Yay for part two.
Thank you to everyone who took some time out of their day to read this, though it may not be the most uplifting thing in the world.
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A Study on Juveniles in Affluent Society
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-Part 2-
"Andross is your uncle, correct?"
"...yeah."
"And... you live with him?"
"...yeah."
There was the scratching of pen on paper.
"How exactly did you come to live with him?"
"..."
Both sets of eyes were focused directly on him.
"We need you to answer these questions for us, Andrew."
"My parents... they died..."
"Ah."
"So, Andross was your only living relative then?"
Andrew shook his head.
"You have others?"
"W... well... my aunt. My cousins..."
"Ah, so your aunt and uncle are separated then? Do you know when this happened?"
Andrew shook his head again.
"And that's it then? No grandparents? No one else?"
"N...no..."
More pen scratching.
"I... I did have another uncle though... he died..."
"Really? And what was his name?"
"Zeke..." And then as an afterthought, "...nobody liked him."
Both men nodded their heads as if they understood.
"Alright then, Andrew. Why don't we move on to what happened today, hm?"
He didn't say anything, not even wanting to look at them. He fiddled with the collar of his shirt.
"You didn't go to school today, did you?"
"...no."
"And why was that?"
He chewed on his lower lip. "He didn't... take me there..."
"And by he, you mean Andross, correct?"
Andrew didn't respond.
"Do you have a good relationship with your uncle?" This came from the other man, almost hurried. Andrew felt the area around his eyes tighten.
"..."
Both men were staring at him rather intently now.
"Andrew, how do you get along with him? Does he take good care of you?"
Andrew bit down on his tongue. Hard. "Uncle Andross loves me..."
"Has he ever spanked you before?"
"..."
"Ever caused you any kind of pain?"
"..."
"Has your uncle ever touched you in a way you didn't like?"
"My uncle would never do those things!" He was leaning forward in his chair now, tears threatening to fall down his cheeks.
This time it was the men that didn't have anything to say.
"My uncle... he... he loves me... he's nice to me... he... he always..." His hands were to his face now, trying to cover up the fact that he was crying.
It was a few minutes before anything else was said. Andrew brought his knees up to his chest, burying his head in them.
"Andrew, why don't we go back to what happened today?"
But Andrew wasn't going to say anything else.
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When he was finally released from his interview, the first thing that Andrew did was go to the bathroom. It took him a while to find, as the entire police station was a mass confusion of people, officers and technicians, but after asking a kind-looking secretary which direction to go, he made it there without a hitch.
When he came back out of the restroom, not really feeling much better, he maneuvered his way through the throng of people and to the small cot that had been set up in one of the deputy's offices. He sat down on it, slightly relieved. The deputy, himself, wasn't in the office at the moment.
As he looked back out into the main office, he couldn't help the small pit that formed in his stomach as he watched everyone bustle about. He felt so alone. He didn't know anyone here, and none of them even seemed to care about him. He felt like he'd gone down a rabbit hole or something – everything in his life had been flipped around, twisted... and there was no way for him to go back.
A faint voice caught his attention, causing his head to jerk to the side. He pushed himself off the cot, padding his way back to the door and peeking out. His tail was curling up in a bemused manner.
There was a TV nearby, his uncle's form centered inside. It was a news channel, though not the one he was used to watching. His uncle was sitting behind a tall table of some sort, not looking nervous at all. In fact, his expression reminded him of some of the last few moments he'd spent with him down in the underground office.
Haughty. Conceited.
Demoniacal.
The caption underneath read "Well-known Scientist Pleads Guilty to Consler Substance".
"Andrew...? Andrew!!"
He turned quickly, startled by the sound of his name. Dee was standing a short ways away, a knap sack slung over her shoulders and a pair of sunglasses resting on her forehead. As soon as their eyes met, she rushed forward, pulling him into an almost crushing embrace.
"Drew-bear! Oh my God, I was so scared!"
He buried his head into her shoulder, relief rushing over him for the first time since he'd come to the police station.
"Are you ok? You're not hurt are you?" She pushed him back, eyes running up and down his form. "If they hurt you, I swear to God, I'll-"
He shook his head, a smile forming on his face. "I'm fine."
She watched him for a few seconds, biting her lip as her eyes watered. Finally, she pulled him back into another hug.
"When I saw the news, I... I didn't even know what to think. I'm still in shock, it's just so..."
Andrew nuzzled his face into her neck.
"I'm just so glad that you're alright."
They held that for another minute before Dee finally rocked back on her heels, a quick hand coming up to wipe at her eye. She pushed herself up to a standing position, still looking down at him. "I haven't really talked to anyone except to tell them I was here to see you... what's been going on? Has anyone talked to you yet?"
Andrew nodded his head morosely, a finger instinctively coming to his mouth.
"This is just..." She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's so crazy. I don't know what I'm supposed to do; I don't know what to think..."
A number of uniformed men walked past them, looking like they had a clear mission in mind. Andrew and Dee watched them walk into a far office.
"I don't think they're gonna let you leave yet... probably want to ask you some more questions." She paused a moment. "Probably want to ask me some questions."
Back on the TV screen, it showed a number of people watching as Andross was questioned. Whoever it was doing the questioning looked like they were getting quite frustrated.
"They're taking good care of you, right? A place to sleep and food and everything?"
Andrew nodded.
"Do you want me to bring you anything? Anything from your house?"
Andrew wanted to ask if she would bring his dinosaur stuffed animal, but he felt slightly embarrassed by it, so he didn't. He finally just shook his head no.
"Oh, Drew-bear... always trying to be strong, huh?" She brought a hand down to ruffle through his hair, smiling.
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The next couple days passed by in a whirlwind of confusion and activity. Andrew barely even knew what was going on half of the time. He was brought back to that room again a few times, those eyes boring into him as they questioned him. Everytime they did, he would clam up, sink back into his shell... he didn't like them. He didn't like the way they talked – their condescending tones.
Every chance he could, he tried to watch his uncle on TV. He didn't understand most of what happened or what people were saying, but there was something about watching it that made him feel better.
The one terrifying thought that crossed his mind, however, was a question of whether he felt comfort in simply seeing his uncle again or comfort in the fact that everyone seemed to hate him.
There was one lieutenant that he grew rather fond of – he was younger than most of the others, and he would always come up to greet him in the hall or take him to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. In this new hectic environment he'd had to grow accustomed to, it was nice to have a friendly face to talk to.
Dee came back a few times as well – once just to see him, bringing him a hamburger from a nearby fast-food joint, and once because the police had called her in for questioning. When Andrew watched her walk back out of the interview room he'd grown so used to, he couldn't help but notice the despondent look spread across her face.
His head was constantly filled with questions. Simply added to the fact that he felt completely clueless most of the time was his constant worry about what was going to happen to him, what was going to happen to his uncle, and, perhaps most importantly, when he was going to get out of here.
It was suffocating him.
It wasn't until the fourth day after he'd been brought in that a change in the routine finally occurred. His friendly lieutenant woke him up from his cot, kneeling down beside it.
"Andrew, hey... wake up. I need to talk to you."
He opened his eyes groggily, his hand curled up tightly in the blankets around his face.
"Come on, bud."
He pushed himself up from the cot, shaking his head slightly. Once he was on his knees, he looked back to the lieutenant. "Lt. Baldwin?"
The salamander took his hand and led him away from the cot, walking past a number of other officers who were standing around an open donut-box, watching what was happening on the television. They kept walking until they came to one of the far-back offices, both the door and the blinds shut tight.
Lt. Baldwin knocked on the door. "Captain Lynx?"
There was a rough grunt from behind the door, followed by the squeak of a chair. "Yes, what is it?"
"It's Baldwin, sir. I'm here with Andrew."
The door opened, the gruff-looking feline in question looking back at them. "Right, right... come in."
Andrew was ushered in quickly, almost immediately sat down in a chair in front of the captain's desk. He glanced around, taking in his new surroundings, but as the captain abruptly sat down in front of him, he was snapped back into attention.
"Alright, Andrew. The reason we've called you in here is because a request has been made..."
Andrew cocked his head to the side.
"...by your uncle. He wants to talk to you."
His eyes opened up a bit wider, breath hitching in his throat. He looked back up to Lt. Baldwin behind him, searching for some sort of answer.
"Now... obviously we're not gonna take you there if you don't wanna see him, so we had to come and ask you first. He's down at the interim jail now – in a cell, so you don't have to worry about that... it's just up to you whether you wanna talk to him or not."
Andrew bit his lip, looking down at his lap.
Capt. Lynx brought a hand up to scratch at his ears. "If you don't, we can always just tell him that we wouldn't let you... if... that's what you're worried about or something."
He was silent for a moment longer, seemingly entranced by a string that was coming out of his pants. Finally, his eyes came up to meet the captain's, and he shook his head resolutely.
"No, I wanna see him."
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A guard stayed on watch at the door when Andrew entered the hallway where his uncle's cell was. It wasn't a very long one, and no one was in any of the surrounding cells. They'd probably vacated them due to his visit – they didn't look that fancy anyway. Being an interim jail, inmates weren't held there for all that long.
He walked forward slowly, turning his head to check on the guard every now and then. The guard, in turn, just nodded his head slightly.
He could see the shape of someone sitting against the bars in the third cell down, so he made his way over to that one, standing awkwardly as he glanced down at his uncle's seated form.
He scratched the side of his leg with his foot. "Uncle Andross...?"
There was an immediate movement from the form in front of him, and soon, he was staring down into his uncle's face. "Andrew! Andrew..." He was grasping the bars of the cell now. "You don't know how happy I am to see you again."
Andrew didn't say anything, just standing there with a blank look on his face.
"Come here, come here, boy..." His uncle ushered with his hands, reaching out through the bars.
Andrew took a tentative step forward, his tail twitching behind him.
"Have those nasty policemen been treating you well? You are getting enough to eat, aren't you?"
He paused a moment before nodding, bringing a hand up to scratch at his head. Andross held his hand out towards him, and after a slight hesitation, he took it. His uncle pulled him forward gently until he was kneeling on the ground in front of him.
"Andrew, they... they're going to send me away."
Andrew looked up at his uncle's face, which was now gazing back despairingly.
"They're... going to send me far away. I won't be able to come back." He reached his hand through the bars again, this time running it through Andrew's hair. "I don't want to go, but I don't have any choice."
Andrew brought his hands up to the bars in front of him, gripping them tightly.
"I... I don't want to say this, but... I'm afraid. You know what that's like, Andrew, don't you? I'm afraid..."
He nodded back dolefully.
"I'm going to be all alone."
Andrew raised his head. "Uncle Andross...?"
"I'm... I'm sorry. I shouldn't be bothering you with this. You don't need to hear this." He gave a rather forced intake of breath, hissing slightly between his teeth. "You... Andrew... you won't leave me alone... will you? You wouldn't let that happen..."
Andrew gazed up, the feeling of his uncle's hand on his cheek. He shook his head.
"You're my pal, right? You're... you're..."
Andrew leaned his head forward to rest on one of the bars, Andross bringing a hand up to gently scratch the top of it.
"I love you, Andrew. You know that, don't you? I love you..."
Andrew could feel tears building in his eyes. "I love you too..."
Andross reached through the bars as well as he could to embrace him, pulling him in towards him while still being wary of the bars. He ran his hand comfortingly over Andrew's back as his nephew simply cried.
"You'll never leave me, Andrew..."
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"The decision was reached yesterday, the verdict in: the scientist and Cornerian Research Director, Andross Oikonny, is to be sent to the far planet of Venom. After flooding the Consler Building with an as of yet unknown chemical, hundreds of people, if not thousands, are now being hospitalized, including recently-appointed Mayor Ainsdale. It's still uncertain how serious their conditions are or will get in the future, but reports are already coming in that even relatives and friends of the afflicted are beginning to grow ill as well. Caution is to be taken as..."
Andrew watched the television screen from his position in Dee's arms, chewing on his finger silently. Dee was currently talking with one of the officers at the station, going on about the condition of the roads downtown.
"Seemed accomplice, Dexter Borada, has also been charged, but has pleaded that Andross forced him into cooperation using illegal means. His trial will continue on at a later date, and he is now being held at City Public."
An old yak appeared on the screen, the bar underneath indicating him as County Sheriff Hockinsmith. "...we've taken everything into account that we can. And, of course, this isn't saying that we're not pressing him for information on the substance either. We've got our Hazmat team working furiously as well as other scientists from the Research Department doing their best to crack the so-called 'shell' of this bacteria, virus... we're not really sure what."
The microphone moved off-screen as the reporter talked. "But these scientists are from Andross' own department. Aren't you afraid that some of them might still be working for him?"
"At this point, there's not a lot else we can do. At the rate this is spreading, we've got to do everything we can to combat it."
"Do you think that sending Andross off like this isn't a tad bit drastic? Or even safe?"
"We've got hundreds of people dying from an unknown disease, and you're going to talk to me about being drastic?! I think we've gone far past that point by now! He's obviously crazy, deranged... who knows what could happen if he were to stay here, what kind of friends he might still have here... how can you stand there and..."
Andrew turned away from the TV, resting his head down on his cousin's shoulder.
"...things haven't been the same at the office since. Everybody's just going crazy; half of them haven't even come in to work... I feel like I'm in a nuthouse or something." Dee repositioned Andrew in her arms, scootching him up slightly.
"Things haven't calmed down here at all either. In fact, there seems to be even more people here than when that old codger was first brought in." Lt. Baldwin was leaning forward against one of the counters, eyes scanning behind Dee and out into the rest of the office.
Andrew was listening to their conversation in only half-interest, his eyelids beginning to droop.
A rather portly basset hound was making his way towards the three of them. He was carrying a green folder, the appearance of sweat on his forehead indicating that he'd just been involved in a slightly rigorous activity. Either that or the simple act of walking had him practically out of breath.
He stopped at the counter, using an arm to support himself against it. Both Baldwin and Dee looked up at his arrival.
"I'm... looking for the boy... Andrew Oikonny?"
Andrew's eyes popped open, though he didn't move from his position. Dee shifted her own position so she was facing the basset hound full-on, allowing him to better see Andrew.
"He's right here... what do you need him for?"
The dog took out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his head off, waiting until he'd stuck it back in before speaking again. "There's been so much paperwork lately that things kept getting pushed back and pushed back... I'm sorry that this is coming so late..."
Dee bit her lip. "What do you mean?"
"Andrew's custody case. It's finally starting to go through the system."
Her eyes narrowing slightly, she repositioned Andrew in her arms once more. "Custody case? What custody case?"
The hound placed the folder he'd been carrying onto the counter, his hand over the top. "Mr. Oikonny was his legal guardian, and now that his charge has been finalized, it will have to be decided what happens to Andrew. We've gone through the books, checking the records... the only other relative he has is an aunt..." He pulled open the top of the folder, looking in. "...Sabetha Northwick."
"My mother."
The hound looked up, a bit surprised. "Er... yes... you're...?"
"Dee Bowman."
"Ah, yes. You were on here as well, under the, ah, 'minor' section."
Dee chewed on the inside of her cheek, looking back at Andrew before returning her gaze to the dog.
"Anyway, Ms. Northwick expressed no desire to take him in..."
"Typical."
"...so at this point, we're leaving it up to the boy whether he wants to go with his uncle or get moved into a foster home."
Dee jerked back a bit in surprise. "Go with his uncle? Are you insane?"
"Er..."
"And what's all this about having no other place to put him? Gil and I would be more than happy to take him. We're family, are we not? Why isn't that on your little list?" She jammed her finger down on the folder as it to emphasize her point.
The custody-worker was obviously a bit flustered now, reaching back into his pocket to retrieve the handkerchief once more. "Well, uh, that is... you're not twenty-one yet. You're not a legal adult."
"Legal adult, my ass. I already have a son of my own! My husband's twenty-four!"
"Yes, well... uh..."
"What's your name, sir?"
He looked confused a moment, head cocked to the side. "It's uh, Giles. Giles Lance."
Dee stepped right up into the hound's face, a finger raised... "Well then, Mr. Lance,you can just jot down in your little record-book that Andrew will be staying with us, and nothing or nobody is going to change that fact, you got it?"
He instinctively took a step back, now looking back and forth from Dee to Lt. Baldwin, who still hadn't said a word.
"Well, now, you see... uh... it will still ultimately be up to the boy, he, uh... he'll have to make the decision..."
Dee rolled her eyes. "Oh, like that's gonna be a hard decision. You might as well put it down now that he's already decided to come with us."
"He'll have to, uh, express that in court. It's got to be down on record."
Dee let out an exasperated sigh, bringing a hand up to rub between her eyes. "What a waste of time..."
"But it's necessar-"
"Yes. Yes... I know... it's necessary." She looked down at Andrew, his head still on her shoulder. "Do we need to set up a time or something then?"
"Ah, indeed. Yes, that's what we need to do. Is there some place we can perhaps sit down?" Giles began glancing about the police station.
"You can use the meeting room. I don't think anyone's using it right now." Lt. Baldwin finally spoke up, gesturing off towards the corner of the station.
"Yes, yes, excellent."
"Thank you, Kent." Dee nodded her head towards him before walking off in that direction, the hound following right behind. His clumsy walking was accentuated even more by the brisk pace she took.
With his head still down, Andrew let his eyes open slightly, watching the scenery around him change. He could barely suppress the sudden urge to cry.
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It was his last night at the police station. Things had quieted down a bit, given that it was almost bordering on midnight, but there were still a number of officers milling about around the desks. The light in the deputy's office had been shut off to allow him to sleep, but he couldn't even find a comfortable position to lie in, let alone fall asleep. For that reason, he was now sitting up on the cot, peering out the window near the door.
He almost felt nauseous, his emotions twisting and turning inside of him while he refused to let them out. Plus, he had to go to the bathroom again.
Tomorrow was the hearing.
Breathing out a shaky sigh, he watched as two familiar-looking officers walked past the window. He'd seen them a number of times, perhaps even had been introduced to them, but he didn't remember their names anymore. There were so many different people he'd met over the last couple of days that they were all melding together.
He was almost afraid that he'd forget his own name. But then again, maybe that wouldn't be so bad. Maybe he could forget everything about himself and just start his life over again.
He picked at a string that was coming out of the side of the cot. It was still securely fastened on one side, so he didn't have any luck in pulling it off. This only made him frustrated.
He really had to go now.
Wrapping the blanket around his shoulders, he got up from the cot. The tiled floor felt like ice against his bare feet, but he tried to put it out of his mind. Holding the blanket tight with one hand, he used the other to pull the door open, stepping out into the main office area.
A few people looked up as he walked out, though none said anything. Most just completely ignored him. His tail curling up behind him, he began making his way towards the other end of the office where the restrooms were. Just down the back hallway and to the left.
The bathroom was completely empty, the lights actually having been turned off for the night. He reached up to flip them on before picking one of the middle stalls and stepping inside.
The toilet loomed ominously in front of him, a gaping hole, a staring eye.
He felt it rise up in his stomach suddenly, and he barely had time to get to the toilet. Doubled over, he vomited up the contents of his supper into the water, eyes clenched shut.
The taste was horrible.
Once the feeling of his entire stomach coming up through his throat dissipated, he simply stared down into the murky water, tears welling up in his eyes. His throat was burning now. It matched the feeling down below.
Tears began rolling down his cheeks, some of them falling into the toilet. Gripping the sides, he pushed himself away and back down onto his knees. The porcelain in front of him looked so pristine and clean from the outside, but he knew that inside it was now filthy. He'd made it filthy.
He still had to go to the bathroom, but he felt so weak now that he couldn't even stand up. Giving in, he decided to just go on the floor, but to no one's surprise, nothing came out. Again.
Maybe he'd done something horrible in his life and this was the retribution for it. Maybe the simple fact that he existed upset someone somewhere.
He brought a hand up to wipe the snot away from his nose. The smell around him was a mixture of vomit and cleaning supplies. His stomach gurgled.
He wished his dad was here to give him a glass of lemon-lime pop like he always used to. And some soup too. He wanted to cuddle up in the blankets on the couch while his dad popped in his favorite movie. He'd even take that horrible-tasting medicine without complaining.
The fluorescent light buzzed noisily above him as the floor tiles dug into his knees.
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"Alright, Andrew. This is gonna be real easy, kay? They'll probably say a few things, maybe even ask a few questions, but pretty much all you have to do is say that you wanna live with Gil and me, alright? Easy-cheesy."
Andrew looked up at her, face blank. She was wearing her work clothes today. She'd come over her lunch break.
"I can't come in with you, though. I'll have to go in the other door and sit behind the railing."
He nodded before turning his gaze to the ground.
"This'll all be over soon, Drew-bear. Everything'll go back to normal... just like before." She rustled the hair on his head. "I'm gonna go ahead and go in now... Mr. Barnes is the one who's taking you into the courtroom."
Mr. Barnes smiled down at him, his teeth eerily white.
"Alright, see ya soon." She gave him a small wave before the sound of her heels clicking on the floor began moving away. Andrew stared at his reflection in the glossy tiles below him.
"Everything will be ok, Andrew."
Mr. Barnes sounded like he talked through his nose.
There was a cluster of footsteps from behind him, and soon a group of people had gathered around them. Some of them appeared quite flustered.
"Alright, we're here, we're here. Sorry we're late."
"The roads are horrible."
Giles was with them. He smiled down at Andrew when he saw him, though Andrew didn't smile back.
"Are you ready, Andrew?"
Why did everyone keep saying his name all the time? He felt young enough as it was, he didn't need people treating him like he was three.
He nodded his head.
"Let's go ahead and get inside then. The judge is on a tight schedule."
"After you, Andrew."
He walked in first, Mr. Barnes right behind him.
The courtroom wasn't all that large – the judge's podium towards the front with its two standard witness stands, tables and chairs for where the defense attorneys and prosecutors would sit, then the railing separating everyone else. He saw Dee sitting in one of the very first rows.
He also saw Andross.
He was sitting on the opposite side from Dee, a large number of guards sitting or standing around him. He was hand-cuffed.
Dee waved at him from her position on the bench. He didn't acknowledge her. He wasn't even breathing.
Mr. Barnes led him towards one of the tables, ushering him to be seated before sitting down himself. The others that had followed him in did the same, sitting down in any open chair near him.
A door on the opposite side of the podium opened abruptly, causing Andrew to jump. The judge, a haggard-looking goat, entered quickly, making his way to the podium. A uniformed guard rushed after him.
"P...please rise for Judge McArthur."
Everyone in the courtroom stood up, Mr. Barnes having to tug on the sleeve of Andrew's shirt to get him to pay attention.
The judge pulled a pair of glasses from his robe, placing them across the bridge of his nose. "Right, now... this is..." He cleared his throat, obviously reading something on the podium. "...the custody case for Andrew Dalton Oikonny?"
Mr. Barnes stood up. "Yes, your honor. A simple record-keeping procedure is all."
If one could live without their heart beating, Andrew would have sworn that his had completely stopped.
The judge waved for Mr. Barnes to sit back down. "Yes, yes... I see..." He began shifting through more of the paperwork on his desk. His eyes glanced up for a second. "This is the boy, then?"
"Yes, your honor."
Andrew looked down towards his lap.
"Right..." More paper shuffling. "...son of... Adrian and Dana Oikonny... legal guardian was... Andross Oikonny..." His head popped up again, eyes squinting as he peered out into the rest of the courtroom. "...other option for custody is... Gilroy and Dee Bowman."
Andrew was clutching his knees so hard his knuckles were turning white.
The judge began tapping the paper on his podium to straighten out the pile. "So, Andrew, it's all up to you then, is it?" He fixed his glasses, his eyes narrowing once again as he looked towards Andrew.
Andrew didn't say anything. Mr. Barnes gave him a gentle shove with his elbow. "Andrew, answer the judge."
"Yes... your honor..." The words could barely be heard between his teeth.
"What's that? I didn't hear you..." Judge McArthur now had a hand cupped around his ear.
"Y... yes... your honor..." He pressed his lips tightly together.
"Alright! Then let's get this thing rolling. Should only take a few minutes." He reached down from his podium to catch a sheet of paper that had fallen on the floor in his earlier rush. He brought his other hand to his mouth for a quick cough while scanning the sheet with his eyes. "Andrew... do you understand that the choice you make here is the same as a legally-binding contract, all rights then withheld to your new guardian, who shall have, yadda yadda yadda... you understand all that, right? You say who you wanna live with? You live with them. Simple as that."
Andrew glanced up nervously, his spit getting stuck in his throat as he tried to swallow. He was too scared to look back at either Dee or Andross.
"Right, well, I assume you've already made your choice... so, up on your feet. As soon as you say it, we can get on with our lives."
Mr. Barnes ushered Andrew to a standing position.
His body felt as rigid as a tree. Or a fire poker. Either way, he could barely move. A drop of sweat came down from his forehead, but he couldn't even reach up to wipe it away. The judge was watching him intensely, his eyes boring into him, but it was nothing like the feeling of the eyes watching him from behind.
He turned ever so slightly. He could see Andross out of the corners of his eyes, watching him. They watched each other. Andross' face was blank, though Andrew could make out the faintest signs of futility. Of despondence.
"You'll never leave me, Andrew..."
He clenched his eyes shut, wrenching his head back to the front. As hard as he tried to hold back the tears, he could feel them building in his eyes.
"You wouldn't leave me alone, would you?"
"Andrew, what are you doing? You've got to speak to the judge."
Mr. Barnes could go to hell, along with all of his cronies at the courthouse.
"I love you, Andr-"
"I wanna go with my uncle."
The room was silent. Absolutely, completely silent.
The judge shifted his glasses on his nose. "Ah, see? Simple enough." He scrawled something on the paper in front of him. "Papers are set to go, that's all you have to do."
Andrew felt a strange sensation of serenity wash through him.
"Andrew...?"
The voice came from behind him, disbelieving.
"Andrew...?"
There was a crack in it this time. Andrew didn't want to turn around. The sound of heels on the ground told him that his cousin was standing up now.
"Andrew?"
There was a strange sense of desperation in her voice. Andrew tucked his head down, but finally lifted it slightly to look at her. She was leaning forward, clutching the railing. He couldn't even describe the expression on her face.
"Andrew!"
She reached forward, her whole body pressing against the railing. She was trying to get over it.
"Will somebody keep her back? The last thing I want is some kind of scene." The judge rubbed where his glasses had been sitting on his nose, already starting to walk toward the exit. A few guards began walking to where Dee was already halfway over the railing, two of them taking her shoulders as gently as they could and trying to push her back.
"No! Andrew!"
She was beginning to get a bit hysterical. She attempted to push herself past the guards, still ever-reaching towards her cousin. The guards began to use a bit more force, now clutching her upper-arms.
And all the while, Andrew simply looked back at her.
"Come along, Andrew."
Mr. Barnes held his hand out for him, and he took it without a word. The two began walking for the exit after the judge, the others who had come in to witness it also rising from their seats.
"Andrew, come back! I... he's my..."
"Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down."
"Andreeeeeew!!"
Andross was still seated on the other side of the room, watching. A sinister smile was stretched across his face.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
He was back at his uncle's house - they'd taken him here to pack up anything he wanted to take with him from his room. When he'd first walked into the house, it had been almost eerie. All the lights were off, only the sunlight coming in from the entryway windows casting light across the room, and it was deathly quiet. Everything still looked the same, though. Untouched. Unmoving.
Mr. Barnes waited for him at the door while he went up the stairs. His footsteps echoed throughout the entire house, haunting against the absolute silence.
He didn't even bother to turn on any lights until he got to his room, and when he did, it was almost too bright. It made everything that was happening to him that much more real, and suddenly he felt weak.
A number of drawers were already open, and when he glanced over, he saw that all of his clothes had already been taken. He supposed this meant that he was just supposed to take any other personal possessions that he wanted.
He wondered what would happen to everything he left behind.
He set the duffle bag he'd been given down in the middle of the floor and began walking around, his eyes scanning over the entire room. His bed was the same as he'd left it, hastily made without the actual bedsheets underneath, and there were still of number of things strewn across the carpet that he'd forgotten to pick up.
His action figures stared at him from the shelf to his left, and next to them was a wooden gumball machine that he'd made in school during their tech unit. He had a number of baseball caps hanging from a rack on the wall, sporting the names of various sports teams or, his favorite, the one that had been signed by James McCloud, himself.
Though, actually... it might have been signed simply in spite. The Star Fox leader and his uncle had never really gotten along, so he'd seemed more than happy that the scientist's nephew was excited to meet him.
Maybe that's why it read "To My Number 1 Fan", complete with three underlines.
His closet seemed so empty now that most of the clothes were gone. All that was left were the naked hangars still suspended from the various racks. It was slightly unnerving.
Andrew closed the closet doors.
When he walked back to his bed, he saw his dinosaur stuffed animal sitting on the floor near it, so he reached over to pick up, cradling it in his arms. It stared back at him with its lifeless eyes, looking almost worse than it had before, with fluff threatening to pop out from its nose and all four legs. The same smile it always bore was scrawled lazily across its face.
"He's a stegosaurus."
"Stego...saur...us?"
"He's a dinosaur!"
He smiled as he looked down at the green plush in his hands.
"I like dinosaurs."
"Now you'll have someone to cuddle even when your dad and I have to leave for a while."
He hugged the plush to his chest, resting his chin on its head.
"But I still don't like it when you leave..."
"I know, it's hard on all of us... but there's not a lot we can do. The military isn't exactly lenient when it comes to things like that...and your father has to work double-time when I'm gone."
His eyes went up to her face as he hugged it tighter.
"I know..."
"Just remember - when you hug him, your dad and I can feel it! It'll be just like hugging us, ok?"
He glanced back down at the dinosaur, not quite sure how it was possible, but totally believing it anyway.
"I'll sleep with him every night!"
She ruffled the hair on his head, laughing.
Her laughter was what stuck in his head as he stared down at the dinosaur. It was laughing too. They were both laughing... so happy...
He wished he could laugh with them.
He wished he could smile with them.
His hands tightened around the dinosaur. Its head began bulging out, the smile expanding as if he'd just heard a funny joke. The fluff pushing further out its nose made it seem even more comical.
It was dying, but it continued to smile.
Andrew wished he could do the same thing, but he wasn't as strong as the dinosaur. It had always been there to protect and watch over him, but who was watching over it? It would sit and suffer with age, but still it would be smiling. Still it would laugh.
Why did it do that? Couldn't it see what was happening? Couldn't it feel anything?
Andrew's hands had completely closed around the dinosaur's neck now. Its head looked like a balloon, its eyes bulging out and the seams stretching. And still, its grin radiated off the front of its face.
Andrew smiled.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Andrew, your uncle's here!"
He peeked over the railing at the top of the steps.
"Uncle Andross!"
He was down in a flash, reaching upwards as his uncle pulled him into a hug.
"When did you get so big?"
"Mom says it's all the milk I drink."
He smiled.
"The drive all that bad?"
"No, can't say it was. Just missed the work rush."
His dad was piling bags near the front door.
"You're still sure about this, though? I mean, we could take him to Dana's folks. Wouldn't be a problem at all."
"No, no, of course not. When would I pass up time to spend with my nephew?"
"We're gonna have to watch movies, play video games..."
"You got the time off work ok?"
"...play dinosaurs, go to the park..."
"I pretty much run the place now. I could make my own schedule if I wanted to."
"...go get ice cream, go to the pool..."
His mom walked in, carrying her own suitcase.
"...I thought I felt the temperature drop a few degrees..."
He felt his uncle's body stiffen slightly.
"Dana."
"Andross."
"I see you're as nettlesome as ever."
"Only enough to get under your skin."
He didn't like it – the tension in the room nor the strained look on his father's face.
"Dana, honey... could we please not deal with this now? We're going on vacation, can't we get along?"
His mother set her bag by the door, glancing up at them a bit venomously.
"I still don't like that we're leaving Andrew with him."
"He and Andrew get along great, honey..."
"That's what worries me..."
He reached up to take his uncle's hand, bringing his other hand up to chew on his finger.
"Whatever, I guess I can't help the people you're related to."
His father shot his uncle an apologetic look.
"I've been waiting for this vacation forever... I'm not gonna let someone like him ruin it."
"Right, right, honey... s'gonna be lots of fun. Just keep that in mind."
"Yes, Dana. It's going to be a blast."
She stopped for a moment, simply eyeing him with her teeth clenched. Finally, she pushed the door open with her hip and hauled her bag outside.
His father was gathering up the remaining bags and shuffling to the door himself.
"Sorry about that."
"Frankly, I couldn't care less."
"I'll call you guys in a couple a' days... make sure everything's fine."
"Bye, daddy!"
He raised his hands up towards his father, who reached down to ruffle the top of his head.
"See ya, bud. You be good for your uncle now, kay?"
He nodded.
"Take care, bro."
He mimicked his wife, pushing open the door and stepping out.
His uncle smiled. There was something about it, however, that sucked all the joy out of Andrew's heart.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The shuttle in front of him glared harshly beneath the sun. He actually had to shield his eyes in order to see it with any sort of efficiency. The sun itself felt unnaturally warm, the air stagnant and muggy around him.
His last day on Corneria was a scorcher.
He had his own small suitcase gripped tightly in his hand. Mr. Barnes, who was standing next to him now, was holding a bigger one that contained most of his clothes. He was getting exceedingly more and more annoyed by the man's presence, though he wasn't sure why. All he knew was that no matter where he looked, he saw the bright glint of the man's teeth.
It was... unnerving.
"This is the shuttle you'll travel in, Andrew."
Maybe all the effort someone took in creating his teeth wasn't mimicked in the creation of his brain.
He glanced up at him, blankly. A drop of sweat fell down the side of his neck, soaking into the collar of his shirt.
Just ten some minutes ago, he'd watched the police escort his uncle into the shuttle. He'd been sitting in the spaceport waiting area, staring out the window. Andross had looked so small surrounded by all those guards in their uniforms and ammo belts and boots. He wondered where they'd gone now... probably inside the plane.
They weren't going to escort him inside, were they?
Mr. Barnes began to walk forward towards the shuttle, looking back for a second to make sure that Andrew was following. Taking the hint, Andrew darted forward slightly before settling in place beside him.
When they made it to the stairs leading up to the shuttle, Andrew stopped, simply gazing up at the ascending path before it disappeared into the darkness of the aircraft. For the first time since the hearing, he was suddenly scared. He couldn't let the idiot next to him know, though, so he forced a smile onto his face, gripping the railing.
"Up. Come along, Andrew. Into the shuttle."
He didn't even acknowledge him, waiting a moment longer before deciding for himself that he wanted to go up the stairs. Lugging his suitcase behind him, he trudged wearily upwards. The sun's heat felt even stronger here, as it reflected itself off the metal stairs.
Finally entering the shuttle itself, he gave a small sigh of relief from the coolness that met him. Not only was it out of the sun, but it was air-conditioned. Andrew felt himself instantly thankful for the small pleasures in life.
A guard met him at the entrance, leading him over towards one of the baggage compartments. He and Mr. Barnes both set the luggage they'd been carrying down, watching as the guard shoved them inside the alcove and secured the lock to hold them in place.
The atmosphere of the shuttle was strange. Very strange. There was barely anyone inside, though there were quite a number of empty seats. A few guards were roaming around or simply standing off towards the walls, and up near the front, he could see into the cockpit, two men already seated inside and working at the controls. Behind him was where the back section of the plane started, a single curtain separating the two parts from each other.
"Alright, Andrew. I suppose this is all you'll be needing me for. Is there anything you need me to do before I leave?"
He wanted to tell him to take a long walk off a short pier, but he decided it wouldn't be entirely appropriate. Finally, he simply shook his head no.
Mr. Barnes gave a slight bow before turning around on his heels and heading towards the exit. Andrew watched him go, chewing on his bottom lip. Once the man had disappeared, he switched his gaze to the white curtain in the back. It fluttered softly, though there was no breeze coming in. His breath hitched in his throat.
A guard walked right by him, heading towards the exit, which knocked Andrew out of the semi-trance he'd been in. He wondered how many of the guards were actually going to fly with them. He couldn't imagine that many of them would be staying, but obviously, they were going to need some.
He turned his head to glance once more at the cockpit, though nothing had changed. ...how long was it going to be before they took off? He slumped down into one of the nearby seats, letting his legs hang over the armrest lazily.
His thoughts traveled back to Dee – how she'd looked in court. The last time he saw her at the police station. The last Christmas they'd spent together.
It hurt to think about her, though. It hurt to think about her, and Gil, and Dash, and his parents... so he decided not to. Thinking about nothing seemed much more beneficial to his health. A giant black square, perhaps. Hell, even thinking about Mr. Barnes seemed like a better option. His nasally voice seemed to echo in his head.
The curtain was wavering slightly again. His eyes became focused on it without him even noticing. A guard walked past him from where he'd been standing at the front of the plane. He didn't so much as glance down at him before making his way out the exit.
Andrew wondered what it would be like to wrench out every one of Mr. Barnes' perfectly white teeth. Maybe then he wouldn't smile all the time. He didn't deserve to smile that much. The dinosaur had protected him, watched over him, even died for him, but what had Mr. Barnes done besides look down on him as if he knew everything about the entire world? No right. None, whatsoever.
The white curtain looked like a giant tooth. Maybe this whole plane was a large mouth, trying to find something to munch on.
Andrew stood up from his chair, using the back of the seat in front of him to pull himself up and over the armrest. Walking silently over to the curtain, he watched as the folds in it rustled a bit, looking almost like an ocean suspended in mid-air. If he reached his hand in, maybe he could pull out a fish.
He took one side of the curtain in his hand and pulled it back. The sound of the rings holding it up sliding across the curtain rod above him sounded harsh against his ears. He immediately brought a finger to his mouth and began chewing on it.
"Hello, Andrew."
He didn't say a thing. Didn't even move at first. Finally, his tail curling up between his legs, he stepped past the threshold and into the harsh reality he'd brought upon himself.
And then he smiled.
