Brian Kelly Irons

Chapter 1

Toby was a good kid at the beginning. How evil can a newborn baby really be? Don’t answer that. His parents, Tina and Carl, loved him as if he was their own. No matter how hard they tried, Carl and Tina were unable to have children. Adoption was their only choice. They jumped through all the hoops, cut through all the red tape, and found themselves with a brand new baby boy.

For the first two years, Toby was as normal as any other child. After this, he began to show signs of extraordinary advancement. He started speaking much earlier than the average toddler, and his motor skills were so far ahead of the average child. At age 4, Toby was becoming aggressive with other children in the neighborhood. So much so that Carl and Tina chose to have him examined by a professional. This is where I enter the story.

It was raining in sheets of humid torment when Carl and Tina Sobel entered the waiting room of Doctor Emmet Lockwood PhD. They filled out the forms and answered all the annoying questions that go along with situations like this. Then it was Tobys’ turn. Carl and Tina were asked to have a seat in the waiting room. Toby sat in an overstuffed armchair, unmoving.

“Toby, do you know why you’re here?”

“Mom and Dad are afraid that because I’m smarter than they are, there must be something wrong with me.”

“Do you think there’s something wrong with you?”

Toby thought for a moment. I waited anxiously. I feared that his answer could only spur further questions, and I could see that the conversation, or what little conversation there was, annoyed him.

“Yes.”

I noticed the faintest hint of a grin on his tiny face. It wasn’t there very long, only a moment, and then it was gone. He was an intriguing little boy.

“And what is it that you believe is wrong with you, Toby?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Are you afraid to talk with me?”

His small head nodded that he was and he looked up in my direction.

“Toby, your parents love you very much and they are concerned about your recent behavior. I’d like to talk about the incident that happened with the young girl last Tuesday.”

“Charlotte.”

“I beg your pardon.”

“Her name is Charlotte. She’s my friend.”

“Toby, you punched her in her face and broke her nose. She is still in the hospital. This is the main reason why you are here. The girl’s parents have filed charges.”

Toby did not react to this last statement, other than folding his knees into his chest as if he were hiding behind them. From my experience, I knew the boy was afraid. What I needed to ascertain was if he knew what he did was wrong. I certainly had my work cut out for me.

The session was over for the day and Toby’s parents were brought back in. As Toby waited outside, he heard some of what was being said about him. He began to cry, then dug his fingers into his eyes.

“Mr. and Mrs. Sobel, Toby has experienced some type of trauma that he is unwilling to talk about at this time. It is not my intention, nor is it healthy to push him into speaking about it.”

“What type of trauma?” Mr. Sobel was beside himself.

“That’s the question we need to answer. And only he can answer it. With children that young, they need to process these intrusions in their own way, in their own time. Which is why I will need to see Toby every day. Preferably at this time. The attendant outside will confirm the arrangement.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Mrs. Sobel said, behind a mask of tears.

Once the Sobels had retreated back into the rain, I sat and contemplated the last hour. What was my best approach? This was going to take radical action; something I haven’t done or even attempted in quite some time. However, I was determined to protect this child. Not only was it my duty, but it seemed that no one else was going to perform the necessary task. It was clear to me that this young man was in extreme danger, and the time to act was at hand.

The Sobels returned home that afternoon. The event had left a pall that covered everyone and everything. Mrs. Sobel prepared dinner while her husband took his mind off of things by busying himself with cleaning the garage. Toby relegated himself to his bedroom. As any normal boy his age would, Toby pulled out his favorite toys and created an imaginary world of happiness. Complete with race cars and farm animals. I chill came through his open window, uncharacteristic for the season. The chill brought with it a voice. A voice that only Toby could hear.

He stood and went to the window and saw his father working in the garage. Power tools and other items were strewn across the driveway.

He’s not your father, Toby.

Toby jumped off the floor and hid himself under the blankets of his bed. Terrified, he shook with horror. In his mind, Toby saw images of a world unknown to him. There was a man and a woman arguing. The man was yelling loudly, though Toby could not hear what was being said. The woman was crying while gently holding her inflated belly. There was a crack as the woman fell to the floor. The man picked her up by her hair and threw her back down to the hard floor. The woman remained on the floor, sobbing.

Toby gathered himself and raced downstairs. Mrs. Sobel was at the sink rinsing dishes. There was a knife on the counter just out of her reach. Toby took it in his hands and stepped towards her.

Do it, Toby. Do it!

Tina Sobel turned around slowly and saw that her beautiful baby boy was staring right at her. He reached for her, and she lifted him up to her hip. Toby glanced down at the table to see the knife right where he had placed it.

This troubled me. From my experience, it was only a matter of time before things got out of hand. If he kept going this way, his life would only become more difficult for him.

Chapter 2 coming soon