“Why’s that?” He asked surprisingly.
“Because, I knew right away, when I first sawyou, that you weren’t the kind of person to hurt someone, and I wasright?” She shrugged her right shoulder, so she could rub her cheekagainst it and wipe away the blood she could feel flowing down hercheek.
He nodded shyly and lifted one of thelanterns, so he could look at her wound closer. He grimaced at whathe saw.
“You hit yourself real bad, mam. I’ll getchaa Band-Aid and ointment, when I go back up top.”
“Jessica. Call me, Jessica. Will you leaveone of them here for me? Please.” She nodded toward the otherlantern on her right. “It’s a little frightful down here alone inthe darkness.”
He nodded, that he would, and avoided lookingat her.
“What’s your name?”
“Morris,’ he replied in a soft whisper. Hechewed at his lip and his voice broke with emotion. “I didn’t wantto do this.”
The fear on his face tugged at herheartstrings again and she answered him in a soothing tone.
“I know, Morris. I could tell that right awaytoo, about you. Did you and he work together down here?”
“Ah, ha,” he answered.
Jessica knew she had to keep the conversationgoing. The more she got him to open up to her, the morecomfortable, she knew he would feel around her. He was an innocent.She didn’t think he was a simpleton. She had a feeling he didn’tfinish high school, but had enough good sense to know right fromwrong.
“How long?”
“Been down here, since I was eighteen. Didn’tgraduate from high school. Too hard for me, but Mr. Howe, he knewmy grandpa and hired me right off. He was the best boss ever, realkind, and all.” He paused a moment, and a deep sadness washed overhim. “He died though, and someone else bought these caves. He’s amean son of bitch.” The boy’s head popped up, realizing a cuss wordslipped from his lips. “Sorry, mam. Didn’t mean to say swear words,but he’s a cruel man, just like Sy.”
“Where is Sy now?”
“He ain’t here, but he’ll be back latertonight. He knows how to get underground, even when it’s all lockedup top.”
“Does the owner know he can do that?”
He shook his head no in response.
“Morris, did Sy threaten and beat you intodoing this.”
She could tell she hit the nail on the headby the boy’s reaction. The poor kid. She wondered about his family,if he was totally alone in the world, or whether someone knew hewas being bullied.
“Morris, did he?” She persisted.
The boy ran his hand through his dirty hairand hesitated another moment, before he finally answered.
“He told me … that … that …if’n I didn’thelp; he’d blow up these caves with me in it, when I less expectedit. He’ll do it too. I need this job and gots nowhere else togo.”
“Morris, what if I could help you? You know Iwork for a State Senator. He’s a very important man, and my Aunt,is a very rich woman, who knows a lot of people in power. You liketo fix things, don’t you Morris?”
A slow knowing smile lit up his face, despitethe smeared dirt, and what looked like oil all over it and theclothes he wore too.
“I’m real good, mam, with my hands.” Heraised them. “I can do and fix just about anything somebody asks metoo. I can use a digger and a backhoe and a jack hammer too.” Heanswered proudly, as he thumbed his chest to prove his point.
“Well, I think that’s pretty, darn awesome. Iknow I could help you find a job doing just that, working forsomeone, who would appreciate the fine work you do for them. Thepeople we know would pay you a good salary, offer you greatbenefits, and treat you with respect and kindness. Isn’t thatsomething you would like? You deserve it you know.”
He scratched at his head, and it began toslowly shake with doubt.
“I don’t know, mam. If Sy ever found out wewas talking like this, he wouldn’t take too kind to that.”
“Well, I won’t tell him.” She confirmedimmediately. “It can be our little secret. When someone mean likeSy bully’s a person like you to do his bidding, the law willunderstand especially, if I tell them you helped me, took care ofme, and kept me from harm.”
