Page 45 of Collin: Episodes 1-3
And yet he couldn’t make his feet move away. This was better. He wanted to be here. As close as he could be. He sank down onto the hard floor. Maybe if he could just rest for a few moments, maybe then he would find the strength to walk away from the safest place he’d ever found in the world.
He drew his knees up and rested his head on them, bell still silenced and clutched in his hand. A few moments was all he’d allow himself.
His breathing slowed. His shoulders released. Exhaustion seeped to the front and drew him down to the floor. In a few moments, the only movement was the rise and fall of his chest. Like a distant observer of himself, he knew he should get up.
But it was so quiet and peaceful here on the floor, the scent of Mr. Reevesworth’s skin lulling him to sleep.
Thursday
“I can’t help him if he won’t ask.” Mr. Reevesworth’s voice was soft but pained.
“He is asking, darling. In the only way he can.”
“He disobeyed.”
“If you take into account the fact that he did come to you, then perhaps he obeyed to the limits of his ability.”
There was a blanket over Collin’s shoulders. Where am I? Collin stirred. The voices paused.
Hardwood floor. Hallway. Collin scrambled to his feet. The blanket fell off his shoulder and tangled around his feet. His heel caught on the edge and he went down, back to the wall, buttocks on the floor. He caught himself on his hands, pushing upward. He was supposed to have just rested for a few minutes. Just a few minutes, but now there was sunshine coming in through the window at the end of the hall.
“Stop, Collin.”
Heart pounding, he looked up. Mr. Reevesworth and Mr. Moreau stood just a few feet inside their bedroom. Mr. Reevesworth was dressed for the day in a sweater and slacks. Mr. Moreau wore his customary linen pants and an open kimono-style housecoat in red silk.
Collin opened and closed his mouth. He dropped his eyes. There was nothing to say. Blood filled his cheeks.
“Did you ring the bell, Collin?”
He shook his head.
“Words, Collin.”
“N-no, sir.”
“Did you call for me?”
“No, sir.”
Mr. Reevesworth crossed the space between them. He took Collin’s arm in his hand and turned it. “You hurt yourself.”
It wasn’t a question. Collin kept his eyes fixed on the floor. Cold ran through his limbs and into his chest, like he was being shot by a pulsating ice laser.
Mr. Reevesworth turned Collin’s hand over, revealing the bell. “You thought about it.”
It wasn’t a question, but he nodded anyway.
Mr. Reevesworth sighed. “I know what our first lesson will be.” He slid one arm under Collin’s knees and another behind his back, lifting him from the floor. The blanket fell away.
Collin squeezed his eyes shut.
“I’ll start coffee,” Mr. Moreau said. “Will you handle breakfast, or would you like me to order in? I can do it in the car on the way to my meeting.”
“If you could order in, that would be helpful.”
Mr. Reevesworth carried Collin through the condo to Collin’s bedroom and into the bathroom. He lowered Collin to the counter by the sink and opened up the drawers, pulling out more of the antiseptic pads he’d used before.
There’s no need. I’ve done worse without cleaning them. Collin couldn’t bring himself to remonstrate though. If Mr. Reevesworth wanted to clean, who was Collin to argue.
