Speak.

003.

"Can we do this some other time? I don't think he's ready to answer any questions right yet." Zach's mother had enclosed his pale, thin, freckled hand in hers and she clung to it as she pleaded with the police officers standing at the door.

"Ma'am, we don't want to upset your son but we're trying to figure out what happened," The stockier of the two began, "Time is of the essence in situations like this."

"Maybe he needs time to heal and re-cooperate." She snapped back, squeezing the boy's hand tighter.

"Charlene, let's give them some time. It'll be okay." Daniel stepped in, "Zach, we'll be right outside."
Even though he knew he most likely wouldn't say a word. He hadn't spoken a single syllable in the past two days. The most he would do is nod or shake his head and even that was rare. He just wanted to see his son smile and for the twinkle in his bright, blue eyes to come back. However, something told him that wouldn't be happening any time soon.

As the glass doors slid shut with a soft squeak, the two officers approached the bed where Zach was huddled under layers of green sheets and white blankets. As they got closer, he seemed to grow more nervous until he was pressed against the rear headboard.

"Son, we aren't going to hurt you. We just want to ask you a few questions. Is that alright?"

He hesitated, but slowly nodded; eyes wide with what seemed to be a mixture of fear and uncertainty.

"Those scars and injuries you've sustained..did someone else do those things to you?" The officer began, pulling out a small notepad and a black pen.

Again, he nodded and nervously began to play with the stiff, white hospital band on his wrist. His eyes fell to the floor, focusing on the geometric patterns of the white, green and beige colored tile squares.

"How did you get away from where you were being held?"

When no response came, the officer tried again. "Zach, how did you manage to escape from who was hurting you?"

Inside, his mind was screaming and thoughts were running through like a stampede of wild animals. He wanted to run, to escape. These two men scared him. They were bigger than him, taller than him; he didn't like how uneasy they were making him feel.

" I don't want to talk! Stop trying to make me talk!" He wanted to shout out, to throw something. To be angry and wild; simply out of control so maybe, someone would just leave him alone. But he was too afraid to do that, so he just sat in silence.

"Look, kid. We can't help you if you won't cooperate." The stockier one snapped, leaning his fists against the foot of the bed's stiff mattress.

He froze, lungs catching his breath and holding it in. Fingers shaking, he began to intertwine the white plastic in and out of his fingers faster, hoping that somehow if he focused on just that band around his wrist; he might get far away from this place, these people and the pestilent questions they were battering him with.

"Do you not want us to help you?"

In a flash, Zach had grabbed the small remote the nurse had showed him that held a big, red button with a human figure on it.

"If you ever need me, you just press this. Okay, sugar?" 

His face buried in his left arm, tears beginning to stream down his freckled cheeks and dampening the skin of his forearm; he didn't stop pressing that piece of red plastic until he heard the familiar squeak of the glass doors opening.

"Oh, Christ." The asshole muttered as the nurse stormed in.

"You two need to leave, right now. We'll call you if there's a small chance that he wants to talk again." She said coldly, pointing the both of them to the door.

Charlene rushed in, Daniel right at her heels.

"Honey, honey. It's okay, shhh."

She reassured him as she pulled him into her arms and softly took the remote out of his hand and entwining his fingers in with hers. "It's okay, baby. You're safe, nobody is going to hurt you here. I promise."