The Family (VOL. 1)

Chapter 4

I stuck my fingers through the tiny holes in the fencing, straining them as I reached for the rusty padlock; my finger tips barely grazed it. Hard as I tried, I couldn't grasp it. Even if I had, it would've been useless, I needed the key to unlock it before I could get out.

When that didn't work, I ran my hands along the walls and floors in search for a hole or a break in the fence, anything I could use to escape through, but my search proved useless. I was trapped.

Sinking to the floor, defeated, I weighed my options. If I couldn't escape, then I'd have to make them let me out...but how?

The shrill squeak of old hinges alerted me, drawing my eyes to the sliding door leading in and out of the barn. The door slid open on its tracks and Bubba stepped in, a squirming chicken beneath each arm. His heavy brown boots thudded across the floor as he moved further into the room, not paying any mind to me.

The memory of his brother saying he couldn't speak sparked in my mind. What if...what if I could teach him to speak? Maybe If I can help him, I can gain his trust. This could be my chance. I rose to my feet slowly and crept toward the cage door.

"Hello, " I spoke up, my voice shaky and my heart pounding. I just hoped he wouldn't notice how nervous I was.

He stopped in his tracks and craned his head to look at me. In this lighting, I could make out a few more details of his crazy realistic mask. Like the way, all the hair seemed to be carefully and meticulously rooted into the scalp and eyebrows. What was it made of? Paper mache? Cloth?

"Um...you're Bubba aren't you?"

He released the chickens which gladly flew from his arms and proceeded to scurry around the room, squawking angrily at having been picked up in the first place.

"At least, I think that's what they called you."

He turned to face me completely, taking a few cautious steps forward.

"Your brother mentioned that you have trouble speaking...that you don't speak."

He held his hands up to his mouth, feeling his lips with his fingers before letting out a sigh.

"Is that because you can't or you won't?"

His hands slid into his hair, plucking at the dark brown strands and lowering his head, be shook it from side to side. A few soft whimpers escaped his lips.

"I think I can help you, Bubba. You see, I work with just people like you every day."

My words seemed to strike a chord with him as he dropped his arms and looked up, his eyes sparkled with a mix of hope and curiosity.

"I teach them to speak using their hands." I held my palms out for him to see. "It's called sign language. " I signed out the words slowly as I spoke to show him what I meant.

"If you like, I can teach you. " I put extra emphasis on the sign for teach.

He glanced at his own hands then back to me as if he was debating if I were lying or not.

"Would you like that?" I asked, trying to seem as genuine as possible.

A long string of babbles spilled from his lips like a toddler just learning to speak. It was as if he was attempting to form words, but he grew more and more frustrated with himself with each incoherent syllable. He dug his fingers his yellow leather apron and beat his thigh. He was upset, I could tell and before I could open my mouth to speak again, he speed away out of the barn, slamming the barn door closed after him.

Well...that didn't work. Slinking back to the corner, I rested my head against the wall. My body was tired, my mind was tired, everything was tired.

I hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours, but it felt like longer than that. A wave of blackness crept over me, slowly draping across my sore body like a blanket. My eyelids grew heavy. The struggle to keep them open took more strength than I had so reluctantly, I allowed them to close on that place and soon drifted into a dreamless sleep.

The same familiar creak of the barn door stirred me out of my slumber and plunged me back into reality. My eyes flicker open and I bolt upright ready to defend myself if need be.

Bubba appeared in front of the cage door. This time his apron was missing, exposing a dirty yellow button-down shirt and black slacks with a blue tie hanging from his neck. The odd realistic mask still donned his face.

"You're back?" I said, not meaning for it to come out as a question but I was genuinely shocked he came back after our last interaction. "Does that mean you want me to teach you?"

With a bob of his head, he lowered himself to the ground and sat down on the dusty floor in front of cage door.

"Teach" he signed then wiped his palms on his pants. The way he was fidgeting told me he was nervous.

"You remembered," I muttered to myself without realizing it. I didn't actually think he would. Maybe he's smarter than I originally thought. I hesitantly scooted closer until nothing separated him and me except the thin fenceing.

"Alright then, let's begin."

"Let me introduce myself, My name is T-i-l-l-y." I signed each word and letter of my name as I spoke.

He studied my hands intently before attempting to copy my movements.

"And your name is B-u-b-b-a"

He followed each movement I made, never letting his eyes leave my hands. He attempted it after me, forming each word exactly as I showed him and waiting with infinite patience as I demonstrated how to properly form each letter.

"Good!" I said bringing the fingers of my right hand to my lips then back into my left palm. "You're such a fast learner."

His lips stretched into an estatic grin through the opening in his mask and he clapped his hands together, rocked back and forth excitedly. I smiled too, glad that the hours upon hours of studying ASL had finally paid off.

I showed him how to introduce himself and the sign for mother and brother so we could possibly discuss his family in the future. We practiced for a while until he was able to do it himself which thrilled him even more.

Matt's image filled my mind and tugged at my heart. I had thought it might've be a good time to ask him while he was in a good mood.

"Bubba, do you remember my friend?" I made c-shapes with my index fingers and hooking themselves around each other.

He copied my hands, signing the word friend over and over and laughing.

"Yes, that is how you say friend, but do you remember my friend? Is he okay? Is he good?"

He paused bouncing and patted the sides of his face, licking his teeth and squinting at me as if my words were still circulating through his mind and he was unsure of how to respond.

"Good," he signed after a long break in the conversation.

I held my hand over my chest, a tentative smile slipped over my face as I breathed a shaky sigh of relief. I could feel tears prick at eyes, but I was determined not to let a single one fall in front of him. Either Matt was really okay or he was just repeating my movements. I choose to believe the former.

"BUBBA!" a woman's voice called from somewhere outside the barn, probably the mother I had met earlier.

He quickly jumped to his feet and followed the voice without wasting any time.

"Wait!" I cried out, wrapping my fingers around the fencing and pressing myself as close to it as I could.

He pulled the barn door open and paused there, golden sunlight silhouetted his wide shoulders accentuating just how muscular he actually was.

"Thank you."

He simply nodded his head and slipped through the door pulling it closed behind him. I watched as the sunlight boring through the crack of the sliding door dissipated until not a single fragment of light was left. I was once aga left all alone in the darkness.