Broken Toys

Chapter 10

Zeke took the steps two at a time, his longer legs giving him a slight advantage over Billy, who followed close behind. Zeke hit the wall to stop himself as he reached the basement floor. Behind him Billy gasped and pointed towards the darkroom.

"Light. He's in there."

Casey hadn't bothered to close the darkroom door all the way. He'd been in a hurry and it didn't really matter. He had turned on the red light and everything glowed crimson.

Casey was huddled over the sink, propping himself up by leaning against it. He looked ghostly under the red light and Zeke could see the tremors in Casey's body from all the way across the room. Casey was silent, staring transfixed as the blood flowed out into the stream of water. He didn't seem to notice their arrival.

Zeke reached him a fraction of a second before Billy. Grabbing Casey's arms he held them while Billy tried to make Casey drop the glass. After a struggle, it fell, making a dull sound as it hit the metal sink.

The sound seemed to wake Casey from his trance. He jerked wildly, trying to get away from them, struggling to reach the piece of glass. Zeke pressed himself hard against Casey and held on tight but Casey kept struggling, screaming out his frustration.

Billy reached over and snatched the piece of glass away, tossing it down hard into the trashcan before grabbing up the hand towel from the rack by the sink. With Zeke holding Casey still, Billy was able to bind Casey's bleeding arm with the towel, wrapping it tight and knotting it so that Casey couldn't easily shake it loose.

Billy looked into Casey's angry, desperate eyes and saw his own reflection. It strengthened his resolve to help. Moving a step closer he pressed against Casey from the front, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy and Zeke.

Casey was held tightly between the two older boys, caged in by warmth and strength. Slowly his struggles eased, then stopped and he sagged wearily against them.

Zeke kept up a stream of comforting words and reassurances while Billy searched the room with his eyes, looking for the bottle of pills.

"Casey?" he asked softly, making sure he had the boy's attention. "Where are your pills?"

Casey frowned, thinking, then answered, his voice a little slurred. "Pocket."

Billy removed the bottle from Casey's pocket and placed it in his own. "Did you take any?" Casey nodded. "How many, Casey?" Billy asked urgently, his eyes meeting Zeke's and sharing his concern.

A long pause, then, "Two." The word seemed to take the last of his strength. He leaned fully against Zeke and closed his eyes. "Tired," he whispered.

"I know, Casey. It's ok. We'll let you get some rest."

"Don't leave me," Casey whimpered.

"We won't, Case, we won't. Just rest. We'll take care of you." Zeke lifted the boy into his arms, pressing a kiss against his forehead before turning towards the door. Billy followed carrying Casey's crutches.

It was a long walk to their room and Billy and Zeke took turns carrying Casey. He had either fallen into a deep sleep or was unconscious and didn't stir, even when they placed him on the rumpled bed and covered him with a blanket.

"I'd better report this to the dean," Billy said. "I'll see if I can get some bandages and stuff to clean up those cuts. They're messy but not deep. He won't need stitches or anything." Billy's eyes clouded. "Those kind of cuts hurt like hell but they don't bleed that much. We'll have to keep an eye on him, but I don't think Casey will need to see a doctor." A long pause and then, softer. "He probably wouldn't go, anyway. They'd just make too big a deal of it, and he's already got enough to worry about."

Zeke had taken a seat on the edge of the bed but was looking up at Billy as if he needed to say something. Billy hesitated, waiting.

"Just say it," he encouraged.

Zeke nodded slightly, forcing out the words. "I'm sorry. about earlier. I shouldn't have."

"Forget it, Zeke. Neither of us should have. Too late to change it now." Billy straightened his shoulders, determined. "Look, what's important is that we get along, no matter what. There's something much more at stake here than our egos. So, what say we try our best to be friends and we'll let the other stuff sort itself out later, when Casey is better."

"Sounds like a plan." Zeke managed a smile. "I'm willing to give it a try."

"Good," Billy nodded, satisfied. "I'll be back." He closed the door and hurried off to find the dean.

*****

Dean Parker knocked quietly before entering. "How is he?" he asked Zeke.

"Still sleeping. The bleeding stopped and I was able to clean up the cuts. Just need Billy to bring some bandages." Zeke set aside the book he was reading and stood, moving to stand near the doorway with the dean. Together they left the room, stopping just outside where they could converse without waking Casey.

"Billy assured me Casey didn't need a doctor. I'm taking his word for it for the moment. Did you check his pills?"

"Yeah, it seems as if he only took the two he told us about. If he has been taking them regularly, the correct amount are left."

The dean looked relieved. "That's good news." He turned to Zeke, very seriously, "Do you have any idea if this was the result of last night's visit from Casey's parents? Did anything unusual happen this morning that might have contributed to ... this reaction?"

Zeke looked away, warring with himself over how to answer the question. Before he could decide, the dean spoke again.

"Due to current circumstances, the court felt it was in Casey's best interest to move the hearing date forward. It's been scheduled for 9:00 am tomorrow. I need to know if Casey is strong enough to face this." The dean placed a hand on Zeke's shoulder. "If there was something between you, Billy and Casey, I need to know about it so I can make a decision whether to request a delay."

Zeke looked everywhere but at the dean, letting the silence lie between them.

"I don't need details, Mr. Tyler," the dean said at last. After years of experience dealing with teenage boys he was pretty good at reading their body language. "Would I be right in guessing that Casey wanted some...reassurance of your relationship?"

Zeke tensed but didn't respond.

"Might I also be correct in guessing that Billy is aware of this and reacted...negatively?"

An intake of breath and a tightening of the shoulders.

"Perhaps Casey went to Billy for the same reason and you had the same reaction as Billy?"

Zeke closed his eyes.

The dean sighed. None of it was a surprise, he'd almost expected Casey to reach out for physical reassurance, but it didn't make the situation any easier to deal with. There were three troubled young men involved here, but right now he had to focus all his attention on Casey. He could only hope that he would be able to help the other two before it was too late.

"Zeke, you are doing a very good job taking care of Casey. I know it's not easy for you. I'm going to have to depend on you a little longer. If you start to feel overwhelmed, or just need a break, I expect you to tell me immediately. Do you understand?"

Zeke nodded, some of the tension leaving his thin body.

"Billy should be back shortly with some food and the bandages. Why don't you take a walk. I'll stay with Casey for a while."

Zeke thought for a moment, then nodded. He started away but the dean called him back.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Zeke frowned in confusion, then smiled as the dean mimed smoking a cigarette. He retrieved the pack of cigarettes from the desk.

"Special allowance for unusual circumstances," the dean told him as he walked away. "Don't get used to it."

*****

Dean Parker set the last of the cartons on the table as the doorbell rang. He hurried to welcome his guests, gesturing for the three boys to have a seat at the table while he poured the beverages.

Taking a seat, he indicated that they should help themselves, noting how eagerly Billy and Zeke dug into the variety of Chinese food. He wondered how long it had been since they had eaten a full meal.

He also noticed that Casey made a good show of eating while carefully arranging the food on his plate to make it appear that he had consumed more than he really had. The boy was pale and listless, his eyes dull.

Billy and the dean made an effort to keep light conversation going throughout the meal. Zeke contributed occasionally, but Casey was silent unless asked a direct question. More than once he looked at the door as if wanting to escape.

When they had finished the main course, the dean rose and cleared the table, gently refusing Billy and Zeke's offers of assistance to clear the table. He quickly filled the dishwasher and brought out dessert.

He'd stopped by the local ice cream shop on his way back from a meeting with the school's lawyer, deciding that they all deserved a treat. He'd chosen an extravagantly decorated ice cream cake. He doled out the generous portions on his best plates and carried them out to the boys. Their enthusiastic reaction made him smile.

This time, even Casey managed to clear his plate.

Once the table and kitchen were clean, the dean invited the boys to join him in the living room. Settling into his favorite chair, Parker broached the subject that was on all of their minds.

"As you know, the hearing has been moved to 9:00 am tomorrow. I've spent most of the afternoon with the school's lawyer, Mr. Proft. We felt that the three of you should be made aware of what you could expect."

Parker shifted and leaned forward, making eye contact with each of the boys before continuing. Their nervousness and tension were not lost on him, and he hoped that this conversation would help make things a little easier for them.

"Billy, you and Zeke will not be allowed into the hearing room. It is a closed door session with only the involved parties and their representation allowed. However, you may be called to answer some questions, so a private waiting area has been arranged. You can take homework or something to read. The hearing may last several hours."

Turning his attention to the farthest chair, he addressed Casey. "Casey, you will not be required to appear in the room with your parents. You and I will be in a separate room monitoring the proceedings via closed circuit TV. If you are required to answer any questions, you will be able to do so from that room."

Casey's hands twitched and the dean noted how ragged Casey's nails were, as if he'd bitten them even shorter in the last few hours.

"What if I don't want to answer the questions?" Casey asked at last, his voice quiet.

"Some of the questions might be difficult, Casey. But it is very important that you do your best to answer as completely as you can." The dean smiled reassuringly. "If there is a question that makes you very uncomfortable or that you can not answer, just tell them that."

Casey nodded slowly, but there was a funny twist to his mouth, as if he were fighting back something he wanted to say. Finally he leaned forward and asked, "Do we really have to do this, sir?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," and now there was a spark of anger in Casey's eyes and his body straightened. "I mean that this is really all just a waste of time. Does it really matter if my parents neglected me? The damage is done. I'll be graduating in a few months. I'll be 18 in a year." He clenched his hands into fists and his arms trembled with the tension. "Isn't it bad enough that my father hates me? That he disowned me? What more do they want?"

Grabbing his crutches, Casey stood, giving Zeke and Billy a warning look before moving towards the door. His voice choking as he said, "Thank you for dinner, sir. I'll let myself out." The door closed softly behind him.

Zeke rose immediately and started to follow, but the dean stopped him.

"Come sit down, Mr. Tyler."

"And leave Casey alone? No, sir. Tell Billy whatever it is we need to know. He can fill me in later." Without another word Zeke was gone.

The dean leaned back in his chair and sighed. If he had been alone he might have uttered a few choice words, but because of his company he restrained himself.

"Dean, look, I know that you are doing your best for Casey. Casey knows it too. He's just... I can't imagine what this is like for him." Billy stood up, pacing restlessly. "And he's right, you know. What difference does it make? The damage is old, and Casey doesn't live at home anymore so even if his parents did abuse him, he's not there for them to hurt."

Billy stopped, looking at the dean almost desperately. "Isn't there any way to stop this? Can't there just be a restraining order or something to keep them away so that Casey can get on with his life instead of having this hanging over his head?"

"I wish it were that simple, Mr. Tepper. I truly wish it were." With a sigh, the dean rose and escorted Billy to the door. When he was alone, the dean leaned back against the door, fighting off exhaustion and frustration. It was going to be another long night.

Return to Broken Toys