Alison

Alison was a beautiful little girl, with hair the colour of sunshine and lively beryl-green eyes. She was six years old, popular and outgoing both in school and in her neighbourhood.

Her mother's best friend and her daughter lived across the street from them, her aunt on the left, and a friend of the family, Mr. Terry, on the right. Alison, called Ally by everyone, knew everyone within a three block radius, and she and her family trusted everyone. They should have been more wary.

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One day, as Ally was coming home after school, Mr. Terry stopped her and said, "Ally, go ask your mum if you can come see my new chicks. They just hatched this morning!"

Ally loved baby birds, and so said, "Okay, I'll be back in a sec." And she ran off.

In her house, she found her mother making a stew for supper. She asked, begged, and pleaded every way she knew how, but it was unneccessary. "Certainly, and ask Mr. Terry if he can spare some peapods for our supper, k, honey?"

"Yay!" Ally cried, and ran out of the house. Mr. Terry was in his backyard, and heard Ally approaching.

"Come on in!" he yelled. Ally burst through the gate almost before he finished his sentence.

The pair watched the tiny birds walking around for a while, then Ally remebered what her mother had asked.

"Mr. Terry, can you spare some peapods for our supper, please?" Ally asked.

"Sure, I'll go 'round to the front garden and pick some. You want to stay here and watch the chicks?" he asked.

"Yeah!"

"Okay, I'll be back in ten minutes."

While Mr. Terry was gone, Ally saw her twenty-seven year old cousin, Barry, hiding in a bush.

"Barry Wallace, you get out of that bush this minute! You'll get your clothes dirty!" She scolded.

Barry, a pastor at the local church, laughed and came to stand beside his cousin.

"Hello, little cousin! And what are you up to this fine day?"

"I'm watching Mr. Terry's chicks. Aren't they cute?" Ally crooned.

"Yeah, they are. Do you mind if I give you a hug and a kiss?" he asked.

People-family-were always hugging and kissing her, so she said sure.

Barry hugged her, and kissed her, but not in the way he usually did. He stuck his tongue in her mouth, and started feeling her up and down. He felt her bum, and moved his hands to her privates, and she squeezed her legs together, like her mother said to do if anyone ever touched her there.

Suddenly, they heard Mr. Terry opening the gate. "Don't tell," Barry hissed threateningly, running away through the bushes. Ally was in shock.

"Here's your peapods!" Mr. Terry said cheerfully, having no idea what had just transpired.

Ally just looked down, whispered, "Thank you," and grabbed the bag on her way running out of the yard.

When she got home, her mother was at her aunt's house, at Barry's house. Ally went to her room and cried.

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Ally never told anyone what happened. Who would believe her over upstanding citizen cousin Barry, the pastor of the local church and volunteer at homeless shelters. No, instead Ally became withdrawn and moody. She was very secretive, even with her mother, in whom she used to confide.

When Ally was nineteen, She was sitting on a porch with her mother and her aunt, Barry's mother. Barry was now forty, with a six year old daughter of his own, whom he named "Alison" after Ally.

When her aunt said that Barry would be a missionary, and would be moving with his family to Cambodia indefinitely, Ally felt relieved. Her mother noticed the tenseness leave Ally's face, and asked about it.

"It's nothing," Ally said, but her mother didn't believe her. She prodded until Ally, sobbing, spilled everything.

Her aunt, Merrilee, stood up fast, causing the chair to crash to the floor. "How dare you accuse my son! He named his only child for you! How dare you!" Merrilee jabbed Ally in the chest with each "dare".

"Merrilee, stop it. If you are going to tell me my daughter is lying, leave this house now!" Ally's mother commanded.

"Fine. I don't wish to be in the presence of someone who accuses their own flesh and blood of...of...that!" Merrilee left in a huff.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" her mother said quietly.

"I...I didn't know if you'd believe me. I mean, Barry is a minister, for God's sake!"

"I will always believe you," Her mother said. And although this didn't fix everything, it was a big first step.

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Although this story was fictional, many children go through this every single day. If you or someone you know has been abused or assaulted, sexually or otherwise, please call the Kid's Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 They can help you get legal help, or even just talk to you if you feel really low.