Kirby's Secret - Part 2
by Carrie Harris

The next morning, Kirby woke up on a bench in the park. After the initial fear had passed, all Kirby felt was an incredible sense of freedom. He looked at his watch - it was just after 8am.

Kirby's stomach rumbled, and with a flash of horror he realised he had no way of getting breakfast. He had forgotten to bring his wallet … not that it mattered. He had no money in it anyway. Sarah didn't believe in allowances.

He looked around, trying to think, and a movement to the right caught his eye. Looking closer, Kirby realised that it was the baker throwing yesterday's bread into the alley. All of a sudden inspiration hit.

Walking casually, Kirby made his way over to the baker's shop window. Acting as though he was just looking in the window, he moved closer to the alley. Near the end of the window he put his hands in his pockets and casually walked into the alley …

After a quick look to make sure no-one was watching, Kirby grabbed a handful of bread rolls and followed the alley to a backstreet to enjoy his breakfast …

Kirby arrived at school on time that day - it wasn't hard when he had nothing else to do. He was painfully aware that his clothes were untidy and his hair was un-brushed, so he hung around the back of the buildings unseen until the bell rang.

Kirby was the first to arrive at his class, and he quietly slipped to the back of the room. Miss Sweetly didn't even see him when she entered the room. When Miss Sweetly conducted the roll-call, however, she looked at him and wandered why he was in such a state. Her keen eyes also noted the plaster cast.

As the class herded out of the home-room, Miss Sweetly called Kirby to stay behind. He dutifully stayed in his seat at the back of the room until everyone else had gone, and then approached the teacher's desk.

"Kirby, I can't help but notice that you are in quite a state today. Is there anything you'd like to tell me?" Miss Sweetly asked gently.

"No Miss. I'm fine," Kirby answered quietly, averting his eyes to the door.

"You look like you slept on a park bench last night. Is everything okay at home?" the teacher persisted.

"Why don't you call my mother and ask her?" Kirby snapped, and turned to walk away. He stopped, and faced the teacher.

"If that is all, may I go now?" Miss Sweetly nodded, and Kirby quickly left the room. He decided it was too risky to stay at school today, so he made sure no one was around and left the school grounds.

Kirby spent the rest of the day looking for somewhere to sleep that night. After searching for a couple of hours, he came across a road that passed over a large storm drain.

Kirby leaped over the barrier, and took a good look at the area. There was four-foot-wide cement lip running the length of the drain, which provided a snug cave under the road. Bent double, he could easily walk under the road and be unseen by passers-by.

Now that he had found somewhere to sleep, his next step was to collect some bedding. He knew that both of his parents would be at work, so he went to the house and let himself in using the spare key from the patio.

After a quick check to make sure the house was empty, Kirby raced upstairs to his bedroom and gathered some of his things. He emptied his school backpack, now that he had decided it was too risky to return to school, and hastily threw in a towel, his toothbrush, a few clothes, and his hairbrush.

He then rolled his quilt, blanket and pillow into a bed bundle, which he secured with a spare belt. Just before he left, he shoved his wallet and house key into his pocket. There wasn't much in his wallet, only his school ID card and a few dollars in change, but it made him feel more independent.

Kirby hurried downstairs with his backpack and the bed bundle, and then realised that he would be too conspicuous in daylight carrying the bedding. After a quick think, he hid the bed bundle under a thick bush in the back yard, so he could come back and get it that night.

He locked the house back up, put the key where he had found it, and left through the back gate.

Kirby returned to the house late that night to collect his bed bundle. Most of the city had returned to their homes for the night, and those that remained paid no attention to the fourteen-year-old boy heading down the road carrying a bundle of bedding on his back. Most simply assumed he was going to a mate's house.

For the next few months, Kirby lived a precarious existence in this way. He didn't know whether his mother was looking for him - he knew his Dad wouldn't care - but whenever he saw anyone he knew he would turn the other way.

Kirby did a good job of looking after himself. Every two to three days, he would swap his clothes for a new set he pulled out of charity bins. He fed himself on whatever he was being thrown out by the local shops, and whenever he needed a shower, he would head to the public facilities at the beach.

From time to time, he would return to his parent's house for supplies of things he couldn't raid elsewhere, such as toothpaste. He celebrated his fifteenth birthday under that little overpass. He had stolen some food items from his parents earlier that day, and he treated himself to a mini feast.

One evening, a few weeks after Kirby's birthday, he looked around as usual before jumping the guard rail to his 'home'. Although he had checked to make sure no-one was looking, he hadn't seen his old home-group teacher standing at the door of a club across the road.

Miss Sweetly did a double take. Kirby Dane had been missing for several months, and it was generally accepted that he had left town … but she was sure that she had just seen him crawl under the overpass. It was too dark to take a look, so she resolved to go back the next morning and find out.

The next morning Kirby woke early. He tidied up his bedding, ready for that night, and set off to do his 'chores' - having a shower at the beach, finding food, and browsing the newspapers and magazines.

Miss Sweetly stood behind a bush watching Kirby head off down the street. As soon as he was out of sight, she crossed the road and climbed over the guard rail. She had brought her torch with her, and she shone it into the darkness under the overpass.

The scene before her was amazing. There was bedding, food, and other assorted items in there … it looked as though Kirby had been sleeping here for quite some time. Very carefully, Miss Sweetly had a quick look in the wallet next to the bedding, and found Kirby's school ID.

Now that she knew for sure it was Kirby living here, she made her way back to her car and drove to the Child Protection Centre, where she made a report.

Kirby was tired when he returned home that evening. His backpack was full, and he carefully lowered it to the ground.

Moments later, a light shone into his cave. Kirby was terrified that he would be taken back to his parents now that he had been discovered, so he launched himself forward and tackled the man with the torch.

Strong arms grabbed Kirby from behind, and although Kirby struggled, he was unable to free himself.

"Don't take me back!" he screamed hysterically. "I don't want to go back, I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK!!!"