Devour

Chapter 9 - Cora

"I scrubbed the kids's GPS history save Patch-----the kids are in bed -----so time to say goodnight," I say, to Errol, who is lying on the sofa in his six times too large hoodie, a cocoon of pathetic sweet innocence that he knows damn well works on me. He literally has the hood up over most of his face, sad little turtle human. Who is probably one of the most deadly weapons in Great Britain, but the fact remains he looks precious when he's tired and he knows it.

"Okay, I put Dax in my room so I'm out here. Goodnight," he says, not moving. Or opening his eyes.

"You read minds as you so often have to remind us---so you know for a fact that I meant that it's time for you to go say goodnight to them with me," I say, tugging on the hood of his sweatshirt.

"I did say goodnight to them. PRIOR to them breaking out and making me walk ten miles across the blasted heath in the middle of the bloody night just to stare at another body," he says, opening his eyes for the speech.

"I know. I mean again."

"I---"

"Taking Patch's CDs and saying 'I don't want to see your fucking faces until I call you down for breakfast and when I do your mouths had better be shut', is not the same as saying goodnight," I inform him.

"It's what they deserve----"

"They are children. They are sorry. They told you they were sorry, and in order to have a good night's sleep they need closure that you aren't mad at them you are mad at their actions," I say.

"College did something frightening to you. All that empathy for the rugrats. Ugh," he says, adjusting but not moving.

"Errol, come on, you're the only parent they have, say goodnight, let them know you're disappointed, not angry----"

"I am angry----"

"But not with them as individuals---"

"I'm damn angry with Pasch as an individual."

"Pasch has always been different," I say, sighing, "Come on, please? I want to get to bed as well."

"He shouldn't threaten his brother like that there's a line---breaking out is one thing but they can't be hurting each other," Errol says, sitting up now.

"I agree; that's why we need to TALK to him, not shut him out," I say, "Please?"

"Fine, but I'm seeing Pasch last."

"You're seeing Dax last because he's down here."

"Yeah, okay, you're right," he says, standing and coughing, "Go ahead then, I'll follow."

I go visit Pasch first, since Errol wasn't of the mind see him soon. I for one am annoyed with Pasch as well but----he has always been different. Special. A special case. I swear that boy's first word was 'HATE'. Hate Miss Cora. Hate Errol. Hate everything. Constantly bolting on us. Stealing. Being a general wildfire all the time. 

The boy doesn't rest. He doesn't care so much about the consequences either. Errol has taken everything from his room save the mattress and a pillow and a blanket. That was because he actually pushed Nel nearly down the stairs. I don't even remember why but they were arguing. I've even asked for counselors to come evaluate him but he lies to them says he isn't angry about anything. It drives me mad I just want to help him but he's---way too much sometimes and he doesn't even help himself.

But he's still just twelve.

I find him curled up in his bed, barely under the covers, sobbing his little heart out.

"Sweetheart, don't," I say, petting his back. He doesn't move, just cries more.

"Shhh, it's late, you need to sleep," I say, petting his hair. It's stiff and a bit thick, standing up in places because he hasn't brushed it properly.