A Child's Haven - 24. Chapter 24

Walking to the infirmary, I saw Pat heading in the same direction. “Hey Brad, are you going to check on Amir?”

“Yes, I haven’t met him yet. Come with me.”

When I entered the infirmary, I saw Jeff talking to the boy. Jeff looked up, seeing me, smiled. “Amir, you are about to see the man who is responsible for Sanctuary. You don’t have to be afraid of him.”

Walking to the bed, I saw a very handsome boy, with large black eyes and the face of an angel. “Hello Amir, I hope you’re comfortable. Did you have lunch?”

He looked at Jeff, who nodded his head yes, “Thank you, sir, for saving me. Yes, lunch was very good. Jeff helped me to eat it.”

“He had two pot pies, Brad. I would’ve guessed he hasn’t had much to eat.”

“That’s ok, Amir, you can have as much as you want. As soon as you are ready to leave the infirmary, Jeff can show you around. Pat, please bring Amir some juice.” A note to myself, buy a small refrigerator for water and juices.

“Amir, we are going to need some information for our records and to enroll you in Sanctuary. Normally Beth does this, but Jeff can do it if you wish.” Amir nodded yes, indicating Jeff.

“Jeff, if you could come with me, I’ll get you the forms. Amir, when Pat comes back, drink the juice, and he’ll stay here with you until Jeff comes back.”

Seeing Pat returning with the juice, “Pat, please stay with Amir until Jeff comes back. Jeff, what has Amir told you?”

“He has been a little confused. He thought you had bought him. From what I can understand, an organization brings kids from other countries and sells them into slavery. He was one of those kids.”

Oh God, does this ever end. “Does he know who sold him or brought him?”

“He knows of a man they called Chico, he was the one who was selling the kids, but he didn’t know who brought them.”

“Did he tell you how he ended up on the street?”

“He said he tried to run away, and Chico caught him and used him as an example to teach the other kids not to run away.”

“Does he have any idea where they are holding these kids?”

“He said it wasn’t far from where we found him.”

“Ok, you need to take this form; his name and age are all that is important now. Ask Beth to get a cocoon assigned. You can ask him for more information, but don’t push if he doesn’t want to talk about it. When you are finished, bring me the form, on the back, write down what you just told me. Do you want some ice cream?”

He smiled. I knew the answer. Entering the cook shack, “Adam, would you please take three dishes of ice cream, topped with chocolate and whipped cream to the infirmary. Thanks.”

I had to talk to Murray and O’Shea. I called them on my cell phone and asked that they stopped by when they had the chance.

About ½ hour later, they entered the dining hall. “What’s up, Brad?”

“Get yourselves some coffee and sit down.” They got their coffee and a snack from the vending machine. “We have another serious problem. You won’t believe this, but we’ve only touched the surface. Do you remember the day we returned from the bust with the kids on the way back here? We found a kid lying alongside the road. It turns out the kid came from another country as a slave to be sold to someone in this city. We found the kid at roughly this point, opening the map and showing them. He said that the place where they kept the kids was in this area. We need to get those kids. And I need your help to do it.”

“Brad, will get them and the ones who brought them to this country and those who bought them.”

“Thanks guys, I wonder if this is ever going to end. When you think you have a handle on one group, another shows up. How many sick people are there in this city?”

“Don’t worry; you’re doing the best you can. Think of all the boys you’ve helped. I know how you feel, but don’t let this get you down; you still must take care of these kids in Sanctuary.”

There was only one person who could help me, “Dad, I need your help. I just found out that there is a child slavery ring in the city. One of the kids who was going to be sold was beaten and left to die. We found him, and now he’s in my infirmary. I told Murray and O’Shea, and they were going to look into it, but Dad, they will need help. Yes, I can handle more kids, I have a sleeping capacity for over 300, and I’m only at 130. OK, you are the best.”

As I hung up from the phone call with dad, Tony showed up with a big smile. One look at me, and his smile disappeared.” What’s the matter?”

“The kid that we picked up on the way back from the bust; just told Jeff that he was part of a slavering. The kid is from outside of the US, smuggled in, and then sold into slavery. He tried to run away, and they made an example out of him. Tony, when does this stop.”

“That’s sick. Have you told your dad?”

“Yes, I just hung up from talking to him. I also told Murray and O’Shea. I showed them where we picked up Amir.”

” I don’t know if I can cheer you up or not, but I got the tickets to Lion King.”

I jumped up, grab Tony, and gave him a big kiss. He looked at me, and I blushed. “I’m sorry, Tony, but this news couldn’t have happened at a better time. Now I need bus drivers and chaperones. Any ideas?”

“Until you get your drivers, call the bus company and see what they’ll charge you to drive to the theater. Ok, I’ll do it.”

I hugged him. I’ll tell the kids at dinner tonight. I wonder if Amir could travel, I’ll check with Janine.

“Tony, have you thought about your office furniture? I want to go and order mine. A side issue, what do you think about hiring a night guard? I could turn that small room off of the dining hall into an office and have monitors mounted all around the place. I’m afraid as we start taking on these slavers that this place may be a target.”

“I think that might be a good idea.”

“Contrary to what you and Abe think, I’ll do this project.”

I called Janine about moving Amir explaining why. She said if he is comfortable, a wheelchair could be used. So at dinner, I made the announcement. “If you all remember, the prize for the building painting contest was a trip to see Lion King. Most of you may have forgotten that, but I didn’t sooooooo. I now have the tickets, and this coming Monday, we’re going to see Lion King.”

It was very quiet, and then like it sunk in, they started to yell and clap. “We’ll go in buses, and we’ll have some older people with us to make sure we all get the right seats, and no one will bother you. I want you to wear your Sanctuary shirts, so please make sure you have clean shirts. If your shirt is torn or stained, see Pat or Jeff, and they’ll give you a new one.”

One of the kids from the raid put up his hand, “We weren’t part of that contest. Do we still get to go?”

“Yes, when we do activities at Sanctuary, we all go even if you became one of us today.”

There was excitement among the kids. But I think it was more than the fact they were going. We had proven to them that if I say something will happen, then it’ll happen. Trust in adults is always important, but for kids who have experienced that trust being broken time after time, they find it hard to believe words. Only deeds will satisfy them.”

Pat came and sat beside me; I put my arm around him and hugged him. “The kids said that it was a lie about going to see The Lion King. I told them they had to wait and see.” I gave him another squeeze,

“I have a job for you. Take these keys to the busses and count the seats, also see if the seats are big enough so three people can sit just in case we have to squeeze in.”

“Is Amir going too?”

“Yes, he’ll use a wheelchair and probably ride with me on the bus.”