Part 9 (2/2)
Jimmy sunk down on his seat in relief. ”They didn't go into the house. Mrs. Capra is safe. For the time being anyway.” He thought.
He motioned for the kids to resume paddling. And soon the boys were joking and occasionally splas.h.i.+ng each other with the cold water, as the dingy glided over the smooth water.
Jimmy was glad to see that his brothers were so resilient. He was glad that the months in the cave didn't rob them of their boyishness. This time he didn't try to quiet them. He felt sure they were far enough out to not be heard. Anyway he hoped so.
But he had a new worry. ”Were the evil men scared off by the porch light? And had they been there before and knew about this little row boat... and would they return to find it missing?” he worried. ”Would they soon be out on the lake searching for us?” Trying to hide this new fear from his brothers, as they pa.s.sed Sawyer Island he told the boys how he and Hero spent a few nights there and how they played in the tules. The boys wanted to go explore it, but he said ”You just wait! I've got a better island for you!” He knew they were going to love Windmill Island as he preferred to call it.
The moon went behind some clouds; making the night darker as they rowed up near the dock of Windmill Island.
”Good! No boats.” Jimmy said. The boys looked at him wide eyed. The possibility of anyone being on the island never occurred to them as they approached it. Jimmy took the oars and rowed skillfully and quickly around to the other side of the island, where he had stashed their supplies. Jumping off the boat he grabbed the line; and started pulling the boat to sh.o.r.e. Without being asked Timmy jumped off and helped him, then they both helped the younger boys off the boat. The five boys worked together to pull the boat out of the water, onto dry land.
”Well- were here!” Jimmy grinned. He handed out the rolled up sleeping bags and strapped on his back pack, then with the pop-up tent under one arm he grabbed Little Jon's hand with his free hand and said, ”Everyone join hands. We can't chance turning on a light.” Although the moon was peeking out from the clouds the trees and tall tules made the island very dark. Jimmy guided the boys to the tarp where he had stashed the supplies. He rustled through the pile until he found an extra tarp and spread it out and with in moments the boys were inside the tent giggling and eating apples. Jimmy and Timmy had spread two sleeping bags, that had gotten wet on the boat ride, on top of the tent; so Jimmy felt safe turning on a flash light, although he kept it inside a back pack to m.u.f.fle the light into a soft glow.
”Apple core!” Timmy said, looking at Little Jon. Jimmy stiffened.
”Oh no! Is Timmy going to start picking on the boys again?” Jimmy thought. But he need not to have worried.
”Baltimore Little Jon” laughed.
”Whose your friend?” Timmy laughed back.
”YOU!” cried Little Jon gleefully, and Timmy tossed the apple in the air letting it land on his head. The boys rolled with laughter.
The laughter continued amidst practical jokes, funny stories and then as the boys lay snuggled up in the tent while sharing two sleeping bags zipped together, the conversation drifted into more sentimental areas.
”I saw you watching that old lady in the wheelchair today. Was that your mama?” Little John wanted to know.
”Yes,” Jimmy said without hesitation, then added, ”Not my real mama, but the only one I ever knew. That was the only place that I ever really felt was home.”
”Why did you leave?” Denny asked.
”She got sick. She almost died. And while she was in the hospital they made me go to Melbourne's.” Jimmy said sadly. ”She's too sick to be a foster mom now. But she will always be my mama here,” Jimmy said patting his heart.
”I never had anyone like that,” Little Jon said. ”Never. I guess I never will.”
”How about your real mom?” Timmy asked.
”I never knew her. I heard she died. But I don't know for sure,” the little boy whispered.
”My mom and pop died in a wreck,” Marty said. ”I lived with my grandma for awhile, but then she died too. That's when they took me to that place,” looking at Jimmy, ”you know, the place where we met.
The boys' conversation turned to what they remembered if anything about their days before becoming foster kids.
”Where were you before then? Before that night?” Marty asked Jimmy.
”I don't know, I can't remember. All I know is that I can't remember ever not being in the system,” Jimmy said. ”I don't even know if my name is really Jimmy Maldoon. I overheard someone saying once they weren't even sure if my parents gave their real name before dropping me off at a firehouse. I'm not even sure I'm Irish. But I guess maybe I am with my blue eyes and red hair. I always hated how they made me stand out in a crowd. It attracted bullies. But I learned to fight,” he tried to laugh it off. ”But everywhere I went it seemed like old ladies would say, ”Oh look at that cute little Irish lad. And one of my foster fathers used to call me 'Fire Truck'. I thought that was cool until I learned that I was dropped off at a firehouse.”
”Maybe your hair is fire truck red when its clean!” Timmy joked trying to lighten the mood. ”But now you look as Native American as Denny!” causing all the boys to laugh. Jimmy looked down at his once freckled white arm and saw what he meant. These months of sun gave him a tan like he'd never thought possible. And of course no real baths added to the dark color. He tugged at his hair and saw that as it grew the curls straightened.
”Well, it's a good disguise!” he laughed, and then looked at his brothers trying to remember how they looked when they first arrived at Melbourne's. Timmy, though tall and thin seemed so much taller now with the weight loss brought on by the months of not enough food. Tall and stringy. And his hunched shoulders were even more hunched over causing his chest to sink in. His white skin had taken on an eerie paleness from the months of no sun, even through the cave dirt and dust that still coated his arms.
Even Denny who was Pomo, and Joey who was Italian were pale and sickly looking. Marty's once close cut black hair had now grown into a full Afro, and was full of tangles, and his chubby body was gaunt. Little Jon had lost the gla.s.ses he had arrived at Melbourn's with, causing his naturally almond shaped oriental eyes to be a constant squint; as he tried his best to see clear the world that had turned so threatening.
Yes being in Melbournes so called 'care' took its toll on his five brothers. The guilt once again rose up like a giant boulder in Jimmy's throat making it hard to swallow. He became aware that his brothers were still talking, and Timmy had just related that other than them he had no family.
As the boys talked it became apparent that they all had one thing in common. Just as Jimmy was thinking it, Timmy looked at him and raised an eyebrow and said, ”We are all orphans.”
Instantly the six boys knew that that was why they were chosen. Why Melbourne chose them. They were all orphans. No one would miss them when they disappeared.
Nothing else was said that night.
The boys woke up to the sound of the radio. Jimmy was sitting on a rock outside the tent listening to the morning news. They all heard the news at the same time.
”The search has been called off. It has been determined that the lost boys are not on Mt. Konocti. The grieving foster parent has announced that he is certain that the boys have fallen down the bottomless pit in one of the caves on Konocti. The first missing boy, Jimmy Muldoon is suspected to have snuck back and convinced the boys to follow him up on the mountain. Whether it was an accident or a suicide pact is undetermined. The mountain road has been gated and twenty four hour security guards has been posted there to keep other boys from going up onto the mountain.”
Jimmy turned around and looked into the wide eyes of the five boys not knowing what to say.
After a few moments Marty asked hopefully, ”Does that mean they aren't looking for us anymore?”
”No, it just means no one except Melbourne and The Henchman are looking for us,” Jimmy replied. ”They just don't want anyone else to find us.” The boys grew quiet again, until Jimmy jumped up and said, ”Hey- they won't find us! We've proven that we're too smart for them!”
The brothers jumped up and a spontaneous game of hide and seek ensued. The five boys chased each other up and down the stone stair cases, followed by Hero; and hid from each other in the bushes and tules; finding better and better hiding places as the morning wore on. Following Jimmy, Timmy climbed a rail and hugging the side of the upper cottage they inched their way around to the balcony where they perched on the rail looking out at Konocti, while the younger boys continued their game.
”So, they don't think were up there...” Jimmy said.
”Well, we're not.” Timmy replied, looking questionly at him.
”No- not yet!” Jimmy grinned back. ”But we soon will be. There's a cabin up there. Mary Downen the first homesteader on the mountain, built it in 1903, and it's still standing. We can stay there. There is also a spring near by, until the late summer, and I have tablets to purify the water.” As if thinking out loud, Jimmy added, ”And walnuts trees and grapes... we'll be fine.” Then looking at his brother he said, ”We can't stay here much longer because they rent this island out for parties and weddings. And honeymoons,” he added wondering if Ron and Kat sat on this balcony when they spent their honeymoon night here. He remembered their big wedding at Rancho del la Fuentes', and how proud he was to be their ring bearer.
”How are we going to get up there?” Timmy asked, bringing Jimmy back to the present.
”We can row almost straight across.” Pointing he asked, ”See those rocks?”
Timmy strained his eyes, but said, ”Not really. It's too far.”
”Well, Ron and I explored the sh.o.r.e over there and I know a place where we can stash the boat and then we can climb up onto the mountain through the Black Forest. It is really cool there. It gets a little steep but we will be able to stay out of sight no problem. And we won't have to travel during the night until we get closer to the top. Even then there's so much brush, I think we'll be fine.”
”When will we shove off?” Timmy asked already in the pirate role.
”Arr! Avast and becalmed! We're marooned here fer a few days. But we'll be weighing anchor as soon as you and the boys take a caulk, me Matie. Arr! s.h.i.+ver me timbers! I'll be wantin' to listen to the news a few days to make sure no landlubbers are up there looking for us.” Jimmy replied, thoroughly enjoying showing off his Pirate Talk abilities. His pleasure was only slightly lessened by the knowledge that it was Ron who taught him. Timmy was by then rolling on the balcony deck laughing heartily.
Jimmy joined him in his laughter; but kept his eyes on the mountain.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
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