Bury The Shadows

Part 13

It was about a week later when Silver was in the kitchen, helping prepare things for dinner. He'd been spending more and more time in here with Cook, even when there was nothing for him to do. 

He was more comfortable with women, and had noticed that Roman and Gruff were the only other men who lived here. He was happy with that. He'd met some of the maids, but they were always too busy to talk with him, and they felt awkward when he tried to help with the cleaning. They'd babied him and said he'd dirty his hands. 

So here he was, learning how to peel potatoes. Cook guided the tool in his hands, and he peeled his first stripe. It was crude, but he did it. A rare smile spread across his face as he held up the peel to Cook.

"Good job! Can you do it by yourself?" She let go of his hands, and he tried again. This time, his peeling was much better. She left him to his task and went to get a pot to boil them in. He happily (and slowly) peeled each potato until there were none left. Cook came over an praised his work as he helped her carry them over to the big pot of boiling water on the stove, handing them to her one by one so she could put them in.

He turned his head, having heard something. He handed Cook the last potato. "I'll be right back. . . I think I heard Roman." He left the kitchen. Cook watched him leave, shaking her head and smiling.

Silver peeked around the main room, looking for Roman, but a loud knock on the door made him jump. He froze. Was it okay to open it? Should he get Cookie? 

He didn't have time to do anything before he heard footsteps thudding quickly down the stairs beside him. He glanced over, and Roman was at the foot of the stairs. He noticed Silver and smiled, motioning for him to follow him as he went to open the door. Silver caught up when he was halfway there. 

"It's probably the new clothes we ordered for you," Roman smiled fondly down at him.

He pulled the heavy doors open, expecting to see a delivery man with packages, but was instead met with a scary-looking man in a cheap, rumpled suit. He gave a slimy smile, trying to look past Roman, who'd moved to block Silver's view of the man and vice versa. 

"Can I help you?" Roman asked, keeping his large body lodged in the doorframe in a very unwelcoming manner.

"Yes, yes. I'm from child protective services. I've been informed that a child was placed here by accident, due to a mistake on some paperwork, and I'm here to take him back. Can you please fetch him?"

"I'm sorry, can you provide some kind of proof? A badge? Paperwork?" Roman was suspicious of the sketchy man. No way in hell was he just letting him take Silver away, no questions asked.

The man fidgeted nervously, shuffling his feet. "Ah, well. . . I don't have anything on me right now. But I must insist. You're facing arrest if you refuse."

Silver had been still at Roman's side, but now he started urgently tugging on his sleeve. He'd recognized that voice. His heart pounded and his stomach did flips. He needed to see to be sure. . .

Roman tried to keep the man from seeing Silver, but the boy was practically shoving Roman out of the way. He finally was able to peek around him, and Roman quickly pushed him back, but it was too late. The man had seen him. 

"Sir, if you don't move aside and release him to me, I'll have to take him by force, and then I'll call the police and have you arrested." The greasy man stepped closer, trying to intimidate Roman. 

Roman heard a whimper behind him and turned to see Silver frozen, crouched on the floor, tears pouring out of his eyes and his hands over his mouth. He was immediately concerned, and the man took the opportunity to shove past him. He rushed at Silver, grabbing his arm and trying to drag him out the door. 

Silver panicked and started screaming, trying to wrench his arm away. He lay on the floor, kicking and struggling to get away from the man. "No! Not again! Roman, help me!"

Roman had been in shock, but now jumped into action. He rushed forward and shoved the man, prying his arm off of Silver's. He grabbed him by the shoulders and roughly steered him toward the staircase, forcing him down to sit on the bottom step. The man was shocked.

"You move an inch toward that door and I'll kill you," Roman threatened under his breath, so low that only the man could hear. He turned and crouched beside Silver, who was completely caught up in a panic attack.

He lay on the floor sobbing uncontrollably and trembling. He scrambled away from Roman with a wild look in his eyes as he continued to beg. "No! Don't let-- don't let him take me-- I don't want to b-be hurt again-- Don't touch--" He was hyperventilating.

Cook had heard the screaming and run out, now she was hovering beside Silver, unsure what was going on. "What happened? What's wrong with him?"

"He's panicked. You need to call the police, okay? Tell them a stranger just broke into our home and tried to kidnap someone." He dug his phone from his pocket and handed it to Cook, who looked over at the man on the stairs in surprise before she ran into the kitchen to make the call.

The man was still sitting on the stairs, weighing his options. He couldn't run for the door, because they were right in his way and he'd be caught for sure, but if he took off through the house, he may get caught by someone else or never even find another way out. He didn't know what to do, but he knew he couldn't fight Roman if it came down to it. Roman was much bigger and stronger.

Roman was still trying to get Silver to calm down. He'd pulled the boy halfway into his lap, but the screaming and struggling continued. "D-don't touch me-- don't touch-- get away-- have to get--" He was still panting heavily, and tried to kick Roman when he pulled him closer.

"Hey, easy, easy. Silver, its me. Its Roman. You need to breathe for me, okay? Please. Just try to calm down. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you." Silver couldn't fight the instinct to just get away from danger. He fought to get out of Roman's hold and tried to crawl across the room.

Cook came back out, phone in her hand. "They'll be here in two minutes," she said as she inched closer, wanting to help but not really knowing how to. "Is he going to be okay?"

"He'll be fine. I want to get him to where he can't see that man, but you can't carry him and I don't want to take my eyes off that bastard. So we'll wait here." He went back to trying to calm Silver, and Cook stood beside them, eyeing the man.

When they heard sirens screech up the drive, Cook ran to open the doors. Four officers came in, handcuffs at the ready. They arrested the man when he couldn't provide proof that he wasn't lying. Roman told them he'd shoved his way in and grabbed Silver and tried to take him forcefully. 

The officers took the man with them, and Roman could now turn his full attention to Silver. He'd exhausted himself and was now a teary, whimpering mess in Roman's lap. He wouldn't look up at him, and just kept mumbling 'don't touch-- let go' and so on. 

Roman was extremely angry. That bastard had just ruined the progress they'd made.

He gently scooped the boy up in his arms, brushing away the hands that weakly tried to hit him. He spoke soothingly as he carried him all the way up the stairs and into the room, leaving Cook standing all alone with tears in her eyes.

He gently laid Silver in the bed and tucked the covers around him tightly. As he stood to take off his shoes, 

"Please don't leave me," a soft voice whispered.

"I'm not leaving you, sweetheart." He crawled in bed beside the boy, wrapping his arms tightly around him. "Just rest, I'm here. I won't let anyone hurt you."

He felt the boy nod against his chest.

                       Part Fourteen Coming Soon