Broken

                       BROKEN

                       English 9

                      Alexis Scott

Janey never could quite grasp the reason why everything happened to her, or so it seemed. Why did something tragic always had to strike her family or someone close to her? Janey Martin had big dreams for herself. Even though she was seven she had the biggest imagination you could ever find. That summer those big dreams were shattered and the imagination no longer existed.

    Janey was seven and a half years old when she was kidnapped from her small town home in Sunnyside California. She never thought she would ever be the same. But on this warm Tuesday afternoon, 22 years after Janey came back to her home, she realized that being kidnapped was just the beginning of her fears.

This is Janey’s Story…

The Martins lived in a gated community. They were known as the “hot shots” of the town. All of the kids wanted to play at the their house, because they had everything. Even though the Martins may have seemed to have it all together and the perfect life on the outside, they were a horrible wreck on the inside.

The Martins daughter Janey was just kidnapped. When people had discovered that Molly Martin, the Martins other daughter, was killed in a car accident, it was breaking news on the television and highlights in the news paper. The family couldn’t handle it anymore. After two months of searching for Janey they gave up. They thought she was dead. They had no hope. Mr. and Mrs. Martin and their only child remaining moved to Minnesota. Hoping for a better star, and forgetting all about Janey,

                                               Ten years later
           “I’m getting out of here, Lacey,” Janey whispered. “I want you to promise not to let them treat you and Owen badly once I’m gone. I want you to stay strong. I will come back for you I promise.” She finished as a tear ran down her face. Janey grabbed her tiny friend and held her tightly in her arms. Lacey and Owen were the only two people who had become close to Janey when she was kidnapped. Lacey was was six years old and Owen was her three year old brother. Janey had pretty much filled the role as their mother, they had no one else. Janey couldnt believe what she was doing, but she knew she would definetly come back for them. There was no question about that. Janey loved those kids as her own and she wasnt going to forget them.
            “I promise.” Lacey replied. “We will wait for you.”  Janey jumped up on to a chair and slid her tiny self through the window. She quickly raced away not knowing where she was until she saw the old A&W that her and her parents brought her to the day she was taken. She thought back to that day, that first day in May when everything was perfect. Her dad had just gotten a new job and they just inherited a bunch of money. That day didn’t end well. Janey walked a bit further to a train station. She realized she was finally 17 and could buy her own ticket. She stepped up to the window, took a breath, and cleared her throat.

“I’ll have one ticket to Sunnyside, California,” she told the clerk behind the window.

“The next train comes in in about five minutes,” the clerk responded.

“Thank you,” Janey replied solemnly. She took the ticket and sat down on the bench next to rail, millions of thoughts traveling through she mind. “What if they don’t recognize me? What if they don’t believe it really is me? What if they don’t want me?” These thoughts terrified Janey. “Should I go back? Of course you should, Janey.” she said to herself. Not returning home is out of the question.

The train ride wasn’t that long, It seemed very quick considering all the things she had been wondering the whole ride there. Janey was a nervous wreck when the train pulled to a screeching holt. When she stepped off the train, she remembered exactly where she was. Her parents use to take her and her siblings to her grandparents house on the train once every month. It was one of the most exciting times her and her brother and sister would look forward to. She went right to the corner of the street. She only lived a block from the train station. It was short enough to walk. Janey turned the corner of her street and suddenly a shield of protection fell over her. She had felt this feeling once before yet it was not arriving. It was leaving her, and it was that day, that day the everything was ruined.

Janey stepped up to the gate and recognized Mack, the gate keeper. But she doubted he knew who she was. She pretended to be a house guest.

           “Hi. I’m here to meet with the Martins.”
           “Um.. There are no Martins that live here,” Mack replied.
           ‘What do you mean? Don’t Jack and Leah Martin still live here?
    “Um, I don’t think you have the right neighborhood. Are you looking for the Mayerans?”

“No! The Martins! I know they are here. They live  in house  402 on the right side of the road with their 2 kids, Molly and Shawn!” she stated firmly as a tear trickled down her cheek.

           “Im sorry dear, but the Martins left 10 years ago. They moved to Minnesota after they lost both of their daughters.”
           “What! What do you mean both? Both daughters? What happened to Molly?” Janey asked as her voice quivered.
           “Molly Martin was hit by a car, three months after Janey was taken,” Mack replied.
Janey turned away, tears falling down her cheeks like a waterfall. She had never felt this way. She felt like something that belonged to her and only her was taken, like she would never see them again. She looked up at Mack and she saw a bit of sympathy in his eyes.
    “They are gone, Is there anything I can..” Mack started and at that very moment the ground fell from beneath her and everything within Janey gave out.