A Dragon's Crimson Cry
By: Tippi
A/N: In this chapter we get to see what effects a traumatic experience can have on a child.
Ch 4 Silenced
Ellen and Lee had talked to the woman at the front desk and were going to the where Jake was.
"So you ever worked with a child as a witness" Ellen asked as they entered the elevator.
"One thing about homicide is you rarely have to work with a living victim" Lee answered. "You've been in homicide for a year you ever…" Lee said not needing to finish it.
"Well about 7 months on the job I took on a job were a 13 year old watched his dad shoot his mom then off him self." Ellen started. "If he wasn't so drunk he would have found the kid hiding under his bed and taken him too."
"Yeah I remember that I was off duty with a broken leg going after a perp" Lee responded.
"What about you, you've been in homicide for 10 years" Ellen asked Lee.
"A 10 year old hid in the closet when a drug addict uncle couldn't get money from the mother and aunt, who was staying with them till his father got back from a business trip, stabbed them both to death" Lee answered.
"Every case just seems to get worse" Ellen said when the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened.
"Detectives" a nurse said her red hair falling out of her bun. She gripped her clipboard tight a bit of a sign all was not fine.
"I take it you're the nurse we're suppose to meet who's looking over Jacob Long" Lee asked the woman.
"Yes" she said with a nod "He's this way."
"So how is he?" Lee asked as he followed the nurse down the hall.
"He doesn't have any physical injuries but mentally is another story" the nurse said her blue eyes became down cast. "For the first hour he didn't want to be left alone he kept a death grip on the first person he could reach. He won't sleep so we let him stay in one of the children's psyche assessment rooms." The nurse said as they came to a window that showed into the room the boy was in.
The room had brightly colored walls, and shelves and baskets of a large verity of toys and games. On the far left wall was a couch and in the middle of the room was a child sized, round table with a child sized chair on one side. Opposite that chair was an adult sized one. In the child's chair sat Jake. He was dressed in gray sweat pants and sweat shirt as he needed new clothes because his original outfit was taken to the lab.
"Can we talk to him" Ellen asked as they all stood at the window looking in at the 8 year old.
"You can talk to him but he won't talk back" the nurse said.
"Why not" Lee asked.
"The experience has left him mute, after what he's been through who can blame him" the nurse said.
"He seems to be drawing pictures maybe we could get him to draw us an answer" Ellen thought out load.
"You've got to get his attention first." The nurse started. "He's retreated into his own mind away from reality. He won't respond to anything."
"But he's sitting there drawing with crayons" Ellen said.
"The fact that he's drawing doesn't mean his mind is still in reality" the nurse said. "You can try to get your information from him if you want though."
The detectives decided to try their luck.
Lee and Ellen walked into the room going to the table. Lee sat down in the chair while Ellen knelt down to the right of Lee knowing kids are more likely to communicate when you get down to their height.
"Hi Jacob I'm Detective Lee Dawson and this is Detective Ellen Lance" Lee said to Jake who didn't even look up from his drawing.
"Do you prefer to be called Jake" Lee tried again.
Still the boy didn't respond. Jake just continued to draw. He grabbed crayon after crayon filling the paper with detailed scenes.
When one paper was filled he just pushed it to the side and started on a fresh sheet.
Lee and Ellen tried their best to get the boy's attention but Jake didn't respond to any thing.
Lee and Ellen left the room defeated.
"Sorry but he's only going to come out of it when he chooses to" the nurse said to the detectives.
"There must be someway to get to him" Ellen said.
"Wait, I've got an idea," Lee said. "We'll be back shortly" Lee said to the nurse as he jogged off followed by Ellen.
A/N Guess who's about to make an appearance in the next chapter. This may get confusing later on if it isn't already so any questions just ask. Review