X-Files Fanfic Challenge 13: Young CSM

Character: Very Young CSM
Concept: An experience at his group home which helped shape his world view.
Word Count: 500-2500 words.

TITLE: Plausible Deniability

“I wouldn’t do that.”

He thought it, but he didn’t say it. He never said it. They wouldn’t listen, and he had learned long ago that pointing out that a plan was ill-advised would only earn him scorn and derision. The other boys never seemed to have respect for the spirit of the rules. Or the letter, for that matter.

He watched his fellow boarders pile up a bundle of firewood on the patio. Eric had borrowed some matches from the kitchen, and the boys lit the fire with kindling. Edward looked over the top of his book, gauging the distance from the fledgling fire to the building where they all lived. These boys may not care what happened to their home, but he knew that this is a good place to live. The other homes he’d been in hadn’t been so well-run, and he’d never seen fairness enforced with such an even hand as he did here. He didn’t want to be shuttled away when this place burned down.

And it was cold outside. The first snow of the year was falling. The sound dampening thst cane from little bits of frozen rain was always a pleasure to his senses. If it hadn’t been so cold, the other boys wouldn’t be lighting a fire.

He sat against the wall of the house, reading The Hound of the Baskervilles. When the shouting and running and panicking started, he wasn’t surprised.

A few hours later, he sat in front of the headmistress’ desk, “No, Ma’am. I didn’t think it my place to stop them.”

“It’s everyone’s responsibility to take care of our home, here. If you knew it was a bad idea, you should have come inside to let us know what the other boys were up to. That is why, although you had no direct responsibility, you’re being punished the same way as the others.”

He looked down at his hands. He hated getting in trouble with Headmistress Lucy. Last time it was for getting in a fight. This time, it was for not intervening. It was hard to tell an adult that he didn’t want to be a snitch. He was already an outsider. Being a snitch would make it much worse. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you, Edward. But sorry doesn’t restore our porch roof. You and the others will be helping with the repairs with Etien tomorrow. And there will be no entertainment for the next month. I’ll take back the books you have from the library. And tonight, there will be no dinner. You boys had a nice lunch, and apparently it left you all with too much energy to burn. You’ll go straight to bed.”

He took a deep breath. The other boys would be without television, but this hurt where it mattered. “Yes, Ma’am.”

She dismissed him, and he left her office, fuming. He went up to the room he shared with three of the other boys. They were already in there, whispering to one another from their bunks. After he got ready for bed, he stood at the window looking out at the snow, pondering the situation. It was simply intolerable.

He hadn’t participated in the stupidity the other boys had, but he was being punished the same as them, simply for not being a snitch. What was the solution? Simple, of course. He wouldn’t be anywhere near the other boys when they started scheming.

He couldn’t be blamed for what he didn’t know.

Or what he could deny knowing.

It would be even better if he could know what the other boys were up to, but keep others in the dark as to his knowledge.

He smiled just a little to himself - the coming month without books wouldn’t be wasted. He would spend his time learning spy on the other boys.

Step 1. Serve
Step 2. Resist from Within