April's Story

My name is Morgan. This story is about my best friend, April. We met in first grade and I can recall the day perfectly. It was sunny out and we were playing on the playground. I had seen her there after school hours when I was playing with my dad and my little sister Klara. I pushed Klara down the slide when April came walking up. She had on a long sleeve shirt and pants. I immediately thought that was weird because it was hot out. I, along with all the other kids was in shorts and a tanktop, but I didn’t question her. Not then anyway. We started to play and I said "Where’s your daddy?"

"At home." She responded flatly.

"Why doesn’t he play with you?" I asked again, we were swinging on the swings and she pushed herself higher.

"He’s busy." And she left it at that.

We became very close. We were still friends years later.  We were in fourth grade, and April never stopped wearing long sleeves and pants. I didn't notice it that much until that year, but looking back on it, that's all she ever wore. However, I thought it was just what she was comfortable wearing.

We were on the playground again and this time it was during school. I pulled her under the slides, so we were alone. I asked her, "Why are you still wearing long sleeves and pants?"

"I will tell you only if you promise not to tell anyone," she whispered.

"Okay, I promise."  I felt worried.

She pulled up her sleeve and said "See this? This is what my daddy does." She pointed to two bruises on her right arm. She pulled up her shirt to reveal her stomach. "See this one? That one was from my brother. These three are from my daddy." The one she said was from her brother was a bite mark.

"My sister bites me sometimes too." I said trying to push it off, because although I have gotten spanked I had never gotten bruised. But, how did she get bruised if I never did? When I went home I thought about telling my dad, and then decided not to.

The days passed, and gradually you could see other parts of April's body becoming bruised. The next day, April wasn't at school. I told my dad, and he said he would go talk to a teacher the following morning. I agreed.

The next day instead of just dropping me off like usual, my dad told me to stay in the car.  He got out, and went to talk to Mrs. Huff, our teacher. Then he turned to me and I saw a tear escape his eye. He tried to hide it, but not fast enough. I climbed out of the car. "What's wrong dad?" I asked.
 

"Morgan." He walked over to me and knelt down, and put his hand on my shoulder. "April isn't coming back to school."

"She’s sick? Kevin had the flu the other day too. She must have got it from him." I said.

"No. Morgan, she isn’t coming back."