Unknown - The Genius

“When you’re ready,” said Sam, “I’d like to ask you a couple of questions.”

He nodded distantly. He scrolled down to the bottom of the image, to the legend. Magnified, the type looked ragged. “Do you know where he is?”

“We’re looking.”

He nodded again. “It’s strange to have a name,” he said. “For years all I had was a face. It was like he wasn’t a real person.” He looked at Sam. Then he looked back at the screen and said, “Frederick Gudrais. He’s probably not even alive anymore. Is he?”

There was a silence. I looked at Sam, who said, “Pardon me?”

“He’d be—what—in his seventies by now. I guess he could be alive.”

Sam looked at me.

“That’s not his name,” I said. Those were the first words I’d spoken since introductions, and Jarvis gave me a strange look, one not without resentment. I reached for the mouse, scrolled up, tapped the screen. “That’s Victor Cracke.”

“So what.”

“So.” I looked at Sam. “So that’s him. Victor Cracke.”

“Fine,” said Jarvis, “but that isn’t the man who attacked me. This is.” He pointed to the man on Victor’s left.

At mealtimes he sits where he is supposed to. He never makes the same mistake as the first night. The other boys say Look, it’s Twitter. Victor hates them but he says nothing. Some of the boys try to take his dessert. He fights them and everyone ends up scolded. Instead of taking his dessert they stick their fingers in it or blow their noses in his milk. Victor fights them. Everyone gets scolded.

Dr. Worthe says I can’t understand why it’s always you sitting in this chair. You must stop fighting. I don’t want to punish you anymore. I’m tired of punishing you.

Simon is the worst. Simon pinches him under the table. He ties Victor’s shoelaces together so that Victor falls and cuts his lip. Everyone laughs. Victor fights him but Simon is much bigger and it is no use. Simon laughs, his breath smells like garbage. He says Twitter you’re a piece of shit. Victor knows that you don’t want to be a piece of shit. Twitter why don’t you stop staring at the ground? What’s the matter with you Twitter? There are other boys who do not talk and Simon beats them up, too. But he has a special liking for Victor. Twitter I am going to cut your balls off when you’re sleeping. Victor does not understand why anyone would do such a thing, but he is frightened. At night he sleeps with his hands over his balls. Sometimes Simon tries to punch Victor and Victor curls up on the floor and screams until a teacher comes. The teacher tries to lift Victor up but Victor snaps at him, he cannot help himself. They take him to Dr. Worthe’s office where he gets a scolding or else they put him to sleep.

Twitter who you talking to? There ain’t nobody there.

Victor ignores him. He is trying to do his assignment.

Gimme that. Simon tears up his assignment.

Victor leaps on him and they roll around. Everyone begins to cheer. Simon says into Victor’s ear I’m going to rip your balls off you piece of shit. Victor bites Simon on the chin and Simon howls. He turns Victor over and pins down his arms with his knees and begins hitting Victor in the chest and stomach. Victor throws up. Stop that says the teacher. Stop it right now.

They take him to the hospital. He likes the hospital. There is no oatmeal. All he does lie in bed and draw. He draws chairs and faces. He draws countries. Some are real and some are pretend. His plays with the bandage on his nose and the nurses say No.

When he comes back Simon is mad. Simon got punished and now he wants to kill Victor. You wait. One night you’re going to wake up and your balls will be gone.

Time passes. Victor is fourteen. He and Simon fight often, but they learn to fight in private so that nobody scolds them. Victor grows weary. He does not like to fight but he does not like the scolding even more. Dr. Worthe takes away his library privileges. The library is where he sits and copies pictures from books. There is an atlas that he reads many times. The library gives him all his happiness, and rather than lose that he fights quietly. Simon doesn’t care if he gets his privileges revoked, he only likes to beat up Victor.

They move to another table because now they are older. Some boys have left. Some boys stay behind at the old table. People come and go. In the spring a new boy comes to the school. His name is Frederick. He is tall, taller than Simon, although skinnier. He has black hair and a long pointy face and a very big mouth. At first he is quiet but sometimes he winks. He has no trouble finding a place at the table. He sits near Simon and Simon says Gimme your cake.

Frederick does not answer him. He eats his cake. Simon reaches for the cake and Frederick moves the plate out of his reach.

Gimme your cake.

Frederick stops eating. He looks at Simon. He says All right. He gives Simon his cake. Simon eats it with his fingers.

That night Victor is lying in bed when he hears someone moving across the room. He covers his balls and prepares for a fight, bunching up in the corner. He waits. It is Frederick. He is smiling. He whispers.

Victor.

Victor stares at him.

My name’s Freddy.

Victor says nothing.

I’ll tell you something, Victor. That son of a bitch is going to leave you alone.

Cautiously, Victor uncurls.

You know what I’m talking about?

Victor shakes his head.

Freddy smiles. You’ll find out.

At dinner Simon says to Freddy Gimme your pudding.

All right.

That night Simon is sick. They all hear him running to the bathroom. They hear wet noises. The teacher comes to investigate and Simon is spitting blood. That’s what the other boys say.

Freddy says to Victor Too bad about him huh.

Victor smiles.

Freddy and Victor become friends. Freddy gets in trouble a lot but he always seems to get away without punishment. He is much cleverer than Simon. Simon says he is going to kill Freddy but Victor can see how scared Simon really is. He stops beating people up as much and he leaves Victor alone.

Freddy says I told him he’d better lay off.

Victor is grateful. He draws Freddy a picture of a heliocanthus.

You did this for me huh Vic? Freddy calls him Vic. Nobody else calls him that; Victor likes it. Well bow-wow. It’s pretty good.

Victor shows him the rest of his drawings. By now there are too many to fit in the desk, so he hides them atop a shelf in the library. He stands on a chair to reach them. The box is very heavy. Inside are pictures of flowers and snowflakes, pictures of people and animals, maps with names he made by combining other names together.

Lookee that says Freddy. Not bad Vic.

It rains often and he and Freddy sneak to the attic. It is locked but Freddy has the key. They sit under the eaves and watch the swirling tree-tops. Victor takes note of the weather. He never wants to forget being with Freddy so he writes everything down in a little book he got for Christmas, Mrs. Greene sends him one every year. While they lie in the attic Freddy talks about himself. Victor likes the sound of Freddy’s voice.

I don’t know Vic. I might stay here awhile. They say I gotta leave when I’m seventeen but I don’t know about that. I might find my way back in. There’s fellas here older than that so I don’t see why I shouldn’t be. They think I’m stupid. They gave me some tests but I flunked them all, I knew that they had to send me here. I know what’s good for me. I like it better here than some of the other places I been. The food’s all right. You know? I don’t mind it. I’ll stretch it out as long as I can.

Nobody knows about their place in the attic. They go there alone. Freddy talks about everything and Victor listens. Time passes. Victor is fifteen. They go to the attic and Freddy says Look. He shows Victor his privates. They look different from Victor’s. Freddy’s privates have hair. He says Your turn. Victor opens his pants. Freddy laughs and Victor is embarrassed. He tries to put his pants back on but Freddy says Aw naw I wasn’t laughing at you. He moves Victor’s hands away from his groin. I think it’s just great. Bow-wow. You know how to make it grow? Freddy puts his mouth on Victor’s privates. They get swollen and then Freddy says You ain’t never seen it leak did you? Maybe you ain’t big enough yet. I can. Here. Victor puts his mouth on Freddy’s privates. Now move around. Victor moves around. Freddy touches the back of Victor’s neck. It tickles. Victor loves his friend. He loves Freddy. Freddy says Watch. Victor watches and Freddy’s privates cough up stuff. Milky drops roll down his wrist.