My Friend Bobby Page 3

don't eat it, Bobby, andBobby snarled at the dish. And then mommy said you tell the dog to eatit and I said no you're bad and you want to hurt Bobby, and then Ipicked up the dish and threw it at mommy. It missed and smashed on thewall and she screamed and turned and ran out into the other room. Shewas screaming for daddy and saying I can't stand it, he's a monster, amurderous little monster and we've got to get out of here before hekills us all, he knows what we're thinking, he's horrible, and then shewas on the telephone, and she couldn't make the words come out rightwhen she tried to talk.

  I was scared and I said come on Bobby let's lock ourselves up in my roomand we ran upstairs and locked the door. Mommy was banging things andlaughing and crying downstairs and screaming we've got to get out,he'll kill us if we don't, and a while later I heard the car coming upthe road fast, and saw daddy run into the house just as it started tosnow. Then mommy was screaming please, Ben, we've got to get out ofhere, he tried to kill me, and the dog is vicious, he bit me when Itried to make him stop.

  The next minute daddy was running up the stairs two at a time and Icould feel him inside my head for the first time and I knew he wasangry. He'd never been this angry before and he rattled the knob andsaid open this door Jimmy in a loud voice. I said no I won't and he saidopen the door or I'll break your neck when I get in there and then hekicked the door and kicked it again. The third time the lock broke andthe door flew open and daddy stood there panting. His eyes lookedterrible and he had a leather belt doubled up in his hand and he saidnow come out here and his voice was so loud it hurt my ears.

  Down below mommy was crying please Ben, take me away, he'll kill usboth, he's a monster! I said don't hurt me daddy it was mommy, she wasbad to me, and he said I said _come out here_ even louder. I was scaredthen and I said please daddy I'll be good I promise. Then he started forme with the belt and I screamed out Bobby! Don't let him hurt me, Bobby,and Bobby snarled like a wild animal and jumped at daddy and bit hiswrist so bad the blood spurted out. Daddy shouted and dropped the beltand kicked at Bobby but Bobby was too quick. He jumped for daddy againand I saw his white teeth flash and heard him snap close to daddy'sthroat and then Bobby was snarling and snapping and I was excited and Ishouted hurt him, Bobby, he's been bad to me too and he wants to hurt meand you've got to stop him.

  Then I saw daddy's eyes open wide, and felt something jump in his mind,something that I'd never felt there before and I knew he wasunderstanding my think-talk. I said I want Bobby to hurt you and mommybecause you're not nice to me, only Bobby and my panda are nice to me.Go ahead, Bobby, hurt him, bite him again and make him bleed. And thendaddy caught Bobby by the neck and threw him across the room and slammedthe door shut and dragged something heavy up to block it. In a minute hewas running downstairs shouting Carol, _I heard it!_ you were right allalong--_I felt him, I felt what he was thinking!_ And mommy criedplease, Ben, take me away, let's leave them and never come back, never,and daddy said it's horrible, he told that dog to kill me and it wentright for my throat, the boy is evil and monstrous. Even from downstairsI could feel daddy's fear pounding into my head and then I heard thedoor banging and looked out the window and saw daddy carrying suitcasesout through the snow to the car and then mommy came out running and thecar started down the hill and they were gone. Everything downstairs wasvery quiet. I looked out the window and I couldn't see anything but thebig falling snowflakes and the sun going down over the hill.

  Now Bobby and I and the panda are all together and I'm glad mommy anddaddy are gone. I went to sleep for a little while because my head hurtso but now I'm awake and Bobby is lying across the room licking his feetand I hope mommy and daddy never come back because Bobby will take careof me. Bobby is my friend and he said he'd always take care of me nomatter what and he understands my think-talk even if he isn't verysmart.

  It's beginning to get cold in the house now because nobody has gone downto fix the fire but I don't care about that. Pretty soon I will tellBobby to push open the door and go down and fix the fire and then I willtell him to get supper for me and then I will stay up all night becausemommy and daddy aren't here to make me go to bed. There's just me andBobby and the panda, and Bobby promised he'd take care of me becausehe's my friend.

  It's getting very cold now, and I'm getting hungry.