by Darrell Bain
"I'm glad you didn't. It would only have caused trouble."
"They're the ones causing trouble, Mom. I just want to be myself. I bet somebody recorded the whole thing and we'll see it on the news tonight." She had momentarily stopped crying, but thinking of even more publicity that would invariably call her something like "Tiger Girl" or "The Girl Who Can Talk To Animals" or make some wild comment about her dog biting and drawing blood caused the tears fill her eyes again. They would probably call her other, even more lurid names now. She was sure anyone who had recorded the violence that happened would send it to a television station or post it on the web. An account would certainly be in the newspapers. She sniffed, trying to stop her nose from running.
"Don't worry, Sammie. We'll do something about this. Come on now and sit down. I'll call Marie and see if she can come get you. She will be there won't she?"
"Oh, sure," Samantha said. She wiped at her eyes. "Mrs. Orleans wouldn't let that many kids be there unless she was."
"Okay, let me call."
Mrs. Orleans agreed to come get Samantha. While they were waiting Elaine decided to peek through the front blinds to see if their unwelcome visitors were gone, either arrested for causing a disturbance or run away. They had, but now a new group came marching along the sidewalk toward their home and spilling out into the street, fully two dozen people of middle age or better. They were all wearing cross necklaces and carrying signs and huge Bibles
"Oh, my God, no!" she whispered to herself as she saw what was written on them.
THE END IS NEAR
SATAN'S SPAWN!
DAUGHTER OF THE DEVIL DELIGHTS MAN-EATERS!
NO CHILD OF GOD MAY CONSORT WITH BEASTS!
GO BACK TO HELL WHERE YOU CAME FROM!
SAMANTHA, THE NAME FOR WITCHES.
THE BIBLE SAYS: THOU SHALT NOT SUFFER A WITCH TO LIVE!
TALK TO GOD, NOT HIS CREATURES!
DIE IN AGONY, HEATHEN!
Another, smaller bunch of sign-bearers were arriving from the opposite direction, mostly men but with a few women, all of whom were wearing head scarves. In a way, the signs this new group were displaying were even worse.
CLEAR THE FILTH!
DOGS UNCLEAN!
Satan's Spawn talks to dogs!
Allahu Akbar!
EVIL DOGS DIE!
DAUGHTER OF THE DEVIL GO BACK TO HELL!
LOVERS OF DOGS -- UNCLEAN HERETICS!
Some were even worse, implying a carnal relationship between Samantha and Shufus. Elaine dropped the blinds back into place and covered her face with her hands, unable to believe the cruelty some people could exhibit toward a blameless girl. Even worse, she couldn't for the life of her understand how anyone could possibly believe such patent nonsense. She thought of calling the police again but heard an approaching siren. Someone else must have beat her to it again.
When Samantha came toward her wanting to see what new malicious incident was happening outside, her mother stepped in front of her, barring her path. "No, Sammie. I don't want you to even see those vile people. They're even worse than the others. Just sit down and wait. The police will be here again in a minute and they'll run those lunatics off." She knew her daughter would almost certainly find out about the newest marchers with her computer even if they didn't make the news, but she also knew that seeing them on a screen and seeing them in person was much different. Whatever upset she could spare her from, she would.
Samantha obeyed reluctantly. She sat down on the couch and Shufus jumped up beside her. She hugged him and rubbed her cheek against his smooth fur. Shufus licked her face, knowing she was unhappy and trying in his own way to comfort her. It helped. She could always count on Shufus.
Two patrol cars arrived in a hurry. Chief Donnart had kept them on alert nearby in case the first demonstrators returned. As soon as they drove up, the newest gathering broke and ran in all directions. The officers in the patrol cars made no attempt to chase them. Instead, one of the vehicles followed several of them while the other parked just down the street. A sergeant got out and came to the door.
Elaine opened it for him after making certain no one else was in sight.
"Mrs. Douglas, the chief said to tell you that we're going to park a patrol car near here for the next few days and keep the harassment of your daughter down as much as we possibly can."
"Thank you, Sergeant and please thank Chief Donnart for me. Someone will be arriving in a few minutes to take Samantha to a friend's home for a while. Would you mind following them to make certain they're not intercepted or bothered on the way?"
"We'll be glad to ma'am. I'm just sorry it happened. Fortunately, there aren't too many of those types around here. Unfortunately, the ones who are make up for the vast majority who aren't. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if some of those we corralled aren't from somewhere other than this area." He touched his head with his fingers in a sort of salute and returned to his vehicle.
A moment later Marie Orleans arrived. As soon as the bell rang Samantha jumped up from the couch and ran to the door. Elaine opened it first and let her in. They talked for a few moments with Elaine telling Marie what had happened. "If any of those nut-cases go near your home, please call the police right away. And one of the patrol cars is going to follow you to make certain you aren't bothered on the way."
"Thanks, Elaine. Ready, Sammie?"
"Yes, ma'am. Come on Shufus, let's go."
***
A half hour later Samantha was listening to some new songs in dollar rock, a popular format of teen musical tastes that had emerged just recently. It was mixed with an old Country Music artist who had been newly revived. All the while, listening and using their phones at the same time, the girls were still managing to talk about their favorite subject, boys and their peculiarities. It also involved speculation on which one liked which girl and who had broken up with whom.
Samantha mostly just listened. It was hard for her to forget about the scenes in front of her house. She was really glad that none of the girls so much as mentioned her time on television and other media outlets. It embarrassed her when anyone her age spoke to her about her talent. Many of them were rude about not believing she actually did anything unusual despite the videos. Others appeared to take pleasure in making fun of her. She was glad she had Betty and a couple of other girlfriends she could talk to without it coming between them.
***
Thomas Hoover was sitting in Meriweather's office at the CPS floor of the courthouse annex several days later, expounding enthusiastically to Jesha Meriweather over the story he intended to write, the one that would almost certainly be read by Judge Edmonson and incline him toward seeing the danger Samantha Douglas' parents were subjecting their daughter to. "Would you believe it, Jesha, they even take her to the zoo to mingle with those wild animals, tigers and wolves and who knows what all. And of course she's too young to realize all the dreadful things that could happen to her there. Not only that, they allow her to go traipsing around the city wherever she pleases with that dog of hers. She could very easily be grabbed by a sexual predator or by someone who actually believes she can talk to animals and want to use her for their own purposes. Just all kinds of stuff like that."
"Oh, I agree, Tom. The only thing standing between removing her from those dangers right now is that damned Chief of Police, Donnart. But that won't last, not after your article hits the media. Then, just as quickly as she rescinds her order not to allow an officer to accompany us, we're home free. I, or CPS rather, can then remove her from that awful environment and place her in a decent home. I have just the one that would suit her in mind. The family is very strict with the children we place with them, but no more than is necessary to keep them out of trouble. And even better, they don't allow dogs in their home," she added maliciously. "Dogs are nothing but disease carriers, not to mention all the stories you read about how they're always mauling or even killing small children. Why, that huge dog she keeps is a menace and... " She paused her mon
olog as a sudden thought struck her. "As a matter of fact, I heard that the dog actually bit a number of peaceful demonstrators on the public sidewalk in front of her home a few days ago. Add that to your article, Tom, and it ought to really drive home what a dangerous environment she's is. I'll also see about having that dog picked up and tested for rabies, just as it should have been done already." She smiled maliciously, thinking of how that would be a perfect payback for all the trouble and humiliation that girl had caused her while she was simply doing her best to carry out her duties as the custodian of abused children.
"That sounds great, Jesha. Hey, I thought of something else. How about if I--" He was interrupted by the ringing of Meriweather's phone.
The CPS Director picked up the receiver irritably. She answered the call just as irritably as she felt at being interrupted. "Meriweather. CPS," she said in a tone that brooked no nonsense. Her side of the conversation deteriorated very quickly from there and was terminated a minute later.
Hoover saw the expression on her face and knew it spelled trouble. "What is it, Jesha? Anything I can help you with?"
"No, not a damned thing, Mr. Hoover. That was Judge Edmonson. He just informed me that he is planning on rescinding his order for CPS to take custody of the Douglas girl. Not only that, but he told me flatly not to interfere in their lives in any form or fashion again or he would have me thrown in jail for malfeasance in office! Goddamnit, how could they do this to me?"
"Can't you fight it? I could--"
"You could get out of my office and quit bothering me, that's what you can do. And don't you dare write another word about CPS involvement with that brat."
"But Jesha... "
"Don't but me, Hoover. Just get your ass out of here before I have you thrown out!"
Hoover saw the obvious and departed without another word, leaving Jesha Meriweather sitting at her desk and wondering spitefully who held enough power to give a sitting judge orders such as she had just been subjected to. She doubted desolately that she would ever find out.Thomas Hoover decided that it might be best to find something else to write about besides Samantha Douglas. It appeared that she had some powerful friends somewhere up the line and he had no desire at all to tangle with them.
***
"Jennie? This is Anton McCallister."
"Yes, sir?"
"You're still seeing the Douglas girl on a regular basis, aren't you?"
"Yes, sir."
"We're going to have to get her moved before something bad happens to her. I need you to talk to the parents and try to gently steer them to a real estate agent I'll tell you about. She has a listing for some places they might like which are rather isolated. Could you do that?"
"Certainly, sir. But... well, if you don't mind me suggesting it, wouldn't she and her family be safer if they were brought into the agency? We have some vacant units, don't we?"
"Yes, and she probably would be safer here, but the consensus among the scientists is that she needs to grow up as normally as possible while still exercising her talent."
"She's that important?" Jennie knew she shouldn't have asked that question but it had burst from her mouth before she could call it back.
Anton hesitated for a moment then said, "We really have no idea. It's possible that she will become important but then again, perhaps not. In any event, our possible use for her is still several years away, or so we believe."
Again Jennie couldn't help herself. "That sounds so... so cold and impersonal. She's a very sweet girl, sir. I hate to think of us using her like... like a weapon or something."
His voice was gentle. "It's not that way at all, Jennie. Or it won't be, if we use her at all. I'm sorry I can't tell you more."
"I shouldn't have asked. Just give me the name of the real estate company and the agent you want them to use and I'll try working it into a conversation with her parents as soon as I can."
"Thank you. Here's her name and her office number. She'll be expecting them to call or drop by or maybe just contact her by email." He gave her the information and they disconnected.
Jennie wasn't much use for anything else the rest of the day but she recovered after remembering how she had heard the gentleness in Anton McAllister's voice, even through the distortion of the encrypted conversation.
Chapter Twenty
"Any luck, dear?" Elaine asked her husband when he arrived home an hour after she had taken Samantha to Betty's house again, just about the only friend she was allowed to visit now.
"Yes, but let me tell you the good news first. It's not final yet but Steve told me he heard from one of his contacts at the courthouse that Judge Edmonson is going to rescind his order to take Sammie away from us."
"Oh, wonderful!" Elaine hugged her husband so hard he gasped."And the way Steve described it, Meriweather is going to be told to leave us alone in the future. It's not official yet, so Steve told us not to mention it to anyone."
"That's even better," she said, wiping at incipient tears of happiness with a tissue. Despite Steve's assurances, she had been having nightmares of the CPS in the form of an evil-faced Meriweather barging into their home with a squad of police and grabbing Sammie. Sometimes they took only her. Other nightmares had them taking her and Shufus and locking them both in an animal control van together, where they cried and howled in misery.
"I think that new agent Jennie told you about yesterday found us a good place away from here. It's not ideal but maybe the people out there will accept Sammie for what she is and not try to make her into some kind of devil or angel."
"Speaking of the devil... " she went on to tell him about the new demonstrations outside the house that morning after he'd gone to work. Again, they were bearing placards naming Samantha a demon, a devil or worse. Again, she'd had to call the police in order to force them to move away. Twice they'd reformed as soon as the patrol cars were out of sight but each time a number of them had been arrested. Finally their diminishing numbers had dispersed for good, or at least for the day. They had already both agreed that there wasn't much choice but to move again.
"I guess it's just as well we're leaving then. As long as we, or Sammie rather, is accessible we'll never have any peace." He shook his head. "At least none of those kooks tried to get the animal control people to impound Shufus, thinking he has rabies."
"That's ridiculous. He was just protecting Sammie and a good thing, too, or she might have been the one who was hurt. As is, she got scratches all over her body the day they first showed up, and they actually pulled some of her hair out."
"Damn it, maybe we ought to try to have those nuts checked for rabies!"
Elaine smiled grimly. "That might be enough to keep the animal control people away from us. While I'm making us some coffee, tell me about the place you said might work."
Ronald followed his wife into the kitchen and talked while she put the coffee on. "It's out west, not the desert part but the area where there are some forests, in the foothills of the Rockies. It's a wild animal sanctuary that provides a place for unwanted exotic animals. You know, the kind that people buy when they're just babies, then get so big they can't keep them anymore. Those kind, and then others where people have gone bankrupt or had their homes foreclosed and had to get rid of their pets. There are also injured animals that are brought to them by kindly souls."
"I feel sorry for those people who have to give up their pets."
"I do, too, but at least they know when the animals go to the sanctuary they'll be cared for. It was endowed by someone who loved just about any kind of animals from just about anywhere, so there's no worry about keeping them fed or having someone care for them. They try their best to find homes for all of them, too. "
Elaine noticed a slight hesitancy in his description. "But?"
"But what?"
She smiled wryly. "You haven't told me everything yet, Ron. You've got that look on your face like you used to have when you and Sammie put one over on me."
He chuckled. "Guilty. T
here's a position open at the sanctuary for an environmental control officer. The catch is that they want a couple, one for environmental control and one for administrative assistant to the Director."
"Why a couple?"
"It's kind of isolated. Wild country and not many living in the area. I got the impression that it's hard to get help and even when they do, it's hard to keep their employees. They apparently think a couple would last longer if both of them are involved."
"I see. I guess I'd have to take that assistant's job, huh?"
"Afraid so. Otherwise it sounds real good. Sammie would have a lot of animals to make friends with and I'd have a pretty well-paying job that I could do in my sleep. But... "
"You're wondering if I want to go back to work, aren't you? Ron, I have a degree I haven't used since Sammie was born. She's getting on toward fourteen now. I wouldn't mind working outside the home again."
He put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "You're sure?"
"Of course I'm sure. I wouldn't say so if I wasn't." She stood on tiptoes and kissed him. "Even if it's not exactly what we'd like, remember that Sammie will be leaving home for college in just a few years, and maybe even sooner the way she eats up those advanced courses she takes online. Maybe we could keep her safe there until she does leave. Now drink your coffee and when you finish you can go pick up Sammie. Oh, one more thing. Is there a school nearby?"
"Most of the kids in the area are either home schooled or were. I believe that the few families with kids in the area have instituted a group school and each family rotates the duty, with all the kids going to one house for a week or two then to another."
"Would she be able to get a decent education that way?"
"According to the director, the kids are ahead of the national standard for their ages by a pretty big margin. That says a lot for them. Sammie would have to take a placement test in several areas of study but we both know she'd have no problem with them. Every time I see her reading something new and ask her about it, she's gotten interested in a new subject. Sometimes I think we've birthed a genius. And besides, they get to go to school activities if they want to, and if they can get transportation that far. It's more than 50 miles from the sanctuary to the nearest school, most of the way on secondary roads."
