White Crayon

Page nine

Jarleen kept her eyes on Clover as I stood up and stretched. "Well, I better be off." I smiled, and started walking off towards my house, my hands shoved in my pockets.
"Young man."
I heard the rough, accusing voice from behind me. I turned around to see Baley's dad, his arms crossed, looking infuriated.
Oh no.
"Me?" I asked, putting my hand up to my chest, and he nodded. "Yes. I want to know where my son is." He said, and Jarleen stared at the scene unfolding before her.
What should I do? Lie? Would that be a crime? Am I doing something illegal by keeping Baley at my house? My thoughts collided with one another, and I didn't respond right away. "Dad? What are you doing?" I heard Baley from behind me, and swiveled around to look at him. His eyes were just as round as they had been, like a summer moon, or a glimmering mirror. Baley's father took a step forward and held his hands out to Baley. "Son, you have to come home." He said, his eyes cold as he held his arms out, and grabbed a hold of Baley's arm. Baley flinched, and his voice shook. "Dad .. I don't want to go home .." He muttered, but his father raised his voice, to a rough shout. "Idiot! You have to come home right now! You don't have a choice!" He shouted, and tightened his grip on Baley's arm, watching as his son winced in pain as he twisted his hand, causing his son pain. "Let him go!" I shouted, taking hold of his arm, as I tried to detach his grip from Baley, who had started shaking all over and was staring at the ground. "GET BACK!" His father shouted, spit flying from his mouth. His face contorted in rage as he shoved me to the ground forcefully. I crashed onto the ground, my head throbbing as it collided with the hard concrete. Dazed, I shakily stood back up and looked at Jarleen, who's mouth has open and as wide as her eyes. Her hands trembling, she reached for her phone.
I stumbled over to Baley and his father, who was shouting insults at his son in the middle of the street. Neighbors came outside, covering their kids eyes, or shooing them back inside. I heard the wails of police cars, as Baley's father soon got horribly violent, his yells echoing in everyone's minds for the rest of forever.
Especially Baley.
After the cops arrived, they took his father away in handcuffs. Shoved him into the back of the police car. He was struggling to get back to Baley, screaming insults at the top of his voice, and trying to beat back the police officers to get back to him. They shoved him into the back of the car like a dog, one that was growling and snarling.
I walked over to Baley, Jarleen came over as well, her eyes filled with tears of sympathy.
"Hey .. Baley .." I said softly, and knelt down to get face to face with him. He recoiled and put his hands over his head, like he was doing a school drill for earthquakes where they hide under their desks from the danger. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He repeated over and over again, sobbing and shaking in the middle of the street. "Please I promise that I can do better. I promise that I can be what he was. I can. I promise I can! Please just don't hit me." He begged, as he started shaking even more violently, clutching at his hair, balling his hands into fists as he covered his face.
"Baley .. It's me, Rune." I said, as softly and as kindly as a mother talking to her child.
"We'd never do anything to you, Baley." Jarleen agreed, kneeling down beside me, and smiling warmly and kindly at him.
He lifted his head, and widened his eyes, just like a child that had been lost, and found his way home.
Somewhere he could finally be free of the clouds of smoke his father surrounded him with.
A breath of fresh air.