On The Lamb Part 2

Chapter 165-1

On The Lamb

Part 2

 

Jody handed the phone to my mother, I could hear the noise of people talking all around her. My mother apologized telling me she was in the cafeteria were the only payphones were located. Then asked me how I was doing and where they had taken me. I told her I was fine as I coughed a little, knowing I sounded anything but fine. I told her I couldn’t tell her where I was, she was silent, which meant I had hurt her, by not trusting her, so I said. “Somewhere in the mountains looking over a lake,” which was a lie,

She asked if I was at the nudist colony and I said yes. Knowing it was a lie. Knowing it was better to lie then have her telling someone like Paul Cranny or my father were I was and have them tell people. I didn’t talk long mostly because of the cough, and I didn’t want her to be late for class. Jody said she loved me and would see me soon. I said loved them both and hung up the phone before they did.

The next call I was dreading the most because I had to lie to my grandmother, even though I trusted her with my darkest secrets. I dialed the second number hearing my Aunt Lavern on the phone. She said for me to call back in 15 or 20 minutes or so or wait for her to bring my grandmother to the phone. She didn’t sound pleased about it, and I knew why because like me she didn’t like secrets and most of all she didn’t approve of my foster parent's nudists lifestyle.

I hung up the phone telling Mom that I needed to call her back in half hour or so, watching Dad come up from the cellar with Shawn and Arthur. The moment they saw me they growled angrily at me. Causing Dad to slap them across the head telling them to sit down and be quiet. I knew Mom and Dad had no choice but bring them here because right now they weren’t safe anywhere else.

It wasn’t the ideal situation, but if I was in their shoes I would have done the same thing. No one said one word to them, as they took a seat at the table. However the moment they sat down people quickly got up from the table, it was either by the smell they were giving off or the fact they wanted nothing to do with them or both. Shawn pretended that it didn’t bother him, yet his eyes and face said differently.

Mom didn’t kiss them lovingly as she sat their breakfast in front of them, instead, she sat it down in a rude manner as her nose crinkled because how they reeked. Mom didn’t say anything, but her eyes said plenty causing Dad to growl. “I’ll run them a bath while these ungrateful savages eat and then put them to work while we wait for Mr. Vincent to come back.” After it had been at least a half hour, I redialed the number this time my grandmother answered the phone. She only asked the same questions about how I was doing and where am I?

I coughed as I said; “just dandy grandma.”

Causing her to laugh and said “yea right?”

Having me give her my latest stats, she said. “Better then I expected.”

Then asked again where I was, and once more I lied and said. “Back at the nudist colony, we flew there.”

She said. “You’re lying to me.”

I said “Yea right?” and coughed. “How can I be lying when you know me so well?”

She laughed. “I smiled as I coughed and said. “Somewhere safe, not even my mother knows where I am. In fact, nobody knows where I am except the people that are here with me;” which wasn’t a lie, considering all my closest friends were here from Highland. And it proved once more how far a man would go to get his hands on me, knowing that I could put him away for a very long time.

After a quick game of 20 questions, I hung up the phone, promising her I would call her. I didn’t say when in case someone was tracking my calls to her. Knowing she and my mother was my weak link. Mom wheeled me into the living room by the fire and helped me onto the couch next to Jared so she could dress me in some warmer clothes other than a bathrobe. Modesty was no longer a concern and nobody cared as they acted like it was perfectly normal. I was wearing another pair of scrubs, but this time Mom had me wear a t-shirt underneath and two pairs of socks. Telling me this would have to do until she could get down to the store later today.

Sara quickly changed the IVs and the medicine bag that was connected to our IVs and retook our stats. Placing a school book in my hands, telling me she wanted me to read the chapter and answer the questions in the back. I wasn’t the only one doing school work, but it seemed pointless because we were so far away from home that there was no way for us to turn in our assignments on time. Dad returned to take Arthur and Shawn for a much-needed bath. I knew he didn’t like the idea of bathing with them, seeing him in a bathrobe. But it was either that or trusts them to do it on their own and that wasn’t going to happen.

Mom handed him a clean diaper for Arthur asking if he needed any help. Dad shook his head and said. “No, dear. They don’t deserve to see you naked; in fact, they don’t deserve to see any of us naked.” Opening his bathrobe just enough to see he was wearing a pair of swim trunks and said “More less a comfortable bed to sleep in, or good food. In fact, they do not deserve to be here with us at all; but it was either here or let Crawford have them, and that was something I couldn’t allow. Nor could we afford to house them at the halfway house, for criminals that are looking for and have earned a fresh start.”

Mom didn’t say anything as Dad prodded them down the hallway. I saw the hurt in her eyes as well as the anger hidden deep in them. Just for a moment, there was love and then it was gone as she picked up a pad of paper and head for the pantry and fridge. Dotty busied herself with some housework, like the laundry as she hummed along.

It bothered me as I listened to all the parent's talk in whispered voices on what we needed to do. Regarding school for us, and what they needed to do regarding jobs to provide for their families, no one wanted to ask the hard questions. Regarding Crawford or what was happening back home, they needed answers before they could move forward. It was like our lives were put on hold because of distance and because of one man. No one said it, but I knew they were thinking it that it was my fault and the Rothwell’s fault for putting us in this mess in the first place. Jeff was once more silent and the place we had that one connection was cold and empty.

I couldn’t get that man Donaldson out of my mind, as I sat there racking my brain, trying to think where I knew him from and that tattoo. I jumped when Jared nudged me as everyone was looking at me. I said. “What?” And they returned to whatever they were doing.

Jared said. “Dude you have been talking to yourself again, repeating the name Donaldson.”

I said. “Sorry, I think I need a break.” Got up from the couch and walked towards the pool feeling a slight tug on my arm, hearing the IV I was attached to fall to the floor.

Mom gasped as I kept going, only to fall seconds later, causing everyone to panic. Sara cursed me as she saw me get up and pull the needle out of my arm. Asking me "what the hell do I think you are doing?" I didn’t say anything, but one word Donaldson. She looked confused and asked; “what about him boy?”

I said. “I know that man from somewhere.”

She said, “so what?”

I said. “I need to work it out and the only place I can is in the gym. She laughed at me telling me I can barely stand.

She helped me up and I started walking. I fell again and she helped me up asking one of the boys to bring me my wheelchair I said no. and walked a few more steps only to have her catch me. She growled and I growled back. But she refused me to go any further, telling me to sit, more like demanding me to sit. I did what I was told as I growled “fine.” She seemed satisfied and wheeled me to the gym.

I pointed to the bag and told her I needed to be left alone for a while so I could think. She said. “That’s not going to happen, boy.” I didn’t answer I just got up and walked to the bag and started punching it. I held Donaldson’s face in my mind and kept punching, hard and fast. Letting the anger burn inside of me; I fell and got back up, continued punching. Until I was dizzy and coughing hard, feeling my body burn as it sweated. I kept repeating that name over and over until I couldn’t stop coughing or get up from the wheelchair. Sara asked if was trying to kill myself?

I laughed as I coughed in raging fit, said. “My grandmother said I am too stubborn to die.”

She growled. “And it’s my job to make sure that doesn’t happen. Not on my watch boy.” Wrapping my arm where I had pulled out the needle seeing the blood.

I said. “And it's my fault that we are in this mess in the first place and everyone knows it. So either I do something about it or die trying. My Pa told me once I make a mess it’s my job to clean it up.” I tied to get back up only to fall right back into my chair coughing even harder. Dad heard me and told Sara to leave me alone.

She gave him a hard nodded and said. “He’s being stubborn.”

Dad said. “Of course he is. He’s my son.”

Dad gave me a hard look and took a seat. He didn’t say anything as he sat there. So I sat there in the silence with him as I stared at the bag seeing Donaldson face. I said. “Are going to sit there all day or are going to help me?”

He said. “And do what?”

I said. “Get me out of this damn chair.”

He said. “No, you want out of that chair you certainly don’t need my help.” He smiled and I smiled and I got up and punched the bag for another hour until my cough wouldn’t let me or the dizziness got in the way.

Dad asked if I had enough I nodded and he said. “You are lying to me and yourself?”

I said. “Of course I am? I just need to do something besides sitting here, feeling sorry for myself, because it's my fault, that we are running from a man that I should be able to kill with my bare hands.”

Dad said. “No son, he’s a man I need to kill, for doing this to all of us, and this man Donaldson. Once we figure out who he is.”

I told Dad to take a left and he didn’t ask why once he saw where I was going, which was to the pool. He let me help myself as I stripped down to my skin and slid into the water. Mom asked what the hell I was doing seeing me slide in and began swimming laps as Dad did like wises. Dad said, “Karen he working something out?” Mom knew me and she knew when it was time just to leave me alone. I wasn’t going to drown in a pool of water, even more so with Dad watching over me. I worked hard, pushing myself even though the cough kept getting in the way and I couldn’t keep a steady rhythm as I swam back and forth struggling from the weakness as I floated in the pool and only kicking with my feet and using my arms doing the backstroke. I smiled because it felt so good to be doing something other than sitting in a chair.

The moment I let my mind relax as I floated. Donaldson's face became clear, and then I remembered where I had seen him. I growled. “Donaldson, Mr. Jacob Donaldson.” Dad's eyes lit up as I said his name. I said. “The Sunday school teacher who tried too put me in the church basement hoping to cause an episode. I hadn’t seen him since then, after Bishop Lanwall and you called him on the carpet and embarrassed him in front of everyone.”

Dad growled “And I know where he lives and used to work with,” Dad helped me out of the pool into my wheelchair as Sara was waiting with clean dry towels and warm bathrobe. Dad said. “He’s all yours Sara, I got a man too hunt down and kill.”

Sara took me inside and asked if I had enough. “I said does it matter?”

She said. “No, but you're going to behave yourself, or you're going to spend the rest of the day in bed if I have to tie you down or knock you out to do it.”

I smiled and said. “That’s not going to happen?” She laughed and placed a thermometer in my mouth and another cup of warm tea that tasted more like blueberries with a hint of orange. She put me back on the couch and wrapped a warm blanket around me as I heard Dad on the phone talking to Officer Kenly, telling everything he knew about our man Donaldson and where he can find him. Jared gave me a fist bump and I smiled, because someone besides me was about to have a really bad day.

Mr. Vincent came back around 2 with Hank and his family adding to our already full house which was about to get a little lighter. He said he has arranged for Mr. Tomas Adams Dad to be our school teacher, while a substitute teacher will be taking his place and our school books will be here by tonight as well as the lesson plan for each of our classes. And Mrs. Hothner will be arriving next Monday to help. Some of us groaned as we had hoped that school wasn’t on the table, but life does go on.

He then said he has purchased one of the homes and rented two more, too accommodate us all with the help of Mr. Stringum, who will be arriving upon the hour. With enough supplies to see that we are comfortable. He looked at me and said. “You young man and Jared have an appointment with a doctor at two here in town, considering we can’t trust anyone in our own home town. And I have arranged with the help of our nurses and Coach Brady to oversee physical therapy and gym exercises for us all and as well as some self-defense classes. In hopes of when we do go home that we won’t be easy targets for Crawford and the people, he has looking for us.

“No one is allowed to call their friends, relatives, without permission. I have been told that many of your homes have been bugged. In fact, the Rothwell home wasn’t the only one that has been under their surveillance now that we know who we are looking for and what we are looking for; and who was giving out our locations.” He looked at Shawn and Arthur as he reached inside his pocket and pulled out something that looked like a telephone cable and dangled it in front of them.

He said when their eyes lit up. “This was found in your room Shawn this morning, hidden in the cracks of the walls. For now, on you will be stripped down and searched. Every day you are here. You will be watched around the clock, either by someone or on camera. You will not be allowed under any circumstances be allowed near any of our younger boys. I would as much as everyone else here preferred you locked up, like the animals you are. But at the moment we have no choice but to have you here with us. We can’t afford to let Crawford and his people getting their hands on you. Not until we have them in custody and put on trial for their crimes.

“Right now as we speak, we are taking down his second in command. Mr. Jacob Donaldson and the people we have identified recently with the help of many of you here;” watching Shawn and Arthur’s eyes light up with surprise, which spoke volumes that he didn’t think that someone would have gotten close enough to the people that were after us and in charge.

Shawn shouted. “You won’t get away with this, and you know it. Because right now you are all running scared like frighten little mice.”

Dad was about to do something until Mr. Vincent said. “Let him talk, he’s only digging a bigger hole for himself.”

Shawn growled. “You can’t run forever, and you can’t hide from a man so powerful that God himself is on his side. Every day you hide and cower in your homes, Crawford is watching, he is getting stronger, getting smarter. He knows your weakness. It’s only a matter of time before he knows that you are all here. He has people everywhere, there is not one single place he doesn’t have someone watching your every move. I could guarantee that he knows by now that you are here, and it is only a matter of time before he comes knocking at the door. He will put the fear of God in you, he will punish the wicked and he will save the righteous.

“He is our salvation as he sends you all to hell for what you have done to us. He is our prophet; he will lead us back to God. He will stop you and God will condemn you for worshiping the devil and for your sins against him. I have seen God and I felt his presences. There will be no mercy, as Crawford rips the heart from your bodies, as he drinks your blood and bathes in it. For turning down his salvation, turning down a man of God as you sin against him.” Sara reached over and slapped him, hard as the blood ran down his chin telling him to shut the hell up.

Shawn wiped his mouth with his hand said. “You f*****g w***e. How dare you touch me with your unclean hands? I am a disciple in the new church of Christ, Arthur and I have been re-baptized in the lamb’s blood, the blood of Christ runs in our veins. I hold the power of the Almighty in the palm of my hands, I have been ordained by a true prophet of God, We have sat at his table and he has cleansed us. We have seen him in the light. Whereas you b***h and these unclean animals…”

She slapped him again. And Dad gagged him and Arthur and dragged them out of the room down to the cellar. Mom was in tears, hearing him speak. Hearing him admit everything that Crawford and the people that followed what they were doing. They accuse us of being devil worshipers, we don’t drink blood, or bathe in lambs blood or any kind of blood.

The only light Shawn and Arthur saw was due to the drugs Crawford was giving them. Mr. Vincent asked Sara to draw their blood and take hair samples so they can test it for drugs even though we knew the answer. Again we needed proof and Shawn and Arthur had admitted everything that Crawford and his followers were doing. Sara smiled and said. “Gladly, but she going too need help to do it.” Not that there was plenty of strong men here to do it. The easy way was to knock them out, but that wasn’t going to happen, not after what they had done.