Salvaging Family (SBI Angst)

12: Phil

When Tommy told me that Will and Techno had been fighting, I didn't hesitate to book a plane ticket and make plans to get to them. I already knew something was very wrong in that household, and this was just the icing on the cake. I was going to find out once and for all what was going on with those kids... and where exactly their parents were. I noticed that they never talked about them, so I imagine they can't be great. All I know is that they were all in the foster system at some point.

Of course, there was always the possibility that they didn't have parents, which was quite frightening. These kids should not be living all on their own. For fucks sake, Tommy is only barely 13! Whatever the case with their family was, something needed to change.

And that was how I found myself standing in front of their door, knocking a few times. A disgruntled Techno answered the door.

"What?" He asked.

"Can I come in?"

"I guess." He stepped back so I could enter. Immediately I noticed that the house was a mess. Dirty laundry and dishes were strung all around the room, and absolutely nothing was organized. This only solidified my theory that they had no parents. I guess I have to ask now.

"Where are your parents?"

Techno looked stunned.

"W-why?"

"Do you have parents?"

He tried to speak but couldn't.

"That tells me all I need to know."

"You're not gonna... report us or anything, right?"

"No, of course not. But I definitely won't be leaving you guys alone here right now. Where are the others?"

"In their rooms, I think. I'll go get them."

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

While he was gone, I was able to get a better look at the place. I noticed that Techno had looked rather pale and unnaturally skinny, which couldn't be a good sign. I wondered what condition the other boys were in. The house was absolutely disastrous. It smelled of rotting trash, likely due to the fact that the trash appeared to not have been taken out for several weeks. Even the lighting was unnervingly bright. Everything about this home was wrong. It wasn't a home at all.

A few moments later, Techno came downstairs with Wilbur and Tommy in tow. Wilbur looked tired and disheveled, and Tommy seemed to have been crying, but seemed quite bright now. He wrapped me in a hug.

"Hi Phil!"

"Hi Tommy."

"You really came!" He pulled away, and I noticed a hint of fear in his eyes.

"Of course. I don't go back on my word." I looked up at Wilbur, who was avoiding eye contact.

"Hi Wil."

He groaned in response. Great.

"Alright guys, why don't we get you something to eat? I'll pay."

The boys shuffled awkwardly.

"That would be okay." Tommy piped up, though I could see that he looked nervous. I picked up my phone and ordered pizza, hoping that would be okay for them, then took a deep breath to do what I really came here for.

"Okay, guys. I really can't just put this off. We need to talk." They boys grimaced and looked away.

"What's going on here?"

Tommy, as usual, was the first to speak.

"It's just a rough patch. Everybody has them."

I sighed. It was going to take  a bit more convincing for them to tell me anything.

"Fine. Let's just watch a movie, okay?"

So we all sat together watching the movie and eating the pizza when it got here. Well, some of us were eating. Well, really, I was eating. It was concerning that the boys had little interest in the pizza, especially considering their frail appearances. Wilbur was the only one who finished a full slice, Tommy picked at his, and Techno simply refused to eat.

I was especially worried about Techno. He looked truly awful. He really needed help. They all did, but him especially. I sighed, and asked to speak to Tommy privately. I knew that if I was going to get anything out of the boys, it'd have to be a one-on-one conversation. Tommy agreed, and we walked upstairs.

"Tommy, I need you to be honest with me here because I'll find out one way or another. Are you okay?" I knew the answer to that, I just wanted to see his response.

"No." His voice was shaky and quiet.

"Come here." I pulled him into another hug. He seemed like he needed one because he melted in my arms and started sobbing into my chest.

"It's okay. I'm going to help you."

God, I hoped I could pull this off.