Ch. 39

I wasn't originally going to feature the kids in the juvie anymore, but a good friend of mine helped give me the idea to do so. So MAJOR thanks to racingwolf on both deviantart andA03!

"Well, the place don't look half bad."

Indeed, compared to most jails- and indeed, most juvenile detentions- the Renivito Youth Center was far more pleasant than either Centipede or Miss Spider could have anticipated. The front lobby had been open and welcoming enough and while the hallways leading to the back of the building were stark, the recreation room actually looked appealing to children. Both Miss Spider and Centipede allowed their eyes to travel over the room, which had cream walls and a rich red carpet. Shelves of books and board games lined the wall while a long wooden table filled with paper, pens, pencils, and crayons was set in the middle of the room. A small television was set against one of the walls and the plush chairs and couches looked quite comfortable. Even the huge list of rules posted on the wall made the room feel like an after-school daycare rather than a detention for kiddie criminals.

Of course, Centipede's opinion was a matter of perspective. The kids currently in the room- a group of about fifteen boys in matching shirts and pants glanced up in surprise as the two humanized bugs stood in the doorway. While many of the boys looked awed, a few of them scowled and went back to whatever it was they were doing. Only the gaze of a hawk-eyed woman seemed to keep the boys from saying anything as they watched Centipede and Miss Spider curiously.

"Mayor? You can follow me now."

From down the hallway, a middle-aged woman in a grey dress was approaching Centipede and Miss Spider. She had a folder in her hand and glanced at it as she gestured back in the direction she had come.

"Is Dylan well now? He has not been ill since?" Miss Spider asked as she and Centipede followed the woman.

"According to his file, he has recovered well and has had no further health issues due to the injections he was given. He does, however, need to have a dental examination as his teeth seem to be in bad shape."

"No surprise there," Centipede replied.

"We have had issues with his behavior though."

"Again, no surprise."

"Has he said unkind words to the other children?" Miss Spider asked.

"No incident of such has been noted," the woman answered glancing down at her file again. "But he has refused to complete any chores assigned to him and his basic life skills- making a bed, putting away clothes, or even washing his face and brushing his teeth- are slim to nil. We've tried to teach Dylan, but he has little interest in learning."

"We have had that issue as well," Miss Spider said. "Am I to guess that Dylan has thrown tantrums when being told what to do?"

"You would be correct. I have at least five recorded tantrums on his record since he was introduced to the main facility this past Sunday."

"Oh, just five?"

"Centipede!"

"What? I was bettin' on at least ten!"

"Well, the day isn't over yet." The woman peered over her cat's eyes glasses at the two bugs. "I'm guessing you have also had issues with Dylan's diet?"

"More than one."

"Dylan was raised on a diet of junk food and was not happy about eating anything healthy," Miss Spider clarified. "He also managed to sneak sweet food into his room to eat when we could not see."

"Then it should not surprise you that Dylan has been diagnosed with several health issues."

"We heard. On the verge of gettin' diabetes, right?"

"Yes, along with being deficient in several key vitamins and minerals. We've set him on a restrictive diet, but it has not been easy. Just last night, Dylan had to be given three extra injections because he did not eat his required meal."

"What kind of injections?" Miss Spider asked.

"Vitamin boosters, mostly."

"Huh, couldn't you just give the kid some pills?"

"Given his lack of proper nutrition, injections are easier for his body to absorb. They also serve as a detriment to the children: if they eat their meals properly, they don't need needles."

"Have these injections been helping Dylan?" Miss Spider asked.

"He's scheduled for another blood test on Thursday, so we'll know then. I assure you, though, that Dylan Anderson is not the only child who has to undergo this treatment and our medial staff keeps a close eye on all of their charges. Ahh, here we are."

The woman halted in front of a room and opened the door. Inside the softly-lit room was a small wooden table and three chairs. One was meant for a child, but the other two chairs had clearly been placed there for the two humanized bugs as one of the seats had a high back and the other was merely a cushion set on the ground.

"Thank you, miss-"

"Oh yes, I'm Patricia Langtree."

"Miss Langtree then," Miss Spider said with a nod. "Thank you for your help."

"Of course. I'll fetch Dylan and you may speak as long as you wish."

Miss Langtree shut the door and both Centipede and Miss Spider settled into their seats with a sigh.

"Well, I do agree that this place does not seem too bad, Centipede."

"Yeah, so far so good. I'm just glad the city took me seriously when I said the places lookin' after kids needed to be on the up an' up. When Dylan decided to pull his little stunt, I made sure Renivito had a spot for him 'cause they were the first to start makin' changes."

"That was good of you, Commodore." Miss Spider gave Centipede an affectionate smile that all to quickly turned into a sigh. "Though I am doubtful if Dylan will see it that way."

"That little monster can see it any way he wants, if you ask me."

"True, but-" Miss Spider turned at the sound of approaching footsteps and a very familiar whine. The door opened and Dylan was escorted into the room by a security guard. Upon seeing Centipede and Miss Spider, Dylan's face crumpled and he allowed his legs to buckle. The boy would have sagged to the ground, but the guard held his arm firmly and Dylan was hefted onto the remaining chair.

"Enjoy your talk," the guard said with a slight grin as he left the room. "But if he gets to be too much, let me know. I'll be right outside."

"Oh, we got this, don't worry," Centipede answered as Dylan slumped against the table. While the nine-year-old was as pouty and pudgy as ever, both bugs could see there was less pallor to his skin and a certain clarity to his eyes that might have been from a consistent sleep schedule and less time in front of the television. Judging by Dylan's expression though, the boy didn't feel as good about those changes as Centipede and Miss Spider did.

"Where's my grandma?" Dylan asked.

"She is still in the hospital, Dylan," Mis Spider answered.

"Why?"

"Because she is recovering from surgery." Despite her anger at Dylan, Miss Spider tried to keep her voice gentle as she explained the situation. "Dylan, I know you miss your grandmother, but she was quite sick when she first entered the hospital and because of that, she had to have an operation."

"So what, did they take our her tonsils? That's not bad!"

"Nah, what the doctors took outta your grandma was a little more important than tonsils and it's gonna take a long time for her to get better," Centipede answered. "But I'm sure she's gonna come try and see you as soon as she can."

"If you just let her out of the hospital, she could!"

"Dylan, that is not up to us. The doctors-"

"Nu-uh! You're the Mayor!" Dylan glared at Centipede. "If you tell the hospital Grandma can leave, they gotta listen."

"Not exactly, kid. The doctors are in charge there, not me. And anyway-"

"I wanna go home!" Dylan pounded on the table with a clenched fist. Outside, the guard rattled his fingers in a warning against the door.

"Dylan, we know you wish to return home, but you are in serious trouble right now." Miss Spider narrowed her eyes at the nine-year-old. "Have you had time to reflect on your actions while you have been here?"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Oh really? So, you didn't run away from school, you didn't trick a buncha places into givin' you treats, and you didn't steal from the club and then throw up all over the rug?"

Dylan glared at the two and crossed his arms, but said nothing.

"Not to mention your actions with the knife. You are lucky the waitress was not hurt and that you did not try and stab Centipede."

"If you'd just left me alone, it wouldn't have happened," Dylan muttered.

"Oh no?' Miss Spider asked. "How do you think that?"

"If you'd just let me watch TV and eat cookies and not got to school like Grandma does, none of this wouldn't have happened!" Dylan kicked at his seat. "I wouldn't have had to leave school if you hadn't made me go!"

"You need an education, Dylan, even if you do not think so."

"Grandma says I don't have to."

"Yeah? What do you think you're gonna do when you grow up?"

"I'll be a gangster."

"Great. Then you can go to actual jail instead of this place!"

"Nu-uh! The gangsters in my shows don't go to jail! They-"

"Dylan, there is a big difference between television and what is true. I do admit that, yes, sometimes quite amazing things can happen-"

"Pretty sure that guy said it was marvelous things that would happen, Angel Fangs."

"And so they did. But the life of a gangster is not marvelous, Dylan."

"Yes it is! They can do whatever they want and if they get mad, they can just-"

"Kid, most of the other kids here thought the same thing. And look at them now."

"They're dumb!"

"Yeah, well, what you did wasn't exactly smart either, Dylan."

"Indeed it was not. You had us worried, Dylan. If you had been caught out in the storm, you could have been killed! And while you may think you did nothing wrong," Miss Spider said before Dylan could protest again, "the fact remains that you still stole food from several different places, even if you yourself did not take it like you did at my club."

"I was hungry!"

"Oh? You were still hungry after spending a day eating nothing but sweets and eating cookies at night when you refused to eat your meals at our home?" Miss Spider asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You didn't give me good food."

"Hey, don't you be insultin' her cookin'." Centipede cocked a thumb at Miss Spider. "Bet it's better than anything here, huh?"

"I hate it here!" Dylan yelled. "The food is gross and they make me go to bed and they don't let me watch TV and-"

"And because you broke the law, you must remain here. But tell me, Dylan, imagine how it would be if you got caught breaking the law once you are grown. How do you think you will like jail?"

Dylan stuck out his bottom lip in a massive pout. "Not gonna go to jail."

"You may if you do not change your behavior. We have heard that you are continuing to misbehave, yes?"

"They're trying to make me do chores! Grandma says I don't have to and-"

"You're not at your grandma's right now, Dylan." Centipede took a deep breath before saying,

"And you may not be goin' back to your grandma's either."

"WHAT?"

"Your grandmother needs a lot of care and it will be a long time before she is well enough again," Miss Spider explained. "As such, she cannot take care of you. You need to live somewhere where you can be taken care of. But even if that was not the case, your grandmother has not done a good job in taking care of you."

"YES SHE DID! SHE LET ME DO WHATEVER I WANTED!"

"And look where you are now," Miss Spider replied. "Not only are you in serious trouble, but you are in very poor health."

"Only 'cause they keep givin' me shots! Grandma said-"

"Your grandma said a lotta things, Dylan, but most of 'em weren't true. Fact is, she did you a lot more harm than good and now, you've got a lot of catching up to do!"

"NO! NO I-"

"Do you need help in there?" The guard had opened the door to poke his head into the room.

"I wanna go HOME!"

"Yeah, we've heard." The guard rolled his eyes before glancing back and Centipede and Miss Spider.

"We are fine, thank you," Miss Spider assured him. "Just in the middle of a rather unhappy conversation."

"I WANNA GO HOME! I WANT MY GRANDMA" Dylan threw himself onto the floor and began banging his fists and kicking his feet against the floor. "I HATE YOU! I HATE IT HERE! I WANNA GO HOME! WHHAAAAAA!"

"Here we go again." Centipede looked down at Dylan, but he couldn't keep the annoyance on his face. True, Dylan's actions had already caused him and his family a lot of grief and there would be more to deal with in the coming weeks. But at the end of the day, Dylan wasn't some hard-core gangster who'd robbed a bank or gunned down a few cops. No, he was a nine-year-old boy who'd been forced out of the only home he knew and forced into situations that made him scared, confused, and unhappy. In that sense, could you really blame the kid for falling to pieces?

No, but at the same time, Centipede knew it would be a lot easier to have sympathy for Dylan if the boy hadn't been a little terror the whole week.

"Mayor?"

Centipede looked up as Miss Langtree entered the room. Dylan continued to yell and scream on the floor, but the woman expertly avoided the boy's flailing limbs and she spoke over the tantrum with relative ease.

"Perhaps it would be best if we left off for the day. I don't think Dylan wants to cooperate any further."

"Might I help you calm him down a bit?" Miss Spider was already hovering over Dylan.

"I've already sent the guard to fetch the nurse in charge of dealing with the boys, but if you wish, you may stay until she arrives."

"I'll keep an eye out for her." Centipede stepped out into the hall and shut the door behind him. A relative silence descended upon him and the tall bug leaned against the wall with a sigh of relief.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Centipede turned to see a skinny twig of a boy peering out at him from behind the corner. Despite his slight frame, the boy's green eyes shone in his thin face and his smile showed off healthy white teeth.

"Hey there, kid. Yeah, I'm fine. Just dealin' with a less-than-happy kid, y'know?"

"Oh you mean Dylan?"

"You know him?"

"Yeah. He said he was living with you and it wasn't fun." The skinny boy edged closer to Centipede. "I don't think he was telling the truth though."

"Nah, Dylan didn't think livin' with us was fun. And trust me, buddy, livin' with Dylan weren't no picnic either."

The skinny boy giggled and Centipede felt his mouth stretch in a full real smile. He knelt down to get a better look at the skinny boy.

"What's your name?"

"Billy Jennings."

"You don't seem like a bad kid, Billy. Whatcha here for?"

Billy shrugged. "Tryin' to eat."

"What?" Centipede felt his stomach drop. "You got sent here 'cause you weren't gettin' fed at home?"

"Well..." Billy looked down at his feet and scuffed a shoe against the floor. "I did take food that wasn't mine. But I don't really get to eat at home."

"Oh geez." Centipede sighed and looked around. "I thought this place was gettin' better, but it looks like I'm gonna have to talk with the police and social workers again."

"Aww, it's okay. At least here I get to eat and I don't have to put up with the screaming at home."

"Hey." Centipede laid a hand on Billy's shoulder. "That ain't your fault, Billy. Trust me, no kid deserves anythin' like that happenin' to 'em."

"I know. I just hope I don't have to leave right away."

"I'll see what I can do for you, kid, okay?"

"Really?" Billy looked up at the mayor with a wide grin. "You'd do that?"

"You betcha."

"Thanks! But um..." Billy looked around furtively and dropped his voice. "You wouldn't happen to have anything to eat, would you?"

"Uh well..." Centipede paused and then returned Billy's grin. "You know, I think I do." Reaching into the pocket of his coat, Centipede pulled out a chocolate bar wrapped in shiny purple paper that was stamped with a large golden "W." "I got this for my kid as a surprise, but I can just buy another one on the way home. Besides, I think you need this right now."

"Wow, thank you!" Billy grabbed the candy bar and tore the wrapper off, carefully shoving it into his pocket. "Can't let anyone see this though."

"Whoa, easy there." Centipede stood up as he watched Billy cram the chocolate into his mouth. "Geez, they not feedin' you here either?"

"Not enough," Bully mumbled around a bite of smooth milk chocolate. "I'm always hungry."

"I can see that. Guess I'll have to have a word with the staff before I leave."

"Nah, it's okay. You don't have to do that."

"What's up, you worried about gettin' in trouble?"

"Ummm..." Billy nervously gobbled down another mouthful.

"I'll make sure nothin' bad happens to you, Billy. I wouldn't let-"

"Billy Jennings!"

Both Centipede and Billy nearly jumped a mile at the sound of the cry. Low shoes tapping like claws on the tiled hallway, Nurse Nora came striding toward the pair with a furious expression on her face. Behind her, the security guard followed, shaking his head as he did.

"Whoa, easy there!" Centipede put himself in front of the nervous boy and the angry adult. "Look, it's fine. I gave him the chocolate because he was starvin'."

"Oh believe me, Billy is not starving." Nora glared at Billy, who was peeking out from behind Centipede with a guilty smile on his chocolate-smeared face. "Are you, Billy?"

"Um... heh hehe, I was hungry!"

"Not surprisin' he's hungry. Look at the kid, lady. He's a twig! You tellin' me you're feedin' him-"

"-twice the amount of food for a boy his age? Yes, Mayor, we are."

"...eh?"

"Indeed. Billy, go with Officer Green. I'll meet you in my office in a bit for a discussion."

"Okay..." Billy shrugged at Centipede and trundled off with the guard. Officer Green kept a light hand on Billy's arm as he led the skinny boy back down the hall and around a corner.

"Okay, I'm a bit lost here. You sure you're feedin' that boy enough? He's skin and bones!"

"I'm aware of that, sir, and we're keeping a close eye on Billy. Thankfully, we've seen no medical issue that's keeping him from putting on weight, but we're keeping him on a special diet anyway. The doctor thinks he may just be going through an early growth spurt, so we're trying to give Billy the proper nutrients he needs."

"What about him not gettin' enough to eat at home and dealin' with gettin' yelled at for bein' hungry?"

"According to his social worker, Billy's home is chaotic and the father is a drinker, but the other children- four of them- are clean and well-fed. Plus, there's a maternal grandfather who helps keep order."

"Yeah? Then what about Billy? Growth spurt or not, that kid hasn't been eatin' well for a while. Plus, the way he looked at me? Kid was scared of somethin'. You don't think that might be worth lookin' into?"

"Certainly. Before or after Billy sees the judge about raiding a catering hall?"

"...what?"

"Of course, there's also the charge of theft at Billy's school where he was caught stealing lunches and trinkets from his classmates on more than one occasion. And the case of the missing jewelry from the homes of his neighbors. Did Billy mention any of that to you, Mayor?"

"...he left out all that."

"Indeed." Nora sighed. "Mayor, you have done amazing work regarding the facilities for troubled children, but boys like Billy aren't here because their families were negligent. They're here because they broke the law. And unless that behavior is corrected, they will keep breaking the law."

"Yeah, I got that, but..." Centipede clenched his jaw for a moment. "Look, the kids here are still kids. I know they gotta pay for what they've done- believe me, I know- but you really don't think kids like Dylan and Billy already got the cards stacked against 'em?"

"I'm aware of their situations, Mayor. But I'm also the one who has to enforce the rules; me and only a few others. These boys are used to tricking, lying, and stealing to get what they want. Why, Billy himself offered to eat Dylan's eggs for him the first day Dylan was here."

"Not really a crime, is it?"

"It is when the boys are on specified diets. You know Dylan is already pre-diabetic and nutrient deficient; if I hadn't caught Billy, I wouldn't have known that Dylan hadn't eaten his breakfast properly and thus wouldn't know he needed extra nutrients. And Billy is already eating twice as much as the other children, as per the doctor's orders. But eating extra could cause him even more adverse health effects, even if Billy himself doesn't realize it."

"Why not just tell the kid that?"

"I have. Several times, in fact and I'm not the only one. Billy often offers to eat the food of children who turn their noses up at healthy food, including children who also need to put on weight. Tell me, Mayor, how many times do you think we have to tell a child not to do something before action needs to be taken?"

"Depends on if the kids thinks he ain't gonna get fed or not."

"Hmmm." Nora met Centipede's eyes. "Did your son have trouble in that regard?"

"What, as in thinkin' we weren't gonna give him enough to eat?"

"Yes. I know your son came from a horrible home situation. Did he feel the need to keep taking food or other valuables from you or the rest of your family?"

"No, nothin' like that."

"That's a relief to hear. Sadly, many of the children who come to us are so used to getting what they want that they go to extreme lengths to continue. Never mind, of course, that said behavior is what got them here in the first place."

"Can't somethin' be done about that? You just said the kids are used to gettin' what they want; if that's true, punishing them like that is just gonna make 'em more sneaky."

"What do you propose, sir? There are only a few of us and not enough resources to give each child specialized care."

"I dunno..." Centipede rubbed his neck with his hands. "Look, can you have the director of this place call my office tomorrow? We can talk then and maybe set up a plan to do something. I get that some kids deserve to be here and all, but there was somethin' about Billy that made me... well, I think we can do more than just punish 'em."

"I will make certain you get the call tomorrow, sir. Believe me, I wish I could do more, but I have to work with what I have. And when children continue to not just break the rules, but possibly endanger others in doing so, I have to act and often that includes laying down the law."

"I gotcha. Still..."

"Still." Nurse Nora nodded at Centipede before looking over at the door leading to the small room where Dylan, Miss Spider, and Miss Langtree were waiting. "I'm certain Dylan's calmed down by now, but I have to go check on him. I've yet to get him to complete chores, but I can still confine him to the infirmary if needs be. He has a dental appointment tomorrow, so it's probably best I can keep him where he can't run."

"Good luck with that." Centipede slumped against the wall again as Nora entered the room. Sure enough, Dylan's screams were little more than angry coughs and groans by this point, but Centipede had little doubt that Dylan would start up again some point soon.

"I feel ya, kid," Centipede muttered as he scrubbed his suddenly-aching head with a few hands. "Believe me, I do."