Chapter 2
William locked the door then turned around and jumped as high as he could. The entire day to himself! He couldn't wait to get started. He scanned the living room, looking for something to do. He gaze fell on the computer sitting in the corner. A devilish look crept into his eyes. He glanced around guiltily then sat down at the computer.
He logged on, and started browsing those things that ten years old boys are known for browsing. It was much more fun then looking through scrapbooks at his grandmothers or reading at the babysitters. There was something so daring in what he was doing, even though he couldn't put his finger on it.
He got bored easily, as boys are wont to do. Soon, though part of him was loath to do it, he left the playboy site and looked for something else to do. He had just found Jesusdance.com when the annoying chirp of mail arriving broke through the midi tack. It was from his father.
William's eyes became a thousand fireworks as he read the letter from his father. It was rare that his dad wrote him, and every letter on the screen in front of the boy was cherished. He read through the words of encouragement, the praise for the good grades he was getting. Mom must have been talking to dad more than William had thought. It hurt sometimes that his father didn't write to him as much as he did his mother. He understood that it was hard on his dad because it would be certain death if they were to meet.
His mother had told him most of what had happened, he thought. He knew that he wasn't allowed to write on the blackboard from his desk at the back of the room, and that he had to act like everyone else when he was at school. He didn't know why except that mom had told him that there were men who would kill him if they found out what he could do. William, and his dad, suspected that the men already knew.
The e-mail was short, but wonderful. William couldn't have asked for more. He scanned to the bottom of the page, even though he knew there was nothing down there except maybe the e-mail he had sent his father. This time though, there was something there. It was a phone number. Ten digits. Ten digits his father never would have sent him. William quickly closed the letter and shut off the computer.
His breathing became heavy, and in a flash all the blinds closed themselves. The lights throughout the apartment switched on, as did the T.V. It was still on the Sci-fi channel from the night before. The opening credits of "The Lazarus Bowl" were playing. Seeing it calmed William down. He remembered his mother telling him about that.
His breathing returned to normal and the blinds shot back up. The lights went out and the sound on the T.V. rose just a bit. William took a deep breath then went looking for the phone. It was nearing 11 now, and his mother would be in her office.
He picked up the phone just as it started ringing. He debated putting the phone down and letting the machine pick it up, but figured if it was his mother she would start panicking. He hit the talk button,
"Hello?"
"William…William…?"
It was his father. He remembered the voice from when he was still baby.
"Who are you?"
"It's me, William. Your dad, I…I need to talk to you mom."
"She's busy. What do you want?"
"I'm coming home. Check your mail, I sent you my number, it's at the bottom of the page, buried in one of my old e-mails. I'm coming home."
"You can't. It's not safe. Call back later when mom isn't so busy. I have to go now." He hung up on the voice he had longed to hear for ten years.
He called his mother then, and told her what had happened. She was coming home immediately. So much for the day to himself.
William locked the door then turned around and jumped as high as he could. The entire day to himself! He couldn't wait to get started. He scanned the living room, looking for something to do. He gaze fell on the computer sitting in the corner. A devilish look crept into his eyes. He glanced around guiltily then sat down at the computer.
He logged on, and started browsing those things that ten years old boys are known for browsing. It was much more fun then looking through scrapbooks at his grandmothers or reading at the babysitters. There was something so daring in what he was doing, even though he couldn't put his finger on it.
He got bored easily, as boys are wont to do. Soon, though part of him was loath to do it, he left the playboy site and looked for something else to do. He had just found Jesusdance.com when the annoying chirp of mail arriving broke through the midi tack. It was from his father.
William's eyes became a thousand fireworks as he read the letter from his father. It was rare that his dad wrote him, and every letter on the screen in front of the boy was cherished. He read through the words of encouragement, the praise for the good grades he was getting. Mom must have been talking to dad more than William had thought. It hurt sometimes that his father didn't write to him as much as he did his mother. He understood that it was hard on his dad because it would be certain death if they were to meet.
His mother had told him most of what had happened, he thought. He knew that he wasn't allowed to write on the blackboard from his desk at the back of the room, and that he had to act like everyone else when he was at school. He didn't know why except that mom had told him that there were men who would kill him if they found out what he could do. William, and his dad, suspected that the men already knew.
The e-mail was short, but wonderful. William couldn't have asked for more. He scanned to the bottom of the page, even though he knew there was nothing down there except maybe the e-mail he had sent his father. This time though, there was something there. It was a phone number. Ten digits. Ten digits his father never would have sent him. William quickly closed the letter and shut off the computer.
His breathing became heavy, and in a flash all the blinds closed themselves. The lights throughout the apartment switched on, as did the T.V. It was still on the Sci-fi channel from the night before. The opening credits of "The Lazarus Bowl" were playing. Seeing it calmed William down. He remembered his mother telling him about that.
His breathing returned to normal and the blinds shot back up. The lights went out and the sound on the T.V. rose just a bit. William took a deep breath then went looking for the phone. It was nearing 11 now, and his mother would be in her office.
He picked up the phone just as it started ringing. He debated putting the phone down and letting the machine pick it up, but figured if it was his mother she would start panicking. He hit the talk button,
"Hello?"
"William…William…?"
It was his father. He remembered the voice from when he was still baby.
"Who are you?"
"It's me, William. Your dad, I…I need to talk to you mom."
"She's busy. What do you want?"
"I'm coming home. Check your mail, I sent you my number, it's at the bottom of the page, buried in one of my old e-mails. I'm coming home."
"You can't. It's not safe. Call back later when mom isn't so busy. I have to go now." He hung up on the voice he had longed to hear for ten years.
He called his mother then, and told her what had happened. She was coming home immediately. So much for the day to himself.