Chapter 34

Silent POV

A light tap on the bedroom door awoke me from my sleep. There was only one person who would be up at 2 in the morning and knocking on our bedroom door. Carefully I moved Shadow off me, without waking her, and walked to the door.

Zack stood outside the door in his Pajamas holding the teddy bear Shadow had gotten him for his 3rd birthday. At times like this he looked so young. He's only 5 but he acts a lot older.

"Hey bud, you ok?" I crouched in front of him. He shook his head and I pulled him into a hug. "Bad dream?" He nodded shakily. I picked him up and carried him to his room. I shut the door, set him on his bed, and sat down by him.

"What happened in your dream?" I asked. Zack sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"You and Mommy got into a fight and you left. You found someone else but she didn't like mommy and shot her" He looked up at me with broken eyes, "You won't leave again right?"

I bit my lip and forced myself to nod. I would not leave again. If Shadow and I got into a fight I would stay. Not for Shadow but for Zack.

"Of course; I love you and your mother very much. I won't leave again" I leaned closer and kissed his forehead. "Now you really should get some rest. We have school tomorrow." He cocked his head to the side and looked at me. He wanted to ask me something but instead he lay down and closed his eyes. I tucked the blanket up to his chin and smiled.

"Good Night Zachary." I whispered.

"I say we just skip this after noon!" I exclaimed sitting down at one of the lunch tables. Shadow sat across from me and rolled her eyes.

"I have work today so I won't be going to my after noon classes." She countered taking a bite out of her cheese burger.

"Then I'm not going to class. I'll pick up Zack at the end of the day if you'd like" I smiled, "So you don't have to spend your lunch hour picking him up." She smiled and leaned over the table kissing me on the cheek.

"Thanks. I'll be home by 5. The Flock Should be at the house around 6:30." I nodded as I listened to her talk the rest of lunch.

I walked down the hall towards the preschool room and waited outside. There were several moms standing around out there waiting for there kids. They all gave me odd stares as I waited.

When the teacher let the kids go Zack was one of the first ones out the door. He had an uneasy look on his face. He scanned all the faces then frowned and did it again before finding me. He slowly walked over.

"Dad? Why are you picking me up? Did something happen to mom?" His voice was lower on the last sentence. I gave a half smile and ruffled his hair.

"No Bud. I just told mom that I would pick you up so she could get out of work earlier. The Flocks coming over for dinner tonight" I set a hand on his shoulder as we headed for the door.

"Excuse me! Are you Zachary's Father?" Someone behind us called. I turned to see his teacher standing there her hands on her hips. I gripped Zack's shoulder a bit tighter and nodded my head. She looked me up and down skeptical.

"According to Zack and his mother you haven't been in the picture recently." She crossed her arms and walked closer, "Now I don't tend to get into families personal lives but I want to know some things. Zack came to school the other day with bruises up and down his arms and on his shoulders. When his mother arrived she seemed to have no concern for his bruises or the ones she herself had."

"What are you trying to say?" I asked, "That I beat my family?"

"That's one way to put it. Anyways I would like to come to your home tonight and check things out. If you refuse my simple offer I will be forced to call child protective services on you and have your son sent to a family that will care for him" This Woman had some nerve. My hand curled into a fist behind my back and I forced a smile.

"We would love to have you over for dinner tonight." She looked at me then Zack who kept his eyes on the ground.

"I'll be there at 8 o'clock sharp." She walked past me her heels clicking the entire way. I walked with Zack out of the school and down the road. I stopped at the street corner and knelt by him.

"Alright. Show me the bruises" He slipped off his jacket and pushed his sleeves up to his shoulders. It was covered in bruises and scraps; and the underside of his arm had a cut that was stitched up.

"There's a cut across my back too, but mom stitched it and said it would be healed by tomorrow." I winced as I traced my fingers over the bruises.

"How did this happen?" He put his jacket back on and zipped it up.

"Mommy and I were attacked on the way home the other day. There weren't many erasers only six or seven. She told me not to tell you unless you asked about it. It wasn't too bad. I took out three of them. Please don't be mad, I don't like it when you're mad." I sighed and gripped his shoulders lightly.

"Zack you need to tell me when you guys get attacked ok? I'm not mad at you or Shadow. So don't worry about it. Let's get home; you can help me with dinner" I stood up and started to walk. Zack walked along side me and kept glancing at me. I knew he was worried about me and Shadow, and that we might have to relocate again. So I did something unlike me.

I reached out and grabbed his hand giving it a squeeze. He smiled up at me and squeezed my hand back. He walked a bit closer to me the entire way home.

Authors Note- Here's another installment of Our Flock! On Request from Silent himself! Maybe now he'll stop nagging me and work on his story! You guys should check out his page.

u/4527264/Silent516

See More adventures of Shadow and Silent and the flock on his page!

~Shadow