Baby Bender | Andrew Clark

eight

john's pov

dick takes me to a closet and comes right up to my face.

"that's the last time, bender! that's the last time you ever make me look bad in front of those kids, do you hear me? i make thirty-one thousand dollars a year and i have a home, and i'm not about to throw it away on some punk like you. but someday, man, someday, when you're outta here and you've forgotten all about this place... and they've forgotten all about you and you're wrapped up in your own pathetic life... i'm gonna be there. that's right. and i'm gonna kick the living shit out of you, man! i'm gonna knock your dick in the dirt!" vernon raises his voice.

"are you threatening me?" i ask.

"what're you gonna do about it? you think anybody's gonna believe you? you think anybody's gonna take your word over mine? i'm a man of respect around here. they love me around here, i'm a swell guy. you're a lying sack of shit! and everybody knows it. oh, you're a real tough guy... come on, come on... get on your feet, pal! let's find out how tough you really are! i wanna know right now, how tough you are! come on! i'll give you the first punch, let's go! come on, right here, just take the first shot." he points to his cheek. "please, i'm begging you, take a shot! come on, just take one shot, that's all i need... just one swing!"

i stare at dick. i am scared. i would punch him, but if i punch him, he will tell the police and i'll be arrested and massie will have to live with dad all by herself, and god knows what he will do to her.

vernon pretends to punch me and i flinch. he just laughs.

"that's what i thought... you're a gutless turd!" he tells me. vernon leaves the room, locking the door behind him. lucky for me, i'm smart when it comes to escaping. i climb into the hatch in the ceiling and make my way to the other kids.

i slowly crawl through the heating duct.

"a naked blonde walks into a bar, with a poodle under one arm and a two foot salami under the other. she lays the poodle on the table. bartender says 'i suppose you won't be needing a drink.' the naked blonde says..." i tell myself, when i suddenly fall through the roof.

massie's pov
i sit behind andrew and claire when we hear this loud noise, followed by a scream. that scream could only sound like one person... john.

"jesus christ, all mighty!" i hear vernon say.

"i forgot my pencil." john says as he walks down the stairs. i smile at him, he smiles back. vernon makes a noise in the hall, getting john's attention. john runs underneath claire's table.

"god dammit! what in god's name is going on in here?" vernon asks as he walks through the library door. "what was that ruckus?"

"uh, what ruckus?" andrew asks.

"i was just in my office and i heard a ruckus!" vernon states.

"could you describe the ruckus, sir?" brian asks.

"watch your tongue, young man!" vernon warns. john must've hit his head on the table because he groans. andrew and claire smack the table to credit for the noise.

"keep it cool." i mutter to myself.

"what is that? what, what is that? what is that noise?" vernon asks about the groan.

"what noise?" andrew asks.

"really, sir, there wasn't any noise..." claire let's out a squeal, knowing john, he would've gotten in her pants. nothing new.

everyone, including myself start faking a coughing fit for john's groan.

"that noise? was that the noise you were talking about?" claire asks.

"no, it wasn't. that was not the noise i was talking about. now, i may not have caught you in the act this time, but you can bet i will." vernon states. allison laughs at vernon, which makes us all smile. "you make book on that, missy! and you!" vernon points at claire. "i will not be made a fool of!"  he walks away with toilet seat cover stuck to his pants as he walks out the door.

everyone laughs, except claire who smacks john multiple times.

"it was an accident." john says, innocently.

"you're an asshole!" claire states.

"so sue me." john replies. john walks over to brian and looks at him. "so, ahab... kybo mein doobage." which is probably code for 'give me my drugs'. brian hands john his marijuana. john walks off.

"hey, wasteoid! you're not gonna blaze up in here!" andrew yells. claire follows john into another room. pretty sure they'd fuck if brian didn't follow them. allison, andrew and i stayed in the detention area. i don't do drugs, or smoke. john does it to make himself look scary. it works with some people.

"shit." andrew follows them. i smile at allison, but she doesn't smile back. she probably thinks of me the same as everyone else.

i get up and walk to the window ledge, which is near where the others are. i think about how would life would look if i wasn't in it. would john be different? would people be happier?

"hey, massie. come down here." john says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"no, it's okay. i prefer it up here." i reply.

"please." he says. this is what i notice about john. when he wants you to do something simple, and you decline, and then he says 'please', it's best to do it because he never uses his manners.

"fine." i get down and walk over to john.