Chapter 10

"Do not make any cuts in your flesh."

(Leviticus 19:18)

Dale ewas takne to jail. After being suspected of killing his father, he was called to the interrogation room shortly after arriving at jail.

"Hello, Dale," a squirrel said. He sat across from Dale. "I'm Detective Gerald Costar. I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Look, it's been a rough night," Dale stated. "I just want to get out of here and go home."

"You're not going anywhere until we get this case settled," the squirrel snapped hatefully.

Dale spent over an hour being interviewed by Gerald. Once the interview was over, Dale was allowed to return to his cell.

Theodore visited Dale a few weeks later. Dale sat up and allowed Theodore to sit down beside him.

"Ho w are you?" Theodore asked.

"I'm doing good," Dale answered.

"I brought you something." He opened his backpack and pulled out a Bible, which he handed to Dale.

"Theodore, I told you–" Dale began.

"Just give it a chance," Theodore encouraged.

Dale sighed. "Fine," he agreed.

"Alvin and I have this bet going on," Theodore went on. "I bet him that I could write songs just as good as him, maybe even better. I have until the talent show to get ready. The loser has to give the winner fifty dollars."

"Great."

"You're not mad at Chip and the others, are you? Dale, there was nothing they could've done to help."

"Yeah, I guess."

"I've got to go. I'll see you later." He got up and walked out of the cell.

Dale picked up the Bible and thumbed through it. He wondered if Alvin and Simon were Christians. It didn't seem likely. He highly doubted they were.

Simon was an atheist. He didn't even consider the possibility that there was a God. Theodore had tried converting him on several occasions, but he eventually gave up.

Alvin was different. He believed in the possibility that there was a God. He was an agnostic type of person, even though he wouldn't admit it to neither Simon or Theodore.

Seeing as he had no other choice, Dale began reading the Bible, though he wasn't sure where to begin. As with most books, he started at the beginning, the Book of Genesis.

It didn't take Dale long to get confused. Wait a minute, he thought. Where are the dinosaurs and wooly mammoths? During school, he'd learned about the ice age and the dinosaur age. He'd seen evidence of the ice age on both the Discovery Channel and the History Channel, so he couldn't understand why it wasn't included in the Bible. Unfortunately, he had no way of contacting Theodore to ask him why the ice age wasn't included in the Bible, and he didn't know how long he'd be in jail.

A few days later, Dale was sentenced to be released from jail. As he followed a police officer down the hall towards the main entrance where he would be picked up, he stopped to watch the news.

"Regarding the death of Jeremy Oakmont," an anchorwoman spoke, "the real killer has been identified as Bryan Priddy . .."

"Move it, boy," the officer barked.

Dale followed the officer to the main office, where Chip and the other Rescue Rangers were waiting for him.

"Ready to go home?" Chip asked.

"Like you have to ask," Dale said.

"Mr. Oakmont, please sign out," another officer ordered.

Dale signed his name on the sign out sheet and put the time, then followed Chip and the others outside to the Ranger Wing.

"No hard feelings, right, Dale?" Chip asked.

Dale shook his head. "No," he replied.

They flew to the Seville home.

Dale entered Alvin, Simon, and Theodore's room. "Alvin, Simon, get out," he commanded.

"Can't you see we're busy?" Simon asked. He turned back to his homework.

Dale picked up the stereo and hurtled it across the room. It crashed against the wall, creating a thunderous boom and waking Theodore.

"I'm not going to say it again," Dale growled.

Alvin and Simon grabbed their things and left the room, closing the door behind them.

Dale sat down in front of Theodore. "I want to show you something," he said. He pulled up the sleeves of his long-sleeve shirt that was underneath his Hawaiian t-shirt, revealing his scarred wrists and arms.

Theodore gaped at the dozens and dozens of scars that lined Dale's arms. "Oh, my God," he moaned. "How long have you been doing this to yourself?"

"Years," Dale replied. After his father started abusing him, he'd started cutting himself in order to make himself feel better. Cutting himself was the second best choice. Stuffing himself with food was the first best choice.

Man, this kid has problems, Theodore thought. He was jerked out of his thoughts by Dale's crying.

"I just want the pain to end," Dale said.

Theodore hugged him.

"I hate my life," Dale went on. "I just want to say goodbye. My life stinks. There's no purpose in me living anymore."