Robb's Chapter, Page Eight

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“You didn’t,” Susan said, “You said she was a good mother.”

“She used to take things away from me,” Robb said, “Even when I hadn’t done anything. She kept me from playing soccer when I was a junior, and never told me why. She didn’t let me go out to hang out with friends, either. She told their parents that I wasn’t a good kid. She told me it was because I’d done something wrong, but she never told me what I’d done that was so wrong.”

“This doesn’t sound at all like what you were telling me,” she said.

“She took away the television a month before she left,” Robb said, “She’d been taking away things occasionally. The toaster, the microwave, the computer. I’d thought she was taking everything away because she was punishing me, because she said I had been fucking up, but now I’m wondering if she was putting them somewhere. Maybe she’s still alive somewhere. She took all of those things so she could use them.”

“Why would she do that?”

“Because I’m a failed Grey,” Robb said, “And maybe the shame was too much for her.”

“A Grey? That’s the name of the gang?”

“Yeah,” Robb said, “They’re big into snakes and lizards.”

“Yeah, and fire and water,” Susan said, “I’ve heard about them. They’re nasty people, Robb, I don’t think you should be getting involved with them.”

“I can handle some kids,” Robb said.

“You’re still a kid,” Susan said, “Even though you live alone. That doesn’t change it at all.”

“I have to find out,” Robb said, “Even if you think I shouldn’t.”

“Fine,” Susan said, “It’s not my problem. Go, get yourself abducted. I bet that’s probably what happened to your mom.”

Robb didn’t know what to say to that.

“I’m sorry,” Susan said, “Shit. I have to go.” She hung up.

Robb put the phone down. The manager was sitting in the break room, and looked down when Robb looked over. “It’s ok,” Robb said, “I was talking too loud.”

The manager looked up. He was an old man, with gnarled hands from years of hard work and a skinny matchbox frame of a body. But his voice was strong and young despite all of it, full of power and bass. “Them Greys’re nothing to be messin’ with,” he said, “Your girlfriend is right.”

“She’s not my girlfriend though,” Robb said.

“Oh,” the manager said, “My mistake.”

“It’s ok,” Robb said, “It was my mistake too.”

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