The Boarding School

Picking up Aiden Stern

Damien Lucas

Damien slammed the door of his car. The thick forest air felt good in his lungs. It was about a miles walk to the Lucas Mansion Boarding School. After months of hiding away in musty buildings, walking through alleys and city slums, and ducking behind dumpsters a deep breath of country air was something he could appreciate. Once upon a time he ran around this area barefoot with his friends. He was the wealthiest kid in the neighborhood, the kid of Lucas Mansion, the haunted Mansion, as some kids liked to say.

He smiled nostalgically, remembering scaring other boys with slamming doors and creaking floors in the neglected wings of the house. He'd never imagine it would become a boarding school or that his little brother's good friend would be a teacher there. Funny, he mused, how everything changes and there's no way to predict it. Sometimes in retrospect, everything makes sense and you wonder how you didn't see it, while other times you still don't understand how it came to be.

The mansion came into view and Damien slipped into the yard through the back fence and went up to the back door and knocked. Kezia opened the door. "Hey! She's talking with an officer right now but told me to tell you to go her to room," she said.

"Thanks," Damien came in and followed her through the back of the mansion to one of the back staircases. He passed open doorways quickly, especially those to the halls, to avoid being noticed. In the hallways, children walked and ran back and forth, coming in and out of rooms. He noticed the principal stepping out from his office with a little girl by his side.

"We'll speak again, McKenna," the principal was saying. It was all he heard, because he was in a hurry to get to Katelyn's room. Kitty left him at the landing and he ascended alone to Katelyn's bedroom, where he knocked again.

"Hey! Glad to see you!" Aiden opened the door and ushered him in. The table was dirty with used dishes. Aiden took a seat and started eating.

"You good?" Damien asked, eyeing him and taking the other seat. The kitchenette was a mess and the bed wasn't made, Damien noted curiously.

"Yeah," Aiden nodded, his mouth full. He shrugged, "It wasn't anything I can't get over. Not being able to remember anything helps, I guess."

"You can't remember anything?" Damien leaned forward.

Aiden shook his head, "Not a damn thing."

"Nothing? No questions? No answers?" pressed Damien. 

"I tried. Katelyn and I went over it over and over and I can't think of anything." Aiden put his fork down and leaned back in the chair.

"That's not good, Aiden." Damien frowned.

"No, really?" he replied sarcastically.

"Where's Katelyn?" He stood, folding his arms thoughtfully.

"Downstairs talking to the police, I guess," Aiden shrugged, "One of her students was sent to a juvenile camp and they just wanted to get some statements on his behavior from her."

"Kid named Thomas?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"I met him last time. He's an idiot. Drugs, parties, attitude. Juvenile camp might be good for him." Aiden laughed, shaking his head. "What?"

"Juvenile camp isn't good for anyone," Aiden replied, "I was in one, remember? Gotta say, he's tougher than you think if he makes it."

"What do you mean 'makes it'?"

"They aren't what they used to be. They used to be good and when they were good, people tried to shut them down. Now!" Aiden scoffed, "Now they are just work camps for kids no one is going to go looking for or ask about it."