No Childhood

Questions

"Remember you? Am I supposed to?" I asked.

"I guess not, you were quite young," X replied."You don't recognize me at all?" He asked. I searched my mind for any memory of him.

"You do look a little familiar," I admitted.

"It was about seven years ago. Your mother's sister, Dani, and I used to be together. We were only together for a few months though, so it makes sense that you don't remember," He said. "I wanted to get you out of there, but I couldn't blow my cover," He finished. "Someone your age shouldn't have to endure anything like that, especially because you never did anything wrong, like drugs," he said the last words with hatred and gave Tre a disapproving glare. Tre lowered his head in shame.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"So what happened to everyone else?" I asked. "How did you get out?" I asked Tre.

"Three days after you got out, the cops busted in and shut everything down. It was chaotic," Tre replied.

"Then how'd you get here the day after I left?" I asked, confused.

"It hasn't been a day Delilah. You just can't remember," X said. "Dr. Maxwell told us that you floated in and out of consciousness frequently during your recovery. You would scream and tell the doctors not to touch you. One time you even tried running."

"Really?" I asked, thinking back to my time in the hospital.

"Yea, but you're fine now. You'll be able to go home in a few days," Tre said. I frowned and both their expressions changed to worry.

"What's wrong?" X asked.

"I don't have a few days, I have to go home, like now," I said.

"Why?" X asked, raising an eyebrow.

"My mom, bailed on us, and my siblings are... I don't even know," I admitted. "What if the system got to them?" I asked.

"Wouldn't that be a good thing?" Tre asked.

"No, they'll split us up. They'll split Derrel and Drey up," I said worriedly. "And there's nothing I can do about it." I said sadly. Tears threatened to escape my eyes.

"No, but I might be able to," X said. "If you get back and your siblings are in the system, I'll help you. I'll help you, even if their not, okay?" X asked. I gave him a small smile.

"Okay," I replied.

"But, you have to stay here, until you're well enough to leave," X added.

"But I am!" I claimed. Tre raised his eyebrow.

"Really, cause I swore you were barely able to sit up a couple minutes ago," Tre remarked. I rolled eyes, while Tre laughed.

"You are not, and you know you're not. So just relax," X said, lying his hand on my shoulder. "Everything's going to be fine." X promised. I sighed

"Alright," I agreed. "But as soon as the doctor says I can leave, I'm gone. Even if I have to walk back to Lawrenceville."

"Don't worry, we'll be ready to go as soon as you're cleared," X assured me. A knock at the door tore our attention away from each other.

"Come in," I said. The door opened and two officers stepped in.

"Delilah Landers?" One asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"I'm Officer Sanders and this is Officer Clyde. We need to ask you a few questions about De'Mondre Scooter and his gang," Officer Sanders said. I frowned and looked to X.

"You couldn't do it?" I asked him.

"Nah, the chief doesn't like that I have a personal connection with you, so he won't let me," X replied.

"Alright, go ahead," I said looking back at the officers. They turned their attention to the other men in the room.

"We're going to need you two to exit the room," Officer Clyde said, pointing to X and Tre. Tre opened his mouth in protest, but X stopped him.

"Let's go," he ordered Tre. "We'll be right outside." He said, standing up.

"Okay," I replied as they left the room. Once he and Tre shut the door, the officers' attention turned back to me. Officer Clyde had already gotten his note book and pencil ready.

"Miss Landers-" I cut him off.

"You can just call me Delilah," I informed him.

"Okay Delilah, how long have you known De'Mondre Scooter?" He asked.

"Only about a week," I replied.

"What do you know about him?" Officer Sanders asked.

"Nothing really, I only spoke to him twice," I told him.

"Have you ever bought any type of drug off of him?" Officer Clyde asked, suspiciously.

"What? No!" I replied abruptly.

"How did you become one of his targets?" He asked. My eyes landed on Officer Sanders, but I immediately looked away. My body began to sweat. I wanted to tell him, but I didn't want to snitch on my mother.

"I...uh," I stammered. They waited for me to continue, but I had stopped there.

"Look Delilah," Officer Sanders started. "We want to help you, but you have to tell us everything." He said.

"My mother and Andre were together, and after she left him, he got mad and kidnapped and held me in that.. that place," I replied.

"Okay," Officer Sanders said. "How often did you see Andre?" He asked.

"My mother only brought him home once," I replied.

"Why," he asked. I shrugged.

"I don't know, ask her," I answered. Officer Clyde sighed and scribbled something down in his book.

"Has your mother ever purchased any illegal drugs from him?" Officer Clyde asked.

"I don't know," I replied.

"Okay. Has your mother ever done any drugs?" He asked.

"Maybe," I replied, thinking about all the times she came home high, with some random guy glued to her arm. "I thought these questions were supposed to be about the gang, not my mother," I pointed out.

"Okay, how long did they hold you?" Officer Clyde asked me.

"I'm not sure. All the days seem to run together when you're in the dark for so long," I replied.

"What did you endure while you were there?" Officer Sanders questioned.

"Starvation, dehydration you know, the usual conditions of kidnappings," I replied.

"Delilah, be serious and specific. What did they do?" Officer Sanders asked.

"Okay. They didn't feed, nor water me, so I almost died," I said. Annoyance stained Officer Sanders face.

"Did they physically hurt you?" Officer Clyde asked. I hesitated, thinking back to the torture and what Andre had done to me.

After that I told them everything, all about what Andre had done to me. I wanted to cry in the middle of it, but I was able hold back my tears. By the end of the interview the officers looked sympathetic. They closed their notebooks and stood up.

"We're sorry about what happened, but we're making sure those people will be gone for a long time," Officer Clyde assured me. "Thank you for your time." I nodded and they both turned to leave. I watched as they exited the room. As soon as they were gone, Tre and X marched back inside.

"How'd it go?" Tre asked, kneeling down beside me. Once he was leveled with my face, I saw the sympathy in his eyes.

"Fine. They just asked a few questions and left," I told him. "I think they got everything they needed," I replied.