Uncaged

By Wes Leigh featuring the contributions of Rob the Scribe

 

This is a work of fiction intended solely for the entertainment of our readers; any resemblance to any real people or places is purely coincidental. Readers who would like to chat are encouraged to contact us at weston.leigh@protonmail.com and robthescribe@protonmail.com.

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Chapter Fourteen

 

"Sorry. Didn't know you were in here." Roderyk closed the door to the bathroom and grimaced. RJ had been standing at the sink, combing his hair.

It was taking time to get used to the new housing arrangements. Auntie had her room, separated from Rachel's bedroom by the `ladies' bathroom. Similarly, Roderyk and RJ shared the bathroom located in between their two bedrooms. So far, RJ had been very considerate, even overly polite, informing Roderyk every time he needed to use the bathroom for any purpose, almost as if he was Roderyk's guest. Roderyk had finally asked RJ to sit down next to him on his bed and told the boy that they should act more like roommates from then on. If RJ needed the bathroom, just close the door and open it again when he was done.

That had been working well, but this time the door had been open slightly. Apparently, RJ hadn't shut it completely.

"It's okay," RJ yelled from inside the bathroom. "I'm just combing my hair. You can come in."

Roderyk opened the door again and peeked inside. "Almost done?" he asked.

RJ looked at Roderyk through the mirror and smiled. "Yep. Hi, roomie!"

Roderyk chuckled when he heard that. After the horrible month they'd just endured, RJ seemed to be opening up again, smiling often, and happy.

RJ turned around and walked up to Roderyk, giving him a big hug. "The bathroom's all yours." Then he looked up at Roderyk and grinned joyfully.

"Thanks," Roderyk said, waiting patiently for RJ to leave.

RJ hugged Roderyk again, then walked to the other door leading to his own bedroom. He turned and gave Roderyk a happy wave, then stepped through the door and closed it behind him.

Roderyk sighed and started stripping off his clothes to take a shower. More than ever, he had to be very, very careful.

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RJ couldn't believe his luck.

First, mom took him out of that stupid school. While all those other assholes had to attend a few more weeks before school let out for the year, RJ was already starting his summer vacation. Sure, mom had him reading books and writing summaries on what each book was about, but that was fun for RJ. He loved reading and writing, so it wasn't like going to school at all. It was something he would have done anyway, once summer vacation began.

And that was the second reason he felt so lucky. He was living on a farm in the country, where every day was like being on vacation. Every morning, he was up with the sunrise, eating breakfast with his mom and Auntie and Roderyk. Then it was off to the barn where he followed Roderyk around, doing whatever chores Roderyk asked of him. Even scooping up the chicken poop was fun, in a stinky kind of way. Maybe Mickey wouldn't think so, but Mickey hated picking up his own dog's poop. That was just Mickey.

RJ wondered how Mickey was doing. He almost missed Mickey. Not the fights they'd had, but the friendship they'd enjoyed before all the fighting began. Mickey was probably wishing the summer would hurry up and start so he could sleep late and play video games all night. That had been fun. He'd miss doing that with his once-upon-a-time best friend.

Now RJ had a new best friend. Roderyk. That was the third reason he was so lucky. He got to spend hours and hours every day with Roderyk. When they finished working in the chicken barn, Roderyk took him swimming in the lake. RJ was learning to swim much better, with Roderyk showing him what to do. And it was fun when the lessons were over and they played around. RJ loved hanging onto Roderyk's body. He had muscles everywhere. And sometimes Roderyk would throw RJ through the air, landing with a huge splash, coming up laughing and wanting more.

It was so great getting to hang out with Roderyk.

It was even better having Roderyk as a `roomie'. RJ tried to be very polite and respectful to his new roomie, always knocking before opening the door between the bathroom and Roderyk's room. His mom had warned him to do that, as a special courtesy, whatever that meant. The only thing RJ knew was he didn't want to upset Roderyk. Not now. Not when things were going so good. Not when RJ was beginning to hope that the friendship with Roderyk would turn into something more.

He wasn't exactly sure what he wanted their friendship to become, but he didn't want to mess anything up, now that it was finally happening.

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Rachel finished chopping the onions for the casserole Auntie was preparing for supper. Rachel was still amazed by how generous Auntie had been, offering them a place to stay, rent-free, and a job working on the chicken farm. RJ was helping too, mostly as Roderyk's shadow and assistant, though Rachel insisted the boy spend at least four hours every afternoon on school-related work. She still hadn't researched the requirements for homeschooling, but she had the upcoming summer to do all that.

Wiping her eyes on her sleeve, Rachel took the onions to Auntie.

Auntie chortled. "Makin' you weep, are they?"

Rachel nodded. "Darn onions."

"But they's good in a steak and tater casserole, my dear. Sweet Vidalia onions. Mmm-mmm!"

"I wish I could cook as good as you," Rachel said, dabbing at her eyes with a napkin.

"Stick around a bit longer, and you'll learn all my secrets." Auntie stirred in the onions and pressed foil over the top. "The foil traps all the juices inside. Makes the taters tender. Keeps the meat moist."

"What spices do you use?"

"Just a little black pepper and garlic powder."

"No salt?"

Auntie wiggled her eyebrows. "Folks be usin' way too much salt these days. T'ain't good for a body." She held up a small jar containing chicken bouillon powder. "I use this instead. Gives it a bit of flavor without all that salt."

Auntie lifted the finished casserole dish and carried it to the oven. Rachel jumped up and hurried over to open the oven door. Smiling gratefully, Auntie slid it onto the shelf inside. As Rachel closed the door, Auntie said, "Now we needs us some cornbread and sweet tea to finish up the meal."

"I'll make the tea. I have no idea how to make cornbread."

"It's easy," Auntie chuckled, "almost as easy as lettin' the good Lord's sunshine make a batch of sweet tea." She pointed at the back porch, where a gallon jar sat on a table, naturally brewing tea in the rays of the setting sun. "Come over here and let Auntie teach you how to make cornbread too. You'll be openin' your own restaurant soon, my dear!"

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As the four of them sat down to eat Auntie's steak-and-tater pie, there was a sharp knock on the front door.

Auntie looked up, frowning. "Now who on earth could that be? Y'all go ahead and bless the food and dig in. I'll get the door."

RJ started to spoon food onto his plate, but Rachel put a hand on his, stopping him. "Let's wait for Auntie," she said.

RJ nodded and put his hands in his lap.

They heard Auntie talking to someone at the door. She didn't seem pleased and let the visitors know she didn't care for folks interrupting at supper time. There were more mumbled comments, then Auntie said, "Then come in and get it over with. I still say you folks got the manners of a pig in a sty, comin' out at this time of night."

Auntie hobbled back into the kitchen, leading a woman in a dark suit and a sheriff's deputy. She pointed at the woman and said, "This lady says she's here to check on RJ. Make sure he's doin' okay."

Rachel looked up, alarmed. "Why wouldn't he be?"

Auntie pointed at Rachel. "That's the boy's momma. She's takin' good care of her son, so I don't see what business you people have comin' out and botherin' good folks like this. As you can see, we was about to sit down and eat supper."

Rachel asked, "What is this all about?"

The woman looked embarrassed. "We received a request for a child welfare check, Ms. McMahon."

"A child welfare check? From who?"

"I can't disclose that," the woman said. "My report doesn't even tell me who asked for it. I'm just doing my job, checking to be sure RJ is safe, eating well, and continuing his schoolwork."

Rachel turned to RJ. "Go get all the book reports you've been writing."

RJ jumped up and ran out of the room.

Rachel pointed at the table. "As you can see, RJ is eating quite well. And I have him reading books and writing summaries. This summer, I plan to look at the requirements for homeschooling and start that in the fall."

The woman glanced at the deputy and then looked back at Rachel. "Ms. McMahon, you can't simply remove your child from school. He's still required to be in school until the school year ends."

"I'm homeschooling him," Rachel insisted. "Home school is school."

"Have you applied with the state to create a home school?"

"No." Rachel looked at Auntie for support. "I didn't know I needed to."

"Technically, until you send in the paperwork, RJ is still enrolled at Morgan Middle School," the woman explained.

RJ returned with a notebook. He held it out to his mom, who opened it and showed it to the woman. "He's read five books so far. Here are the reports he did on each one."

The woman took the notebook and began reading. She read most of the first page, then flipped through the notebook, her eyebrows lifting in surprise with each new page. "Well, RJ, you certainly have been doing a lot of reading."

He nodded. "I like books."

She handed the notebook back to Rachel. "I'm sure he'll do well in a home school. Just complete all the paperwork, please. Not for this year. There's no point in it."

"I will," Rachel replied, starting to feel some relief.

"May I see where RJ sleeps?" the woman asked.

"Sure. I suppose." Rachel was confused, unsure why they wanted to see RJ's room. The quickest way would be to go through Roderyk's bedroom, so she hoped he wouldn't mind them traipsing through his room, then the boy's bathroom, to get to RJ's bedroom. Rachel pointed and said, "The fastest way—"

"Is to go outside," Auntie said, interrupting. "I gave Rachel and RJ rooms with an outside entrance, to give them their own privacy. Follow me." Auntie led them all out the front door, around the side of the house, and to the door that led back into the house, into Rachel's bedroom.

Rachel was rattled, but beginning to understand why Auntie had insisted they go this route. She opened the door to her room and led the way inside. Then she walked to the door between her room and RJ's. "His bedroom is right here."

The woman glanced inside, looked around, and nodded. She turned to Rachel and said, "I think I've seen enough to make my report. It looks like you and RJ are safe." The woman's eyes darted sideways to look at Roderyk briefly, before looking back at Rachel. "Be sure to fill out the home school paperwork soon. It only takes a few weeks to get approved, and then you'll have the certification in your hand, if anyone should question you on it again."

"I will," said Rachel, with a nod.

The woman shook Rachel's hand, smiled at RJ, and nodded at Auntie. Both the deputy and the woman gave Roderyk an odd look as they passed him on their way out of the house.

Auntie looked at Roderyk. "Do you know them?" she asked.

Roderyk nodded. "That's the deputy who smashed my face into the floor at the sheriff's station."

Auntie sighed. "Let's get back to the table everyone. Food's gettin' cold."

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The next day, Auntie drove into town and came back with four "No Trespassing" signs. She asked Roderyk to help her hang them on the posts at the entrance to her property as well as at several spots around the farm. Then she swung the old creaking gate shut, closing off the entrance to the farm. She latched and locked it with a padlock, then pocketed the key. "Don't look at me like I've lost my mind, my boy. I'm just doin' what the good Lord told me to do. It's gonna be a hassle for all of us, but this gate stays closed and locked exceptin' when we're goin' in and out," she explained. Then she gave spare keys to Roderyk, Rachel, and each of the men who worked on the farm.

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Roderyk sat on his bed that night, his head in his hands, listening to the sounds of RJ in the bathroom just on the other side of Roderyk's bedroom wall. He could hear the water running into the bathtub and RJ humming softly. The boy sounded so happy, so carefree. Roderyk could picture RJ sitting there, waiting for the bathtub to fill, perhaps still dressed, perhaps naked. A beautiful boy. An angelic being. Only a few feet away, with nothing between them except the thin walls of the old farmhouse.

Roderyk heard the water stop running. He heard RJ say, "Ouch. That's hot!" Then the sound of water lapping against the sides of the bathtub as RJ sat down. Splashing noises were next, so Roderyk knew then the boy was washing his body. His cherubic body.

The walls of his bedroom faded away and Roderyk saw men rushing him with guns. Behind them were angry women shouting, demanding he be caged again. They transformed before his eyes, changing into snapping dogs, leaping at his face, trying to tear him into pieces. He covered his face with his arms, gasping for breath. When he lowered his arms, the snarling animals were gone and in their place was Rachel, RJ's mom, beckoning him with both hands to come to her. Then she turned into a ghostly wraith and disappeared, leaving his bedroom just as it had been before.

Roderyk gasped for breath. The vision had been alarming, making his heart pound. He felt panic rising up from his guts and felt like he had to flee, so he stood to his feet and rushed out of his room, into the living room and out the front door. He ran to the ancient oak tree in front of the house and leaned back against it, staring through the branches at a quarter moon rising in the east.

He clasped his hands in front of his mouth and fell to his knees, eyes closed, heart hammering, and he prayed, "Oh Lord, help me! I despair. I beg for succor on this path you have placed at my feet.

"I'm about to drown without your help. I need your support. I need the love you give!

"I believed it was the right way, the way away from everything I knew, the way away from my home, the way away from Germany.

"It felt so right. I thought it was a new beginning. I could leave everything behind. Wounds were healed, and I started a new life.

"I thought I was escaping the demon, escaping the cage.

"For a brief moment, I rose into the air. Finally, I realized again what it feels like to fly. Next to me ... a little angel who is looking for me, who found me, who climbed to unimaginable heights with me.

"I'm truly so happy next to him.

"But now I've been thrown to the ground; my wings were broken—so are his. Pain envelopes us, dark shadows surround us.

"My little angel ... I want to protect him, envelop him, love him without expecting anything myself.

"But the bloody dogs of war have awakened. They sneak up on us, stalk us.

"Oh Lord, give me strength! Oh Lord watch over us in this, our darkest hour."

He dropped his head to his chest as silent tears cascaded down his cheeks onto the ground. And inside the farmhouse, RJ hummed a happy song as he bathed, unaware of the torture he was putting Roderyk through, unaware of looming danger.

 

The end of UNCAGED, Chapter Fourteen