Breaking the Curse

Chapter 5

Margaret paces around the room. She smokes nervously. She's on the edge of a breakdown.

"I've been waiting here for an hour, Capt," Margaret says.

"I'm sorry, I had some --"

"An hour! Do you know what that means? Do you know what could have happened to him in an hour?"

"I'm sure he's fine. He probably just skipped school --"

"Not my Sabastian. He wouldn't do that. He's not like that."

"You never know. Kids can be unpredictable. One time my dad thought I was in the chess club when really I was sneaking out to see Jenny Jones at the drive-in --"

"Sabastian is not like you. He's not like me. He's not like most kids."

She takes a drag from her cigarette. She fights back tears.

"He's different, okay? He has a few friends, but everyone else – they make fun of him. Call him names, laugh at him, his clothes --"

"His clothes? What's wrong with his clothes?"

"They're too – too bright – I don't know. Does it matter?"

"Maybe, maybe not."

Margaret takes another drag.

"He's just – special, alright? R – Roy always said he was weird – called him a freak." Roy is Margaret's ex-husband, a drug addict and a former soldier who fought in the revolution against the British rule.

"Is he?" Captain Jack asks.

"What?"

"A freak."

"It doesn't matter what that bastard called Sabastian. What matters is that he's missing and I need you to find him."

Captain Jack scratches his stubble.

"You heard from Roy lately?"

Margaret hesitates. She doesn't like to talk about Roy.

"He was in Phnom Penh, last I heard. That was a year ago. But he has nothing to do with this. He doesn't care about Sabastian. He never did." Margaret says.

Captain Jack digs through his desk, finds a pen and a pad.

"What's his number?"

"I told you, Roy has nothing to do with this --" Margaret says.

"Look, most of the time, when a kid goes missing, he's with a parent or a relative --" Captain Jack says.

"What about the other time?" Margaret asks.

"What other time?"

"You said most of the time. What about the rest of the time? The one percent." Margaret says.

Captain Jack takes off his glasses. He leans forward.

"This is Lakewood, Margaret. Nothing bad ever happens here. You know the worst thing I've seen in four years? It was when that seagull attacked Joy the crazy man. Thought his hair was a nest. He was about to lay an egg when we showed up."

Captain Jack laughs at the memory. He tries to lighten the mood.

Margaret cracks a smile. But only for a moment.

"I'll call Roy. He'll talk to me before he talks to a --"

"Pig!" Captain Jack interrupts.

"Cop." Margaret corrects.

Margaret sits down. She puts out her cigarette in an ashtray. She looks at Captain Jack with tears in her eyes.

"Please find my son, Capt. Please. I don't know what I'll do without him." Margaret cries.