(6)-The Third Warning.
Three Days Later...
In the suberban neighborhood of Mount Prospect Heights, Illinois, 13-year old Bryson Cole was riding on his bike through the area, looking for the house of Tommy Turbo, who he had met over a month ago.
Bryson had brown hair and brown eyes. He wore gray, round ear-rings, a white short sleeve shirt, black shorts that went down to the calf of his legs, white socks, and black sneakers with white trims.
Bryson had first met Tommy when he was being beat up by a gang of male teenagers. Thankfully they ran off as soon as they had seen him running towards them. Bryson then escorted Tommy home, which was located in the culdesac neighborhood he was in right now.
Their second meeting was at a costume store. The boy had soon ran off, leaving behind a book that turned out to be a children's Bible. Bryson had found Tommy alone at his house and returned his book to him, which turned out to have been a present from a lady named Jackie. When Andrew asked Tommy where his mother was, the boy revealed that she was dead. Their conversation was then cut short when Tommy's Dad had come home in his car with groceries, and Tommy ran back in the house and Bryson left.
Their third meeting was at the hospital three days ago, where Bryson and his Mom had met Clare, who revealed to them that she had been secretly working undercover to legally get Tommy away from his abusive drunk of a father, Scott Turbo. She had never told Scott that she worked for CPS, as she knew that so many children had been killed by their abusive parents after a CPS case-worker visit. And she didn't wanna make matters worse for Tommy by putting him in even more danger than he was already in. Bryson and Clare were then granted permission by the female nurse to see Tommy.
Bryson's Mom had then recieved a phone-call from Clare earlier today, and she asked her if Bryson could go over to Tommy's house and look after him for her in case his father was gone, which she agreed to let him do.
Bryson soon arrived at Tommy's house and saw that the car was gone, confirming that his Dad wasn't at home. Bryson then looked at the house and noticed how well taken care of it was. It didn't look like an abusive household, but he knew that looks could be decieving. He walked around to the back of the house and saw the back of a small figure with long blond hair that went down to their neck and quickly realized it was Tommy. Apparently, the boy was looking up at the bright blue sky.
Tommy wore a light blue short sleeve t-shirt, white plaid shorts that went above his knees, and he was barefoot.
"Tommy?" Bryson whispered as he slowly began making his way over to Tommy, wondering why the kid would be standing out in the middle of the backyard, looking up at the bright blue sky. "Hey, Tommy!" He greeted with his little boy/mature mixed voice as he sped up to the young boy.
A startled Tommy turned to face Bryson. He wore a blue short sleeve t-shirt, blue plaid shorts that went down to his knees, and he was barefoot. "Oh. Hi, Bryson." The boy said sweetly.
"Hey." Said Bryson before looking up at the sky. "Why are you standing in the middle of the backyard?"
Tommy simply shrugged. "I don't know. Sometimes i just like to come out here and think about things."
"Oh. Well...okay. Nothing wrong with that, i guess." Said Bryson before looking down at Tommy. "What are you thinking about right now?"
"You know how i think about Heaven a lot, right?" Said Tommy.
"Yes, i do. I've been thinking about it quite a bit myself ever since we met the seceond time." Bryson said.
"Bryson...do you ever wonder if...Heaven is real?" Tommy asked.
Looking down at the boy, Bryson gave a faint smile. "I think...whatever you feel in your heart is real. Heaven is...a fictional place to some. To others...it's their escape. Their other world, their safe place." He explained. "Tommy...do believe that Heaven is real?"
"I believe it is. To me it is." Tommy said with a smile.
"Then it's real." Bryson stated.
Tommy's lips slowly formed into a smile, which made Bryson smile right back.
It was nice to see the kid smile.
He always seemed so distant, and his smile really was a nice, innocent sight.
"The other kids at school-the teenagers-they make fun of me because i think it's real." Said Tommy.
Bryson then knelt down to Tommy's level and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and looked at him with a smile on his face. "Tommy...listen."
Tommy looked at the ground and his head slowly darted up at Bryson.
"Don't you ever listen to those teenagers. Teenagers-and kids in general-they can be very mean sometimes. Usually it's because they have their own demons or a chip on their shoulder. Something going on with themselves that makes them wanna take it out on others. But you know what? Kids making fun of you...it doesn't define your self-worth. Don't listen to them. Because you're a special kid, and you're worth more than all those kids put together. Okay? A special glisten in your eyes. I can see it. So don't ever give up on yourself, what you love...your dreams...anything. Alright?" Said Bryson.
Tommy was now looking at Bryson intently, seemingly taking in his speech.
"Hey...i forgot to ask. How are you doing after the hospital?" Bryson asked.
"Good." Tommy shrugged. "They said they didn't expect me to make a recovery quick, but i did."
Bryson smiled. He was extremely glad to hear Tommy made a recovery. "I'm glad to hear that, Tommy." He said. "Hey, would you like to go inside.?"
"If you want. Come on." Said Tommy before walking off.
Bryson and Tommy then went inside the house through the back glass slide door. The inside of the house was clean and spotless. It looked nothing at all like an abusive household. It looked like a warm, loving, stable inviorment. But it wasn't a warm, loving, stable inviorment. He knew that from what Clare had told him.
Bryson felt sorry for the boy. "Wow...Tommy, this house is beautiful. Are you, uh...are you happy living here?"
Tommy shrugged. "It's fine to me."
Bryson felt even more sorry for the boy. A household of abuse was probably all he knew.
Bryson then slid the glass door closed and he and Tommy walked into the livingroom over to the sofa, where Tommy sat down on the floor in front of it, while Bryson sat down on the sofa.
Bryson then noticed Tommy's Bible resting on the coffee table, with a book-mark in it.
"Bryson...i'm tired. Could you read me one of the books in my Bible before i go to bed?" Tommy asked.
"Of course i can." Said Bryson.
Bryson was a bit suprised that the boy wanted to sleep so early. It was only 1:00 in the afternoon, but then again, Tommy may have still been tired after what he had been through at the hospital. Remembering the hospital situation, Bryson looked at the back of Tommy's head.
"Hey...Tommy...you never told me and Clare how you bumped your head." Said Bryson.
Tommy shrugged.
"Tommy...do you remember how you bumped your head?" Bryson asked.
"I don't remember." Tommy answered.
"Tommy...are you sure you don't remember?" Bryson asked.
Tommy nodded.
Bryson wasn't convinced. He looked at the back of Tommy's head. The bump was mostly healed, but he still didn't buy that the kid didn't remember. Bryson knew for sure after what Clare told him that Tommy's father was abusive. He was almost certain that this bump on the head was from Tommy's Dad. Bryson decided he was going to have to call up Clare. Tommy's father was a threat to him, and Bryson was not gonna allow such a monster around the boy. Not on his watch. But first he would read to Tommy.
"Alright. Well...you're tired. We can figure out the bump later. Let's read, shall we? Enough stalling." Said Bryson before getting the Bible off the coffee table and sitting down on the sofa next to Tommy. "Which book would you like?" He asked.
Tommy took his Bible from Bryson and turned the pages all the way to a book-mark and handed it back to him.
"Oh, alright. What's this?" Said Bryson.
It was the book of 1st Thessalonians.
"Where would like me to start?" Bryson asked.
"Here." Said Tommy, pointing at the page on the Bible. "Verses 4-13 through 18." He answered.
"Okay. We'll start right here." Said Bryson. "But i would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with them. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord will not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we which are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And we will be with the Lord forever. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
Tommy's blue eyes glowed gold.
...
Tommy could see the whole world in chaos due to the millions of people that had been beamed off the face of the Earth. All kinds of crimes were taking place all over the world. Riots...looting...home-invasions...murder...rape...roberies...kidnappings...and every other crime in existence. The police were trying to help coral the situations, with zero improvement. In some parts of the world, was day time, in other parts, it was night time. News reports about the missing were sweeping the globe, with all kinds of theories put out there. Everything from aliens from outerspcae to spontanious combustion to heat radiation. Some people even believed that this event was the long predicted Rapture of the church.
...
Tommy's gold-glowing eyes returned to normal.
"You know what that verse is about?" Tommy asked.
"No, what?" Bryson asked.
"The return of Jesus Christ. Most people call it the Rapture." Said Tommy.
"Really? I didn't know that." Said Bryson.
"Are you a believer, Bryson?" Tommy asked.
"No, how 'bout you?" Bryson asked.
"Yes, i am. In fact, just recently this year, i started going to this church called New Hope Village." Said Tommy.
"With your Dad?" Bryson asked.
"No, Miss Clare takes me. My Dad's always gone on Sundays." Said Tommy.
"Miss Clare takes you to church? Well, that's nice of her." Said Bryson.
"I guess so." Said Tommy.
"You guess so? What kind of talk is that?" Bryson asked.
"Well, uh...she doesn't get off into service like i do. Don't get me wrong, i love Miss Clare. And she's a terrific person." Said Tommy.
"But?" Said Bryson.
"But she's not a believer like i am. I mean, she goes to church with me and everything, but...that's about it. Sometimes i think she only goes to make me happy." Said Tommy.
"Well, has anyone ever tried to minister to her?" Bryson asked.
"Well, her friend, Mrs. Steele, tried to two months ago when we were over at her house, baking gingerbread cookies, but...that didn't go so well. I mean, she wasn't ugly with it or anything...but i could tell she wasn't interested in what Mrs. Steele was saying." Said Tommy. "Whenever Mrs Steele or i start talking about Jesus, Miss Clare doesn't wanna hear it. She either changes the subject, leaves out of the room, or pretends to be interested. I mean...i just don't know what to do anymore. She won't listen to me, she won't listen to Mrs. Steele or the paster at church. It's like she's her own worst enemy."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Tommy." Said Bryson.
"It's okay. Not everyone's gonna believe what others believe." Said Tommy.
"Sad, but true." Said Bryson.
"Well...goodnight." Said Tommy before getting up off the floor and lying down on the sofa and going to sleep.
Some time later, there was a knock at the door.
Bryson got up from the sofa, placed the Bible on the coffee table, and went over to the front door.
"Tommy?!" Came the voice of Clare on the other side.
"Clare?!" Bryson said before opening the door, revealing Clare on the other side.
"Oh, Bryson, hey. You're here. Uh...is Tommy-"
"Yeah, of course. Tommy's here in the livingroom with me." Said Bryson, cutting Clare off.
Clare wasted no time and pushed passed Bryson without a word.
Bryson turned to watch Clare walk over to the sofa, pick the sleeping Tommy up in her arms bridal style, and carry him out the open front door past Bryson.
Tommy seemed to be a heavy sleeper, as he wasn't stirring in his sleep or in Clare's grasp.
"Uh, Clare...what are you...doing?" Bryson asked.
Not answering Bryson's question, Clare carried Tommy over to the open trunk of her brown station wagon, with the driver's window rolled down.
"Clare..."
Still no response to Bryson, Clare placed Tommy inside the trunk of her car and closed the door gentley, not wanting to wake the boy up.
Clare then went inside the house past Bryson and went up stairs.
"Clare? Clare!" Bryson called before running up stairs, only to see Clare inside Tommy's bedroom. She had gathered a duffle-bag and was packed some of Tommy's clothes and shoes in it. Once she was finished, she went back down stairs with Bryson following and exited the house with trailing Bryson behind her. They walked up to the back door of her car and she opened it and placed the duffle-bag inside. She then closed the door and turned to face Bryson. "Scott is furious. He called me today and he was ranting and raving about me lying to him and being a CPS case-worker. When i tell you he was mad, he was REALLY mad. I'm not letting Tommy stay in this environment anymore than i already have. Is this kidnapping? I think so, but you know what? It's not like Scott is gonna care."
"You know...i can't say i blame you. I don't wanna see Tommy hurt again after that first episode. I think we both know where that bump on the head came from." Said Bryson.
Clare seemed horrified at the thought. "Yeah...i-i can't let this happen again. I don't even know when i'm gonna be able to legally remove Tommy from this household. CPS keeps delaying their concent because Scott is a cop and...i don't even know if i'll even get to remove Tommy from this household. I just...I might regret this. I might even lose my job and freedom over this...but i'm not gonna stand back and let this happen anymore. Scott will be too drunk to care." She said before getting in the driver's side of her car and closing the door gentley.
Bryson looked on and felt sad at the thought of Tommy not getting the proper and legal home he deserved. He aslo felt a larger sent of sadness. The fact that Clare may be right about Tommy's father not caring if he was home or not. It left a hole in his heart.
"So...when were you suppose to get their concent?" Bryson asked.
"This next Friday. They said they aren't ready yet. Delayed by another three months. Happened last time too. Twice." Said Clare.
"Well...if anything happens, let me know. I'll try to help. Oh...one more thing." Said Bryson before going back in the house, getting Tommy's Bible off the coffee table, exiting the house, walking up to the driver's seat of the station wagon, and handing the book to Clare.
"Thanks, Bryson." Said Clare as she took the Bible. "I don't know why you wanna help, but...i'm glad you do." Said Clare. "I'll see you around. Gotta get going before Scott gets here." She then put the Bible in the back seat, rolled her window up, and drove away without a word.
Bryson was left standing there to simply reflect on what had just happened. The thought of the CPS system denying Clare her right to remove Tommy from his abusive father's custody for unknown reasons seriously angered him, and he got on his bike and headed home.
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