The Drill

Clarissa rolled her eyes once again and pulled her hand away. 'Mom, what does he have to do with what we're talking about right now? I'm the murder suspect, not Sineas.'

'Yes, dear, but I'm telling you, that boy is trouble- I can feel it in my bones.'

'But Sineas is a good guy! He's not like all the other boys in our school. He's totally…'

'Please don't tell me that he's different, Claire because I don't think I can take much more.'

'Mom, if only you knew how kind he is, he's also funny and charming and very smart…'

'Justin was smart. And if I recall, he was funny too…and kind. Two months later and you were wishing you had never met him.'

Clarissa replied, 'Justin was a jerk from the beginning. I just rolled with it because Sabrina and Doreen convinced me that a guy like Justin was a rare find.'

'And don't you think it's a matter of time before this Murphy boy also shows his true colours? Claire, his own mother escaped from a mental asylum last night. Breechwood Asylum! That place has more security than the president's home! And you're telling me you want to get involved with a family like that? You want a future mother-in-law who can scale walls, pick locks and see stars during the day? For all we know, that boy and his aunt could be hiding her in their basement.'

'I don't think they have a basement,' she answered in a matter-of-fact way.

'What?'

'Nothing.'

'Clarissa, the point I'm trying to make is that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I've told you that like a dozen times already.'

She looked down at the table. She grinned. 'Yeah, but if you pick it up and clean it up then you're good to go,' she said almost to herself. Her face blossomed.

Her mother squinted hard. 'Clarissa, what are you talking about?'

She quickly relinquished her suspicious smile. 'I am saying, mom, that just because a killer or robber gave birth to you it doesn't mean that you're destined to follow in their footsteps.'

'Maybe, Claire. Maybe. Let's just say that you're one hundred percent right…for the sake of this discussion. One thing you should know, Claire, is that behaviour isn't created; it's learned.'

'If that's true then why are we so different?'

Her mother's eyes widened. She opened her mouth to speak. She paused. She finally said, 'Clarissa, that boy's father shot himself. His…'

'Mother was in a maximum security asylum which she escaped from last night, I get it, mom, you've shoved that in my face a million times already. Mom, his mother could have assassinated the president or drowned a litter of puppies for all I care…but not him. Sineas is…'

'Not that word again!' her mother snapped waving her finger sternly, 'Clarissa, I do not want to hear that sordid word again!'

Clarissa shrugged innocently, turning her eyes back to the table. 'I was going to say special,' she said.

Her mother's eyebrows went up. She looked quite confused. 'Special how? You mean as in retarded?'

'Special as in exceptional…unique. He just…he just…' her eyes wandered pensively towards the ceiling, '…has this amazing and wonderful perception about life that makes you stop and think for a second. A refreshing…'

'Do you love him?'

Clarissa's eyes widened unexpectedly. She opened her mouth after a long pause, 'Why would you ask me that?'

'When Mrs Lancaster saw you in the park, she said the way you looked at him…'

'Mom, that old lady couldn't tell the difference between a mouse and a cat if both were squeaking and purring in her lap. I look at everyone the same way. I smile at people the same…'

'What about Sabrina and Doreen?'

'What about Sabrina and Doreen?'

'Is that Murphy boy the reason you're no longer friends? Did his wise and omniscient perception on life tell you that they were bad for you?'

Clarissa sniggered. 'Sabrina and Doreen are just two skanks with an undying reserve of nasty…and lust.'

'So which friends do you have now and don't mention that Murphy boy because I think your father and I made it very clear about you staying far from him.'

'Then in that case I don't have any friends.'

'Do you see what that boy has done to you, Claire? He's filled your mind with…'

'Sineas did nothing to me, mom. He has however shown me that Malrich High is full of boring people.'

'Boring?'

'Yeah. They're all just a bunch of clichés.'

Mrs. Sherman was lost for words. She just looked deeply into her daughter's eyes. She said, 'Either way; no contact with this boy now and forever. Good night.' She got up and left the kitchen.

Sineas and his aunt had just finished watching a movie. On Fridays and Saturdays she allowed him to stay up late for as long as he wanted. They were now sitting in silence just watching the end credits.

'Everything fine at school?' she asked him.

He nodded.

'Doctor Jacob?'

He nodded again.

There was a full minute of silence between them.

'Sin, is there something you want to tell me?' she asked him.

'Like?' He looked inquisitively at her.

'Your mother. Has she contacted you yet?'

He shook his head. 'You?'

She also shook her head. 'The police came here this morning after you left for school. I was about to head out for work when I saw them walking towards the door.'

'So they searched the house?'

'They searched the house,' she confirmed nodding slowly.

'Was it Charles?' he asked her.

'No, some other cops; one male and one female.'

More silence.

'If you know where she is…'