POSTED: The Home

Swan 5

“You have to take responsibility for your own part in this!” Jared was yelling, literally yelling like I couldn’t fucking hear him.

“I was helping Sue with gathering the rest of the group up to their rooms, how am I supposed to watch her and do that?” Mike yelled back. They had been doing this for a while. They sent me to my room like a child while they argued in Jared’s room like divorcing parents.

“You realize you don’t need to watch me like a two year old?” I said to no one in particular, not as if they could hear me anyways.

“I am sure a woman who has been running this house for over 20 years is able to run off a few residents to their rooms!” Jared yelled back.

“Well where the fuck were you? Huh, where were you when shit went down and I was helping out the house? In here, with your books?” Mike challenged. I don’t know what kind of response was made but Mike scoffed. “Yeah, that is what I thought. Try being involved with something other then fucking books and files and I guarantee you that you will reach her a lot faster!”

I heard boots approaching my room and I stood up fast and watched Mike enter my room again. He walked to me and grabbed my wrist pulling me with him as he headed for the door. I didn’t say anything as he dragged me through the house and down stairs. They must have been arguing for a while because the house was practically empty and quiet. We hit the porch and started for the stairs and I hissed at him “Mike, where are we going?”

He stopped and let me go scrubbing his face. “I don’t know, just away from that room before I punched your shrink in the face.”

I giggled and sat on the steps pulling out a smoke, lighting it and handing it to Mike. I know he didn’t often smoke, but he looked like tonight he probably needed it. He took it without arguing and took a long drag. I lit myself one and looked up at him. “What’s up Mike, what is going on?”

He sighed and shook his head. “Your shrink seems to think that I should be 100% baby sitting you or else not be at the house as often as I am.”

I frowned. “I just told him today that you are the only friend I have, how is keeping you away constructive?”

Mike shrugged and flicked his smoke offering a hand up, which I took. “I am going to go home before I change my mind on the shrink punching.”

I grinned up at him. “Alright Mike, I will see you tomorrow.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head. “I actually have something to do tomorrow.” I frowned and nodded. “Alright, next day then.”

He nodded and looked undecided for a moment before leaning forward and kissing my forehead. I had to smile a little as he walked away so fast it looked like he had a sudden case of diarrhea that he had to get home to take care of.

I watched him drive away before I headed back into the house. I wonder if he wasn’t coming tomorrow because of Jared. What could Jared have said to Mike to make him stay away?

I was so busy thinking this over I didn’t notice the darkness of the house until I reached the top of the stairs. The eerie pitch that was dotted with little slivers of light coming out from underneath each room’s door. I slowly made my way along the hallway feeling the childish paranoia of what lurks in the shadows was quickly coming over me.

There was the sound of someone opening a door and the flood of light filled the hallway. I am not sure why I was compelled to hide, but I did, ducking into the upstairs common room behind one of the old looking recliner chairs. Heavy foot steps headed down the hall and I peeked as best as I could around the huge chair.

“No, she said bells.” Leah’s parole officer, Capt. Pretty said as he walked past the room. “I didn’t know if she was losing it again or it meant something until the woman that was standing out side the rooms watching it all happen, started shit with another resident. I found out from her therapist that her name is Isabella…”

I watched him go by and narrowed my eyes, slipping back down the hall and into Lee’s room. I closed the door as quietly as possible and looked around the room. There on the bed was Lee, her eyes were half open and she was groaning. I quickly made my way to her side and sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at her. “Lee, what the fuck are you doing here?”

She looked up at me like, but she didn’t really see me. Her hand went up then dropped to her side again with a heavy flop. “Why are you haunting me? You’re dead, what are you trying to do? Drive me back into the fucking nuthouse?”

I rolled my eyes at her and grabbed her hand putting it to my face. “You moron, I am right here. I am not dead, how could you be touching me if I am dead?”

“I have some pretty vivid fucking dreams, Bells.” She snapped, jerking her hand away.

I sighed. “Okay, what did you tell me at the hospital when I was having night terrors?” I lifted her hand again and put it in front of her face. “In dreams, you never have the correct amount of fingers. So look at your hand, do you see that? Five fingers.”

She stared at her hand frowning and then jerked so fast it made me jump to my feet. “This isn’t a dream. You’re real, here right now.”

I grinned sitting again. “I am here, right now.”

“Holy shit.” She frowned touching my arm. “But… the nurses said…at the hospital, you killed yourself.”

I smiled, but shook my head sadly. “No, that was Rebecca. Becka got out and her family shunned her and she didn’t get in with the work program. She started using again the second she got out from what I found out. She just…” I took a breath. “Lost the game.”

Lee scrubbed her face and shook her head, muttering under her breath. “Stupid bitch.”

I nodded in agreement, but then grinned back at her. “So they let you out finally?”

She tried to sit up, but quickly changed her mind lying back down with her eyes closed, breathing deeply. I felt for her, coming off of Adivan sucks. “Yeah if you can call this place out.”

I nodded, even though she had her eyes closed and couldn’t see me. “Looks like you got pick of the litter for a parole officer.”

She snorted peeking an eye open at me. “You have no fucking clue.”

“No, you obviously don’t have any fucking clue if you are in here right now.” Growled a voice behind us which was followed by the slam of the door. Capt. Pretty was standing there looking very angry, although I am entirely convinced that it was his normal look. “What do you think you are doing in here?”

I stood, my shock having worn off, and faced him fully. “Listen Captain Pretty, you don’t scare me like you seem to think you do, so knock the tough guy shit out. I have been around people and places that would make your pretty little face crumble with tears.”

He smirked coldly at me, but I didn’t even flinch. “That is so adorable that you think that your little stint in the Looney bin and jaunt through prison means that you are some tough bitch that has seen the world.”

I felt my anger rising and I balled my fists. “You have no idea what I have seen or not seen you fucking glorified babysitter! If you want to see how fucking tough I am, come and try me you—”

“Pa fè l.” Lee said softly from the bed. I stopped and looked at her. It had been almost a year since I had heard Creole and it took me by surprise. Don’t do it, she said. I opened my mouth to respond and she just shook her head again. “Jis pa, se pa yon valè li e li pa konprann nou.” Just don't, it's not worth it and he doesn't understand us.

I sighed and nodded, looking back at him and smirking at the confused look on his face. “Okay hotshot, you win, but how about a scene like today doesn’t fucking happen again, do you hear me?”

Angry man was back. “You are seriously threatening me right now?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely and I won’t do it again because, if I hear her screaming for you to get off her again…” I said without batting an eye letting a dangerous smirk cross my lips. “I will hunt you down and slice your cock off your package and use it as a pencil to write Ginger Beer across your forehead.”

There was a small growl from Capt. Pretty and a giggle from Lee on the bed. “She will too.”

He advanced on me, grabbing my left wrist, though I am not sure which form of painful removal he was going to go for, but he stopped when he saw my wrists, the little tattoo blatantly visible. He stared at it for a little bit before looking between Lee and I and letting my wrist go. He was looking at Lee but talking to me. “You need to leave. She has had a long day and I have a feeling tomorrow isn’t going to be any shorter.”

I looked at Lee who nodded so I headed for the door without a word and slipped into the hallway again. Jared was either in his room sleeping already or wasn’t in the room, so I flopped onto the bed and closed my eyes and promptly passed out.

The next morning I was surprised to wake on my own, no annoying shrink to bring me breakfast and get me ‘up and at’um’.  Instead Mike was sitting in the small wicker chair in the corner of my room, looking glum. I stretched and smirked looking at him. “I thought you had stuff to do today.”

He nodded and shrugged. “Something else came up. Come on you need to get dressed. Are you eating breakfast?”

I made a face and shook my head making a tiny smirk cross his lips. “Of course not. You know if you keep refusing meals that ol’ shrink wrap is going to order you meds that make you eat right? Or admit you into the hospital for trying to starve yourself.”

I snorted getting up and walking to the bathroom, leaving the door open. “Mrs. Smiley—”

“Sue.” Mike corrected.

“Right, well she has one of the nut jobs cooking this week. Have you tasted what this woman cooks? Yesterday my eggs had shells in them and I am pretty sure she used no filter when she brewed the coffee.” I finished peeing and flushed, grabbing my toothbrush and walking into the bedroom to grab my clothes as I brushed.

“Fine, tomorrow I will bring you breakfast, but you have to eat.” Mike said, scrubbing his face. He looked tired.

I walked back into the bathroom and shucked my clothes, changing into my usual jeans and hoody. I slapped some deodorant on and grunted at my hair before grabbing a hair tie and pulling it back, giving it the illusion of being brushed. I came out and grinned at him, holding my arms out and giving a quick one spin. “Okay, dressed and ready to face the day.”

He stood and led the way out the door and I followed obediently, frowning as I went. What was going on? Why did he look so grim? I quickly thought back at anything I managed to do that might warrant me getting sent back to prison. I stopped suddenly as it dawned on me.

Capt. Pretty turned me in for my late night visit to Lee last night. Mike must have heard my footsteps stop because he turned, looking back at me. “Swan, lets go. Don’t make this harder for me then it is.”

“Harder for you…?” I went into panic. “Mike, come on, Mike. You can’t be sending me back.” I said quickly walking over to him grabbing his hands and looking up into his eyes. “Mike, please don’t do this. I didn’t even do anything, I just wanted to talk to her and Capt. Pretty came in and…I swear Mike I didn’t do anything.”

Mike closed his eyes and swore under his breath. “Swan, you threatened my superior. I have no control over this and if you make me carry you, it’s going to be worse for you.” I tried to pull away from his hands and back up but he saw it coming and held me tight. “Don’t swan because if you try to fight me, I will win and I won’t be gentle.”

Too bad it was not the time to make a joke about that, because it was the perfect set up. “Normally I wouldn’t mind that, but you don’t expect me to go to prison quietly do you?”

He frowned for a second and then his features smoothed quickly jerking my arm and kneeling so that I was gracefully deposited over his shoulder. “Oh my god you are such an asshole Mike! I will never forgive you for this! You are no better then fucking Shrinky!” I shrieked, punching at his back, making sure to get some kidney shots in. Mike paid no more attention to me then if I was a tiny house fly, annoying but harmless.

He walked down stairs and then instead of heading for the door, he headed around the corner and then down the basement stairs. I didn’t even notice. I was blindly cussing him out in Creole. Having used it last night brought it all out me of me again. “Ou fukin bata! Ou pi bon mete m 'desann kounye a oswa konsa ede m', Bondye mwen pral rele ke ou yo ap eseye vyole m'!” (You fucking bastard! You better put me down now or so help me God I will scream that you are trying to rape me!)

I was suddenly falling off his shoulder and roughly dropped onto my ass on an old couch in an almost empty room. It was hardly bigger then a bedroom and had three fold out chairs placed in front of the couch. I was still breathing hard as I looked around and realized that not only did we not go to the transport van like I assumed we would, but Lee, the shy chick and both of their parole officers were in the room with me. I looked at Mike with a cross of anger and confusion. “What the fuck, Mike?”

Lee snorted handing me a cigarette. “That seems to be the question of the moment.”

I looked at the guys and lay back, lighting my cigarette with the offered lighter. “Alright guys, let hear this. What the fuck is going on?”

The three guys looked at each other before looking back at us. Psycho Parole officer, shy-girls guy, stepped forward slightly, sitting on one of the chairs that were lined in front of us. “Talo—”

“Ha! I told you she was the Talo!” I said triumphantly looking at Mike whose mouth corners twitched. The Psycho turned and glared at me and I glared back.

He turned back to the shy girl and went on. “Talo, I know you think this place won’t help and you want to be home, but just look at how that meeting with the shrink went. Could you do that all day everyday? Without me or sue or anything else as a buffer between you and your brother?”

She looked at him and shook her head almost grudgingly. He nodded and smiled slightly. “Good, now I know these men here, I work with them so from now on; all three of us are not your individual parole officers. Not according to us. All three of us are ALL of your parole officers.”

All three of us sat up straight. “What?!”

Captain Pretty looked at us with a triumphant smirk. “That is right kids, since the three of you seem to be unable to deal with NOT getting into trouble with each other, you have now sealed the deal on three wardens.”

I looked at Mike, who expertly avoided my gaze. “Are you fucking kidding me? Mike, this is bullshit and you know it. I don’t need three baby sitters.” I looked at Captain Pretty and narrowed my eyes. “This was your fucking idea, because you get your rocks off by torturing us girls.”

Shy girl’s parole officer and Mike both coughed, but the good captain just looked at me. “You have almost killed people on four separate occasions. You have a blatant disregard for rules, seeing how you snuck into my charges room last night and on top of everything else, I have a serious inquiry on just how close you are with your parole officer.”

I stood up only to be shoved back down again by Mike, who had grown balls enough to finally look at me. “Swan, chill the fuck out. I can’t be here all the time and when I am not, they are right, you need to be looked after.”

Lee spoke up looking at Mike and shy girl’s parole officer. “Well I may be the only one that is perfectly fine with this arrangement.” She said winking at Mike. “However, I still wouldn’t wish Sergeant here on anyone, not even my worst enemy.”

He looked at her and gave her a brilliant smile, which just made him even more pretty. Seriously, I wanted to put lipstick on the guy and put him on a corner to make me some money. “You, Clearwater, are here because it is obvious that I and you have shit to get through, so your headquack thinks it would be a good idea if I wasn’t all present in your recovery process. If I comply, I need someone to be watching you while I am not here.”

“That is the biggest cop-out I have ever heard.” She snapped back. “You would never do what some fucking shrink told you to do.”

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I got orders because of a call that your fucking queer shrink put in to my department.”

Lee burst out laughing, which of course made him growl in frustration. Shy girl’s parole officer stepped in before things got out of hand. “Look we have worked with sue to make it so that all chores, fieldtrips and practically everything else that is to be done while you three are in this house will be done together.”

Mike nodded and looked at each of us in turn. “The only time you are excused is when an individual parole officer or your assigned shrink pulls one of you away.”

“Sa se bullshit nèt sou tout pwen.” This is complete bullshit.

Lee and I both snapped our heads to the side to look where that came from. Our joint sudden movement made Shy Girl jump a little and look at us like we were insane. Lee looked at the boys, who all looked confused, although Captain Pretty looked annoyed, having heard us speak Creole the other night.

I laughed. “Èske ou trè enfliyan?” Are you fluent?

Shy Girl nodded and smirked at us. Well, they wanted us to bond. Lee looked at the both of us in turn and grinned wide. “Byen, paske m' ap ki pou di osi lontan ke sa a kontra avèk twa gardiens dure, nou pale pa gen anyen nan Angle.” Good, because I say that for as long as this deal with three babysitters lasts, we speak nothing of English.

I laughed hard and nodded. Shy Girl looked at her parole officer and back at us and a small smirk formed on her lips as she nodded too.