Archer Diaries

The Boy

Mom had one of her episodes again today. As I left for school, she looked at me as if I was the devil's spawn itself . Maybe I really am since all the bad things begun after I was born. I wish I could help her but it's hopeless. She keeps getting worse each time but I can't have her committed cause she is all I've got. I love those days she is normal, she seems to make up for the times she spaces out. About school, it's still same. Everyone ignores me except for the never changing prick, Tate and his dumb followers.Sometimes I feel the need to fight back but it will end bad for me being the sociopath and all. I got a few weeks left to leave that hell hole called high school for good. I'm tired, you know, dad. I wish you never left.

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"I was told to see you." the lean scrawny looking kid said nonchalantly. It was obvious he didn't want to be there.

"You must be Mason. Please sit." the young lady in the couch said with a smile."I'm Robyn and I've been expecting you. Miss. Bailey told me you would come see me though that was three weeks ago."

He took a seat across her still looking uninterested "I was busy."

"I'm sure you were but at least you are here now and that's all that matters, right?"

"I guess so." he looked round her office trying to understand the atmosphere she wanted to create and why the heck he came to her. Miss Bailey was the school's guidance counsellor and she had recommended the lady therapist sitting before him now. She was pretty, he thought. Round faced, with pouty lips any man would love to kiss, clear brown eyes, curly mass of hair that accentuated her face quite well and smooth caramel skin. She was a high end prize for her husband. He noticed the wedding band on her left finger, she should be happy but she had bags around her eyes which she had craftfully covered with make up and she looked worn out but it was quite obvious it wasn't from her work. There was something going on with her and it was bad.

"What're you thinking right now, Mason?" she finally asked breaking his chain of thoughts.

"Nothing." he cooly answered and leaned back in the couch.

"I don't think it's nothing but I'm not gonna force you. So why are you here?"

He gave her a shrewd look before answering "Miss. Bailey..."

"No, not that reason besides she told you three weeks ago so why did you decide to come now?"

Yeah, that was a good question, why did he come to see her. It had a little to do with his mom's mental breakdown. He felt lonely, too lonely and too fed up of bearing it all, the pain, the anger and the disappointment. He had no friends to bear his misery to so maybe he could make use of this woman who seemed genuinely concerned.

"I don't know and honestly I can't even afford this"

She offered a soft smile, "Don't worry about that. I just need you to tell me what's on your mind"

Suddenly he panicked, how could he possibly tell anyone about what was on his mind. They would all think he was crazy, oh wait they already did but then no one knew of his constant nightmares and worse his suicidal tendencies. He couldn't just blurt it out like that and expect everything to be fine afterwards.

"You know what, fuck this!" he retorted and walked out promising never to return. Robyn watched him and knew then that boy needed her help badly and she was going to give it whether he wanted it or not. She knew he would return, they always did.

Mason took the shortcut to the animal shelter where he worked part time. Tucker was the only one in town who acknowledged him at all since he was an outcast himself. They met when Mason was in middle school and had ran away from Tate and his minions. He had wandered far from the familiar settings of his neighbourhood and stumbled upon the old shelter which housed a few stray dogs and cats. He found solace there and had been going ever since. It was until recently that Tucker started paying him. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing. He walked inside and called out the old man's name.

"Out back!" Tucker yelled in response. He went to the back and saw him working on his truck. "You're late."

"Yeah, I went to see someone." he explained with a grimace.

"Who?"

"A shrink."

Tucker looked at him in confusion"A shrink?"

"Yeah, the guidance counsellor made me go but it was a waste of time."

"Listen to me, lad. There ain't no time wasting with a shrink. Heck I could use one."

"Well you could go see her"

"Oh, nawh. I've carried my burdens far too long to let go of them now but it's not too late for you"

"So you think I should go see her again?"

"Yes and you do so until you let go of your demons."

"Ok, so what do you want me to do today?"

He spent the next two hours cleaning and feeding the animals and making checks on them for any disease. He later bade Tucker a good night and made his way back home.

"Mom, I'm home." he called out to the darkness not really expecting an answer.

"Is that you, Mason?" Sarah, his mum asked from the dark hall. She liked to sit in the dark a lot.

"Yes."

"Oh good, how was school?" she asked her voice sounding tired.

"Fine, is there anything to eat? I'm famished."

"Yeah, your dinner is on the stove. It's your favourite, lasagna."

"Thanks." he went into the kitchen, turned on the light and picked his plate of lasagna. "I'm going to my room. Shout my name when you need me."

"Ok" he climbed the stairs to his room turning on the lights along the way. He ate as he worked on the final end of year project he was to submit in two weeks. When he got tired, he went downstairs to wash his plate and returned to his room. He plugged in his earphones and nodded to the beat of the song playing thinking about Robyn. The name suited her, he thought and smiled softly remembering every single detail of her face. He knew then where he would be after school tomorrow.