Dustin sat in his new room for many days, starving himself because he wouldn't eat, just poke at the food on his plate. Liz would treat him as if he were her own child now. Every day she would check on him to make sure he was ok and gave him plenty of food and care. "Dustin? Are you ok bud?" Liz said softly once again checking on him. "Yeah I'm fine Liz." Dustin said. But the truth was that he wasn't fine, not at all. Dustin felt rejected and all alone. Liz picked up yet another plate of hardly eaten food and walked downstairs to clean up. The phone rang and Liz went to get it.
Dustin could hear everything but he couldn't care less who was on the other side of the phone. "Hey Dustin come here! I have to go somewhere to babysit would you like to come with?" Liz asked. "Yeah sure, it should be good if I go outside sometime." Dustin mumbled to himself getting up and heading down the stairs. Liz frowned when she saw that he wasn't real happy about going so she thought of something to cheer him up. "Awe, come on buddy. I heard there was another kid or two around your age there..." Liz smiled. "Really, there is?" Dustin asked his head shooting up from his feet showing a gleam in his eyes. Liz nodded a yes happy she got him to be a bit perkier.
"Let's go!" Dustin shouted running outside to the Liz's car. Liz got the keys and walked over to a bouncing Dustin. "Come on! Hurry up!" Dustin complained. "Hold on chill bud." Liz laughed. As the doors were unlocked immediately Dustin hopped in with a huge grin on his face. During the ride Liz turned up the music on their favorite songs, bought ice cream, joked around, and she even let Dustin ride up in the front seat. "Why are you so nice to me?" Dustin asked swallowing the rest of his food. "Well you're like my son now so why not?" Liz smiled sweetly. "Thanks Liz. I'm glad to have you as a friend and like a mom." Dustin said. Houses went by but something hit Dustin hard. He knew this place.... He hung out here with his old friends! Dustin felt his heart skip a beat.
Maybe he could go see his friends again! "Liz I remember this place." Dustin smiled at the memories. "You do cool. Then I'm guessing you'll know to whose house we are going to." Liz said amused. The car slowed to a stop in front of a house that was fenced in. "Is this really...." Dustin said in disbelief. It was one of his friend's houses! Dustin stood there in shock as Liz walked up to the door smiling. "Are you coming bud?" Liz giggled. Dustin ran to the door after Liz waiting for someone to open up. He was ready to see his friend Arnold again. The door squeaked open revealing an older man. Around Liz's age probably. He didn't look like Arnold's dad or anyone he knew.
"What?" The man grumbled. "Uh... Sorry to bother you sir, but we are looking for the Marks. Do you know where they are?" Liz asked uncertain. "Yeah they moved out last week." He said suspiciously eyeing her up and down with his narrowed eyes. Dustin was sad that his friend had moved but shrugged it off for now. The man didn't seem to notice Dustin till then and his eyes widened incredibly fast. "You're that boy from the news! Um... Dustin! What are YOU doing with him?" The man said protectively his voice seeming somewhat edgy. "He's my son. Don't even think about taking him away from me." Liz snapped at the man narrowing her eyes to little slits. Dustin was kind of scared because never saw this side of Liz. She was always so nice and gentle to just about everyone but now she was angry. "Come here boy. Time to give you back to your REAL parents, where you belong." He said quoting the real in his sentence. "No. She's my mom, a friend, and a nice lady. You should know your manners." Dustin scolded. Liz smirked at Dustin's smart remark. "Boy they're looking all over for ya. I won't let a mother or father be separated from their son." The man said. "I said I wasn't going back. I'm with Liz and she is all I need." Dustin snapped. "She brain washed ya! Kid listen to me-" The man ranted. "No. YOU listen to ME mister. I don't know who you think you are but you are not going to take me away." Dustin said harshly. "Come in and tell me why." He said letting them in. Liz and Dustin walked in cautiously eyeing the man. The small group went into the living room. "Sit down. Now start from the beginning of why you don't want to go back." The man said sitting on the couch.
"This is a summary. First off, they always treated me like I was dirt. Second, they are like drug addicts. Third, they abandoned me, luckily with Liz. Fourth, they beat me till no end then made me work on the entire house by myself. They made very strict rules...." Dustin explained the entire story. In the end the man was entirely shocked to hear all of this. "Hmm... How do I know you're not lying?" The man said his shock wearing away his eyes going into small slits. "I got an idea. But you will have to come save me Liz. And you sir do you have a camera?" Dustin said. "Yeah, I used to be an undercover agent. Let me see if I still have a thing or two." The man said walking away. "What's your plan bud?" Liz asked. "If he wants proof he'll get proof. I'm going to go 'home' and spend a day or two there. Than sneak away and come back to you." Dustin said. "Ok. Only if you're up for it... How did we get into this mess?" Liz sighed in stress. "Here ya go." The man asked giving Dustin a necklace. "Where's the camera?" Liz asked. "It's in the beads with a sound recorder. So we can hear everything you and your parents say." The man explained. "Are you sure Dustin?" Liz asked again. "I'll be fine Liz. It's only two days." Dustin said. Tension silenced them all, now they were going to make the move.
The plan was set and ready to go. Only two days in the prison that was once called home. "Ready little man?" The man asked. "Ready. By the way I never got your name." Dustin said bravely. "Derrick. Derrick Malone." He smiled. "Nice to meet you Mister Derrick. As you probably know, I'm Dustin." Dustin said shaking hands. "It was a pleasure to meet you. She was right; I would never let you go." Derrick said. "Why are we doing this then?" Dustin asked curiously. "If they were beaten ya, it's called child abuse. Then they'll get sent far away." Derek said. "To where?" Dustin asked. "Someplace ya never want to see." Derrick said. Before Dustin could ask another question Liz walked in. "Time to go Dustin." Liz put on a fake smile. "I'll be ok Liz. They won't do anything too bad." Dustin smiled weakly. They all got up and went out to Liz's and Derrick's cars. "We could take my car and we could drop off Dustin a block away so he could walk to his house. You know so we won't be seen." Derrick suggested awkwardly. "Good idea Derrick. Dustin go get in the car." Liz smiled. Dustin walked behind the car so he could hear them talk. "Ah... Thanks. I never got your name." Derrick mocked when Dustin said it. "Oh... Sorry, I'm Elizabeth but call me Liz for short." Liz said happily. "Such a pretty name." Derrick said. "Don't be flirting with my mom now." Dustin scolded playfully. "Alright on with the plan." Derrick said getting in the car. They all had fun for the hours they drove. They had laughed the whole while. Dustin would sing way off key on some songs, they told jokes and silly stories, blast the music acting all cool, and making plans of what they were going to do after the little problem. They all seemed to be like one happy family. But it was not meant to be.
