No Place Like Home Ch 10 pt 3

1

The sound of barking dogs woke Shandrea from her warm spot in the barn. Shaking the hay out of her hair and dusting herself off, she tried to tell which direction the noise was coming from. 2

“Over here!” she heard a man say and the sound of footsteps on the frozen ground got closer. One more howl from a German Shepherd and the barn doors began to shake, stirring the animals inside. She looked around for a way to escape, but there wasn’t one. All of the windows were too high a When the detectives broke down the door they found Shandrea standing on the edge of the loft.3

“I swear…I’m going to jump!” she warned.4

“We don‘t want to hurt you.” Det. Thalu replied, but it was too late. Shandrea flung herself over the edge and landed in the soft manure and hay on the barn floor. A sharp pain shot up her arm and she felt dizzy, but she was still very much alive. When she looked up all she could see was teeth and hair as the Police dogs descended upon her. She heard one of the officers desperately calling them off. Another officer was reading her rights and cuffing her as the world faded to black.5

When she awoke in a hydrocodone haze it took Shandrea a few minutes to remember where she was and why she was handcuffed to a hospital bed. She could see an officer posted outside her door and she groaned loudly and shook her head. A nurse came in to dress her wounds and Shandrea noticed that she had several stitches on her left arm and a cast on her right. The side of her face felt tight and she was afraid to ask for a mirror. 6

“How’s your pain?” the nurse asked, handing her a chart with several cartoon faces printed on it. “The yellow smiley face means your feeling well, the orange is mild to moderate pain, the blue frowny face means intense pain, and the red face means that the pain is intolerable. Don’t try to talk darling, you’ve got stitches in your cheek…just point. 7

Not in an intolerable amount of pain, but hoping to be knocked out into chemical unconsciousness, Shandrea pointed at the red face. When the nurse returned with a couple more pills, Shandrea quickly took both and sank her head into the pillow, waiting for the medication to take effect. Soon she was drifting into a peaceful abyss of nothingness. 8

Meanwhile, David was coming down from his afternoon high and agitation was taking over. The ringing telephone sent daggers into his brain and he reluctantly answered, expecting to hear Shandrea on the other line, he was surprised to hear a man’s voice.9

“Dr. Sandal? This is Detective Thalu. This call is in regard to a Shandrea Sandal, whom I believe is your ex-wife. She has you listed as her emergency contact and we were hoping to speak with you.”10

“What did she do this time?” he asked, beginning to sober up. “You may be interested to know that I am also her psychiatrist. She’s a very sick woman. Is there anything I can do to help.” 11

That’s what we’d like to talk to you about. If it wouldn’t be too much trouble would you be able to come down to the Police station and make a statement?”12

“Certainly, but doctor- patient confidentiality might make it difficult for me to provide you with too much information.”13

“That’s alright, we just need to know more tangible things like weather or not the suspect lives with you or where she was two nights ago. Come down and make a statement and confirm your whereabouts on the evening of the December 20^th…”14

` “Am I a suspect?” David interrupted. 15

“No sir,” Det. Thalu replied. “Can we expect to see you here soon?”16

“You bet,” David replied, and hung up the phone. 17

The sky was dark and the wind bitter cold. Gilbert was waiting for his mother in the vacant mobile home that was always cluttered with beer bottles and copper wire tubing. He’d been there for several days but she had not shown up. It was very cold outside, but not intolerable as long as he stayed out of the wind. Gilbert didn’t mind the winter. Snow could be eaten when he was thirsty and his mother had taught him that cold weather made dumpster diving less dangerous, because the food did not make you sick. Perhaps later he would walk to the rescue mission to unthaw, but he was certain that as soon as he left his mother would show up, and the howling winds kept him behind closed doors. He stayed warm by ripping up the dilapidated carpeting in the mobile home and covering himself with it. He rolled up the pad and made a bed that was comfortable and functional. He was starting to fall asleep when he heard noises. Two men opened the door and began throwing more copper wire and tools into the mobile home. Gilbert stayed curled up in his cocoon hoping to remain unnoticed, but the two men saw him right away. 18

“What are you doing here, man?” one of the men asked, his hair glued to his face with frozen sweat. Gilbert recognized the familiar scent of whiskey and noticed that they both seemed nervous. The other man drew a knife from his pocket, but his buddy took it away. “What are you doing man, he’s just a retard. He ain‘t gonna squeal.”19

“Darn right he ain’t. Let’s get him out of here.” 20

“What’s your name, boy?” the one with the knife asked.21

“Gilbert.” he said, smiling and pointing at himself.22

“Look kid do you need a ride somewhere? You can‘t stay here.”23

Gilbert nodded. “Jesus…Saves.”24

“It’s a little late to try preaching to us, boy” the other one said.25

“I think you’re the retard, Johnny. The boy’s asking for a ride to the mission, not trying to save your soul.” They both laughed and Gilbert laughed too.26

“Kid, why don’t you help us and we’ll help you. Empty out the back of this truck and we’ll give you a ride. You can’t come back here. Understand?”27

Gilbert understood. He cleared out the truck bed while his new acquaintances sat down for a smoke and then all three of them squeezed into the cab of a small white Chevy S-10. 28

About a block away from the “Jesus Saves” homeless shelter Gilbert felt a poke in his side. The man sitting next to him had regained control of his weapon and whispered in Gilbert’s ear. “Give me those tennis shoes, man.”29

“No…Mine!” Gilbert said, trying to sound determined, but the knife was beginning to hurt terribly, making him began to cry. The man sitting next to him, put the knife down and wrestled him for his shoes. Once he had gotten the Nikes off, he handed them to the driver, who rolled down his window and tossed them into the back of the truck. 30

“Velcro…Nikes.” Gilbert cried. 31

“Here we are!” the driver said, pulling in front of the mission. The door opened and before Gilbert knew it he’d been thrown out of the truck into the parking lot. Don’t come back now, ya hear.” the driver yelled and drove off. Gilbert watched the tail lights disappear before he lifted himself off the ground. The cold pavement made his feet burn as he walked toward the red and yellow blinking cross. 32

When he went inside he was immediately greeted and treated warmly. Linda, who worked the front desk, made sure that he was fed and given another pair of shoes. His gratitude, however was overshadowed by sadness, and he threw his new shoes on the floor in disgust. As he laid on his cot covered in a wool blanket, he thought about his mom, and stifled tears as his heart silently broke. The familiar sound of babies crying filled his head and the smell of bleach filled his nose. Gilbert covered his head with the blanket and fell into a warm, deep sleep. His dreams were filled with thoughts of better days when he was younger playing in the forest outside his home. He ran between trees, through sprinkles of sunlight, chasing butterfly’s, hoping to catch one and bring it home to his mother, who would carefully study it. Sitting as still as she could her eyes would memorize every color and shape as the beautiful insect folded and unfolded it’s wings. These happy memories were so real that Gilbert whimpered in disappointment when he was awakened by familiar voices above his head. 33

“I’m just glad he’s alright. I have no idea how he managed in this weather.”34

“Survivor instincts.” 35

“When you’ve been through what he’s been through, probably nothing seems all that bad.”36

As his eyes adjusted to the morning light, Gilbert recognized, Linda and Charlie staring down at him. Looks of concern on their faces were replaced with smiles when they saw he was awake. Charlie had gotten an early call from a staff member informing him that Gilbert had come to the shelter around 3:00 am, half frozen and shoeless. He noticed the pair of worn shoes at the end of the bed. 37

“Where have you been and what happened to your shoes?” Charlie said, realizing he’d taken on the tone of a parent.38

“Nikes…” Gilbert replied sullenly. “stolen.”39

“Looks like we’ll have to get you another pair, then. Why don’t you come with me to the office and we’ll make up your appointments. Are you feeling alright?”40

Gilbert nodded, and put his shoes on.41