Sorrow Swallows My Screams
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Seventeen:
Zacky’s POV:
“I’m not going back to him.”
“Kid - Zacky, right? - he’s your old man. He is your legal parent and guardian and you have to go home to him. Running away isn’t the answer,” said Pritchard.
I was surprised to see that Brian had lost his temper before I had.
“You don’t know what the fu- Do you know what he’s fucking like!?” Brian screamed at Pritchard. He was standing again and Brian Senior quickly rose, ready to pull his son back in case he made for the officer. In the corner, my father’s face was sour at this out lash.
“That’s true, kid, but if this man” (Pritchard pointed towards my dad) “came to us every day checking to see if we’d gotten any further along with finding young - Zacky?” (He checked the file on the desk at long last) “Yes, Zacky, that’s it. Well anyway, the point is, Zacky, your dad loves you very much, and you don’t have to stay with these men any longer.”
I could see my father grinning evilly.
“But I want to stay with these men.”
“Unless your dad here says you can, I don’t see that you have a choice.”
I lowered my head in defeat. I tried to fight them back but failed miserably - the tears came. Brian stood up and walked over to me. We’d talked about the whole not-letting-my-father-know-I’m-gay-because-he’ll-kick-my-ass-until-I-have-none-so-guys-can-never-do-it-with-me-and-cutting-off-my “sergeant privates” just-in-case-I-wanted-to-stick-that-bit-in-a-guy. At least, I guess, even if he did do that, I still have hands and a mouth. Wink wink.
Pritchard turned to my father. “Look, the kid’s been through a rough time, maybe you’ll have a better chance of talking to him. So I’ll let you take your son home now and you two can get reacquainted.”
I didn’t want to go. I shook my head.
“If I go with him, he’ll kill me.”
“Now, son, that’s not a very nice thing to say about your old man,” my father said. He was playing it cool in front of the copper, he even used the phrase old man, which really meant he was faking it. It was so obvious to me, but there wasn’t anything I could do.
“He’s right, kid. Remember to treat your old man with respect, that’s the key to a healthy relationship! You two,” Pritchard pointed to Brian and his dad, “Seeing as we talked to you earlier, you’re free to go now, too. I’ll just tell you that it is not a good thing to be keeping runaways in your house, ‘kay? Okay.”
My dad placed his hand around my arm. Ew. He began to pull me gently, signifying that we were leaving. Pritchard moved close to me and slapped my ass, saying “Call me, honey buns. I’d sure like a piece of that ass, real soon.”
…Okay, not really. He just moved close to me and said softly, “Remember, kid - Zacky - if you ever need me, you know where to find me.”
He gave me a friendly wink and then I was well set on my way to hell, AKA, my father’s house.
Zacky’s POV:
“I’m not going back to him.”
“Kid - Zacky, right? - he’s your old man. He is your legal parent and guardian and you have to go home to him. Running away isn’t the answer,” said Pritchard.
I was surprised to see that Brian had lost his temper before I had.
“You don’t know what the fu- Do you know what he’s fucking like!?” Brian screamed at Pritchard. He was standing again and Brian Senior quickly rose, ready to pull his son back in case he made for the officer. In the corner, my father’s face was sour at this out lash.
“That’s true, kid, but if this man” (Pritchard pointed towards my dad) “came to us every day checking to see if we’d gotten any further along with finding young - Zacky?” (He checked the file on the desk at long last) “Yes, Zacky, that’s it. Well anyway, the point is, Zacky, your dad loves you very much, and you don’t have to stay with these men any longer.”
I could see my father grinning evilly.
“But I want to stay with these men.”
“Unless your dad here says you can, I don’t see that you have a choice.”
I lowered my head in defeat. I tried to fight them back but failed miserably - the tears came. Brian stood up and walked over to me. We’d talked about the whole not-letting-my-father-know-I’m-gay-because-he’ll-kick-my-ass-until-I-have-none-so-guys-can-never-do-it-with-me-and-cutting-off-my “sergeant privates” just-in-case-I-wanted-to-stick-that-bit-in-a-guy. At least, I guess, even if he did do that, I still have hands and a mouth. Wink wink.
Pritchard turned to my father. “Look, the kid’s been through a rough time, maybe you’ll have a better chance of talking to him. So I’ll let you take your son home now and you two can get reacquainted.”
I didn’t want to go. I shook my head.
“If I go with him, he’ll kill me.”
“Now, son, that’s not a very nice thing to say about your old man,” my father said. He was playing it cool in front of the copper, he even used the phrase old man, which really meant he was faking it. It was so obvious to me, but there wasn’t anything I could do.
“He’s right, kid. Remember to treat your old man with respect, that’s the key to a healthy relationship! You two,” Pritchard pointed to Brian and his dad, “Seeing as we talked to you earlier, you’re free to go now, too. I’ll just tell you that it is not a good thing to be keeping runaways in your house, ‘kay? Okay.”
My dad placed his hand around my arm. Ew. He began to pull me gently, signifying that we were leaving. Pritchard moved close to me and slapped my ass, saying “Call me, honey buns. I’d sure like a piece of that ass, real soon.”
…Okay, not really. He just moved close to me and said softly, “Remember, kid - Zacky - if you ever need me, you know where to find me.”
He gave me a friendly wink and then I was well set on my way to hell, AKA, my father’s house.