Waiting was something I was great at. I always had to wait. Wait for food. Wait for the next man to use me. Wait to be allowed to do something I didn’t want. Wait…wait…wait.
I wasn’t surprised when the person spoke. “I’m Officer Hullen. But you can call me Sarah, if you’d like.”
No thanks, I thought with a blink. It wasn’t the first time a police officer had been in my presence, and I highly doubted it’d be the last.
When I didn’t say a thing, she went on. “You’re Koda.”
Although I hadn’t planned to, I tipped my head her way, not impressed one bit. Who else was I? She already knew, so why was there a point in saying my name again and again. I was just…well whatever the heck I was.
Whatever she saw in my expression caused her to let a sad smile slip on her face. “You’re safe now. I promise.”
I wanted to scoff, but instead turned my gaze back to the window.
“I’ll tell you what I know?” She paused long enough to give me time to answer. All I did was breathe. “You were dropped off at the ER in the late hours where no one else was around by a man who a mask on, so no one could tell who he was. I’m going to say he may be your saving angel, but you aren’t the first boy to be dropped off like that at this hospital.”
I turned to face her, sort of. Sarah was on the edge of the seat, notepad in her hands, pen ready to write notes down.
“Early this morning,” she went on, her voice soft, “An anonymous report came in to me about a boy named Koda needing extra help here in the hospital. Along with it, a picture of your face. It didn’t take me too long to connect the dots once I sat my eyes on you.”
I was lost. I had no clue what she was going on about. I was…just waiting for my next owner to command my body. Or for death to find me.
“Your nurse warned me that you wouldn’t talk, but I was hoping she was wrong.” She went on after a few seconds. “She also went over your charts and all that boring stuff.”
I glared at her shoes, willing her to get whatever she wanted done and over with.
“You’re fairly clean, considering what you’ve been through.” That time, I just shrugged. “And you can hear, so that’s a plus.Some boys I’ve seen have had permanent hearing damage, among other things.
“Would you be able to answer some questions for me? They’d be yes and no ones. Just so I can figure out the next steps from here?”
I shrugged again. I wasn’t sure if there was a point.
“I guess that’s as good as I can expect from you right now.” She shifted again, writing in her notebook. “Do you have parents we can track down?”
I shook my head. That one was easy.
“I figured as much, but I had to ask. A sister or another family member?”
I shrugged.
“Okay, I’ll run some info back at the office and see if we can find anyone. Until then, you’ll be staying here for a few more days. I’ve heard you aren’t handling much of anything well.”
I didn’t handle life well, but each to their own.All I did was turn away from her. Nothing would help.
Maybe if I could, I’d figure out a way to walk out of this building and disappear from the world like I truly wanted.
“You know what makes me so great at what I do?” Sarah spoke after a few minutes. I ignored her, just hoping she’d leave me alone. “I have kids of my own. I can tell when they are plotting to do something that is utterly stupid.”
I felt my face pale. Was I that readable? Okay, that was a given. I couldn’t lie to save my life. Never have, nor would I ever be.
Instantly, tears blurred my vision, and I did nothing to try to stop them, knowing it’d be a lost cause.
“I’m here to help you, Koda. I want to help. Running off at the first chance you get will only end with you back at the hands of the people you were with before. Or in a body bag.”
I’d take the bag, happily.
“Please,” she paused, shifting closer. “When I come back to visit you tomorrow, I’ll have some clothes for you. And hopefully some place in the works for you to stay.”
Guess I didn’t have all that much of a choice.
