Liberty Supple 9T
11/05/2015
Lara’s voice.
“Hello, Childline.”
“Hello, can you help me?”
“Yes. What is it you need help with?”
“I saw this number at school and thought it might help… I’ve got some problems, I guess, at
home.”
“Well I’m pleased you called. Can you tell me what’s happening at home?”
The voice on the other end of the line was that of a girl, probably about thirteen. She had
that voice that I had heard so often, a voice that sounded terrified, a voice that cried for
help. The time on my computer screen read 01:54 am. This was my last call of the night.
“I don’t have that much time.”
“Why is that?” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
She doesn’t have that much time? I immediately felt anxious. Why is she pushed for time? I
knew she was in danger.
“He’s gone out. My dad. He’s out having a drink in the pub down the road; he should be
back any time now.”
The girl’s voice was hushed. It sounded as if she was moving the phone away from her earmaybe to look around, to check that she was still safe.
“Is anyone at home with you?”
“No.”
She was alone; I knew it. I rolled my eyes: who would leave a young girl alone at this time?
But something told me that loneliness was the least of this girl’s worries.
“Can you tell me your name?”
“No I can’t. If he finds out I’ve been talking to you he’ll be so angry.”
“I can’t help you if I don’t know who you are. I know you are scared, but you can
trust us. Everything you say on this phone call is confidential. That means nobody
will know what you said unless you or someone else is in danger.”
Liberty Supple 9T
My words came out clear and strong. These lines were so rehearsed, said so often that I
almost forgot what I was promising.
“Okay. My name is Lara. I’m thirteen. Please, help me. He always comes home at
2. I need you to help me by then.”
My eyes swivelled back to the computer screen: 01.56.
I had four minutes.
“What do you need help with, Lara?”
“You have to stop him. I’m scared.”
Lara was pleading now, and her voice was rising higher and higher. She was breathing short,
raggedy breaths.
“Why are you scared, Lara?”
Lara seemed to ignore my question. She kept talking.
Sometimes he’s fine. Sometimes he gets home from the pub with some food from
the chippy. Sometimes he’s happy and fun.”
“And other times?”
“Other times, when he gets home he’s angry, so angry. I say one thing, and he just
goes mad. Possessed. Like an animal in a cage except someone’s let him out and
he’s coming for me… I can’t even feel it anymore.”
“Feel what, Lara? What can’t you feel?”
“I’m numb now, immune to it. I don’t cry anymore. I don’t fight back. That just
makes it worse. And at school they keep asking and asking. They keep asking
where I got the bruises from, and I say all the things he tells me to. But they don’t
believe me, I know they don’t.”
Lara sounded different now: she’d given up. I scanned my brain for the right thing to say. I’ve
heard this before but Lara’s voice is different. O1:58. I looked around the office. The people
there were all immersed in their own conversations; they couldn’t help. I was all Lara had.
Liberty Supple 9T
“I’ve done something bad. I bunked off school for a few days. I can’t face being
there. But I think someone told him because he’s been acting different. Like he
really hates me. Like he can’t cope with me anymore. He looked at mum like that,
that’s why she left. I think he was gonna kill her, and now it’s my turn, except I
can’t run away like she did.”
What am I meant to do? I couldn’t breathe. I felt sick. 02:03. He wasn’t back yet.
“Lara, where are you? You have to tell me where you are.”
“I thought this was confidential? You can’t come here- he’ll see you and he’ll know
that I’ve lied to him: I’ve betrayed him…”
“Lara, this isn’t your fault. But it sounds like you’re in danger, and we want to send
people who can help you. I just want to help, okay Lara? So can you tell me your
address please?”
Lara paused for a moment. I held my breath.
“Okay. I’m at 52 Grange Hill-”
Lara’s voice stopped suddenly.
“Lara, Lara are you there?”
I heard something in the background. What was it? A door opening? I couldn’t be sure. Then
all I could hear were feet, pounding, running, like a heartbeat getting faster and louder. Then
she came back.
“He’s here. Please help me. He’s coming up the stairs.”
Lara was crying now, but not like a cry I had heard before. This was a desperate cry, a
dangerous cry. Then I heard someone, coming closer and closer.
“Lara where are you?”
There was no response. I was too late. It was over.
“I’m so sorry”
Liberty Supple 9T
Lara’s voice came back, but it almost didn’t sound like a voice at all. It was more like an
echo, faint and distant.
“Why are you sorry, Lara? Are you ok?”
“I didn’t mean to hurt him. It was an accident. And now he’s just lying there.
There’s blood everywhere.”
Lara’s voice was empty, like all emotions had been ripped out of her.
“Lara, what happened?”
“He came for me. He was going to kill me, I saw it in his eyes. So I stopped him
before he could hurt me. I must have grabbed the lamp from the table and
smashed it on his head. It was so fast, I don’t even remember it. He looks so
peaceful now. He can’t hurt me anymore.”
And then the line went dead.
Lara’s voice was gone.