Rudy looked out of the car's window. He watched the police car, the one that Terry had been pushed into, drive off in a different direction. But despite Terry being taken further and further away from him, Rudy still felt unsafe and shaken up by what happened. He knew, as soon as he got home, he was going to have to relive the events of what happened.
His parents were going to want to know what that woman did to him, outside of what they already saw. They knew how frightened he was. They could see how much he was trembling. As their parents, they would want to know everything, as much as possible. They wanted to know what their son had gone through, so they can try their best to make it better. They cared deeply for him, and Rudy could tell just how much this affected them.
He hadn't been the only one to get into his parents' car. Sitting next to him were Penny and Snap. He was glad his parents didn't ask too many questions on Snap. He and Penny came up with the story of Snap becoming pen pals with Rudy after the foreign exchange student thing. His parents accepted this pretty easily, and had allowed Snap to come with them. They probably would have asked why Snap was wearing the costume, but there was obviously more pressing matters at hand.
Rudy had asked Penny and Snap if they could stay in his room for the night. He really didn't want to be alone. Terry had freaked him out with her behavior today. All that touching and sweet talking and then the slapping and when she almost punched him... It sent chills down his back. It didn't help that he still had the tracking chip in him, and how he was strapped down to a chair when she first abducted him. Everything that happened left a deep mark in his mind, one that he feels would not go away any time soon.
He would feel safer if his friends stayed with him overnight. After that ordeal, he would be too scared to go to sleep alone. He feared that Terry would break free and come get him like she promised. The way she looked at him...it was bone chilling. She had looked at him with absolute malice. He could see the intent to harm written all over her face. She...she almost punched him, and right in front of everyone. She had snapped, gone off the deep end, and he almost was on the recieving end of her malice. Her threat of getting her revenge on him for her arrest stuck strongly to his mind, and he couldn't stop thinking about it.
It was going to be nice to be home soon, where he could try to relax. Yet he still wouldn't be able to relax that much. Terry knows where he lives. And even if she didn't, he still had the tracking chip inside his neck. Though Penny said she knows of a trick to block the signal until it can be surgically removed, Rudy still felt very unsafe. Who is to say Terry won't break free and come after him in the middle of the night?
That was a reason why he wanted Penny and Snap to be with him. He wanted their comfort and support, and he felt safe with them around. He knew that, if he were in trouble and couldn't fight back, they would defend him. And then he had his parents. They promised him they won't allow Terry anywhere near him again. His mother, who normally isn't that violent, had stated that she would rearrange Terry's face if she dared get within ten feet of Rudy. His dad settled her down, reminding her that Terry has been arrested and will not longer be of any harm to anyone anymore.
Rudy knew, however, this wasn't the case. Terry had been arrested, yes, but she would have to be convicted before she's tossed in jail. That meant appearing in court. Rudy wasn't sure if he could do it. Being in the same room as Terry, even if she's restrained...he wasn't sure if he could go through with it. He didn't know if he'd be able to talk right with her glaring at him like she wanted to shoot him with fireballs or something. What if she pulled another trick and prevented him from properly testifying?
A comforting thing about this is that he wouldn't be testifying against Ms. Bouffant alone. Penny agreed to speak up for him. And Snap was going to as well. He had been kidnapped himself once by the crazy woman. So his testimony would help 'seal the deal' in getting Terry found guilty and sent to prison. All that stalking evidence helps, too. There was so much stuff Terry had in regards to him and his two friends that they would definitely identify it as stalking, which is illegal.
And his parents would help any way they could. They were going to go with him on the day of the trial, which was in a few days. Rudy felt some comfort in knowing that he wouldn't have to see Terry again for a while. A few days without seeing her face or hearing her voice or...feeling her touch... he shuddered at that thought... That would definitely do him some good. Maybe by the time the trial comes, he'll have worked up at least a tiny amount of courage to face her during the trial.
The nightmare wasn't over yet. But it was coming to a close. Although still afraid of what could happen, he remained hopeful that, maybe, this time, Terry will be stopped for good. And he would finally be safe from her.
sss
Monday Evening:
"Okay, Rudy...tell us what happened." Mr. Tabootie asked in a gentle voice.
"What did that woman do to you?" Mrs. Tabootie inquired gently, trying her best not to make Rudy more afraid than he already was.
Rudy sat down on the couch, his head low. Sitting next to him were his parents. Penny and Snap sat on the ground in front of the couch, as close to Rudy as they could get without getting in his parents' way. They looked at him sympathetically and tried their best to reassure him that he was safe.
His parents put their hands on his shoulders. Though it caused Rudy's mind to flash back to what Terry did to him, he quickly relaxed, telling himself it was his parents and not Terry doing it. Plus, there was real comfort in his parents' touch, unlike Terry's where there was only fear.
"You can talk to us, Bucko." Snap said, placing a hand on Rudy's knee to try to comfort him. "We're here for ya."
Penny put her hand on Rudy's other knee reassuringly. "Yes. We're in this together. We'll help you. Just please, tell us what happened so we can make it better."
Rudy rested his head on his hands. He gave a little sniffle and wiped his nose. "I...I don't want to talk about it..."
"Rudy, the longer you don't talk, the worse it's going to get." Mr. Tabootie said, rubbing his son's shoulder a little. "Please, talk to us."
"Ms. Bouffant isn't watching you anymore, Rudy." Penny said softly. "You can speak to us."
Rudy took in a deep breath. He knew that his friends and family weren't going to give up until he spoke to them. Just like he predicted, they asked him what happened to him not long after they got home. They wanted to know so they'd be able to help him better in his recovery. Talking about it was the last thing he wanted to do, yet he didn't think he'd be able to convince them to let it go.
He was scared to talk about the events. He was scared that Terry was still, somehow, watching him. The tracking device was still in his neck. Still active... He was paranoid that, at any minute, that crazy woman would jump through the window and grab him. Yeah, a silly thing to think since she's been arrested, and now that his friends and family know, as well as many other people, it would be unlikely Terry could get close to him without sending an alarm. Still, he was afraid, and he hated feeling like this. The event left him traumatized. He wanted to return to his old self, and he knew his family and friends would love to see him happy again as well.
He looked at his parents. Then he looked at his friends. They were looking at him worriedly and expectantly. Their expressions also held reassurance. They weren't asking him to tell of his experience to hurt him. He knew that it was just so they could help him better. And if the memories became too painful, they would help him through it.
Rudy knew he had to start speaking soon. His dad was right. This was going to get harder for him if he kept quiet. No matter how painful it was, he had to tell them everything that she did. They were his loved ones. They deserved to know what happened to him.
So he began his story, explaining everything that she had done to him.
"Ms. Bouffant...she kidnapped me... She knocked me out with chloroform and dragged me away somewhere. When I woke up, she had..." Rudy paused for a moment, licking his lips nervously. "..strapped me down to a chair. She told me how she had been stalking me for months."
Mrs. Tabootie gasped in horror. "For months?"
Rudy nodded his head numbly. "Yeah... As well as Penny and Snap." He looked over at his two friends sadly. They were horrified by this news. "She said that she wanted me to help her regain what she lost. She blames me for her drop in fame."
"That's ridiculous!" Mr. Tabootie cried. "Why would she blame a child?"
Rudy couldn't tell his parents about ChalkZone. But he knew of a way he could tell the truth without giving too many lies. He had a feeling they were going to question the blame game thing, so he had thought ahead.
"You see, she has been tailing me and Penny at school a lot for a time. She...thinks we know about this 'world of chalk' and she has been trying to get us to talk about it. I knew she was obsessed with it, but...I had no idea she'd take it this far.." Rudy bit his lip, which quivered slightly. "She said she had so much dirt that she could force me to do whatever she wanted. She...she threatened to ruin Penny's life if I dared speak to anyone about what happened...and she wanted me to kidnap my own friend, Snap..."
His friends and family were horrified by this, just like he thought they would be.
"How...how could she ruin my life?" Penny asked in a hushed whisper.
Rudy shook his head. "I don't know. She just said that she knew something that would make your life a lot harder. And that she would make sure the blame would be pinned on me."
Penny gasped. "What? Why?"
"Because...she..." Rudy's eyes welled up with tears. "She wanted me to suffer. She told me how she was going to tear me down, how she was going to break me and enjoy it." He stopped for a moment and looked at his friends and family. They looked disgusted and horrified by what he said, and he couldn't blame them. He continued, "She wanted to destroy the friendship I have with you and Snap..." Rudy looked down towards Snap. "She was not only going to have me capture you, but she said how she was going to enjoy it when...when you started to hate me for betraying you..."
Snap's grip on Rudy's knee tightened as his mouth droped open in shock. "I would never hate you, Bucko!"
Rudy nodded. "Yeah...I know..."
Although she looked horrified by what Rudy said so far, Mrs. Tabootie asked, "Wh-what else did she do...?"
Rudy sucked in a shuddering breath. More tears flowed down his face as the horrible memories were forced to the surface of his mind. He glanced at his mother for a few seconds. Then he returned his gaze towards the ground.
Rudy said, "She put a tracking chip in my neck."
"What?! She did what?!" Mr. Tabootie snapped his head back in shock.
Mrs. Tabootie trembled a little with emotion. "Oh, Rudy..."
Penny and Snap looked at each other, their expressions filled with surprise and anger. They looked back at Rudy, waiting for him to explain more.
"She put it in there while I was knocked out... She told me that I had nowhere to hide..." Rudy said. His body shook once with emotion. He paused for a moment before continuing. "Then...then she forced me to meet her twice...and both times, she...she started to mess with me. She wanted to break my mind, so she..started to touch me..."
His parents, Penny, and Snap looked horrified by this.
"She touched you...?" Mrs. Tabootie asked, her eyes wide in horror.
"You...you mean she..." Penny started to say.
Rudy realized he should have been more specific. The way he had said it, he made it sound like Terry had...done something even worse than what she already did. He quickly cleared up that misunderstanding.
Rudy shook his head. "No, it wasn't that kind of touching...but it was still bad..." More tears escaped his eyes. He gave a few small whimpers, his head downcast again. He could feel his parents and friends rubbing him gently, reassuring him and encouraging him, without words, to continue talking. "She was...treating me like a pet..one she had tamed. She kept rubbing my arms, my shoulders, my face, my hair. She wouldn't stop."
"Oh Rudy..." Penny said, biting her lip. "That must have been horrible..."
"I can't believe she did that to you..." Snap said, voice filled with disbelief.
Rudy nodded his head. "Yeah...it was horrible." He closed his eyes. He could vividly remember what happened to him. What a horrible memory... "She just...kept touching me. She knew I hated it, and she kept doing it to mess with my mind, and to show how much control she had over me. And if I tried to resist...she'd slap me."
A collection of gasps form his friends and family. Although they hadn't said anything, Rudy could tell their hatred for Ms. Bouffant was rising greatly. After what she did, he wasn't surprised. He himself had started to hate her. Before, though she was a threat to ChalkZone, he didn't hate her. But now he did. After what she did...
"I can't believe she would strike a child..." Mr. Tabootie said in a soft voice.
"She won't be doing that again." Mrs. Tabootie said, her eyes narrowed dangerously.
Rudy wanted to smile in gratitude, but he was still too distraught to feel much happiness. So instead, he focused on continuing his story. There wasn't much left to tell anyway. "She told me how she controls me now, that I belong to her...She said I wasn't allowed to do anything without her permission and that I must do whatever she asks of me. And when I tried to resist again, she slapped me three times, the third one you guys saw." Rudy said. He was crying by now, clearly traumatized by what happened. "She...she hates me...she was going to hurt me even more. She tried to punch me...I can't believe she almost.."
Rudy was unable to speak anymore. He leaned against his mother and started to cry into her. Mrs. Tabootie put her arm around her son and pulled him close. Mr. Tabootie placed his hand on Rudy's head, stroking it gently. Penny and Snap looked at him sympathetically.
"Don't worry, Bucko..." Snap said quietly. "It's over now. She can't hurt you anymore."
"Yes. She has been arrested and she will soon be serving her time. You'll be safe." Penny said.
Although Rudy tried to take comfort in this, he found it hard to stop crying. His body shook as he continued to sob. The tears just wouldn't stop coming. All the terrible things Terry did to him, the threats she had made to him, they had affected him deeply and now, since he was now safe from her, he was finally able to let it all out in one go. But he knew that, even after his emotional breakdown, he was still going to need time to recover.
His parents looked at each other worriedly, and then back down to Rudy. They tried their best to calm their son down, to reassure him. But nothing seemed to help him. His body trembled as his cries filled the room. The whole thing was heartbreaking for them, as parents, to witness. To see their only son so distraught and broken down like this...their hatred for Ms. Bouffant surely wouldn't go away any time soon. She had caused a lot of emotional damage to their son. They would be glad to see her locked up for a long time.
Penny and Snap were just as worried. It was horrible seeing their friend like this. They got closer to Rudy, laying their chins on his lap in an attempt to comfort him. They remained quiet and looked up at him sympathetically. It may had been because they believed that he needed to cry this out before he could start feeling better. Like his parents, they were going to be there for him. Rudy knew they would do whatever it took to help him.
The court...it was going to be frightening. He really didn't want to go there. He didn't want to sit in front of all those people and testify..not while Ms. Bouffant was in the room. He was not looking forward to getting questioned on what happened, or cross examined. He wished that Ms. Bouffant being arrested was the last time he'd ever have to see her. But unfortunately, that isn't the way the justice system works. In order for her to be convicted, a testimony was required.
He did understand the need of it. If it wasn't required to show up in court to have someone convicted, there would be a lot of problematic cases, many of which done out of vice. So, Rudy understood why it was important for him to show up in court to testify against Terry. He still wished he didn't have to go, though. It was in a few days, but he didn't know if he'd be mentally prepared by that time.
"I...I don't want to go to court..." Rudy whimpered, crying into his mother's shoulder. "I really don't want to..."
"Oh honey..." Mrs. Tabootie repositioned herself so she could cup her son's chin. She looked down at him with tear-filled eyes. "I know it's scary. I know how you feel about...her...but we will be there for you. We won't let anything bad happen to you."
Mr. Tabootie, Snap, and Penny all nodded in agreement, offering their full support. To further show their point, they moved in a little closer to Rudy, allowing him to feel their warmth and comfort, to try to help him feel safe. His father placed his hand on his shoulder and gently rubbed it. He looked down at his son sympathetically. While he didn't cry like his wife, he still looked very emotional about what had happened to his son.
"Son, I understand it's hard. But you still have to go through with it. You must work up the courage and speak out against that woman who kidnapped you. It won't be easy, but once it's all done, she will be sent to jail and you'll never have to see her again." Mr. Tabootie said, his voice reassuring. He gave the best smile he could to Rudy, given the circumstances. "It is okay to be afraid. No one is going to fault you if you find it hard to speak in court. But I believe in you, son. I know you can do this."
"Th-Thanks, dad..." Rudy whispered under his breath.
"We'll all be there for you." Penny said in a comforting tone of voice. "We will keep you safe."
Snap nodded in agreement. "That's right. And if Ms. Bouffant tries to hurt you, well..."
Mrs. Tabootie formed a fist with her free hand. "..Let's just say she won't be able to walk straight for a week if she dares lay a hand on you."
Rudy looked around at his friends and family. It did feel good finally being able to tell them what happened. And without risking exposing ChalkZone, as well. It felt nice being able to talk about what was wrong with him, and why he had been acting so distant and different. Talking really did make things better. He was starting to feel a little better since he was able to confess to them what was going on.
And he appreciated the fact that they were so supportive of him. And how willing they were to protect him from Terry during the trial. He had no doubts that she would try to get at him during the trial. He wasn't sure just how far she was willing to go. And that frightened him. The fact that she was about to punch him out of spite...it made him scared to know what she might do in court. Would she go as far as...try to kill him? The thought chilled his blood.
Still, he did feel safer knowing that his friends and family would be there with him. The moment Terry tries to get at him, they would spring into action and protect him from her wrath. They would make sure that vile woman never goes near him again.
"Thanks...guys..." Rudy murmured. He started to cry again, still shaken up by what happened. His parents and two best friends let him cry it out, remaining close to him throughout the whole thing, helping him feel safe and secure.
sss
Monday Night:
"No..please...don't do it...please..no..."
Rudy tossed and turned in his bed, his face covered in sweat beads. He let out a few moans and whimpers, his eyes clenched tightly in fear. Tears streamed down his face. Trembling, he was unable to hold still. Soon he shot straight up, his eyes widened in horror, his mouth open in heavy panting. His heart pounded against his chest. He looked around the room, and, slowly, calmed down.
He had another nightmare, similar to the one when he was first kidnapped by Bouffant. Images of her distorted laughing face in obscure darkness...seeing Penny and Snap abandon him...seeing ChalkZone invaded by complete strangers and he himself branded as a traitor. This dream, plus variations of it have been plaguing him the past few days. He hardly had a good night's sleep. Almost every dream he had, it had been about Terry. All horrific dreams...
And whenever he woke up from these nightmares, he had to remind himself that it didn't happen. Yet a part of him was always paranoid, because Terry really had kidnapped him, really had blackmailed him into submission. And that made the nightmares that much harder to endure. While the dreams didn't happen, the nightmare itself was real. And all the stuff he dreamed about regarding Terry could have happened.
"Rudy?"
He heard Penny calling out to him. He looked down over his bed. He could see Penny laying on the ground, laying in the ground with a blanket over her. Snap was next to her, curled up in a ball, covered partially with a chalk blanket. Snap appeared to be still asleep, but Penny was clearly wide awake.
Penny looked up at Rudy worriedly. Although she didn't ask Rudy what was wrong, she looked like she understood what was going on. "Another nightmare?"
Rudy widened his eyes a little. "How..how did you know?"
Penny replied, "When Snap and I visited you the other night to try to talk to you, I saw you were having a nightmare. You were mumbling the same things in your sleep."
"Oh..." Rudy said in an understanding tone. "Yeah..it was another nightmare. Terrible one...about Terry Bouffant..." Even just saying her name made him shudder in fear.
"It's understandable, Rudy. You've been through a lot." Penny said sympathetically.
Rudy looked down towards his pillow. Although he would have loved to go back to sleep right now, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He was afraid another nightmare would grip him. He didn't want to lose sleep over this again. He had hardly gotten much sleep the last couple days because of Terry. He wanted to, for once in these past few days, get a decent amount of sleep.
He glanced back down briefly at Penny. Then he looked back at his pillow. He was getting tired, oh so very tired. Yet he couldn't stop looking down at Penny. His eyes held some yearning in them. There was something he wanted. Yet he couldn't ask for it. He was afraid to. Even though he knew his friends would be supportive, he just couldn't bring himself to lay down the question.
But Penny could tell what he wanted. She picked up the message from his eyes and his behavior. There was a reason why her nickname was 'genius girl'. It amazed Rudy how well she was able to pick these things up.
"Rudy...do you want to lay down here with us?" Penny asked. She patted the ground, a gesture for Rudy to come down. "Come on. We'll make room."
Rudy was a little reluctant to come down. But he didn't offer much resistance. He did feel a spark of happiness inside of him. This is what he had wanted, to sleep with his friends. Not just in the same room, but actually beside them. He smiled down at Penny and started to climb down his ladder. He dragged his pillow and blanket with him.
As he did so, Penny reached over and grabbed Snap by his shoulder. She shook the sleeping zoner until he woke up. Snap looked up at Penny and grumbled softly under his breath. His eyes were halfway open and it looked like he had a hard time keeping them that way.
"What is it, Buckette? Is it morning already?" Snap said groggily, smacking his lips.
Penny shook her head. "No. Rudy had a nightmare. He's going to sleep with us."
At this, Snap looked a little more awake, though still pretty groggy. He looked over and saw Rudy coming towards them, holding his blanket and pillow in hand. Snap smiled at him. "Come on, Bucko." He moved aside, giving Rudy some room. He patted the ground.
Penny made some room for him as well. "You can sleep between us."
Rudy looked down at the space his friends provided for him. He smiled gratefully at them before laying laying his pillow down between them. He then settled on the ground, pulling the blanket over him. He tried to go back to sleep, but memories of Terry came back to him. His body started to shake in fear. His friends realized that he was in distress, and they acted immediately.
Penny laid on her side and slung her arm over Rudy, pulling him against her. She rested her head above his, pressing her chin against the top of his head. Snap cuddled closer to Rudy. He slung his arm across his body, just like Penny. He pressed the side of his face against his chest.
Feeling their bodies pressed against him like this, a physical attempt to reassure him, Rudy did start feeling better. Their warmth and presence helped him feel feel more secure. Although he was still afraid to go to sleep, having his friends beside him like this did comfort him. He smiled at his friends, grateful for their support. He closed his eyes and, slowly, he want to sleep.
sss
Tuesday At 2:30 AM:
Rudy opened up his eyes. He stared up at the ceiling. He wasn't sure why he woke up. Something just felt different, somehow. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. He closed his eyes and attempted to go back to sleep. He shifted himself a little on the ground. He usually didn't wake up in the middle of the night like this. It was still dark out. He must have only been a sleep for a few hours.
He then realized that something was definitely different. He felt his heart start to clench. He looked left, then right. His breathing started to quicken. Penny...Snap..where did they go? Why did they leave him alone? They were here just a moment ago, weren't they? They were with him when he fell asleep. Why weren't they here?
Rudy's heart began racing. He sat up and looked around frantically for his friends. Horrible thoughts came to his mind. What if Terry had broken free and got his friends? She knows where he lives.. She could have done that without being noticed. If she was able to spy on him for months without him realizing it...then surely she would know how to sneak into his home without anyone fnding out, and taking his friends away.
He whimpered, remaining frozen on the ground. He wasn't sure what to do. He was so scared. He felt vulnerable and alone. He had been alone when he was attacked by Terry. He was alone now... He kept looking over his shoulder, fearful that Terry was going to be right behind him. He couldn't let go of the cold chill running up and down his spine. He kept looking around for any sign of his friends. They were nowhere to be found.
"Penny?" Rudy whispered. "Snap?" No answer. "Where...where are you guys?"
The only thing that answered back was the cold silence of his room. Tears forming in his eyes, he remained where he was, fearful that if he tried to move, Terry would jump from a corner and grab him. He wrapped his blanket around himself, trying in vain to find comfort and protection. He covered his head underneath and pulled his knees to his chest. He shook and whimpered, murmuring his friends' names over and over again.
"Rudy?"
That voice...it had to be Terry...
Rudy's eyes widened in fear. His breathing became more ragged. She could practically feel that woman's hand on him again, treating him like a pet. He had to get away... He had to run before she had a chance to get at him.
"Why won't you answer me?"
Rudy let out a scream, whipping his body around to face Terry. He backed up really fast, staring at the silhouhette in the doorway. On the ground, moving away on his back using his hands, his eyes shot open wide, his pupils dilating into mere dots. Tears of fear streamed down his face. He kept moving back until he pressed himself against the wall, shivering violently.
The shadow started to move closer to him. Rudy cringed back, letting out a cry of fear.
"No...please don't come any closer!" Rudy pleaded.
The shadow just kept coming towards him. There was a bit more of a cautious locomotion in the shadow now after he had begged like that. But Rudy hardly noticed it. He turned his head away, putting his hands out in front of him in an attempt to protect himself. He trembled harder, giving a few soft whines and whimpers. His eyes shut tightly, stained with tears.
Then he felt the woman's hand on him. He tensed up, nearly jumping in the air. He wanted to push back. He wanted punch her and run away. He felt like a cornered aimal, and he knows what happens with animals who are backed into a corner. They fight back. Yet he couldn't do it. He was too afraid...too cowardly.
Instead, he just lowered his head in defeat. He cried harder, waiting for Terry to do whatever she wanted to him. But surpringly, the hand didn't move; it just rested on his shoulder. Then the fingers gripped him very gently and started to shake his shoulder, like the person who came in just wanted him to give them attention. Rudy opened up his eyes and got a better look at the silhoutte.
"T-Terry?"
He heard a sharp gasp. And then the person spoke. "No...Rudy it's me!"
Rudy now realized who it was. It was Penny... How did he think she was Terry? His imagination and fear...it must have been messing with him, warping his mind into believing Penny was Terry. His mind was playing tricks on him. Terry wasn't here. She never broke in. She never kidnapped his friends. She hadn't come here to threaten him. He reminded himself that she was still locked up. She couldn't come after him. He had to keep telling himself that.
The realization that Penny was still here with him caused relief to hit him like a ton of bricks. She...she hadn't been kidnapped..she hadn't abandoned him...she was still here. And behind her, he could see Snap coming in. Snap was still here, too.
His heart started to race more, a horrible feeling covering it. He was still shaken up from waking up alone. He was still shaken up from how Terry kidnapped him when he was all alone... Being alone is what landed him in trouble in the first place. He...he didn't want to be alone anymore.
Without a second thought, Rudy jumped forward and latched onto Penny. He pulled her into a tight hug. His body shook, wracked with sobs that he let out as he expressed immense relief that she was there with him now. Penny returned the hug, gently rubbing his back. She looked at him worriedly. Snap ran up to the two and stared at Rudy, his eyes filled with worry much like Penny's.
"Bucko? What's wrong?" Snap asked in a soft voice.
"P-Please don't leave me..." Rudy whispered. "Don't leave me alone again..."
"Rudy... I was only gone a few minutes to use the bathroom..." Penny whispered.
"And I had to go, too... We were only gone maybe five minutes." Snap said, reaching over and placing his hand on Rudy's arm. "We were coming right back..."
Rudy opened his eyes and looked down at Snap. Snap took a step back in shock when he saw the look in the boy's eyes. Rudy's eyes looked almost wild. They were wide, pupils tiny, filled with absolute fear and terror. He didn't bother talking. He just whimpered and clung onto Penny like it was a life or death situation. Tears continued to stream down his face. Penny rubbed his back gently to calm him down, but Rudy still continued to cry.
"Rudy...shhh...it's okay.." Penny pulled her hand up to stroke his hair gently. "It's okay..we're here now..."
Slowly, she got Rudy on the ground, onto his knees. He leaned against her, pressing his head against her shoulder. He was still crying, but they grew a tad softer.
"Don't leave me alone..." Rudy managed to say through his choked sobs. "I don't want to be alone... I don't want to be alone..."
Penny and Snap looked at Rudy sympathetically. Penny rubbed Rudy's back some more while Snap gripped the top of Rudy's hand gently in an attempt to comfort him. They both had tears in their eyes. It hurt them seeing their best friend like this.
"I was...I was alone when Terry grabbed me..." Rudy sobbed harder, gripping Penny tighter. "I'm afraid...that if I'm alone...she'll get me again..."
"Oh Bucko..." Snap said, looking at Rudy sadly. "You're not alone now..."
"Yeah..." Penny whispered. "We're sorry if we scared you by leaving without telling you..We won't do that again." She rubbed the side of her face against Rudy's. "We promise..."
She wrapped her arms further around Rudy, creating a more secure hug, and pulled him close. Snap joined in. He moved behind Rudy. He put his arms around Rudy, putting his arms across his stomach. He laid his head against Rudy's back, between his shoulders. Slowly, ever so slowly, Rudy started to calm down. As Penny and Snap hugged him like this, Rudy's sobs slowed into whimpers, and the whimpers started to get quieter, until all that was left was a few sniffles.
Feeling safe and secure with his friends hugging him like this, the tiredness started to come back to Rudy. His eyes started to flutter. Then, slowly, he fell asleep in his friends' arms.
sss
Thursday afternoon:
"Well...tomorrow's the day." Penny said in a hushed voice. She looked over at Rudy. "Are you ready for this?"
Rudy looked at her for a moment, then turned away. His response was hesitant and forced. "Yeah...I think so."
Tomorrow was the big day. It was the day of Terry Bouffant's trial. The day he would have to appear in court and testify against her to get her convicted. It was the day he had been dreading all week. Even now, he was not fully prepared. He really didn't want to go through with it. He wished that he could just write a letter or something or draw a simple stick figure comic illustrating what happened and send that. But Penny said that would never fly, and that he must appear in person.
Rudy knew, of course, that a letter or comic wouldn't work. He was just being desperate. He had tried a few times to worm his way out of going to the trial. But each time, his friends and family kept telling him that he still had to go. They knew he was scared. But they assured him that once he went through with it, he would feel better and Terry would be locked up for good. No way she was getting off easy with all the charges against her.
And he didn't get support only from his friends and family. Some students at school also showed their support, offering some advice and get well soon kind of messages. Reggie had laid off him all week, never once threatening him. He didn't say too much to him, although the look in his eyes suggested Reggie was also hoping Rudy would be fine. Mr. Wilter didn't raise his voice at Rudy and, before exiting school, he would approach Rudy and wish him good luck on the trial. The principal did the same thing the other day.
Rudy's behavior started to improve a little. At first, he couldn't stand even just one second alone. So stuff like going to the bathroom was terrifying for him unless it was a public one, which usually had at least one other person in it anyway. Sometimes he would cling to his friends' or parents' arms as they walked, afraid that Terry would pop up any second and take him away. His loved ones didn't seem to mind this behavior as they knew he had been through a lot. They didn't blame him for being so terrified.
As time went on, he did get braver and started to allow himself some time alone. Not long periods, just a few minutes, before he extended to a half hour, then an hour. He wanted to relearn that being alone isn't always a bad thing. He didn't mind some periods of being by himself. He didn't want to be scared to be alone for the rest of his life. He understood that there won't always be someone with him 24/7. He knew that he wasn't going to be attacked every time he was alone. So he did what he could to be more comfortable being on his own.
And it worked. He stopped being as clingy as he was with his loved ones. He still preferred being in their company, and still walked a little closer to them than he did before the kidnapping. But overall, his mentality was improving, much to the delight of his friends and parents.
For the past few days, he tried to have Penny or Snap, or even both of them, spend the night, or him going over to their place. He was still uncomfortable with sleeping by himself. He admitted to still having nightmares unless at least one of them was by his side. Sleeping with his friends is what drives away the nightmares for him and helps him feel better. He does hope that he soon gets brave enough to sleep on his own, though. He felt guilty for having them constantly sleep over.
Snap and Penny said they didn't mind coming over. They assured Rudy that, until he felt safe on his own, they wouldn't hesitate to be with him if it helped him feel secure. Rudy wanted to take comfort in this. And for the most part, he did. But he couldn't help but be paranoid that his friends and family would eventually get annoyed by his 'cowardly' behavior. He knew such a thought was absurd; they would never hate him. But he couldn't help but think it anyway.
And throughout the days, he had been trying to prepare himself for Friday, when the trial took place. His folks and friends did whatever they could to help him and reassure him. They kept telling him how it'll be all right in the end, that all he had to do was tell the court what Terry did to him, and that Terry would not be able to hurt him.
Oh how Rudy wanted to believe them. But he was still afraid. He knew Terry was capable of doing a lot. He was afraid that she would find away to get free and go after him. He was afraid that she would bring a hidden weapon to the court and kill him if he dared speak out. He was told how ridiculous this was, how it would be very hard to do such a thing. They kept telling him how Terry would have to be insane to try to land herself in more hot water than she was already in.
But that was exactly Rudy's point. Terry was insane. She was completely out of her mind. He knew that something was wrong with her. But it took until she kidnapped him and treated him like some animal for him to realize just how out of she was. And she did try to punch him in front of everyone. She clearly had no qualms about hurting a child in front of their parents. He found it hard to believe that she would refrain from hurting him just because she was 'afraid of making it worse for herself'. She tried to punch him in front of everyone. He doubted that 'landing in more hot water' was something Terry was concerned about.
And now here he was, sitting in the living room with Penny. Snap had to go back to ChalkZone to get something to eat and drink, since he couldn't consume anything in the real world. He could hear clanging sounds. His parents were in the kitchen, preparing dinner. His stomach growled a little. He was clearly hungry. But he wasn't sure if he could eat. He felt a little nauseous, his stomach in knots just thinking about having to be in front of so many people to testify.
He and Penny saw on the couch together. Penny was leaning against him to try to comfort him. She rested her head on his shoulder and put her arm around him in a partial hug. He looked down at her. He was grateful for her support and comfort. But, as much as he wanted to smile at her, he could not. He stared at the TV screen front of them. Some old show was playing. He was barely paying attention to it. He coudln't hear their voices. The only thing he could think of was the trial...and Terry...
He had enjoyed the past few days not hearing Terry's sickeningly fake sweet voice speaking to him, without feeling her touch his hair, or his shoulder or face or whatever else she decided to touch. But by tomorrow, he will have to face her again. He would have to stare into those hate-filled eyes once more. It wasn't something he was looking forward to. She frightened him. She knew this, and he was certain she would use it to her advantage during court.
Constantly, his mind would go back to how she was 'petting' him. He didn't know why it was affecting him this much. Maybe it was because of how lowly she was treating him, how she was belittling him to keep him in line. She never went too far. She didn't touch him inappropriately. Yet he still shuddered at the thought of her touching him again. He couldn't do anything to stop her. She would hurt him if he tried to pull away.
She was claiming dominance over him. She was doing whatever she could to keep him submissive. And it worked. He only briefly tried to resist her. And both times he had been hurt by her. He hated to think how far she would have gone if all those people hadn't witnessed what she did and had her arrested on the spot. He shivered to think how much damage she would have done if his mother had failed to stop her from punching him.
"Rudy..." Penny whispered, breaking him from his thoughts. "I know you're still scared. You're not a very good liar."
Rudy looked down at her in surprise. Had she really seen through his little white lie? Wow, Penny must really know him to a T.
Penny moved her head away and smiled at him. "It's okay to be afraid, Rudy. Just understand that you won't be alone. You have me, Snap, and your parents. We will back you up. We will protect you. You don't have to be afraid of going it alone. Because you won't."
Rudy, slowly, smiled at her. "I know Penny. I know..." He paused for a moment. "Thanks."
Penny replied, "And it won't just be us. The other witnesses, including Reggie, will be there. Trust me. There's no way Terry will be let off. And after this, she will never be able to hurt you again."
Rudy really wanted to believe her. He wanted to believe that this nightmare would be over after the trial was finished. But Terry...she was unpredictable. He could not shake off the feeling that she might still pull something in court that would let her walk free. He had no proof of this. She might not even be able to do anything. She was locked up somewhere and it wasn't like she had all the access she wanted to tools. Still, he learned not to underestimate her.
He learned, the hard way, just how resourceful she could be, and how she can force him to do whatever she wanted. Even without the evidence of ChalkZone, she had shown how much she had control over him physically. Rudy had a feeling that, even with all her evidence destroyed by a fire or something, he would still act submissive around her due to how she treated him, how she had slapped him if he had tried to resist, forcing him to be compliant with her touching.
If there was one positive thing about the touching, it was that it would definitely ensure, along with the tracking chip, that she would be sent to jail. Touching a child who didn't like it or want it was frowned upon. No one could just go up to any child and start touching him. And by doing so, Terry had landed herself in hot water.
He was glad that the tracking chip was gone. On Wednesday, that was taken care of. His father managed to book an emergency minor surgery to get it taken out. He didn't care about the expenses. He just wanted it out. Rudy went over Wednesday noon and his neck was shot with some local anesthesia, numbing his neck. His neck was cut open carefully and it didn't take long for them to find the tracking chip. It was pulled out of his neck and the wound sealed up tightly.
The tracking chip was immediately destroyed after that, crushed into small pieces on the ground by his mother. She wanted to make sure that Terry could never use it against her son ever again. She then scooped up the dust of the chip and tossed it in the trash can with contempt written on her face.
Rudy was glad the chip couldn't be used by Terry anymore. He was glad that he could visit ChalkZone without having to worry about Terry watching over his shoulders. He was glad that the tracking chip no longer could be used against him. He did feel safer knowing that the tracking chip was gone for good; Terry couldn't use it to scare him into doing things for her anymore.
He heard footsteps approaching him and Penny. He looked over and saw that it was Snap. He was already back from eating his own dinner. He looked very satisfied. He must have cooked himself a really good meal to look that happy. He had found a way through the front door so it looked like he was coming over for a visit, which was the case, but his parents didn't know he came from ChalkZone through a portal on his chalkboard. And with all that was going on, having his parents talk about the 'world of chalk' was the last thing he needed.
Snap waved hello to Rudy's parents. They didn't mind that he was coming over again. The more people that comforted their son, the better, he was certain. The blue boy headed in the living room to join his two friends. Snap went over to the couch and sat down on the other end, where there was a little bit of space left for him to occupy.
Snap's smile faded and he stared at Rudy. "Tomorrow is Terry's trial."
"Yeah I know that." Rudy said, his voice soft.
Snap nodded quietly. "Are you ready to face her, Bucko?"
"I..."
Rudy stopped himself. He looked at Snap. Then to Penny, then his parents in the kitchen. They all supported him. They all wanted him to feel better. They all believed he could do this. And if they belieeved in him, well why shouldn't he? They were right. If he just went through with this, then he would be safe.
He was still afraid. He was still nervous. But, slowly, he was realizing that he was ready. He was as ready as he would ever be. And he had support from his friends, family, even some people from school and down at the station. Anyone who witnessed Terry do anything to him, they would be there and give their support to him. It still wasn't going to be easy, but with their support, he thinks that he might be able to manage.
"Yeah...I think I can do it." Rudy said, forcing a smile on his face.
"Are you scared?" Snap asked. That wasn't meant as an insult. It was a genuine question. He looked at Rudy with a worried expression.
Rudy narrowed his eyes slightly. He slowly nodded his head once. "A little... I'm still afraid of Terry."
"Afraid? More like terrified of her." Snap said, looking at him sympathetically. "She traumatized you. We understand if you're afraid. But remember, after it's all said and done, you won't have to worry about her again."
Rudy smiled at his little blue friend. "I know. Thanks, Snap."
"No problem, Bucko." Snap said, smiling.
Rudy turned his head back towards the television screen. He wasn't really that interested in what was playing. But he wanted to pretend he was watching it instead of staring off into space, because he wanted to do some thinking, but didn't want to look like he was staring off into space.
Their encouragements did help him feel better. It did make him believe he could go to court and face Terry. Yet he still felt nervous. Something could still go wrong. He tried to fight off these negative feelings, but they kept persisting with him. He wasn't sure why, exactly, he couldn't fight them off. He had been told more than once that Terry's actions would get her convicted, that there was no way around it.
He guessed that, somehow, he thought that she would find a loophole somewhere that would get her aquitted. That was something he was dreading these past few days. It was something he had a nightmare about once. The idea of Terry being let off. If that happened, then she could, and likely would, come after him again, to try to make him 'hers' once more. And this time, she would make sure not to let him go. She might go as far as kidnap him again and take him away so that he would constantly be supervised by her, constantly under her control.
She was an intelligent woman. She would figure out a way to capture him and keep him without anyone knowing where he was, or leaving behind any evidence. She may decide against a tracking chip as that could be used to locate him. She might keep him locked up somewhere, probably in her van. Or maybe she'd get a new one and keep him in there.
Or maybe she would take it a step further. His heart filled with dread as he thought about something else Terry might do. He had thought about this before. What if she tried to kill him? What if she simply went off her rocker and tried to murder him for what he had done to her? The look in her eyes before she attempted to punch him. The look of intense hatred...all directed at him. There was nothing to suggest she wouldn't try such a horrible thing, especially if she knew how to get away with it.
His mind was interrupted from its thoughts when he heard his parents call out to them that dinner was ready. Rudy didn't really feel hungry, but he didn't want to worry his folks. He got up from the couch along with Penny and they headed into the kitchen. Snap came in, too, but he had to tell Mrs. Tabootie that he had already eaten before he arrived and was too full to eat anything else.
Rudy took a seat. Penny sat down next to him. And Snap sat down at his other side. Rudy watched as his mother got plates for everyone, except for Snap of course. She sat down the bowls of food along with silverware in front of Rudy, Penny, and Mr. Tabootie, and she got herself something afterwards. Once she sat down, everyone, minus Snap, started to eat.
About ten minutes later, and Rudy realized he had hardly touched his food. He had been playing with it mostly. He used his fork to push around the food. Once in a while, he did take a bite. But only small ones and he chewed very slowly. He had wanted to eat so that his parents didn't get even more worried about him. But it was clear, he was not going to be able to hide his anxiety from them.
And sure enough, his friends and family were eyeing him worriedly. They had taken notice to the fact that he was hardly eating. Rudy wasn't the heaviest eater around, but he sure usually ate more than this. Seeing him hardly eat anything, they instantly knew something was wrong. And they had a pretty good idea on what was bothering him.
"Son, I know you're nervous about the trial tomorrow." Mr. Tabootie said. "But remember, we will be there for you."
"Yeah and it's not like you'll be testifying alone." Snap said, putting a hand on Rudy's shoulder. "I'll be on that stand as well. And so will your parents, Penny, Reggie, anyone who had seen what Terry has done to you."
"Yes, Rudy." Penny said, puttin her hand over his. "We'll be in this together."
"And after it's all over, you'll never have to worry about that...vile woman ever again." Mrs. Tabootie said. She took a bite of her food, swallowed, and pointed her fork in Rudy's direction. "Rest assured she will get what she deserves."
Rudy looked at each of his parents and friends. They smiled reassuringly at him. They let him know, without saying a word, just using their eyes and their expressions, that everything was going to be okay. He wasn't going to be in this alone. He was going to have help. They were there to support him. They were there to help convict Ms. Bouffant.
They were right. After this trial was done and over with, Terry Bouffant was going to get locked up. Rudy felt all sense of doubt leave his system. Hope and relief replaced his fears. He was feeling a lot better with the support of his family and friends. Slowly, he smiled back at them, looking happier than he has been in the past week. Pretty soon, it would all be over with. Soon, Terry would get the punishment she deserves.
"Thanks, guys." Rudy finally said, before he went back to eating.