Cerdic’s inquisition
continued for another fifteen minutes, Godric replying as he knew a boy in his
present position would, sometimes truthfully, sometimes defiantly refusing to
answer as if wanting to keep some part of his past life secret.
Finally, Cerdic leaned back,
staring thoughtfully at the ceiling for long moments. Then he said, “Would you
like to get off the streets and move in here?”
“Depends. I mean yeah, sure,
but what’s the catch?”
Cerdic chuckled. “No
‘catch’. You live here with me and six other boys. You’ll share a room with
Manny, share the chores with everyone, attend classes, and work out in the gym
daily. If you accept, the first thing that will happen is that you’ll be taken
to get new clothes and whatever else you need in the way of sundries.”
“Sounds—okay I guess.”
Godric glanced at Manny. “You okay with my invading your space?”
“He has no say in the
matter,” Cerdic said sharply before Manny could reply. “This is not a
democracy. What I say goes. Until you get the hang of things you’ll need a
mentor and since Manny found you, he gets you.”
“Yeah, and if I don’t want
to obey your orders?”
“You will be punished.”
Godric jumped to his feet.
“That’s why I ran in the first place. I’m not going to let myself in for more
beating. So thanks, but I’ll pass.” He watched Cerdic’s face, hoping he hadn’t
just thrown his chances away, even though he knew it was the sort of response
the kid he was supposed to be would have made to what the man had just said.
Cerdic smiled, turning his
attention to Manny. “Take him upstairs, show him around.”
“I just said I’m not
sticking around,” Godric said defiantly.
“Then you’d be passing up a
good opportunity, Rick,” Cerdic told him. “You’ve passed all my tests, I think
you’ve got what it takes, and for your information, and you can ask the others,
I never beat any of them. There are more ways to punish than that, ways that
teach the lesson much better.”
“Truth?” Godric looked at
Manny for confirmation.
“Yeah, truth. So you
sticking around?”
Godric nodded. “Yeah, sure.
At least for now.”
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