CHAPTER TWO
Those men saved his life and one brother. Jeremiah. Although as it turned out, none of them were biological brothers. When they arrived to take the compound down, Florence had killed the other boys, so Zane killed her.
No questions were asked. No one wanted to know who actually pulled the trigger. It was done and the world was better for not having Florence Miller alive and breathing.
It was weeks before Jeremiah could get up and move around properly. The men and women at Belle Fleur had been more than kind to the two young men. They were offered opportunities for physical training, educational opportunities and jobs.
Jeremiah would need a lot of therapy. Although to be honest, so would Zane. He felt at fault for the loss of the younger boys and for not saving Jeremiah from the beatings he’d received.
Physically, Zane was always the biggest of the boys.
He was strong, muscles built from hard work on the compound and doing their parents bidding.
He’d been so na?ve about everything that happened, everything that was going on at the compound.
The opportunity to learn was like giving a dying man a gallon of water and telling him to sip.
He just couldn’t.
Gator, Cowboy, Ham, and the others would find him late at night in the library of the big house. Sometimes there would be five or six books open in front of him. Other times, he’d be sound asleep in one of the leather chairs with one book spread across his chest.
When he was given the opportunity to work on the property, he chose to work with the animals.
“I feel like it’s a good thing for me to do considering what I allowed to happen,” he said staring at Gator.
“Zane, it wasn’t your fault what happened. You and your brothers were just trying to stay alive. Mind games and manipulation are horrible tortures that the world doesn’t talk about.”
“I read about them. In one of the books in the library. Things that Hitler got people to believe in, even when they knew it was wrong. There were others. Lots of them. How does that happen?” he asked innocently for a man in his late twenties.
“I wish I knew the answer to that question, son. I just don’t. I love that you want to learn and if you want to, we can get you enrolled in formal classes for college.”
“Maybe,” he nodded. “Right now I’m kind of enjoying learning on my own and reading at my own pace. Jeremiah seems to be doing well.”
“He does,” nodded Ham. “The doctors say that he’s doing very well. Did you know he’s asked about attending college?”
The men watched Zane’s face as he nodded, biting his lower lip.
“Yes, sirs. He said he wanted to go away to school. Maybe somewhere on the west coast or something.”
“How do you feel about that?” asked Gator.
“I want him to be happy. He deserves that. I can see where looking at me every day makes him feel worse than he already does. I’m sure he’s wondering why I didn’t save him.”
“That’s not how I feel at all,” said Jeremiah walking toward them. “I just want to prove that I can make it in the world on my own. These wonderful people are giving me that chance and I just want to try, Zane.”
“You don’t blame me?” he asked looking down.
“Blame you? For a psychotic woman that stole us from our real mothers? No, there was nothing any of us could have done. They were all willing to follow her. All of them. I just want to follow my dreams now.”
“What do you want to do?” asked Cowboy.
“There’s a mechanics school, it’s famous, out in Arizona. I want to get certified on custom engines for cars and motorcycles. Gunner said I could come back here and work at the shop afterwards, if I wanted to.”
“I think that sounds amazing,” smirked Ham.
“Me too,” smiled Zane. “If that’s what you want, I think it’s amazing as well.”
It was difficult to watch Jeremiah leave but Zane was truly happy for him. He’d been reading on his own and learning about all sorts of things. The irony of it all was that he’d learned the animals were his true love.
They didn’t hate just to hate. They didn’t judge. They were loving and kind, and what he’d learned was that many had been damaged, just like him.
By the following week, Jeremiah was packed up and moved to Arizona. The team found him a small efficiency apartment close to the school and made sure he had money in the bank if he needed it. One way or another, the boy was going to make it.