A Foster's Home

Chapter 4

Billy ran into the house and to his room before Freddy could come in. He locked the door and took out the sketchbook and put it back under Freddy's pillow. Then he started looking around the room for anymore sketchbooks. He already checked the desk, so that ruled out one spot.

He ran to the closet and looked around. He didn't realize how much junk was in there until now. It might take centuries before he could find anything. Based on what Billy saw, it was more superhero stuff. Can't he collect anything other than superhero stuff? He rummaged through the closet quickly. He heard the front door open. There were just too many things. It was impossible to find anything in the closet.

Then there was a certain box that caught his eye. It was hidden underneath a pile of clothes. Whatever it was, Freddy meant for it to be secret. Billy felt a pang of guilt for even searching for it, but he didn't let that stop him. The box was labeled drawings of memories. He removed the clothes from the box and looked inside. The box was filled with sketchbooks, almost to the top.

Someone knocked on the door. Billy panicked and put the clothes back on the box. "Yeah?"

"Billy," said the person. It was Mary. "It's us. Freddy's downstairs eating something."

Billy ran to the door and opened it for his siblings. They all quickly entered the room. They sat on the floor to talk.

"Are you sure you want to do this Billy?" Mary asked. "It just feels wrong going behind his back."

"I know, but I'm doing this for Freddy. If whatever happened that day traumatized him that much, he needs help. We can't just ignore this and never mention his past. It's like putting antibiotics on a wound, but never putting a bandaid on it so it could fully heal. If we keep ignoring this, it might make this worse."

"Worse than a breakdown?" Pedro asked.

"It's better for him to let it out than keeping it in all his life."

They all remained silent for a while.

Mary nodded. "Billy's right. We need to help him. We're family. We help each out no matter what." Everyone nodded.

Darla looked over at the closet. "Why's the closet open?" They all looked at the closet.

"Oh, I was looking for any clues. There's a lot more superhero stuff in there that he didn't take out for some reason. There were also sketchbooks that I know he draws important stuff in. I know one of those can find the answers I'm looking for."

Mary gave Billy a sad look, as if she knew something. She got up and walked toward the closet and closed the door. "Billy, those are Freddy's most prized possessions. They mean a lot to him, more than the things out here. There's a reason why he doesn't take them out."

"What do you mean? Why not?" asked Eugene.

Mary looked at the closet then back at her siblings. She sighed and opened the closet door. She rummaged through the closet and reached for what she was looking for. Then she came back out with a sketchbook. Its cover was blue.

Mary sat back down with her siblings. She handed the sketchbook to Billy. "This is the sketchbook that will answer your questions. He showed it to me that day." She looked at the door. "We have to make this quick."

Billy nodded. He stared at the sketchbook in his hands. The guilt inside him hit him harder. It felt really wrong to go behind his brother's back. This was something that has been traumatizing him for years. If Freddy found out what his siblings were up to he would never forgive them. It broke Billy's spirit, but he knew it needed to be done.