Chapter 9 - Humanity

Robert twists and turns in April’s hands, hanging high above the deep blue water, small waves lap at the legs of the dock as a few tiny ripples, most likely insects landing into the water, roll gently across the slightly choppy surface.

“Help!!” Robert screams desperately, his voice carrying off into the distance.

April laughs, turning her head as the same Sheriff's car that passed them on the road, pulls up to the dock, it’s brakes squeaking as it’s engine is silenced.

“Oh hey look, it’s the cops.” April says merrily, twisting Robert to face her.  She holds him high above her head, smiling.

“Maybe they’ll save baby!” April mocks, her tone dripping with condescension as she twists Robert’s tiny body left and right in the air.

A car door slams behind them.

“April.” A masculine voice calls out from the end of the dock, the sound of keys jangling filling the air, as a large, young man in a deputy’s uniform walks onto the dock.  His medium brown hair sways a bit in the salty breeze and his hazel eyes focus on the scene before him.  

“Oh thank god!” Robert begins, sighing in relief as the man approaches.

The deputy smiles.

“Hi Jake!” April greets the man, excitement in her voice as she brings Robert into her chest and leans him on her shoulder.  April rocks back and forth slightly as the sound of Jake’s shoes thumping against the creaking wood fills both of their ears.

“Hello there little lady!” Jake offers in response.

“Crap...” Robert mutters to himself quickly realizing Jake did not pull over to help him...

“April, what month are we in?” Jake asks hesitantly.

“July...” April stammers, caught a bit off guard by the question.

“You know how many tourists are just down the road? And out there on their boats?” Jake asks as he points out to the boats lining the bay.

"Yes, a lot?” April nods.

“A lot.” Jake echoes her.

“So, you know, while most of them couldn’t give a damn what you do with your property, there might be one or two out there that decide to make a stink.  Then I have to come down, act like I care, and fill out more paperwork.  You don’t want me to fill out more paperwork, do you?” Jake smiles.

“Property?! Property?!” Robert yells, twisting in April’s arm.  “She almost killed someone!” Robert’s tiny voice cracks.

Jake stands there for a moment in silence, simply staring at April.

"I was playing with Samantha, do you remember Samantha Jake?” April smiles.

“Oh yes, she is cute, not like this one... How is the little girl?” Jake asks, nodding his head forward and crossing his hands against his broad chest.

“Not good!” Robert snaps.

“Robert!” April scolds, her voice stern and authoritative.

“She’s fine, though, I don’t think I’ll be able to take care of her much longer.” April says, a bit more collectedly.

“Too small?” Jake asks, shrugging his shoulders.

“Yeah...” April replies, her voice dripping with what Robert’s brain deciphers as regret.

“That’s a shame, a real shame. Well, do me a favour and just...put that thing back in the carriage, and go about your business.” Jake says, kindly.

“OK Jake, just for you.” April says, happily.

“Thank you kindly ma'am!” Jake smiles, turning around.  “You have a pleasant day.” Jake says as his footfalls grow fainter.

“I’m not a thing!” Robert screams after Jake, his voice cracking, his teeth barred.  

April holds him at arm’s length once more and smiles, sinisterly.

“You see, you are a thing, and by law, I own you.” April informs him, her voice cold.

“What?!” Robert quivers, as Jake climbs back into his car, and pulls away.

“You’re an object Robert.” She shakes her head slowly, and narrows her eyes.

“Don’t you realize that by now? I can do anything I want with you, I can break your little arm, and leave you in front of the emergency room, and they’d just let you sit there... No one cares.” April says, her voice brimming with glee at the fact.

“Your assets as well, I can walk into your bank, and I can simply demand access to your account.  But I don’t want to do that, and if you maaake me do that...” April says, holding Robert back towards the water briefly before pulling him back to her chest.

“I am going to do more than break your tiny little arm.”  She whispers into Robert’s ear, before opening her mouth and sucking on his left earlobe, causing him to shudder and squirm.  

A young couple passes by, holding hands, they look on the scene briefly, but quickly look away, walking down the twisting path, to what appears to be a boardwalk.

Robert swallows hard, letting loose a long, exaggerated breath and closing his eyes.

“Seven-two-five-two” Robert says.

“That’s a good boy.” April coos, placing Robert back inside of the stroller.

“Who do you belong to Robbie?” April asks, innocently, leaning over the stroller and casting Robert in her shadow.

“You.” Robert responds without hesitation.  He had answered this question already, but this time it felt a bit off, it almost felt like the answer was coming from another place.  

It almost felt right.

April moves to the back of the stroller, and twists it around, rolling it off of the dock and back down the road.  She begins climbing the hill that they had just descended, backtracking.

“God these things are killing my feet!” She complains as a small bus roars past them, making a left turn and lumbering off into the distance.

“We can get Sammy some salt-water taffy, she loves it!” April says excitedly as they approach the bank.  She uses one hand to open the door, and the other to push the stroller aside, again, standing in front of the A.T.M machine in the lobby.

“And I’ll get her favourite Ice-cream, and...hmmm, no, you don’t get anything.” She says, dismissively waving her hand down at the stroller.  

She digs into her purse and produces Robert’s bank card once more, sliding it into the machine.

“Seven-two-five-two” She sings as she punches the numbers into the machine with her dainty finger.

“Ha, that’s a good boooy, that’s a very good boy!” April coos, jumping up once and clapping her hands together, giddily.  

Robert turns his head to the side, seething at the grave injustice that was being forced upon him.  He had worked hard to save those funds, the very funds that were shooting out of the machine, into April’s greedy little hands.

“I hate the five hundred dollar limit...I’ll be coming back here-” April folds the money and puts it into her purse, along with the card.  She snatches the receipt and looks down on it, smiling.

“All week.” She chirps as she pushes the stroller from the building.

She pushes Robert down to the boardwalk, where they spend hours, blistering under the sun.  Tourists and natives alike look down on Robert, but their eyes never linger for long as they simply go about their day.  

April stops into all kinds of little shops and art galleries, browsing the jewelry and pottery, and even purchasing a two hundred dollar, gold ankle bracelet, which she adorns immediately.

Robert writhes a tiny bit in the carriage as April orders a turkey sandwich on a roll, she grabs two bottles of water and takes the food and drink over to a small table, overlooking the boat dotted bay.

She sits down, and leaves the stroller facing the edge of the bench.  Robert’s line of sight is blotted out by her denim clad crotch, and looming torso.  A huge hand appears, and a heavy bottle of water is dropped into his lap, the cap resting just under his chest.

“Drink.” April demands.

Robert suddenly feels grateful as the huge plastic bottle is thrust upon him, he sits up and attempts to twist the cap off, grunting and straining as April looks down on him, a grin on her face.

“Here honey, let April help you.” She says, sweetly, her huge hand twisting the cap off with ease, and then grabbing the bottle.  The lip of the bottle fills Robert’s vision, and he looks up at April as she pushes it towards his lips.  He looks back down and wraps his mouth around it, allowing her to pour some water down his tiny throat.

“There we go, nice and cold.” April coos gently.

Robert takes his fill, and then leans back into the stroller.

“What do you say?” April asks, as if she were talking to a five year old as she sets the water bottle on the table, high above Robert.

“Thank you.” Robert says, meekly, turning his head to the side.

April simply smiles, taking a bite of her sandwich.  She rips a small piece off and hands it to Robert, who sits up and accepts the chunk into his tiny hands.

“Thank you.” He says, with slightly more enthusiasm.

“You’re welcome Robbie.” April smiles.  She leans over the carriage, grinning warmly, twisting her head to the side, a sparkle in her eye.  Robert could not help but notice, that while she was capable of horrendous things, there was an innocence to her face, one that haunted him, even when he closed his eyes.

“You know, it is always difficult for you little things to accept that you are no longer human beings.” April begins, reaching her hand into the carriage, and stroking Robert’s cheek with her fingernails.

“But the quicker that happens, the easier this gets.” April says, reassuringly.

“Say it.” She demands.

Robert swallows his food and stares up at April.

“Say it?” He repeats.

“I am not a human being.” She says sternly, motioning with her free hand for Robert to repeat her words.

“I am...” Robert Sighs.  “I am-” He stammers, the words caught in his throat.

“C’mon sweetie, it is better to get this out of the way now.” April suggest in a gentle tone, as if she were coaxing a small child to take his medicine.

“I am not a Human being.” Robert admits, the words coming from the same, strange place within him that allowed him to admit earlier that he belonged to April.

“And you’re not...” April states, matter of factly.

She shakes her head left to right slowly.

“Not even close.” She grins.