He hadn’t known what to expect, but the house was clean, and it was comfortable-looking. There were no holes in the walls from bombs, and all the windows were perfect. The furniture looked new, and Bazel stood in the hall, not sure if he was supposed to sit down or not. Maybe he was supposed to clean or something. He heard that in America men and women did the same chores, that things were different than back home.
“Please sit down,” the policeman offered. Atlas, that was his name, he had to remember that. “I need to change, but I’ll be right back.” He went up the stairs, and Bazel watched him. Then he sat in a chair near the door, waiting and wondering what was going to happen next.
The dog came up to him with a red thing in her mouth. She dropped it near his feet and then looked up at him and back at the toy again. At least he hoped it was a toy. Bazel knocked it with his feet, and she hurried across the floor to get it, then returned to him. This time he picked it up and threw it gently toward the other room. Evie raced off to get it and brought it back.
“You playing?” he asked, and tossed it again. She ran after it, always bringing it back. The next time, he held the red thing and she sat, eyes glued to it. She barked a little, quietly, and he tossed it again. This time she caught it in the air and pranced back. “Good dog.” He tossed the toy one more time and then sat back as she brought it again.
“Evie,” the man called, and she hurried away. “It’s time to go outside.” She raced away, and Atlas came back alone, then sat across from him.
“I know that everything is strange for you and that you may not understand all that I’m saying, but you are welcome here and no one is going to hurt you. There is food in the kitchen and plenty to drink. You can help yourself to whatever you would like.”
Bazel nodded slowly. He heard what Atlas said but wasn’t sure he got what he meant. He nodded anyway.
“I will get you some things to clean up with, and tomorrow I’ll take you to the store so you can get some other clothes and things. For now, you have nothing to worry about. You’re safe.”
“Thank you,” Bazel said. “I….” Words failed him, and he decided to stay quiet.
“Do you know how you got here? Do you know the people who brought you here?” Atlas asked.
Bazel shook his head. “We came in back of truck and not see anyone but driver. He gave us water sometimes. There was another man, and he was mean. I think driver sneak water. Not sure.”
“Okay. We have the driver in custody, and there wasn’t anyone else in the truck when we pulled it over.” Bazel shrugged; he didn’t know anything more. “How long had it been since you last stopped?”
He thought for a few seconds. Time had little value when you were in the blackness in back of the truck. There had been almost no light. Only a crack in one corner. No food, no water, nowhere to go, and it was hot, very hot, a lot of the time. “What time when find us?”
“It was just before ten in the morning,” Atlas told him.
“Maybe two hour.” He wasn’t very sure, but it was his best guess. Atlas wrote it down and said thank you.
“That might help us.” He smiled, and it went almost all the way to his eyes. Atlas looked nice like that, and Bazel found himself smiling too. “I’m going to make some dinner.”
Bazel yawned. So tired. Now that he was not moving and not afraid all the time, all he wanted was sleep. Still, he nodded, and Atlas left the room. The dog came back in, and this time she rested her head on Bazel’s knee. He stroked her head, and she stayed still. “Good dog.” He still wasn’t sure about her, but she seemed kind. Dogs in his country had been turned into weapons, but this one was gentle with him, even if she was a police dog.
He closed his eyes and petted the dog. Maybe he fell asleep. Bazel wasn’t sure, but he woke to the smell of hot food, and his belly rumbled. “Come in and eat,” Atlas said, and Bazel sat at the table as a bowl of noodles with sauce on it was placed in front of him. It smelled good, and he picked up one of the utensils and began to eat. As soon as the food hit his belly, his hunger kicked in and he ate faster, not able to get enough.
“It’s okay,” Atlas said. “There is more if you want it.”
Bazel slowed down. He did not want Atlas to think he ate like an animal. “Is good.” He drank some water and ate with concentration, and once his bowl was empty, Atlas offered more. Not knowing when he would eat again, he took some and ate until he could not eat any more. Then he wondered if Atlas thought him selfish, but it was too late.
Atlas took the bowls to the sink and led Bazel upstairs to a room with a white bed and chest. The blankets were clean, and the room was cool and dry. He sat on the side of the bed, the softness calling to him. “Would you like to shower?” Atlas asked and motioned to the bathroom.
Bazel felt dirty, and he nodded because the bathroom looked so nice. He had not washed in days… many days. So he went in and closed the door before taking off the clothes he had been wearing for days. He wondered if he could wear them inthe shower with him. But instead he folded them and got under the water. It was cold at first, but he did not care. Bazel used the soap and washed everything twice.
He felt the door open and close again but looked out and saw no one. Bazel stayed under the water for a long time. Then he turned it off and wondered what to dry himself with. At home, he would dry fast because everything was dry. After dripping for a few moments, he got out and found a towel and some fresh clothes on the counter, including socks, something he had been going without. They smelled like flowers, and after drying himself off, he put the clothes on. They were big, but he knew Atlas had left them for him.
The upstairs was quiet when he left the bathroom, and Bazel crossed the hall to the room he’d been given. There was a comb and a toothbrush along with other items on top of the dresser. He used the comb to tame his hair and then got onto the bed and lay down. He wasn’t sure if he could sleep, but now that he was clean and his belly was full, he was at least content. Bazel knew it was useless to worry about the future. He had very little control over it anyway. Since getting on that boat, he had learned to take each day… and sometimes each hour… as it came.
He heard Atlas moving around downstairs and hoped it was okay that he was lying down. Maybe there was work that he wanted Bazel to do. He heard a soft clinking noise, and then Evie stuck her head in the room. He watched the dog as she slowly came inside. Bazel still wasn’t sure about her, but she nosed his hand, and he gently rubbed her head as she sat by the side of the bed. Then he closed his eyes. Bazel fell asleep almost immediately.
HE WOKEwith a start because something was wrong. He wasn’t moving and he was on something comfortable. It took him asecond to remember that he was at Atlas’s house and that he had been rescued from that truck. He was also warm, and there was someone in bed with him. The dog lay curled by his legs, head on her front paws, eyes staring at him.
“Evie,” Atlas called from downstairs, and she rose and slipped off the bed and out of the room. Bazel sat up, rubbing his eyes. A little light still came in the windows, but it was muted, and he realized it was from a lamp outside.
He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood before leaving the bedroom to go downstairs. He was hungry again but tried to ignore it. Atlas had been so good to him already, and he was in no position to ask for something more to eat. After all, he had gone to bed hungry more than once, so he could do it again.
Still, he went downstairs but paused at the bottom. “Are you hungry?” Atlas asked and didn’t wait for an answer. “Come on. I have chips and salsa.” Bazel had no idea what that was but followed him into the sitting room where stuff had been set out. Atlas brought him some water and then took a triangle thing and dipped it into red sauce. He popped it into his mouth, so Bazel gave it a try as well.
The stuff was spicy but not too hot, and Bazel liked it, so he took some more, being careful not to spill all over. At home they had dipping foods all the time, so he was well aware of how to eat them.
