C I N: "Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin. You never come out the way you went in." (The C I N Series) (14 page)

Sixteen

C I N Boarding School

Michael pulled up in his pick-up and grinned from ear to ear. “Hey, girls, are you ready?”

“As ready as can be.” Ally sighed. “Lisa and I put our things on the porch.”

“Does that mean you expect me to get your bags?”

“You did offer to help us.”

“I said I’d pick you up, not be your bellhop.” Michael said but he grabbed two suitcases.

“And yet you conform so well.”

“Ally!” I screeched. “Don’t insult him when he’s helping us.”

“I’m used to her.” Michael winked. “Since you came to town she’s gotten much sweeter.”

“I didn’t realize I was such a good influence.”

“You aren’t.” Ally rolled her eyes and climbed into the truck.

Michael poked me in the sides. “Don’t worry Lisa, I think you’re great. Who cares what the Nazi says?”

We drove to school and parked in the back near the drop off area. The school was tall and square with extra wide double doors. There were several steps up to the front and a few students were already entering the school. None of them had luggage. Come to think of it, Michael didn’t, either.

“Michael, why don’t you have any bags?”

“Mine are already here. Most of us stay all year on campus.”

“Why?”

“I guess, because we have nowhere else to go.”

“So, do you stay here, too?”

“Usually, but sometimes I stay with my mother during the summer. She likes it when I visit.”

“Michael, that’s enough; Lisa has a problem with asking too many questions and she’s freaked out already.” Ally shoved him.

He dropped her suitcase. “Oops, my bad.” It opened and all her clothes tumbled out.

“You did that on purpose.”

“Yes, I did.” He grinned.

“Would you guys stop fighting?” I put my hands on my hips. “It’s annoying.”

“Check out Lisa’s eyes,” Michael exclaimed. “They’re really purple!”

“Yes, I know.”

Ally motioned for us to follow her inside the school. There was a large lobby with several wooden doors. Each door had a metal sign with words etched into it. There was a door for “Mathematics”, “Social Studies”, “American History”, “English”, “Art”, “Music” and “Dorms”. A stair case made out of mahogany led to the second floor where there were probably even more doors. Antique furniture pieces dressed the lobby and there was stained glass on all the interior doors leading to the cafeteria and study room.

Michael motioned for us to follow him through the “Dorm” entrance. There were six doors, three to each side of the long, narrow hall, and one door up ahead.

“That door, right in front of us, is the only bathroom that we have,” Michael explained. “The girls clean it and the boys do the yard work.”

I gasped. “It’s co-ed here?”

Ally rolled her eyes. “Yes, Lisa. It’s just like France. Everyone uses it.”

“At the same time?” My heart pounded.
What if someone saw me in the shower?
What if Michael saw me taking a dump? That would be so humiliating.

“Yeah, obviously if it’s co-ed but don’t worry, everyone is used to it,” Michael explained.

“Ally, can I shower at your place?”

She laughed. “Lisa Brown, stop being a big baby. Everyone showers and it’s not a big deal.”

“What about when I have to go to the bathroom? Everyone will know what I’m doing.”

“And what you ate for dinner, too,” Michael said, pulling a strand of my hair. “I can’t wait; I hope I’m there for your first bathroom experience.”

“Thanks a lot, Michael,” I rolled my eyes. “You’re a real pal.”

“Any time, hey, look this is your room.” He kicked the door and it burst open. There was a lone twin bed and a bunk bed. The room had a small closet, an old fashioned writing desk and a bureau.

“It feels like a cell.”

“It is,” Ally sighed. “Why do you think I stay at my house?”

“Because you hate us,” Michael said. He dropped our bags onto the twin. “See you at lunch.”

“Okay, bye, Michael.”

“Where’s Donna?”

“How should I know? Do I look like her keeper?”

“You don’t have to get an attitude, Ally.”

“Well, it’s like, Donna, is the only thing you seem to talk about.”

“Shut up.”

“I get the top bunk.”

“Whatever, I prefer the bottom anyway.”

“Why are you so moody, Lisa Brown?”

“I’m a freak and I’m not sure what’s going on with me. I have purple eyes, I had a seizure today and touching your brother hurts me. I still can’t understand why it would hurt before the lightning (or after for that matter). He seemed to think it was the lightning but if I had the problem
before
I was struck then there’s a problem with me; I mean, why would I hurt beforehand? I’m a freak of nature. I thought it was the two of you who were the freaks, but maybe it was me all along!”

Ally put her hand on my shoulder. “You aren’t the only freak at this school, so don’t worry. We’ll figure it out, I promise. I won’t let anything terrible happen to you.”

Ally and I sat on the single bed. She leaned her shoulder against mine. My bottom lip quivered. I was a freak. Not only was I a freak, but no one would tell me anything.

Out in the hall, someone screamed. The pain I felt inside was just like that screaming. Was that
me
making that noise? No. It was someone else.

Michael burst in our dorm room. His eyes were red and tears streamed down his face. What had happened to him? His chest heaved up and down.

“What happened, Michael?”

He couldn’t speak. His mouth opened but nothing came out.

“Michael,” I whispered. “What’s happened? Are you okay?”

“My mother,” he shouted. “She’s dying. I have to go right now.”

“You know the rules.” Ally stood up and folded her arms across her chest. “No leaving when school starts.”

“But Ally, it’s my
mother
.”

She avoided his eyes. “Fine, whatever, just go.”

“I’ll go with you,” I grabbed my jacket. “Let’s go.”

“We’ll take my truck.”

Ally’s face burned bright red. “You can’t take her with you!”

“I can go wherever I want whenever I please.”

“Fine, foolish girl,” Ally growled. “Alex will set you straight.”

“We better hurry,” Michael decided. He grabbed my arm. “It’ll make my mom happy to meet you, anyhow.”
 

We raced out of the school and I climbed into his pickup truck. He glanced over nervously. “Thanks for coming with me. I really appreciate it.”

“It’s what friends do.”

“You’ll learn that at C I N, the rules come first, before family, friends and even yourself.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“It’s the way that we survive. I’ve always been sort of a rule breaker, though.” Michael backed out of the schoolyard and hit the gas, stalling the engine. “I’ve almost been expelled, so to say.”

“Why?”

“Because last year, my father died and I went to the funeral.”

“Who tried to expel you?”

“Lets stop talking about this, I’m getting nervous.”

“Ok, for now, but I expect an answer later.”

We pulled up to the same hospital where I’d been when the lightning hit me. Michael hurried inside. I had to run just to keep up. He wrapped his hand around my waist and pulled me forward guiding me through the halls.

Inside a hospital room a lone woman with white hair sat upright in her bed. She looked out the window and held the telephone in her hand as if she’d forgotten how to use it. “Michael, are you there?”

“No, it’s your son, Bill.” A man in his late thirties stood, leaning over the woman. “What’s the matter, mom?”

“I want to see my Michael.”

How did she have a son so old? If her one son was forty then that would make Michael and Bill about twenty-five years a part. The woman would’ve had to be in her forties when she had Michael but even that wasn’t possible. Michael was seventeen and if she was seventy or so she would’ve had to be in her late fifties or about sixty at conception. Maybe he was adopted?

“Momma, I’m right here.” Michael stepped forward. He placed his hand on her and his brother glanced angrily at him.

“Oh, son, I’m going to miss you desperately.”

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “I love you so much. I wish there was something that I could do.”

“Well, there isn’t,” Bill snapped. “Keep your freaky voodoo to yourself.”

“I don’t practice voodoo. I already told you.”

“Then why are you still seventeen? Bill asked. “
I
am
your
younger brother.”

“Shhh,” Michael clasped his hand over his brother’s mouth. “Stop talking so loud. I’ll get in great trouble if someone finds out.”

“You’ll be a science experiment. The government will take you all away and poke and cut into you until you’re nothing but a vegetable.”

“Boys, please, I’m dying. That’s enough. I’m happy that Michael is my son and I’m proud of the man that he’s become.”

“But Momma, he’s a freak of nature!” Bill smacked himself in the forehead.

“I’ll probably be just like you for coming today. The rules are to stay on campus and I left. So, I may be moving in with you soon.”

Bill dropped into his chair. “I didn’t know; I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, I’m just happy I got to see you and momma. Rules will never stop me from seeing my family; no matter the consequence.”

“Michael, what’s going on?” I crept inside the room. What did Bill mean by, Michael was the oldest son? My hands trembled and I couldn’t breathe.

His mom looked over and grinned. She had dark brown eyes and a nose just like Michael’s. “Who is this? Is that Lisa Brown? Is she the latest edition?”
 

Michael nodded. “Yes, Momma, but she doesn’t know anything about us yet.”

“That isn’t very fair. I think you should do the right thing. It’s about time someone stood up to those two monsters. Come to me, child.”

I obeyed, stepping closer. She had Bill and Michael lift her up more so she could get a good look at me.
 
“Lisa, you have purple eyes; just like Frank did when he was struck.”

“Wh-ho is Frank?”

“He was one of you once.”

“One of me?”

“Yes, there’re several of you. You’re not alone, and Michael is going to tell you.”