She pointed the gun toward him and yelled god knows what at him. He only had one option to left he took out his cell and threatened to call the cops. He knew it wasn’t the most scary thing to them but he was only ten and had nothing left he could do. She lowered the gun and unloaded the bullets and his father slowly approached her and took the gun from her hands. He walked out of the room to return moments later. They looked at Dade and seemed to be questioning if he would have called the cops. Dade remembered it all so clearly he finally understood no life can be perfect. He shook himself and then turned toward the tub and turned the nozzles and carefully found the correct temperature.
It splashed his skin and gently cooled his skin from the heat. He stepped inside and let the rain like water sprinkle the top of his head which then drizzled over the rest of his body. He stood looking at the wall and thinking. He finished his shower and stepped out of the tub and slightly slipped on the steamed floor. He regained his balance and located his suit and tie and carefully pulled the undershirt over his head and then layered himself in the correct order. He walked out and went to Joanne for help with the tie. She looked at him and smiled and stated "These people are church goers you need to learn how to tie these." She managed a little laugh and said it was all tied and ready. She called the cab and her and Dade rode to the courthouse. To Dade’s surprise it wasn’t a foster family it was his mom. He looked startled and almost cried, he thought he was done with these people. She approached him and he stepped back looked at Joanne and whispered "This is a mistake right?" She looked just as surprised as him of the "foster family." Dade’s mother took another step toward them with a look of sorrow that her own son was running from her. He tried to climb in the cab but she grabbed him and just hugged him. He struggled to break free but could not do it. He looked at Joanne who was calling the service to tell them the events. She hung up and walked toward them and told Dade’s mother to release him and that they had to go now and she will be contacted about what she did. The cab man exited the car and helped Joanne and Dade get readjusted with his belongings. His mom looked sad and depressed but he had no pity.
"I knew it was to quick to be true." muttered Joanne. So away they drove to the office to find the other boys faces pressed against the cold glass windows. Dade’s head hung low and he sighed as he held the door open for Joanne. The kids smirked and sneered taunting him with phrases like "Couldn’t hack it?" or "Aw poor boy." Dade only answered "You call yourselves adults, you have a long way to go." He shook his head at who thought they were the best generation alive. He looked at them in dismay and just kind of sighed. He trudged to the room but Joanne stopped him and led him to a different room he didn’t know even existed. She said "I was instructed to separate you from the others for your own protection." He nodded and looked around, ‘It isn’t at all bad, it doesn’t smell like a rotting carcass.’ he thought happily. Seeing that he was in a lengthy thought process she smiled and walked out of the room with a look over her shoulder she shut the door quietly, careful not to disturb him. Once she left he shook himself slightly and thought ‘she is not as bad as Willis said she is’ and just turned and made his bed. He made a ripple in his sheets before letting them fall gracefully on the bed. He slid in and said his prayers and turned on his side to look at the wall and imagine the future. He woke in the night to a scream and a thud in the lobby. He jumped out of bed flicked the light on and ran into the lobby to face a masked stranger. The stranger had a glare in his eyes to where it looked like he almost was expecting Dade to come in. He stood still but then took steps approaching Dade with a wild look in his eyes. Dade not knowing what to do was frozen in fear. He felt his arm go numb and then his knees collapsed.
He looked up to see that the stranger had attacked him and now was about to kill him. Dade looked around frantically remembering the scream. He shook his head in amazement to see that Joanne was on the floor with a slow bleeding wound from the skull. He lurched for the strangers legs and grasped them with what strength he had left. The stranger fell backward with arms flailing for something to grab. He failed and hit his head on the floor which caused a clatter bringing the other boys into the room. Dade scuffled for Joanne and shouted "Call a doctor!" Charlie slid for the phone on the desk and dialed the police. He flung the phone at Dade for he knew what happened. Dade was surprisingly calm for what had just happened. The boys must have thought he had done this before when he was living at home, for their facial expression were full of shock and scared. Moments later the cops arrived along with the officers of the CPS. The officer took him aside and started to question him. In the following time, the police brought out the limp but rigid man that had been lying on the floor moments ago. Dade studied the man till they put him in the cruiser and slammed the door. There was a sputtering of a rusty old engine and tailpipe. Then came in the distance a pair of headlights shining in Dade’s eyes. A small Chevy came up and Willis piled out and looked back at the driver who gave him a nod. Willis approached the Child Protection Service officer and started talking to him for about fifteen minutes. Once he finished, he hoisted Dade off the bench and lead him to the Chevy. Dade paused and asked “What are you doing?” Willis hesitated and said “The building had been marked unsafe. They are transporting all the boys.”
Dade regrew his strength and approached one of the officers that took the man to the car and asked if he could see the man without the mask. The officer nodded and led Dade to the car. Dade stood there and stared at the man in through the window. In an instant Dade had gone into shock. The officers swarmed around him pushing Willis away till they were done. When they had finished they rose Dade onto his feet and signaled Willis. Dade shook himself and took one last look in the window to see his father staring back. The ride to his new foster home was silent with shock and thoughtfulness. Dade was permanently stunned that his own father tried to kill him. Even once the family had arrived at the house, Dade was still not able to walk on his own from the shock. He was led into Willis’s room and started to unpack when Isabelle walks in. She is one of Russ and Amy’s two actual daughters. Her sister is usually out working with her friends out in the fields. Isabelle is a 5'7 pretty eyed blonde hair girl. She helps out in the fields sometimes as a water runner or even a messenger. When she see’s Dade her eyes just light up with excitement. She loves it when her Mom and Dad bring home foster kids. She goes politely “Hi, welcome to Shadow Mountain Meadows. My name is Isabelle. What is your name?” Dade couldn’t help but smile and played along “Why thank you Mam, my name is Dade. I am one of Willis’s friends.” She giggles and skipped out of the room. Willis started to laugh and impersonate parts of his friends way with his new foster sister.
Dade simply reached out and smacked him. Minutes later she scampered back into the room. “Isabelle,” said Willis sternly “what did I tell you about just walking into my room?”
She sighed and said “Well if you want to get technical, every time you step into a room you are in my room.” She giggled but then said “If you insist, I will knock next time but, since I’m already here. LET’S PLAY DINOSAURS!” Willis shakes his head sternly and points to his door. She pouts for a little and trudges out the door. Dade looks at Willis and asks “Is this how it is all the time? People just coming in at whatever time they want?” He pauses for breath when a tall, beautiful, green eyed, blonde hair girl comes in and looks at Willis and asks “Well, aren’t you going to introduce me?” Willis shoots back “You can do it. Even Belle did it.” Dade steps in “I’m Dade I am one of Willis’s friends that had to be transferred from the building.” The girl looks at him almost as if inspecting him “My name is Leocadia. I am Russ’s daughter. I’m not here most of the time.” Dade simply looked at her ant went “Hi.” She laughed and walked out. Dade glanced at Willis and then finished unpacking. They walk into the kitchen to see Amy working on that nights supper. All of a sudden Russ walks in and looks at the boys and asks that they go help Leocadia out in the fields. Overhearing this request Belle jumps out from her room and asks “Can I go to?” Russ looks at her and nods “Stay out of the way though.” he advises. She gives a small “Yes sir.” and skips out the door. A few miles of walking and Willis ends up giving her a piggy back ride. He sets her by the small creek and heads out to find Leocadia. Dade remains with Belle a little longer and starts to talk to her about how everything works around the house. She practically gives him a detailed schedule.