Better Life? Part 2 free porn video

My Stories may be added to Any Free Access Archive with similar content as long as the content is not modified and this notice and the copyright are maintained. Direct comments and email to [email protected] This is the second part of 'Better Life?' a story of a person born as Tom Clark but he is now Betty Smith. You really need to read the first part before you can begin here. If you read part one with a submission date in the spring of 2001, please find the revised version dated in the fall of 2001 and read it before you read this part. Thank you all for interests in my stories. Better Life? Part Two By John Howarth (c)copyright 2001 John Howarth Forward As the previous text has ended, Betty Smith is back at the much changed orphans home. She returns weak and tired after being royally treated by the American judicial system. She finds her adversary is now part of the home and it seems she has given Betty another cutting blow by taking over. Because of things that happened previously the home has more than doubled in the number of girls being cared for in less than two weeks time. This has filled the building leaving no room or even a bed for Betty. To her this is no longer home. She is weak and dehydrated from 6 days without any food. In addition she was having physical female problems and much pain with them. She has been back for less than an hour and she is already fast asleep on the sofa in the living room. What she faces in the next few days is finding a new wardrobe of clothes because she has lost so much weight, the problems of dealing with her expulsion from high school, and having missed about a full week of school time. In addition she must deal with the housing situation and the feeling she has deep inside that she no longer belongs here and she is no longer wanted. Her mind is tormented with doubts. She wonders if all the promises made to her are hollow promises. Her sleep is disturbed. New Start (?) Or is it! Betty wakes to the sound of the girls eating and talking. She is starving but she knows there is no place at the table either. Her sorrow is broken by internal fits of rage, does anyone care if she lives or dies. She dozes off again. Later she wakes to only distant sounds of the girls in their rooms. She dozes again and wakes to the sound of breaking glass. It is the glass of the old front door. she hears the door open and sees the shadow of someone entering the room. She smells the smell of beer on the breath of this person. She sees the muzzle of a shotgun against the light coming in the window. She tries to get up but in her weakened state she is too slow. She passes out as she is struck by the butt of the shotgun. The man wraps her in the blanket the housemother had put over her earlier. The man lifts her and heads out the door as several police cars are approaching. He jumps over the porch railing and drops the six feet to the ground behind the bushes. His gun discharges into the air. He drops me and takes two shots at the police and disappears into the darkness. It is snowing and he manages to evade the police and escapes. When the police return to the home they find the housemother crying in the living room. They ask her what is wrong. She replies, "Whoever it was has taken Betty." The two officers look at each other and the senior officer says. "If he plans on holding her hostage you will get a call sometime tomorrow. He got away and with the snow falling so heavy we have no trail to follow." "I hope he didn't kill her, I heard three shots." she said. The housemother used cardboard and tape to cover the hole in the doors glass. She went back to bed but could not sleep. When the first girls came down they found her weeping on the sofa in the living room. All they could get out of her was, "She's gone, she's gone." She was unable to even prepare food for them. Donna and Suzie did what they could to feed everyone and get them off to school. Both of them were late getting to school. None of them actually knew what had happened. They knew I was not there and there was a broken glass in the front door, but nothing more. If anyone had looked where I had been dropped there was no clue I was buried under the snow that had fallen overnight. I did not wake up that morning and I was not found. I was wrapped in the blanket and covered with snow. Late in the day there was a coating of hard ice over the top of the snow. I woke up and I felt cold. I tried to move and it felt like I was being held down by some invisible hand. I could hear the voices of girls. I began to yell for help but all I could make was a muffled cry. The voices got quieter and I called again. I now sensed voices getting closer. I heard one say, "It sounded like it came from over here." I called. "Help, I'm over here." One was very close. She said. "Betty is it you?" I tried once more. "Yes, in here." The girl yelled. "It's Betty, she's buried in the snow and there is a hard crust of Ice over her. Get me something to break the ice, a shovel or something." Carefully they broke the crust of ice away and uncovered me. By this time the housemother was on the porch above us. She said. "Don't move her, I've called for an ambulance. If we move her we could do major damage to her." Within minutes the ambulance had arrived. They asked questions and when they had the answers they began to carefully remove me. I was put on a stretcher still wrapped in the blanket. I was put in the ambulance and taken to the hospital. Carefully in the emergency room I was unwrapped. Slowly my body temperature was increased. I was packed with heavy blankets to warm me up. The housemother left Donna in charge and she headed for the hospital to be with me. When she arrived she talked to the doctor and he said he thought there would be little damage because I had been wrapped in the heavy blanket and because my metabolic rate seemed very low my body had an easier time of maintaining my body heat. At last she was bought to me I was awake and I smiled. "I guess I almost turned into a Popsicle." "Through all this, at least you still got your sense of humor." She said. "Sometimes that is all I have left to keep me sane. This life has had some real nasty tricks in store, and I've got the distinct feeling it's gonna get worse before it gets better." I said. "It's already worse, I was notified by the school yesterday that even if you were allowed to return to school it would be likely you'd have to repeat this year. That is mostly because of lost time. I also think there is still a hint of punishment in it. It seemed like a threat. I think they are blaming you for all that has happened at the school since your arrest. It got pretty bad." she said. "After my arrest, till Wednesday my life consisted of sitting in a 4 foot by 10 foot cell, without food. Except for that cell I was shuttled to a courtroom 3 times. The last time I was sent to Bridgewater for 30 days." I said. "Bridgewater is an adult prison. You should have never been sent there." She said. "Nothing that happened to me after I was arrested was supposed to happen. They were trying to kill me. I am very fortunate to be alive." I said. "And Wednesday night. What happened." she asked. "Not much to tell, I woke up when the glass in the door was broken. The person reached in and opened the door. I smelled heavy beer breath and saw the shadow of the muzzle of a shotgun. I tried to get up. I was struck and knocked out. I'd guess by the butt of the gun. Then I wOke up where you found me." I said. "Did you wake up at all, this is Thursday." She said. "No I just woke up when I was found." I said. "You think it was Mr. Clark?" she asked. "Whoever it was did not say anything, but if I were placing bets I would bet he was just grabbing the first girl he found to be used as a hostage to get Jane back." I said. "That would be my bet. He fired 3 shots but the police have no suspects." she said. "If they can find a bullet, maybe they can nail him. I may be willing to press charges." I said. "I'll get on it as soon as I get back." she said. "How long will I be here?" I said. "They are not sure yet, they will know better in the morning. I do have something that will make you feel better, do you know who found you?" She asked. "No, all I could hear was muffled voices." I said. "It was Dawn. She has been in the chapel at least twice a day since she came to us, She only prayed for you. She never expected anything bad to happen to you and she is being haunted by bad dreams every night. She blames herself for what happened to you. She really needs you to forgive her." She said. "Mother what Dawn did was normal teenage stuff. What happened later was what happens when adults stick their fingers in places they should stay out of. I can easily forgive her and I will do it in front of the other girls." I said. "I've got to go, I have a lot to do. I may have good news tomorrow." She said. I smiled as she left. I was moved to a room and at supper had a good meal. In the morning I was examined by several doctors and was told I could go home as soon as someone came to pick me up. The housemother arrived at 10 and I was released. She took me back to the home. We quickly went inside. She took me to the room that had been my room, then converted to a chapel. It was now my room. "We can use the living room as a chapel, you must have your room back." I kissed her and hugged her saying. "Thanks mom." She left me. I found all my stuff was here. I really needed a shower so I got what I needed and went to the shower. While I was still in the shower someone came in on me. It was the housemother. "I need to see how bad things really are, let me have a look at you." I shut the water off and came out. For a second she stared, "You really don't look good. It's obvious you've been through a lot. Now stand still so I can measure you. You have nothing that will fit right." She got a pad of paper and a tape measure. She took some measurements and marked them down. She quickly left. I jumped back in the shower and I stayed there for a while longer. The warm water made me feel much better. I got out and dried off. It always took a long time dealing with my long hair. I pulled on a long nightgown and tied a belt around the middle to make a sort of dress. I went back to my room. I felt a whole lot better. I laid down and rested till lunch. I sat down to eat and talk to the housemother. I spent the afternoon unpacking my stuff from the boxes used for storage. At 4:30 the housemother came to my room. She handed me a bag and said. "Here are some clothes, get dressed and be ready at six." I looked at her. "I'm really not up to going out." She turned to me and snapped. "You're going, or I will take you over my knee. And you put on the dress, you are expected to look respectable." I closed the door and opened the big bag and emptied the bag on the bed. There was no bra and I no longer needed one. I found new panties and a tank style girl's top. I put them on and began to look at the other clothes. The dress was a fancy almost formal dress. There was a matching purse. I put on the full slip then put the dress on and it was just a little loose but not a bad fit. I put the needed things in my purse and went looking at jewelry. I found a silver necklace with a cross and put it on. I looked at earrings and chose some tiny jeweled studs. I had not worn any earrings before so it took a minute to put them on. I got out my good winter coat. I was just about finished when there was a knock at the door. "Come in." It was the housemother and she looked me over. She said. "Only one more thing." She handed me a tube of lipstick. I looked at it and said. "You better help me with that. I could make a real mess." She looked at me puzzled then realized I'd never worn any lipstick before. She showed me how and I was ready. "Now get your coat on and let's get going. The bus is waiting." I walked to the living room and joined the rest of the girls. The housemother joined us and we went out to the waiting bus. She locked the doors and joined us. It was Matt's father driving. He smiled when he saw me. I took a seat and we soon headed out. I watched where we were going. I was a little surprised to see us pulling into the biggest fanciest place around. This place got all the fancy weddings and social events. Just to get a booking was near impossible. He parked the bus and we went in. We entered the large hall and were directed to our seats. At last after waiting for the hall to fill Matt's dad went to the front platform. He called for quiet and proceeded with the blessing over the food. Then the food was served. We began to eat. I was aware that people were watching me. I tried to ignore what I was feeling. I tried to concentrate on eating without making a mess of myself. At last the speaking part of the program began. When the Mayor was introduced I thought this was going to be some boring political speech. He stood and scanned the crowd. He at last saw me. For a second my blood ran cold. He was staring at me. He began to speak. "Welcome, The events of the past few weeks have been difficult for all of us. It is a black mark against our city. There has been a heavy price paid for the abuse of power that has been revealed. The entire face of the city police and the court system has changed. The school system has been totally trashed and torn apart. What remains of the high school is a far different school than it was just a month ago. I am proud to say none of my people were involved, yet history will no doubt blame me for it, and indeed I must clean up the mess and put in new safeguards to prevent anything like this from ever happening again. "There has been much hardship suffered and the suffering continues to worsen. There are already many split homes and many children left in limbo because their parents were part of this. Many face jail time and loss of jobs. As is always the case, the children get hurt. Every city division that deals with children is overloaded with work. Every home is full to overflowing. It is going to take time to deal with all the problems. "In the High school alone there have been over a dozen teachers who have been fired or have resigned. Of the administration only Mr. Parker remains. All the others have left with loss of severance pay and will never work in a school system in this state ever again. Additionally they must pay back all misused funds they handled. And where ever they move they will be required to do five years of working for charity causes or face jail time. The state is reviewing the city's handling of disabled, handicapped, minority or disadvantaged children. Any wrongs found will be righted at the city's expense. "In the police department the entire department has been totally restructured in a way to provide incentives for reporting improper activities. My office will handle this independent of the department. Many in the department have already quit refusing to work under the new system. "The changes at the court level consist of a state review weekly in a way that will catch any court abuses. There will be proper records kept of every person processed by the system in any court. We hope this kind of abuse is no longer possible within the new structure. The judge involved with the abuse this time will never serve in the court system of the United States ever again and his bar certification has been revoked and he cannot ever practice law in this nation as well. That covers the most severe part of the problem. "Now the part of this I have dreaded for the last two days. It is facing the one child who was most damaged by all that has happened. I am told Wednesday night she suffered another indignity and was missing till late yesterday. Till an hour ago I did not even know if she would be here or not. I of course am speaking of Betty Smith. Will you come up here?" He said looking right at me. I stood and walked forward. The Mayor shook my hand and smiled. "Will you say a few words?" I nodded, and he stepped back. I stepped to the stand. "What he said is true, Wednesday night the home was broken into. I was hit over the head and knocked out. I woke up late yesterday outside wrapped in a blanket buried under a snow bank, and I still have no idea how I got there. I was in the hospital till 10 AM when I was released. I got back to the home and took a shower. At 4:30 the housemother handed me some clothes and said to get dressed, I was going out. I said I was not up to it. You all know how mothers can be. She told me I was going or she would warm my backside, and seeing that I have very little backside left to spank I figured I better get dressed. Anyway here I am, ill prepared to speak. I have no prepared text." I paused and scanned the room. "I think I will use this time to answer a few questions and give a little advise. The question I expect to get most is if I had it to do over again would I do things differently. My answer is basically NO; I might have sought a contempt of court in the first trip to the court rather than the last. I really didn't want to lose this much weight. "As far as things at school I would not change a thing there. I am who I was then and one thing all of this has shown me is I must be true to myself. I have no regrets in my heart. And so you know I have no hate for any of the students in the high school. Even the girl who seemed to have an axe to grind with me, Dawn. I never had any feelings for or against you. Dawn is now part of the girl's home I am in. Dawn will you join me for just a minute." I wait as she comes up. I held her at arms length, "Gee does anyone have a pie I can use?" I chuckle. "No really I figure this might be the best way to help heal things in the school. Dawn I forgive you for everything you feel you have done to me. My only scorecard lists only the 2 incidents within the school cafeteria. The rest is not your fault and I do not blame you, but I forgive it all, and to the rest of the school I forgive anything you may feel you did to me that you regret. I think we all need to start with a clean slate. I forgive everyone in the school." Dawn smiles and says. "May I speak?" I nodded as she faced the audience. "What I have to say is a sort of confession and some things that happened at school yesterday. First, looking back I was a spoiled brat. I was pushed by my parents to do things that were not really in my heart, but after the incident as I watched things unfold, and I watched my folks taking great joy in hurting Betty and violating all that is proper and just, I had a change of heart. "I have told Betty and others that my parents have split and my mother had disowned me. The truth is this; my folks left the area the day after Betty disappeared. I in fact disowned them because they refused to face what they had done. I stayed to make right what I have done. I helped with info I heard. I asked the housemother at the home Betty lives in to accept me into that home. The reason is to heal the hurt I had caused. I thought I was hot stuff; I had the biggest circle of friends of any in the school. I had power as class president. "But Betty bought me down with words alone. She did not use force, or power, or intimidation. She bought me down by laying bare for all to see, just what I really was. It was and is a sobering experience. She was more what I wanted to be than what I was. I was living my mother's lies, and I loved every second. I was a broken woman; let me correct that, I was a broken little girl playing a very deadly game. I was frightened at what I had become." She sighed. "In staying to face Betty, I felt in my heart that she could never forgive me, but I had to try. She has forgiven me and I forgive her for all she said to me. It perhaps better she did it before she knew the other things I have done. Some will say these things were attempts to buy my forgiveness. That is not the case. "At school the day my parents left I resigned as class president. My friends who were part of the incident have done nothing to make amends. They still don't understand. Or they just don't care. I try to imagine myself going through what Betty has been through and I just can't. I would be dead. Yesterday a vote was taken at the school to replace me as class president with Betty. I placed her name in nomination. "The junior class was all for Betty with only 6 votes against, and it isn't hard to figure out who those 6 votes are. We had the sophomore and Senior classes vote as well but only as an advisement, and they were 100% for Betty. These things have been done, however as yet my resignation has not been accepted by the faculty, and as of this second Betty is still considered expelled. She has not yet been reinstated. "There is also a problem, which may prevent her from even returning to school till next fall. She has already lost too many days and if the rules are enforced Betty must repeat this entire school year. The students voted on this as well and over 75% think she should be granted a waiver for the attendance problem. The faculty was polled as well and except for one person was totally against Betty and totally for the written rules. "Because I am yet Junior class president and I have the agreement of the other class presidents to support a school boycott starting Tuesday morning for as long as it takes to change things. The students will picket and will disrupt and will do whatever is necessary to shut down the high school till Betty is fully reinstated with whatever waivers are necessary. This will also be conditional on accepting of my resignation as class president and replacing me with Betty. "If this cannot be solved quickly there will be no classes till next fall. I had planned to wait till Monday to publicly release this but because tonight is a special night for Betty, I feel I needed to share this now so she knows the entire school is with her. I feel this is the last time I will act as junior class president." She steps back. I smiled as she went back to her seat. I faced the audience. I considered then began. "I don't like the idea of further confrontation but that decision is not mine to make. I will not make threats of any kind. I will be in the school office Monday morning and I must deal with the problems my own way. To help you all in your resolve in these matters. "If we were to shut down the school, we could do things to pass our current grade without the school. If we study there is provision to take a state exam to certify a passing grade for the year. We need sacrifice nothing to make changes. I did not compromise my values or my morals even when I knew I was facing death. I did what I needed to do. We all need to set goals and to not give up no matter who or what stands in our way. "I do thank those working to help me recover from the past few weeks. I have already proved I am strong enough for anything that comes along. The decisions made are difficult ones, and will not be easy. I will however not support violence, so if you are seeking power through threats or violence you better rethink your goals. If it comes down to violence I will see any of you arrested, held and tried for any real crime committed. With that I will get off the soapbox. This is not my meeting and we have already gone far astray of the intent. Mr. Mayor I appreciate what is being done." I stepped back. "Ms Smith I am sure we all appreciated every word you have said. What I have here is a token of the cities gratitude in the form of this medal for being an outstanding citizen. There is a citation, and a check for $10,000.00 to be placed into a trust for you when you reach age 21. There will also be a settlement from the courts at some future date to compensate you for all that has happened. "There are other things in the works and they will help you and others in your situation. I thank you for being so kind to us. I feared to face you because I thought you might not be able to see and comprehend the total picture. You grasp it better than many adults; I do agree with Dawn you are a Lady. Thanks." He shook my hand and I went back to my seat. He faced the audience and said, "Our final speaker will be Mr. Parker who is the temporary principal of the high school. Mr. Parker." He said and Mr. Parker came up to speak. He looked at me, and at Dawn. He said. "I rejoice at Betty's strength and at Dawns willingness to change. Great strides have been made. Betty you will be in my office at 8:00 Monday morning, and we shall see what is possible, however I am not real hopeful. "What needs to be done has never been attempted and the system resists change. The odds of even a small change are terribly small. There will be serious problems if there is an attempt to shut down the high school. That will not happen, That is a problem of law, as the school must be open a certain number of days per year or the school will lose state certification. That means even with no students the school must be open. The police will keep the school open so be forewarned and violence will not be tolerated. "As far as Dawn's resignation, it will not be accepted. There is no provision to replace her no matter what the vote is. If she refuses to finish the year there will simply be no class president. And without a class president, no chance of a junior prom. I don't like to be the bearer of bad news, however you do need to know the facts. "And last yes you can take a state exam for the grade but that test is so difficult only about 5% pass it. Even if you pass the test it does not mean the school board will accept the result, that is their option. In our high school I would guess less than 25 students in each grade would pass. "Do not select that option as the easy way out. There will be time and ways to fix things and I am sure Dawn, the students and Betty will not like most of them. I would suggest everyone respect what Betty says and wishes. Whatever she decides IS what she will follow through on. I will do the best I can, but the truth be known there is not a lot that can be done. Mr. Mayor I think I have said enough." He stepped down and the Mayor closed the meeting. We filed out to the bus and soon were back at the home. There was little talk on the way. At the house everyone went into the home, that included Mr. Parker. Mr. Parker took me to my room. He told me to sit down. I did and he said. "This is not a lecture, and I am not scolding you. There have already been several school board meetings about you and the rest of the stuff. The last meeting was today after school closed. You will be offered the option of returning to school immediately but agreeing to repeat this semester starting in January. This will put you six months behind your class. You can take a full class load at summer school and make up some of the classes. If you refuse this option, the expulsion will stand till the end of the school year. That is all that will be done. You will not become class president, as you must be with your class grade wise to hold an office of any kind. You will meet the school board and you will be given the choices." "If I take the state exam for the semester?" I questioned. "The state exam is not per semester. Final exams for the quarter are this week and there is no way you could prepare for them. The state exam is for the entire school year and under this situation will not be offered to you. If that were to be attempted the school board has to request and authorize you taking it. They will not. I suggest you take what is offered." He said. "I will suggest you prepare for problems, a very big problem, I can beat the system if I need to. I have not seen any choice I find even close to workable. I will think about it and I will suggest my own solution to the school board. I suggest they listen because if I read the students correctly, with one word I could easily make the school into a pile of rubble. All I need to do is approve it. I do not need to even be part of it. I will not threaten the school board and I will not step outside the bounds I consider normal. I know my place and I know when I am being screwed. I will speak properly and I will be right in what I do and suggest. I will consider anything reasonable. And so you know I don't care about the class presidency, I do not seek it and though I would do what the class desires, I do not want it." I said. He said. "So you know I will be at the meeting with you but this meeting is between you and the school board. I have no power there, I must be there because I am the Vice principal. If things go badly I will tender my resignation at that meeting. It is very likely I will be handing in my resignation. I don't like it either but I needed to tell you so you know what your chances are." "I placed my chances at nil even before you spoke a word. I have my own plans in place since I was expelled. I will graduate on time with my class and I will bet money on it. I know the system far better than you'd ever guess. And you already know defeat is not an option." I said. "Are we still friends?" I said. "Even now you are more of a friend than you will ever know. Yes, you are still my friend." I said. "Then know there are plans working that I cannot tell you yet, but depending upon what happens tomorrow, there could be much change very quickly. I know you will not take punishment you do not deserve." He said. I replied simply. "Thanks." I gave him a light kiss. He departed and I undressed for bed. I was real tired and was asleep quickly. I did sleep well. In the morning I ate with the girls then I was picked up for a hearing at the courthouse concerning the break at the home on Wednesday. They had the man who did it and it was Tom's dad. I was taken right in and bought forward. The judge looked down at me. "You are Betty Smith?" "Yes." I said. "I will be seeing you quite often for a while. I hope you can act like a lady." He said. "I know how to act. Though I am a minor, I know my place, and I am a reasonable person with expectations that are realistic." I said. "Very well, Mr. Clark has already confessed concerning what happened to you on Wednesday night. I really don't want to assign prison time because of the problems in his family. If you press formal charges he will do time." He said. I smiled and said. "If certain things are done, I will not press charges. I will drop them and we can get out of here." "Very well, what would you like done concerning Mr. Clark." He said. "Several things, one, Mr. Clark will have his firearms permit revoked and he will be prohibited from ever getting a gun permit ever again. Two he will immediately sell or lose his gun, and three that Mr. Clark pay in full for my medical care at the hospital yesterday." I said. "Is that all?" He said. "Yes, nothing more." I said. "Very well, what you suggest will be done and one additional thing. Mr. Clark will have a restraining order preventing him from going to the home for any reason and he must not have any contact with you or Jane Clark." he said. "To the last item, except if we go to His home. It may be necessary from time to time." I said. "Very well, I am done with you, you will need to sign papers." He said. I signed papers and was taken back to the home. The weekend seemed short and at last it was Monday and I got ready for school with the other girls. I went to school and was in the office at 8:00 am. I had to wait till the school board arrived and met a few minutes before they would see me. I was sent in. I stood before the board. The president of the school board addressed me. "Betty Smith you are here to deal with your expulsion from this school. What has happened outside this school is of no consequence here. It does not matter that you were captive and unable to attend school, it does not matter that then members of this schools faculty and others were the cause of your captivity. All we can say is we are sorry. "Your current problem is you have missed more days this semester than is allowed for the entire school year, by state law. The only solution that we can offer is to lift the expulsion allowing you to return to school, however you must repeat this semester starting in January." I smiled, "I do not find that solution acceptable because there is no way to catch up with my class and graduate on time. Two sessions of summer school will not give me the credits I need to catch up. I however am going to ask you simply remove the expulsion and waive the attendance because I think even with finals this week that I will still be able to pass enough subjects to make on time Graduation possible." I said. "Looking at your school record from the past that would be very unlikely. If you had a better record perhaps. Our offer still stands and is the only one possible." He said. I looked at Mr. Parker. He knew what I was thinking. He nodded 'no'. I faced the president of the school board. "I will think about your offer. It seems I really have all the time before the new semester to decide. I do not need to be here now." "We need you to approve it today and return to classes immediately. If you wait we could refuse to take you back." He said and I sensed tension in his voice. I nodded faintly 'yes' and I said. "Yes, you certainly need me to say yes, but as my problems outside this school do not count and make no difference, I am not a part of and I do not condone what the students have said and voted, I too am sorry, but it is not my problem." He raised his voice and pounded the table. "I will make it your problem." I stood observing him for a long minute. At last I said. "Do you wish to retract or modify what you just said?" He stood up and said. "Most definitely not. I don't have to listen to your mouth. And I don't need to even listen to anything you say." I came over and grabbed him by the collars of his suit coat. Mr. Parker got up; I looked at him and said. "I am not out of control." he moved and sat back down. "You sir are acting like an immature child. If you were placed in my situation and had to go through all I have been through, you would not survive it. All this meeting is, is one of your power plays, 'do as I say or else'. I can walk out of here and be in another high school tomorrow morning. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. And considering all I have been through and the fact that you know about it, you dare to even try this sort of thing. I do not bow to threats, direct or implied." I threw him back in his seat. He stood stunned. "You have threatened us." "Wrong, the students of this school have threatened you. It is the students you need to deal with, not me. I don't need you, but you need me, but from the look of the lot of you, you ain't got the balls to deal fairly with me never mind them. When you can come up with a fair and balanced offer I may listen. Good day!" I turned and walked out. I waited in the hallway and Mr. Parker came out about 5 minutes later. He saw me and brightened up. He said. "Come on, we got work to do." He took me out to his car. We got in and were soon on the way back to the home. He parked the car and we went inside. Once inside he smiled. "You were simply perfect, it was beautiful. I love it." "They are part of the problem." I said. "Yes, but they did not get caught. I gave them my resignation. But have no fear all is not lost." he said. "You used me?" but it was not a question. "Of course I did but you will be most pleased at the result. As soon as the housemother is ready we can get going." he said. "Do I have time to change?" I said. "You'd be better in some old jeans and an old shirt anyway. Yeah, go change." He said. I came back within five minutes and found the housemother waiting. We went out to the car. Mr. Parker began to drive and said. "I have been very busy for the last 2 weeks. Today we made a clean break with the past. Both of you are very much a part of it." He drove up into the high rent district where there were mansions and big estates. He came to one and got out and unlocked a huge iron gate. He moved the car inside and locked the gate again. He drove up to the house and got out. We went to the front door of the huge house. He unlocked the front door and we went inside. He smiled. "Welcome to the new girl's home, if we get to work you sleep here tonight." "We cannot afford this." said the housemother. "I've been working on this since I first met Betty. It is a donation. We have set up a non-profit corporation to manage the financials of this. The home will be named the Betty Smith home for girls. I hope you don't mind my dear." He said as he kissed my hand. I was red. "Oh wow, this is going to be great." I said. "I've got the financing for almost ten years lined up." he said. "Is there a home for boys planned?" I said. "We have a facility for troubled teens, we don't have a lot of call for placement of boys. Fathers fight to keep their boy children, but often daughters are cast off." He said. He took us for a tour of the building and showed us the things that needed to be done. First thing was to decide on room assignments and make up signs. The housemother assigned me the room detail while Mr. Parker went back to the old home to pack and move some stuff, but this place had most of the needed stuff. They made a number of trips as I worked on room assignments. The center reception area would get a Christmas tree and decorations and that was also my job after lunch. The next room in back was originally a huge ballroom/banquet room. It was now set up as a dining room with tables and chairs. Off the left and right sides of that room were 2 rooms, which were set up as kind of living rooms, one would be junior high and one would be senior high. The kitchen was behind the dining hall. Rooms were off the right and left of the main reception room, the senior high were to the right and the junior high to the left. The upstairs was divided the same way and gave enough space for a lot more girls than we had. Here it would be 2 girls to a room for senior and 4 to a room for juniors. I got to pick my roommate. It would be Donna who had helped me most. I had the list from the old rooms to go by and generally kept those the way they were. When the housemother returned she did not approve of one assignment, mine, she wanted me to have a room alone. I disagreed but shifted things to reflect that change. She had packed and bought all my stuff so I just moved the boxes to my room and closed the door. Mr. Parker had gotten the big Christmas tree up and helped me get the lights strung and left me to decorate. I had a ladder to use on the high parts. I broke for lunch when mom said she had it ready. There was a small table and chairs in the kitchen and we ate there. I returned to my decorating and spent till 3 decorating the reception area and the dining room. Then I helped set the tables for supper. Just after 2 Mr. Parker had left and would return with the rest of the girls later. While I was setting up tables the housemother came out to talk. She said. "What happened at high school this morning." "I was given a choice that was no choice at all. I think Mr. Parker probably taped it and will play the tape tonight. Anyway the net result will be the students will probably strike and boycott the school starting tomorrow." I said. "Were you a lady?" she asked. "I was till the school board president threatened me. Mr. Parker thought I had lost control but when I was done he knew I was in total control. I would think there was a lot going on right after I left." I said. "If you handled president Bacon anything like the others you've dealt with, I will enjoy it very much. He's one of the worst and he's smart enough not to get caught. He caused me no end of troubles 20 years back." She said. "Oh, I know Mr. Bacon very well. He treats kids with handicaps worst than orphans. I had to deal with him in my old life. I beat him then and he will be beaten this time and it will be his fault, not mine." I said as the phone rang. The housemother picked it up and said. "Yes, Mr. Parker." As I watched her she turned pale. At last she hung up. "Go put your dress back on and get ready to go back to the high school. Matt is on the way to pick you up. I'll talk to you while you change." I gulped. We went to my room and I found the dress and quickly changed. She told me briefly. "The school board has taken all the senior high girls from this home hostage. They want you and will trade all the girls for you. For every fifteen minutes you do not show up, one of the girls will be shot, but not in a vital area. The first girl to be shot will be Dawn. You cannot get back there before she is shot. Mr. Parker is being held as well. I fear for your life." "Mother is concerned about Dawn and the others. They will not kill me. If they kill me the state will come down so bad, and the students will riot. I don't think they want that." I said but the fear was beginning to show. "I don't know, desperate men do foolish things." She said as we see Matt coming in the driveway. I kissed her and ran out the door. I get in the car and Matt says. "Hang on we get a police escort at the gate." He swung out of the driveway and picked up the speed. I'd never been on such a wild ride. We pulled up to the new building of the school. Matt said "Good Luck" as I got out. The street was filled with ambulances and the old building was in flames. I entered the building and was taken under police guard to the main office. Once there the police had all the other hostages freed except Mr. Parker and me. I was taken in and joined Mr. Parker. I sat down and had a shotgun aimed at my head. Mr. Bacon said. "Show this little slut that that thing is loaded." The one with the gun shot Mr. Parker in the side and had the body thrown out in the hall. Mr. Bacon turned to me and said. "Now you know how much balls I got. I've been dealing with sluts like you long before you were born. You are just a small annoyance, some call you a martyr but I prefer a more practical description. That is Fool. You should have taken my offer earlier because now you have no choice. You will be in school every day for the remainder of this school year and the next two years after that. You will be here till every student who is here now has graduated. You will take every class but you will never graduate. As my final gesture to show you how much I care for the likes of you, I will take you to my personal retreat and I will shoot you and I will laugh as I watch you die." He said. "Why do you even bother to tell me? You know I won't cooperate with you." I said. "Oh but you will. We have already taken the housemother who is just another slut I had to deal with long ago. When I kill you I will kill her as well." he said. I sat there thinking and I watched as he picked up the phone and made a call. I was trying to remain calm. I tried to relax. There was a scuffle in the hallway and shots were heard. That was the distraction I needed. I leaped from the chair and jumped through the window. It was 15 feet to the ground and I'd land on concrete or iron grates. I heard 3 shots but they all missed. I hit hard but went with it and rolled. I landed on the sidewalk. I got up and began to run. I knew I'd be shot at. There were a number of other shots from the window but the man was no marksman. I made it to the back corner and to the street filled with 3 story houses. I went through backyards to evade anyone who might have followed me. I began to make my way north towards the new home then thought better of it and headed for the old home and under cover of darkness entered. Curiously the doors were unlocked. I lay down to get some sleep. I locked the doors from the inside and took a bed in the top floor. The housemother expected trouble for her and was ready for the armed man when he came in. She knocked him out before he could do anything. She tied him up and put him in a closet. Mr. Parker arrived with all the other girls an hour later. He told the housemother that the entire school board was dead in the final gunfight. The housemother asked. "What about Betty?" "She gave us the chance to get the school board. She escaped and from what I hear I guess she is unhurt." he said. "Is anyone looking for her?" asked the housemother. "That is not the best thing right now. Our enemies are looking for her and the best thing for her right now is for her not to be found. You know she can take care of herself." He said. That was it. There was no further discussion. Everyone just continued to try to adjust to the new home. It however was not a happy home with me missing. Swapped Again!!! I wake up to find I am back in Tom Clark's body. I am not at all happy about this, and am even less happy when I learn what my day is to be. As I ate breakfast I am told I will be going before a state committee investigating how handicaped children were handled by the school. I at least had been the one mistreated in the first place. I dressed the way I normally would have. What happened at the meeting was a full recalling of the details of each incident I had with the school since Junior high school. There was much more in the file than I ever realized. I had expected to swap out after 3 hours but I remained in that body for the entire day. After we returned to the house Mother came to my room and asked. "How could you know any of that stuff?" I smiled. "Well I ain't real happy about it but I am your son. I somehow swapped back overnight. Perhaps I needed to do what was to be done today. I sure don't want this life back." "With the problems you have in your other life, I think it might be a break from the chase. The other has said many times since Thanksgiving that he would not want the life you have been living back. He's probably terrified right now." She said. "If he has any smarts left at all he should stay where she is and hope for a swap back. If she stays put she is safe." I said. "If you helped today it would be great. It seems you have been fighting for a long time. I hope things get better for you." She said. "You know what I did for dad, I could have done much worse. I have no bitterness, I just want him to leave me alone." I said. "He spoke well of you and is pleased you took only the path you did. You helped me a lot by getting the gun out of here. He scares me with it. I'm glad you did what you did. Thanks." she said. I smiled to myself and said this may all work out yet. I continued that life till I went to bed. Sometime overnight I woke and was back as Betty. I needed to go to the bathroom. I made my way in the dark. I did not use the lights and I stubbed my toe real bad. I made it back to bed with a throbbing toe. I had a hard time getting back to sleep. When I got up I decided to take a shower. I closed the door to the bathroom and I put on the light I took a long shower and had to air dry. As I did I looked over the dress. I found I'd been wired. The dress had a hidden transmitter with a microphone hidden as a button, and the transmitter hidden in the shoulder pad. The antenna was a fine wire in the bottom hem. The batteries were in the other shoulder pad. As I checked further I found a hidden pocket in the collar. There was a note and money. The note said simply "If you find this you should lie low for a while. Do not come to the home, that will be very unsafe for you right now. Stay out of the public eye. If you have not discovered it, you are carrying a hidden transmitter. Please remove the batteries for as long as you wish to remain hidden. The batteries are in the left shoulder pad. May the Lord be with you." The money consisted of several hundred dollars in tens and twenties. The back of the note had phone numbers I might need to know. When I removed the batteries I also found a set of keys. They were unmarked and turned out to be keys for the house I was in. I waited till 9 am and went out to the local market for food. I bought back a big bag of stuff, later in the day I went for more food. The second trip I used the pay phone to call the Salvation Army office. I left a cryptic message. "Betty is alive. Health good, God with her. Look for as Shepard's watch. You know where to look." I would remain hidden till Christmas Eve. I made one trip to the market each day and purchased the local paper to keep up on the news. High school was cancelled till January after the strike was called. That was probably the best move they could make. I watched the school situation very closely as things played out. At least the news was not about me. That made things a little safer for me. The old high school was heavily damaged in the fire started during the riot the day of the hostage situation took place. It was being totally rebuilt inside. There had been considerable damage to the new school as well and that damage was being repaired. The state board of education had come in to administrate and get things back together. It would still be a hard fight with the student community. I wished I had schoolbooks to learn on my time off. I did chance going to the city library. I got a library card on my other name and borrowed books so I had something to do. The time passed real slowly. My toe was still sore and I never did swap again. I did use a light in the room I was using but covered the window with a blanket so people would think the house was not being used. I was getting use to being alone much of the time. I was lonely but I could endure it. At last it was the day before Christmas and I prepared to leave the house just after an early supper. It would be a cold Christmas Eve. I walked the mile or so to the city Christmas display and took up a spot near the nativity scene. I hoped my message had been received. At about 8pm a group of girls entered the area singing carols. They were the girls from the home. I drifted in with them and joined the singing, When they drifted away I went with them and boarded the bus with them. We sang carols all the way back to the home. We reached the home and went inside. Once inside Mr. Parker said. "You are at least looking healthy, and you didn't get hurt in all that gunfire." "Not a scratch, I did better than you did. And considering I was carrying the bug, that makes me feel pretty good. It's just been a little lonely." I said. "Where have you been staying and what have you been doing with the time." He said. "My are we filled with questions, I should tell you nothing incase I need it again. As far as my time, I have been studying." I said. "Studying? How? I know you didn't have any school books." he said. "Ever hear of a library card?" I asked. "But your card was here with your purse and other stuff." He said. "So I used another name and got another card, the library does not do any real checking." I said. The dining room was set up for a party and we began to relax. It felt so good to be back. Though I had never really slept in this house, it would now be home. I was the center of most of the attention. I was in for another surprise. Matt and his father, Mr. Parker were now living at the home. It seems Mr. Parker had married the housemother. His first wife was dead leaving Matt without a mother. They had rooms in the back of the house. Most of the girls were so wound up on Christmas that was where most of them were. As everyone trickled off to bed I headed for my room. I opened the door and found it had again been changed into a chapel. I looked at the room map and list. There was not a single room with an empty bed. My name was not on the list. I put my coat on and left, heading back to the old home. It was past 1 AM when I unlocked the door and went in. I went to the room I'd been using. I cried myself to sleep. I did not sleep well at all. I didn't eat any breakfast and considered what to do next. I moved back downstairs to my original room. I began to use the house openly. I did keep the heat at a low setting and used extra blankets to stay warm. It was very late in the day before the phone in the old home rang. It was after 6 PM. I had eaten little that day. I considered whether to even answer it. The first call I did not. Less than a half hour later the phone rang again. This time I picked up the phone. I said. "Hello" It was Mr. Parker he said. "Betty why did you leave?" "When everyone trickled off to bed I went to my room. My room had been changed into a chapel. I looked at the room map and list. My name was not on the list, and I could find no room to sleep in and no spare beds so I walked back here." I said. For a few seconds there was silence. At last he said. "Gee, I'm sorry. I just realized about and hour ago that you were not here and after asking everyone if anyone had seen you we figured out, you were not here." I sighed. "It seems I have no place there so I left. It's been one horrible Christmas season for me. It's getting pretty hard when people you count on forget you even exist. Maybe it is time for me to go out on my own, or maybe it's time for me to die." "I said, I'm sorry. Things have been moving so fast I sometimes lose track. The girls needed the chapel, and no one even thought about a place for you to sleep. When I told everyone of the message from you there was great joy, but no one gave the room situation a second thought. You after all set up the room assignments." he said. "Mr. Parker I got back here at a little past one AM. I cried myself to sleep. And the last thing I ate was at the party last night. It looks like my life has completely fallen apart. No one wants me or even cares about me anymore. I've just become a burden everyone would just like to get rid of. Maybe I should have died in that office." I said and hung up without even giving him a chance to reply. The phone began to ring again but I ignored it. I went back to the room and I was now so shaken I was trembling. I began to weep and sob. I could not control it. I exhausted myself and was soon asleep. Mr. Parker arrived and found me fast asleep. He considered waking me, but did not. He bought in the boxes that contained my stuff. He left them in the living room with a brief note. He left. When I woke on the 26th I got up. The previous day was like a bad dream, only it was real. I went to the kitchen and when I saw the boxes in the living room I went to them. I picked up the note. It said simply "I'm sorry but there is no way to turn back the clock. If there was I would. If you need me you know how to get in touch. You will at least need to talk to me before January 2nd concerning school matters." It was just signed Mr. Parker. I ate a minimal breakfast and was sitting considering what I must do now when the doorbell rang. I went to the door. It was Matt. I opened the door. He said. "Can I come in?" I sighed. "I guess so." He knew I was not happy and I thought his father sent him. He said. "My father did not send me. I am here because I do care." I said. "You expect me to believe that. You must really think I am a fool." I said and turned away. "You got every reason to be totally pissed. I don't blame you a bit. I'm here because I want to be here and because you deserve the truth. I was forbidden even coming here. It will take a while for me to go through this with you and there is a lot you won't like in what I am going to tell you. I will have to go back all the way to thanksgiving if you are to understand." he said. I stood and pushed him to a chair and said. "Let's see if I can save you one heck of a lot of grief and pain. I have been on top of everything since day one. Let's see if my instincts are correct." I paused. "Let's see. Betty Smith must cease to exist. She must be listed as dead, to free everything up and to free anyone from having to make things right with me. There is too much hate and problems if Betty continues to exist. Things can never be as they once were and whatever I do now I am a total stranger and I can never be accepted by Betty's past and there must be no connection. When Betty went out that window at the high school and was shot at, for all practical purposes she is dead. I think that about covers it." I said. He sighed a long sigh. "Then you do know?" I nodded and said. "I just hoped to have a Christmas and relax before the end of the year. But now I have nothing, not even a good memory to support me in the transition. Do you have any idea what it is like to be totally alone? What needs to be done is real simple, I must establish a life and begin again without any support structure. No friends, no family, no links to the past and no government help of any kind. It means starting at school mid term and with no school record, No IQ rating. Nothing that could possibly be traced. It also means the money from the courts and from the city is useless and is why the Betty Smith home for girls was created. It's a place for all I fought for to go but I will get no benefit from it. It's people still using me, and worse yet it is people I thought were friends and people I trusted and people I thought really cared. They can't expect me to take it so easy after all I have been through." I said. "It's breaking my dads heart. You would never believe the arguments and fights we've all had over this. No one can even face you. They feel they have betrayed you. They feel you could never understand. They all want to hold on to something." He said. I said. "That is the problem. If I stay in this city there can be no hooks and no carry over, nothing. I can't know Dawn, and Donna my best friend can only be a distant memory, I can't know any of the girls. The housemother ditto. If I were to come to the home I would have to be a new girl, at the bottom. I could no longer take the Native American look that everyone likes, I would have to be a totally different person, and you could never be my boyfriend ever. I could never risk anything like that." He fell to his knees and he cried like a baby. At last he could speak. He said in sadness. "They have been telling me for weeks but until you said it, I guess it didn't sink in. So what do we do now?" I started digging in the boxes and found my purse and emptied it on the table. I began to go through the stuff. I took only what I would need. I left all of Betty's stuff in the purse. I dug out one outfit that fit me poorly, I went and changed. I found another purse then thought better of it and just took the wallet and put what little I had in it. I put the money in it and went to the kitchen. I came back and said. "Well I will finish after you go and I must do at least another clothes switch. I must cut this hair so I look different and I must become some runaway. Let me give you a goodbye kiss. This is the last time anyone will ever see Betty Smith. Tell your dad to keep everything in these boxes safe just incase we need Betty back. The way things have been going, nothing would surprise me." "Why, so quick?" he said. "No time like the present. I need to find a home and be ready for school by January second. That is not a lot of time." I said. He came over and began to hug me. I felt the nasty bulk of that nasty tape recorder. I kissed him long and hard then said. "I thought you said you came on your own." "I did." He said. "Well what is this tape recorder for?" I said. "For my memory, however I will play it for my father and I think all the girls should hear it." He said. I grabbed him and kissed him again and said. If you play the tape for everyone they should know I forgive them all of everything. I can't die with that kind of thing on my mind. Now get those boxes out of here and let me get to work. I'll leave my keys on my bed." I watched him load the car and as I watched the car drive away I sighed, "Its done." Betty Smith no more! I cut my hair a lot shorter and put it in a neat ponytail. I grubbed my face and hands a bit and I picked up my coat and books. I took my keys this time. I went to the library, and returned the books. I went to the Goodwill store and purchased a single outfit and a coat. I returned to the old home. I changed and left the old clothes on the bed with the keys. I left leaving the doors unlocked. I went to one of the churches that ran a home. I was interviewed and told they like most homes in the city were currently full. I was sent to the Salvation Army I was interviewed by a woman. She went into another room and made a phone call. She returned and said. "Mr. Parker will be in to see you if you don't mind waiting." I shrugged and said. "I don't really have anyplace to go." I took a seat in the waiting area. It was about a half hour later when a man entered. He went in an office and the woman went in with my paperwork. She came out and said. "He will see you now." I went in and closed the door. He offered me a seat and scanned the paperwork and at last said. "Isn't it unusual for a native American to have blonde hair." "I suppose so, but I hate bleaching my hair." I said. "Suppose we list you as white rather than Native American. If you change your hair color to black I might be able to get you into our girl's home, but I can't use that option if you keep that hair color. I'd have to select something else." He said. I stood up hostile. "You got something against Indian blood?" "No, No please sit down. And I'll try to tell you about it." He said. I eased back down. He said. "It's nothing to do with you. My wife and I run the girls home and we've just lost the best girl from the home, She was involved with a hostage situation at the high school and she was killed in the incident, It was less than 2 weeks ago. She was Native American and had blonde hair. I have not yet recovered from her loss. I just don't want anyone close to that right now. The hurt is extreme. It's got everyone at the home all torn up. With black hair you'd be okay but with blonde hair you will remind everyone too much of the hurt." "I'd rather not dye my hair, what else can you do." I asked. "Our home is the only one with possible openings, everyone else is full. You are really too young to be out on your own." He said. "Regardless of what you think I can function independent. Personally I'm fed up with people managing my life and making a worse mess of it than I could ever do on my own. I am here because of a badly managed situation in the capital. To some children are just pawns in a big chess game. I've been used and cast off more times than I care to remember." I said. "With that attitude you could never fit into the home anyway." He got up and went to a file and got out a folder and began to go down a list. "You have too much hate for a foster home as well. Let's see if I can pull in a favor or t