Tim zipped up the front of his green jump suit

 Animal Crackers

Page 3.

Tim zipped up the front of his green jump suit and slipped the five dollar bill into his pocket and met Will who appeared nervous standing in the hallway. Just then a bell began to ring rather loudly as Will turned the Tim and said, “ we can’t be late or else, we’ve got to hurry. Will darted down the hallway and entered through a set of double doors  marked mess hall with Tim right behind him. Twenty boy’s about Tim’s age where all seated at a large oak table very similar to a picnic table with Sergeant Collins standing in the corner of the room smoking a cigarette and watching intently. Before the two had a chance to sit down Sergeant Collins yelled out, “ Jones and the new kid, come here”.  Will looked frightened as he glanced at Tim as they both came to attention in front of Sergeant Collins. “You know the rules Jones”, barked Sergeant Collins as he deliberately blew cigarette smoke into Will’s face causing him to cough.  “As you know Jones”, he continued, “ tomorrow just happens to be Friday, and that’s clean up day at Crittenden Zoo”. 

Sergeant Collins instructed the two boys to return to the table but it wasn’t before he walked over to Will’s plate and grabbed the boiled hot dog and slice of white bread and gave it to a rather large young man named Opus. As Sergeant Collins lit another cigarette and left the mess hall in a trail of smoke Opus swallowed the hot dog in one bite and just as quickly asked Tim if he had any money.  Opus was tall for his age and suffered with a lazy eye and a missing front tooth that added to his thug appearance and mentality. He again asked Tim if he had any money which caused Will to tell him to leave Tim alone. Opus picked up Will’s plate and licked the remaining portion of white corn and apple sauce off the plate with his tongue and pointed at Tim and said, “if I find out you got money boy, your ass is mine”. Tim was just about to give Opus his five dollar bill when Sergeant Collins returned to the mess hall and said to Tim, “I do hope you and Opus are getting along because tomorrow you’ll have the opportunity to work together at the zoo, we leave a 5 am and you don‘t want to hold me up.”.

After dinner both boys returned to their room and after a bed check and head count by Sergeant Collins Will told Tim all about the clean up day at Crittenden Zoo. “Listen Tim, Collins has got some sort of arrangement with some official at Crittenden and basically we’re being used as free labor and Collins pockets the money. Tim laid in his bed somewhat stunned as Will continued on, “ Opus is Collins muscle and I’ve seen him beat up kids for Collins who get out of line”.  Will warned Tim to never let Opus know he was holding any money or anything of value if he doesn’t want it stolen. Tim couldn’t sleep all night thinking about his Father a murderer on death row and his Mother a addict and  missing and his present situation. Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door as Sergeant Collins appeared blowing his brass whistle until both boys jumped from their beds at attention. “ You’ve go ten minutes you two, just ten minutes until the van leaves so get ready”.