Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Linda was not an early riser like Martha that's for sure as girls were already fighting over which cartoons they were going to watch as EJ stayed his distance in his room sitting on his bed reading a book or doing some homework to pass the time. He figured the further away he was the better. As he gazed down the hall once in while, he didn't belong here and they knew it. It wasn't long before EJ's mother came storming out of the bedroom to settled the argument as she looked down the hall towards his room. “Girls, that's enough!” Turning off the TV grabbing a bottle of aspirins from the cabinet.

“But mother, she started it,” as Peggy pointed to Donna and Donna pointed to her.

“I said that's “Enough!” now get dressed and help me with breakfast.” pointing to the bedroom as they bicker some more.

EJ just rolled his eyes went back to his reading. “Nothing really changes does it, Danny?” As he watched him play with his blocks in the corner of the room. Danny smiled back at him with his little fire engine hat on went on playing by himself.

Linda looked around and outside for Jim, “figures he never around when he's needed.” Linda looked back down the hall towards EJ's room and smiles at EJ sitting on the bed with his books and sighs. Then walked down to the room bring him a bowl of cold cereal and milk with burnt toast and jam. “It’s not the rit's son, but you know my cooking stinks most of the time, but we do get by.”

“I know, just not the same,” EJ replies as he looked out the window and down the road.

“EJ. I am doing my best, you just got to give me a chance that's all. I'll I am asking for is one more, that's all. EJ I really am sorry, if only you could see that,” as she looks deep into his eyes.

EJ tries, but all he can see and feel is cold and distance as something is missing or lost as if the soul itself is missing somehow. EJ pushed the cereal away, “sorry, I am just not hungry,” he replied as he looked out the window as if waiting for something as his mother walked away leaving him alone.

Linda sighs watching him as the hour's tic by back into nightfall as he never left the room as she sends his friends away at the door that come calling for him. “He's not feeling well. I am sorry, perhaps tomorrow,” as she closed the door as they looked back at her with a strange look.

Linda tried to prepare his favorite meal as he picked at it walked back down to his room. “Jim the house is like a tomb as I watch him hour by hour,” as she cried pacing the floor watching the clock on the wall. “He miserable here, I can see it in his eyes,” as Linda paced across the floor glancing down the hall. Jim doesn't say a word just watched and shrugged his shoulders as if he could care less, mumbles under his breath. Linda turned her head towards him. “You tried to tell me, but I wouldn't listen,” she said as she gazed down the hall towards his room.

Jim mumbled then answered. “Yes dear,” putting a hand on her shoulder. “Now will you listen to me?” Linda nods slowly watching Jim's eyes as they stare at the hallway as tried to gather his thoughts.

“All right you win, but don't you dare lay one finger on him. Jim I warning you.” as she begins to block the hallway from him.

Jim sighs without a glance towards the hall. “No dear; just that I can't get those eyes out of my head. Ever since that day. It’s probably nothing, but something tells me that you should let that boy go.”

“What?”

“I said let him go that's all I'm going to say.” He left her standing there.

“I can't Jim; I can't,” Linda about to take step towards the boy's rooms.

“You can't or you won't?” Jim questions as he walked outside for some fresh air before she blows up in his face.

Linda stunned as she watched Jim go outside on the porch as if he just lost his mind. Follows him outside, “what do you mean just let him go?” She asked.

“You know what I mean. You can't keep him cooped up all the time inside. Hoping that it is going to be alright, after what we did him. That's right we did him, you, me, them… everyone. You expect him to act normal. To behave like a little boy again and to forget…

“Well, I got news for you Linda he's not going to forget. How can he forget? It’s horrible, that you and I placed upon him to live it every day. For the first time, he was a kid again. You want to take that away from him. No, I say let him go before it’s too late. Before..?” Jim whispered softly under his breath, “before he finds him,” looking the other way so she didn't hear him. But she did.

Linda with tears in her eyes, “before what Jim? And who finds him.” She asked as she struggles with her tears streaming down her face.

Jim doesn't answer. Staring down at the ground thinking back what he has done.  “I can't Jim, don't you understand I can't?” Linda walked back into the house down to their bedroom and closed the door.

Peggy gleaming overhearing the argument wonders how she can make matters worse as she slowly paced in the kitchen. She quickly peeks down the hall, making sure the coast was clear as she rubbed her hands together, before going down the hall towards her brother's room.

She decides to torment him while he's here after all, what's the point of not making his life a living hell as long he's here in this home. Her eyes gleaming full of hate. “Alright, brother try this on for size.” As she sneaks down the hall trying to scare him to death coming around corners as he shrieks back as someone comes near him in the house.

Peggy laughed, “got ch' ya.” Till finally, EJ refused to move outside the room at all, until his mother puts halt to it, “Peggy that's enough!” She said.

“Yes mother,” as she laughs looking at EJ nearly in tears of fright as tries to control himself trying to be strong as he watched the clock. Counting the minutes until the prison sentence is done and he is back on the farm where he belongs.

Linda brings EJ down some lunch, sits it on the bed, EJ pushed it away looks down the hall. Then picks up another book, “you got eat son,” she said pushing the plate towards him.

EJ just looks at her then at the clock as it tics by slowly on the wall in the room, “maybe in while mother,” EJ replied as he watches out the window.

She nods, tries to put her hand on his shoulder watching him flinch with terror on his face, “alright,” leaves him be. Mark comes by on his bike for EJ, Linda sends him away “not today.” Two hours go by Frank comes by then Peter still she sends them all away.

The boys all meet back at Mrs. Trenny house Will and Robert give their nightly report to Doctor Whitmore. Rena looks at the boys and their faces, “he won't come out of the room, he's too frightened and getting worse by the day and she won't let him come out or us in Ma, we tried,” replied Peter.

Kollie and Rena held by each other's eyes and their boys, “alright she wants to play those games, its time we play some of our own boy's. We have a boy to save and he needs our help and the Downing's are counting on us,” Rena nods her head towards Robert and Will as Kollie placed a hand on each of the boy’s shoulders.

“Rose its time for some more company,” Kollie replied as Rena smiles picking up the phone.

“Who dear? Who?” Rose asked.

Hello, Mrs. Gavin this Rena Whitmore. I need a favor, are your boys available. They are... well then I need some help.” Looking at the Robert and Will in the room explains the problem. “Sure we have everything we need right here at Mrs. Trenny place. Thanks, yes will leave the light on.”

Rena hangs up the phone, “alright boy’s time to get to work,” leaning over telling her plan the boys smile.

Kollie bust a gut. “That should make things interesting.”

Mrs. Trenny smiles slapping her knee glance her head and nods with Rena with new wonderment, “I would of never of thought…… go on,” as she leans forward listening to their plan as she looks about her home. “Sounds like we're in for quite a shindig of my own,” she replied as she wiped a tear.

Rena puts an arm around her "Rose, that's what friends are for, now let's go find ya something for you to wear,” as they closed the door to her bedroom.

Rena knew it takes two tangos as she rifled through an old closest of clothes. Sending her husband out to Mr. Johnson place down the road with the boys. Robert and Will knock on the door while Mark and his brothers finish up the fence work in the back. “Well, well boys nice job,”

Mr. Johnson said looking around the place. “Thanks, Mr. Johnson,” as they shake hands with all the boys, “this our friend Doctor Whitmore and their Pa,” Robert replied.

“Oh yes, I remember you. The man in that strange dress.”

Kollie laughed. “Yes, that's me. How do you do sir? These are my boys Mark, Peter, and Frank, of course, you already know the Downing's.”

Mr. Johnson laughs, “yep sure do, every last one of them. Fine folks if I don't say so myself. How can I help yea Mr. Whitmore since ye helped me,” looking at the fine fence work?

Kollie explains the problem. It seems Mr. Johnson knows the Stuarts ain't no dummy as he rubs his chin when things smells fishy. “Doc I knows there's more to this story then you are telling me. I can see it your eyes,” as he looks towards the fields of the broken glass. “Ya see I was standing there that day when that boy disappeared,” as he points to yonder weeds. “Jim lied to me then when I asked about that winder and his boy. Of course, I'll help,” as he gives a quick nod towards the boys Will and Robert, “just give me something to do and I'm there.”

“For starters, we're having get together at Mrs. Trenny place tonight. A little social gathering to break the ice…. more like a planning committee and we would like you to come.”

Mr. Johnson looked around his little farm kicking the dirt, “a planning committee "A" what fer?” he asked.

Kollie looked down the road at all the little houses and broken fences and missing shingles. Houses that needed painting or missing paint on the sides. “To spruce up the neighborhood and Mrs. Trenny is the headquarters, besides give the boys and the women folk something to do around here besides gossip about us,” as Kollie laughs.

“Now that you mention it we could use a little sprucing,” as he looks at the boys “alright ya got yourself another member.”

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