“I don’t want to see. It’s too scary,” Christopher whispered.
“Christopher? Are you okay?” Matt said.
Christopher turned around quickly. He looked startled.
“How long were you standing there?” he asked.
“Just now. What’s wrong with your eyes?” Matt asked.
“What do you mean?” Christopher said.
“They’re so bloodshot.”
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry, okay?”
Matt nodded, but he did worry about it. Christopher rubbed his exhausted eyes. Then, he looked down at Matt’s pants and saw the streak of urine staining the denim a dark blue. Matt’s face went hot with shame.
“Don’t tell. Please,” Matt said.
“I won’t,” Christopher whispered.
“No, I really mean it. My brother would never stop teas—”
Without a word, Christopher pointed down to reveal the pee stain on his own pants.
“You had a nightmare, too?” Matt asked.
“Yeah. So don’t worry.”
Christopher smiled at him. And somehow, Matt felt better.
“What were you doing?” Matt asked.
Christopher paused for a moment.
“Digging for treasure,” he finally said.
“Can I help?” Matt asked.
“Sure. Grab a shovel.”
“Can we change our pants first? I don’t want Mike to see that I wet the bed, okay?”
Christopher smiled, and the boys quickly rummaged through their backpacks and pulled out fresh underwear and pants. They peeled their underwear off like bananas. The cold air hit their willies (Matt’s word), which retreated back into their bodies like scared turtles. Then, they quickly put on the fresh clothes, which felt warm and soft and dry. Christopher opened up the tools and handed Matt a small shovel. They began to dig for treasure. Side by side.
“Who were you talking to?” Matt asked.
“Myself,” Christopher said. “Now hurry. You don’t want anyone else to get the treasure, do you?”
They spent the next half hour digging. They didn’t talk much. Matt noticed that Christopher kept looking at the white plastic bag, but he didn’t think too much of it. Matt knew that Special Ed was Christopher’s best friend, but Matt secretly thought Christopher was his. And he didn’t mind coming in second to Special Ed. He was used to it by now. He had come in second to Mike his whole life. The only thing that bothered him was a nagging question in his mind. The thing that woke him up in the first place.
What was that sound?
It was on the tip of his tongue.
“What are you guys doing?” Special Ed asked before Matt could place it.
Matt and Christopher turned to see Special Ed and Mike approach, rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. Their breath making clouds.
“Digging for treasure,” Matt said.
“Can we help?” Mike asked Christopher.
“Sure, Mike.”
“I’ll make breakfast,” Special Ed said, finding his niche.
Mike picked up the shovel and used his strong arms to cut through the frozen earth. Matt looked at Christopher to see if he would tell Mike about wetting the bed. Christopher smiled as if to say, “Your secret is safe with me.”
*
Later, the boys had their breakfast of Froot Loops with cold milk from the stream. Christopher said nothing of the terror. Nothing of the guard whispering his name. Or the sound of the baby crying, which had woken up Matt. He knew that the truth would scare Matt. And he didn’t want anyone but him to be scared. So, Christopher said nothing of the nice man explaining what would happen to him if he didn’t finish the tree house in time. The less they knew, the better. And the safer for everyone. And he knew that if he did tell them, they might get scared and run away. And he needed their help.
When they finished the Froot Loops, he made sure Mike got the sugar dust, and Matt got the prize. Then, Christopher thanked Special Ed for a great breakfast.
It was important to keep his troops happy.
When morning came, the sun warmed their cold bones. They worked in shifts. Two boys building the tree house. The other two boys digging. After a snack of frozen Oreos and the last of the milk, Special Ed joined Christopher, hacking at the frozen earth looking for treasure.
No treasure came.
But at about 7:06 a.m., they did find a child’s skeleton.
Chapter 27
The call came in at 7:30 a.m.
And the news began to spread.
The sheriff’s night deputy went to church that Sunday morning to pray. He told Father Tom, who changed his homily to speak about how the remains of a child were found in the Mission Street Woods. He said that the child was in Heaven now, and as sad as the town was, they should rejoice in the power of Christ’s forgiveness.