Quincy is 13 and has a brother Jordyn who is 5. Quincy is abused sexually, physically, emotionally and verbally by his mother, and maternal grandparents. They all live in the same five bedroom house. Quincy does his best at protecting his young brother from the abuse. It was like taking anything from being locked outside during thunderstorms, to being raped by his grandfather.
At school he is found with cuts and bruises all over his torso and arms. The school calls the police and he and his brother are removed from the family home. Both brothers are put into a group home called Riley House. Luckily they can share a room.
They get assigned a social worker who finds homes who are willing to take Jordyn, just not Quincy. Their social worker places Jordyn, but nobody can control his out bursts of temper or hurting others around him. Only Quincy can deal with Jordyn. He is ADHD and aspersers disease. Eventually they are both placed in with a foster family. They take both boys. It took time, but Quincy and Jordyn soon settle and learn they can learn to be loved and to love back.
Excerpt
After the quickest shower I’d had
at school. Walking right into the locker room, just sat down in front of my
locker. I dried myself off and pulled on my boxer briefs I noticed Stefan Jeong
(Chung.) He walked up to me and looked at me in a concerned manner. I
quickly slipped on my polo shirt. Just tucked the polo into my pants
hoping nobody would see. Now I was fresh and clean I could feel the cuts
burning on my chest, back and legs. The cuts and marks on my arm were different.
People would see them. I just had to hide them, but how? I remembered my
jacket. I slipped it on and made it look like nothing was wrong.
Now I was ready to face the
world. Nobody would even think about the marks on my body. It was my secret. I
just had to keep my young brother safe. If I didn’t tell anyone I was keeping
him safe. He was alone in school. That was our safe haven. School was our way
to get away from the abuse we suffered at the hands of our guardians. Somehow I
would have to find a new home for the both of us. The thing was where? Who want
to look after someone else’s kids? Kids damaged like Jordyn and I.
I was about to leave the locker
room to go to lunch. I had to look for Jordyn to make sure he got fed. “Quincy,
why are you hiding the sores on your body? You need to tell someone about it.
Get help for the abuse your family do to you.” Stefan suggested. What did he
know? He never had to live with us. I was looking after Jordyn. I was
protecting him from mom and our grandparents. I was keeping him safe.
“I have to hide. You know my
family. If I told they’d hurt Jordyn. I just have to protect him more than
anything.
“You need to tell coach or I
will.” Stefan was right. I just didn’t want to face the actions if I told
someone. The beating would be worse. They’re bad enough right now. Plus grandpa
would attack Jordyn the way he attacks me. I wasn’t going to let anyone hurt my
brother. He deserved a happy life.
“No I don’t. You need to stop. I
can handle this myself. I have my ways of protecting my brother.” I tried to
explain to Stefan. Would he listen to me? I doubted it.
“What about you? You need to feel
protected and loved. You love your brother and protect him. What about you? You
need to think of yourself too.” Stefan said. He was right. I just wasn’t going
to tell him that though.
Do your best. I have to go check
up on Jordyn. He will need me.” I said as I walked out the locker room.
Once I walked into the corridor,
I saw thousands of other kids heading for the cafeteria. I pushed my way
through the crowds as I headed out the main building to the building which
housed the cafeteria and science labs and principal’s office and registration.
I knew if Stefan told I would be in big trouble if it got back to them at home.
I couldn’t have that. I was going to make sure Jordyn was alright. Go find
Stefan to stop him. Stefan telling an adult could ruin Jordyn and my life.
I walked into the crowded
cafeteria to find Jordyn getting harassed by some forth graders. Something
inside made me break. I stormed across the room and knocked a kid over. “Leave
my brother alone.” I shouted at him. Turning to Jordyn to make sure he was
fine. “What was he doing?” I asked my brother. He just smiled and giggled.
“He was just saying about a pep
rally tonight. I was told I had to be the team mascot. I didn’t want to.” That
was there plan huh? I wasn’t going to let them harass my brother due to him
being tall for his age.
I turned around to find Stefan
and Coach Manniton standing there behind me. I just wasn’t sure if I was in
trouble or not? I stood back to help the kid up. “Sorry, but you mustn’t force
people to do something they don’t want to do. It’s just not right.” I explained
to the kid. He smiled at me like I was his friend.
“Sorry but Jax told me to make
Jordyn do it. Jax is my big brother. He’s in your science and social studies
class.” He said turning to my brother and smiling. “Sorry Jordyn. Hope we’re
still friends. Jordyn nodded and smiled. Everything was now fine. I was glad.
“Tell Jax to come find me. I will
sort him out good.” I whispered to the kid. I knew Jaxon Flynn. He was the
trouble maker of eighth grade.
Coach Manniton put his hand on my
shoulder as I turned to face him. Getting the feeling I might be in big trouble
for knocking the forth grader on his rear end. I did apologize to the kid.
Maybe Coach will see I didn’t fully understand the situation with my brother.
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