Orphaned

Chapter 10 : Caught

Chapter 10

2 weeks later...

Riker POV

I was out of pills. I needed more. Good thing I'd taken money from my house before I came here...

I nervously walked down the hall to room 15. Ell was in the shower right now, so I figured I was safe. I still hadn't told him, and I wanted to keep it that way.

The guy opened the door for me.

"Back for more, I see."

He gestured for me to come in, so I did. He shut the door.

"How much do you want?"

"I have another 20 bucks."

"Alright, so 2 more weeks."

I handed him the money and my empty pill bottle. He gave me more pills, and then yelled at me to get out.

Ellington caught me in the hallway.

"What were you doing in there?" Ellington asked, walking over to me.

"Nothing."

I slid the pill bottle into my back jeans pocket.

"Really? Because you've been being really weird for like more than a week now."

I pulled my shirt down, hoping it covered my pocket enough. I kept walking beside Ell to my bedroom. I went into my bedroom, and sat down uncomfortably. Ell shut the door, and sat down too.

"What's been going on, Riker? I feel like you don't talk to me like you used to, like when you first got here. And then all of a sudden, your nightmares are just gone? Are you going to like... a secret therapist or something?"

"No. I don't know why they stopped."

"Well then tell me what you were doing walking out of that boy's room."

"Nothing! Just asking him a question!"

"What question?"

"It's none of your business!"

"Riker, you're getting defensive. I know that means you're hiding something."

"I'm not hiding anything!"

"Stand up."

"No!"

"Riker-"

"No!"

Ell tackled me on my bed. He was slightly younger than me, but he was stronger. I was really skinny, and had almost no muscle.

He flipped me over on my stomach while I was desperately trying to get him off. I covered my butt with my hands, not wanting him to see the pills. But instead, that was a dead giveaway of where to look.

He pried my hands off, and I started crying. I felt him take the bottle out of my pocket, and then he got off of me.

"Pills!? Riker, why!? You can't be taking these!"

I curled into a ball.

"I had to!" I cried, sobbing now.

"What are they for?"

"T-to help me s-sleep!"

"So you were paying that guy for these?"

I nodded. But I couldn't see Ell anymore. My glasses had come off my face, and my eyes were filled with tears.

"I don't want you taking these, Riker. They can do serious stuff to your body."

"I need them to sleep! Otherwise... nightmares! Please, Ell!"

"No, Riker. I'm not letting you hurt yourself."

"No! I need them! I can't sleep without them!"

"Riker, you slept without them when you first got here. You'll be fine."

"But Ell, the dreams! Please!"

"Riker, this is for the best."

He went to leave, but I jumped up, and stopped him. I ripped the bottle from his hands, and jumped back in bed. I curled into a ball, holding the pills underneath me.

"Riker."

"I c-can't d-deal with the d-dreams!"

Ell wrapped his arms around me, and pulled me up into a sitting position on his lap. He pried the bottle out of my hands.

"Riker. I don't want you to have to turn to drugs. It isn't healthy."

"I know it's bad! And I'm sorry! But I hate the dreams! I can't sleep, and I get so scared! You can't make me go through that again! Please!"

"Ok... How about this? We'll compromise, ok? I'll let you keep the pills, and I won't tell on you, but you have to promise to only take them when you really need them, which is not every night. Only when you really can't fall asleep or have a really bad night, ok?"

I nodded. Ell put the bottle on the top shelf. He sat down next to me, and then pulled me into a tight hug. I cried a little bit into his shoulder.

"Riker, if you ever need to talk, you know you can come to me, right?"

"Yeah..."

"And if you wake up in the middle of the night, you can wake me up. I don't mind."

"Ok... Ell?"

"What?"

"Do you think we're going to get adopted?"

"I don't know... Why do you ask?"

"Because I want a real home again..."

I started to cry more. Ell just pulled me to him in another tight hug.

"I want my parents back, Ell! I miss them!" I said, crying harder.

"I know. It'll be ok."

"When does it stop hurting!?"

"Shhh... Come on. How about you get in bed? You need some sleep."

"No! The nightmares!"

"Riker. Come on. Calm down for me. I'll stay with you until you fall asleep, ok?"

I nodded my head, and Ell got me in bed. I wasn't making any noise, but tears were still coming down my cheeks.

The last thing I remember thinking of that night was my parents, and if I'd ever get new parents and be a normal kid again. I cried myself to sleep.