Throwaway People

Wanagi

Green Acres, Camp: 10:30 PM

"Do you think I'm being stupid?" Patty asked Jim.

Jim looked over at her. "Usually, but I'm guessing you're talking about something specific." Jim said.

"About this guilt over Key." Patty said as she punched Jim in the arm. "I'm not stupid."

Jim sat up in the bed resting his back against the massive headboard. "You just asked me if you were stupid. Obviously you are no judge of your own mental efficiency."

"I'm serious." Patty propped herself on one elbow. Staring up at Jim. "Should I be beating myself up over this whole thing."

"I think Key was right when she said that there was nothing you could do until things came together like they did. You're off the crack, she was hurting too bad to resist, and you needed this place where you could hide her."

"You sound like it was part of a master plan." Patty said.

"Perhaps. We don't know how God works. It is possible that he plans things out ahead. That our lives are part of a larger plan that we cant see." Jim caressed Patty's face.

"Like you and me finally getting together." Patty kissed Jim's hand.

"You are too young for me. You should find someone your own age."

"Would a younger man be able to look beyond the fact that I am an addict and a whore."

"Right now, you aren't either of those things. You are a beautiful young woman in my bed, and I'm damned lucky to have you." Jim leaned down and kissed Patty's lips. "At least until you wise up and find someone you truly deserve."

"You are more than what I deserve. Now, you stop being stupid."

"She's too little, I won't do it with her." Kitty had known they would hurt her. She didn't care.

Two men pulled Kitty away and made her stand at the foot of the bed. The other two men came in and they began to rape the little girl.

"NO! Stop it. Do it to me. Leave her alone."

Only they wouldn't. Kitty kicked and screamed. Cried and cursed. It did no good. The four men took turns holding her, raping the child. Making Kitty watch. Kitty had been allowed to fall to the floor. The men got dressed and left the room. The little girl lay on the bed. That was when the Wanagi came in.

He grabbed Kitty's arm and dragged her over to the bed. Forced Kitty to look into the lifeless girl's eyes. "Your fault!" The Wanagi screamed at her. "Just like your Mother, she's your fault."

Kitty screamed, she couldn't stop.

10:35 PM

Patty was the first to burst into the room, dressed only in her pink robe. Jim followed in a pair of jeans he'd slipped on. Patty saw Key sitting up in bed screaming in wild terror. Patty took hold of Key's shoulders.

"Wake up!" Patty yelled as she shook the girl.

Key couldn't stop screaming.

"Key." Jim held her head making eye contact. "Look at me! You are with us. You are safe."

Key saw only the Wanagi in front of her. She struck out.

"Hold her." Jim said. "Don't let her kick you. That's it, pin her legs."

Key was screaming as she struggled against the two adults.

"Make it stop. Tell the Wanagi to make it stop." Key cried. After that she stopped struggling.

Once Key was asleep Jim and Patty sat on the other bed. Patty put her head in her hands.

"Oh, my god." Patty said. "What the fuck was that about?"

"You know Key has been through a lot." Jim said in an unsteady voice. "It's post traumatic stress disorder."

"That stuff happens to soldiers in combat. Not little girls." Patty's voice was shaky as well.

"Abuse victims have PTSD too. What happened to Kitty has been more than her brain can process at times. Just as what a soldier does in combat will eventually encounter his mind can't process as either reasonable or right. The results are the same."

Patty looked over at Jim to see him trembling uncontrollably. Patty thought that Jim should be more used to this then she was. She had just managed to stop shaking herself, but Jim was struggling to maintain control still.

"Anxiety disorder." Jim said. As if reading Patty's mind. "Give me a minute. It will pass."

"We can't deal with this type of problem, Jim. Like it or not we need to get help."

Jim had regained his composure.

"I have behavioral training, but you are right I'm not qualified to deal with this. The thing is if we try to find help it could do more harm than good. If we involved the police or dcf Key will bolt." Jim looked over at the sleeping girl. "I think the police could help, but I don't trust the dcf."

"I want you to sleep in here with Key tonight. If she has another of these night terrors it might be better if you are able to comfort her right away." Jim gave Patty a quick hug.

Patty turned into his hug and was about to kiss Jim on the mouth when she noticed his eye.

"Oh, my god. Look at that shiner, I didn't see her pop you one."

"That was because you were busy keeping her from kicking you."

Greenacres, Camp: November 27th: 5:00 AM

The sun hadn't risen when Patty got up. She looked over at the sleeping Keyote. She reached over and stroked her thick black hair. Patty heard Keyote murmur in her sleep. Patty hoped that if Key was dreaming that it was a pleasant one.

Patty put on her pink robe. She was not surprised to find that Jim was awake. He sat at the table with a cup of coffee. Jim put down the book he was reading. Jim smiled at her as he motioned to the stove where a empty mug waited and the percolator pot was on the burner.

Once Patty had her coffee she sat with Jim. He had picked up his book again. Patty marveled that Jim could read so much. It seemed that every minute of spare time he had Jim was reading. He had a aging hardback from the library in the bedroom.

"Can you help Key with your behavioral training." Patty said.

"I don't know. I might be able to combine my behavioral modification with meditation techniques I used to teach." Jim told her. "The only other choice is to give her up."

"I don't want to surrender her to the authorities until I know she has folks who will watch over her." Patty had to fight back tears when she considered this reality. "Do you need anything?"

"Just Keyote."