No. I have had enough."; title: "Good. Serve you right. You've hurt my baby" and "I don't trust you anymore and I'll never will."; title: "He's here. Stop fighting me, woman."; title: "I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. We're not finish. Trust me."; title: The man and the woman were still at war with each other. The man used his long reach to keep her at arm length. At last he was using his intellect to some good effect. She was a bitterly depressed woman who was far more determined and mentally stronger than he was. She knew no social boundaries. He was the enemy as far as she was concerned and she made up her mind to terminate him by all means.; title: The sound of a misfired engine was sheer relief to the man. In fact he was ecstatic and overjoyed to see the welcoming sight of a car approaching them in the distance. He was losing the battle.; title: "It is about time too," said the man.; title: "It's lucky for you, he's coming or I would have certainly finished you off."; title: The woman's threat was not taken lightly. The man's dark skin was showing recent signs of small patches of white areas where he was scalded with hot water by Sally who acted in self-defence. For years he used acts of violence against her to keep her under his control. This time she had made up her mind that she would no longer choose to be his victim.; title: "I'm not frightened of you anymore, Rupert."; title: "You should be."; title: "Not anymore."; title: "Look at me, woman."; title: "I'm looking at you."; title: "I can see fear in your eyes, Sally."; title: "I can't live this life anymore, Rupert. I need to repent of my unkind deeds inflicted onto my baby. What we did was wrong. I need to be saved."; title: "I had always known you were going mad, Sally."; title: "Yes. I am mad enough to be with you, Rupert" and "Not mad enough to know when to leave you."; title: "I can no longer live with you anymore, woman. We are both destroying each other."