The Mute and the Liar (52 page)

At
first,
when
I
heard
we
were
visiting
someone
in
prison,
I
imagined
them
being
some
muscular,
middle-aged
bald
guy
with
skull
and
motorbik
e
tattoos
(and
tattoos
of
skulls
riding
motorbikes)
and
a
goatee. Once
we
had
checked
in
and
gone
through
unnerving
masses
of
security
that
makes
you
feel
your
every
move
is
being
watched
and
taken
note
of,
and
entered
the
visiting room,
I
realise
I
was completely wrong.

The boy waiting for us is not the
Harley Davidson
fanatic
with
an
abundance
of
body
hair
I
pictured.
He’s
just
a
kid.

I’m
stunned
because
he’s
just
so…
young.
I’m
guessing
he’s
our
age,
but
compared
to
his
tall brother,
he looks
like
a
kid.
It
doesn’t
help that
he’s
got
a
slight
slouch,
which
just
pulls
him
down
even
more.
He
’
s
s
o
t
hi
n
his
d
ark
skin
stretches
like
elastic
over
his
bones,
especially
around
his
drawn-
in
cheeks.
This
is
a
person
who
has
never
harmed
an
ant,
not
a
person
people
lock up for nineteen years.

What’s
even
stranger
is
the
way
he
moves.
Straight-faced,
he
nods
to
Jayce
and
then
walks
back
to
the
chair
and
sits
down.
It’s
a
simple
enough
movement,
but
the
way
he
does
it
is
un
nerving
.
Every
step
he
takes
is
slow
and
heavy and
seems
to
drain
him
of
all energy,
as
though
he’s already
so
worn
out
and
weak
just
the
smallest
step
becomes
an
Indiana
Jones
trek.
He
drags
his
feet
across
the
floor
like
they’re
made
of
lead
and
he’s
too
weak
to
carry
them
around
anymore.
I
finally
understand.
This
is
the
way
people
walk
when
they
have given up.

*****

“
Just
another
three
years
and
you
can
get
parole.
And
I’ve
heard
so
many
stories
about
people
who
have
had
their
sentences
cut
short.
You
know
Martin,
Mrs
Keeler’s
son?
He
was
supposed
to
have
nine
years
and
he
got
away with
only
seven.
Isn’t
that
great?
”
Jasper
says
enthusiastically.

“
Hmm,
”
is
Donny’s
feeble
rep
ly
.

“
Don’t
you
want
to
get
out
of
here?
There’s
so
much
you
can
do now. Do
your
exams
and you
can
get
yourself
an
apprenticeship,
maybe
get
some
work
skills
like
construction
work.
”

“
My
cousin Nick
is
doing some
construction
work right
now
and
he
really
likes
it.
He
says
it’s
better
than
any
job
he’s
done
before,
”
Jayce
inputs.

“
Isn’t
that
great,
Donny?
”
Jasper
says
for
the
second
time
this
conversation,
and
this
time
it
comes
out
a
little
too
forced
and
eagerly,
like
he’s
baby-talking
a
toddler.

It’s
all
for
nothing
though;
Donny
is
looking
at
the
exit
sign
and
doesn’t
appear
to
have
heard
a
word they’ve just
said.
“
Donny?
”
Jasper
asks
,
his
voice
sharper
than
before.
Slowly
and
uneasily,
Donny
turns
his
attention
back
to
him. Jasper gives
a
brief smile,
looking
relieved.

“
Donny,
I
said
you
can
take
some
exams
soon,
and
with
those
you
can
maybe
get
yourself
an
apprenticeship.
They
might
even
let
you
get
some
practical
skills, like
some
construction
stuff,
so
you
can
get
yourself
a
job.
”

For
a
moment
it
seems
Donny
won’t
say
anything,
like
what
he’s
done
this
whole
time,
but,
surprisingly
he
takes
a
deep
breath
and
mumbles
tonelessly:
“
I
don’t
want
to.
”
It’s
the
longest
sentence
he’s
said
so
far.

“
What
do
you
want
then,
Donny?
”
Jasper
asks
with
a
forced-pleasant
voice,
trying
to
keep
the
conversation
light-hearted
,
but
his
voice
breaks
a
little
at
the
end.
“
You’re
not
going
to
stay
here
your
whole
life.
What
do
you
want
to
do
when
they
let
you
out?
”
Donny
continues
to
remain
both
wordless
and
motionless.
“
Listen,
I
heard
Alex
is
doing
some
cooking.
They
had
some
people
come
in
from
the
Ministry
of
Justice
the
other
day
and
him
and
some
others
in
his
class
did
a
meal
for
them.
Do
you
want
to
do
something
like
that, Donny?
”

There
is
a
pause
and
Donny
remains
still
and
silent
.
I
can’t
really
tell
what
he’s
thinking,
but
he
definitely
isn’t
contemplating
what
Jasper
has
just
told
him,
that’s
clear
enough.
No,
something
else
is
clouding
his
mind.
After
a
few
seconds,
he
asks
in
a
croaky,
almost
inaudible
voice:
“
Why
doesn't
Mum
come
to
see
me
anymore?
”