by DC Alexander
I told him “I need yo full name” while I lit the candle. Wax melted down in it while he told me his name, I already knew who he was but I had to keep him interested and tied in with it. He was having trouble talking, his mouth had dried up.
I stuck the candle on the table in a puddle of hot wax. He’d been sawing at the outside of his hand with the knife trying to get some blood. He’d started off too light and too slow and when that didn’t cut, he got faster and harder with each try. He was fixing to gash it open with that dull ass knife if it ever snagged. I took the knife from him and laid his hand out on the table, spread his fingers out and stuck the knife through the web betwixt two fingers; it was the first place I seen that looked good to get a little blood out and not need stitches, that knife wasn’t too sharp but it had a good point.
He kinda grunted, and maybe about passed out but he didn’t snatch his hand away and we got a little blood. Come to think on it, that part of the hand is pretty sensitive. Glad that wasn’t me getting stabbed. I bet that hurt.
I was going with the flow. Things were falling into place and looking good. I wished I could get the basement involved, that would be good, but I didn’t see how I could pull it in and make it look natural. Carl shivered like a dog shitting a peach seed and breathed fast, little breaths. Hyperventilating, he was going to get dizzy. He probably thought I was going to summon a demon but I wouldn’t do that if I could.
I picked up the candle and dripped some wax on the spider. It didn’t take but a couple drops of wax to cover it up. I picked up the wad and touched it to where Carl was bleeding to get some blood on it.
I figured somebody needed to eat that wad of stuff, there wasn’t a lot of options to use something like that so it would look good. I was trying to think of somethin different I could do with the spider web, I was about to add it to the wad and then I thought “I’ll burn it all and nobody has to eat it and that will look good too!” Carl would probably puke if he tried to eat it anyway, and I wasn’t going to eat his blood, my belly is tough but there was no tellin what was in him.
I had his attention, I said “now you just sit still, sit up straight, you can breathe but don’t move” and he tried to hold still which naturally started him twitching. I stuck the candle back on the tabletop.
I added the spider web to the wax and spider and blood, there was a little bit of paper towel in there but that shouldn’t be a problem. I chanted and threw in a verse from the bible, then I chanted some more and said “say yo name now, quick like” and he said “Carl James Roberts”, and I picked up the wad on the knife and stuck it in the candle flame, it went up ‘Poof’ like it was gas, and just when I did it a wind blew through the house and the candle went out. Damn, I couldn’t ask for anything better; that was a nice touch.
I took him by the arm and led him out the front door and around the house. The back door was fastened shut so it wouldn’t come open. I made some nonsense gestures around him when we got in the back and out of sight of the road, when I put my hands by his head on both sides I felt a pull like a magnet, good and right somehow.
I closed my eyes and was surprised I could see his shape outlined in light like an afterimage. His light flared up to meet my hands so I pulled it out a little to stretch it, it just looked so pretty I couldn’t resist, and then I smoothed it down over his chest. There was a spot there that looked sunk in, dark and somehow weak. I smoothed over that spot and the light notched up a little stronger. I moved my hands around in a couple circles to hook onto it good, then it hooked to his navel with a snap I could almost hear, it felt strong and right and it was bright all over. It stood out a good half a foot away from his skin so bright and solid it was hard to see through. He was healthy but there was a darker spot on the toes of his left foot that pulled at me. I shoved him down and took his shoe off, pulled the light down there and the dark spot faded. “You take the other shoe off and go barefoot all you can for the rest of the week. When you shower you dry between your toes good.” It was probably athletes foot. I unhooked from him with a little twist that just came natural.
Then it hit me. WTH! I had no idea what this was or what I was doing. Then again, screw it. I already had a shit life. Nothing I could do would cause me more grief in the afterlife than I already had. I didn’t believe that but I didn’t disbelieve it; If I didn’t think about it I wouldn’t get too worried.
Carl stood straight and tall, he had settled down and felt a lot better. I said “That should do it, you got some mojo now. You can feel it. He nodded and held out the hundred dollar bill and opened his mouth to say something and I interrupted, I needed to get him gone “Wait a minute! You listen careful, and do exactly like I say; theys some rules go with this stuff. Don’t say nothin about this to nobody. I can’t take no money for this. You turn around and leave and don’t look back, go on straight out and don’t say nothin.” Trimmings are important, plus I had some good sandwich and milk calling my name, I needed to get rid of him.
He dropped the money and left. The people on the street would wonder what we were doing. They might figure I was hooking but a little whupass would fix that right up if need be. Soon as he turned the corner I picked up the money and I got a sudden surge of mixed feelings; anger, amusement, waiting, interest, and maybe happiness. That was a little off, it didn’t feel like my feelings, it was more like someone else injected them into me. I dealt with that like I always did, I hummed and imagined me watching myself not picking up on those feelings. I went back inside.
I wandered through the house looking. I was a little curious.
I checked every room in the house and there weren’t any windows open. The front door was closed. The window unit in the front room hadn’t shifted and it was putting out a steady stream of cool air like always.
There was no way for a wind to blow through the house and put the candle out. I quickly hummed and didn’t think about it anymore.
Chapter Two
T he light from outside came through the window pale and weak from the night. I laid there enjoying the peace and quiet and cool of the morning and having the house to myself, I loved that last few minutes before I kicked the covers off and got out of bed.
After a while I got up and turned on the coffee. While waiting for the coffee to get ready I got a cup out and put the sugar in it so it would mix when I poured it. The coffee got about half done and I couldn’t wait any more, the smell pulled at me till I poured that first strong cup of hot, rich, black coffee.
If it wasn’t so much trouble going outside and around the house I’d go out back and sit in the back yard. I studied the back door to see how bad a job it was going to be to get it opened. A few screws and a couple nails, one board across it. I’d get to that sometime today maybe, but later, after coffee time. I took my second cup to the living room and set down to watch the street through the window.
After I finished my coffee and got some clothes on I tinkered with the back door, taking my time. I got a few screws out of the door and had the board off. I had a hard time working with it, the end of childhood and happy times was there just outside the door. I was ruined, probably evil. It was done and there was nothing I could do about it, I was done grieving. I put the used screws in a box I found in the basement.
About the third trip I made up and down the basement stairs hunting tools and odds and ends, I heard a racket outside in the street. It was still pretty early, maybe nine o’clock, but it was Saturday and everyone was home sleeping late; this was unusual.
People were hollering and whooping and shouting. I’d been hearing the noise but it hadn’t sunk in, it was just background. Maybe there was a bust going down; that happened sometimes but I didn’t hear the bullhorn or the sirens.
I went to the front window and looked out and saw Carl and Rashid facing each other, both of them had big legged low hanging shorts down around their knees, Carl was barefooted and wearing a t-shirt, Rashid had on boots and a white and blue striped button up shirt.
R
ashid put his arms way out to the sides and stuck his chest out and bumped Carl hard with his chest, they were still at the posturing and threatening stage so I hadn’t missed anything. Chest bumps should be one of the last steps just before shoves; next came hitting or fast shoving and then somebody would get hit or cut. Another couple minutes and I would have missed the action.
Carl staggered back a step before he caught himself and shouted something at Rashid. I rushed and got another cup of coffee and took it out on the porch so I could hear what they were saying better.
They spread apart and Rashid reached back and stuck his hand in his back pocket. Carl reached back the same way and they moved around each other carefully, stalking, alert and ready, small short steps, crouched over for balance. They’d established they had brought weapons and were aware and ready to use them.
Carl said “I gone fuck yo ass up so bad yo momma aint gone know who you is, you better get yo ass on down the road!” They were at the momma trashing stage, I was glad I had my coffee.
Rashid made a fast move at Carl and acted like he was going to pull his hand out of his pocket; it looked like the knife was going to come out now. “Show me what you got bitch, I gone cut you up so bad they still be pickin up the pieces next week!” He stopped before he got too close to Carl. This was part of the workup.
Carl came back “You pull a knife on me mothafucka, I stick it up yo ass. I cut yo ass up wide, deep and continuous!”
I set down in my chair and got comfy. I wondered if I had time to make a sandwich. Maybe some greens today if I could find them, I had a hambone; better yet, I hadn’t had beans in a week, big lima beans with a hambone would be perfect for today and even better after they sat overnight. I better not go now though. I’d miss the action. The punks with Rashid demonstrated their support loudly “Cut his ass Rashid! Stick him like a pig! He scared, slap his ass, he yo bitch, show him what you want!”
My thoughts wandered a little. I never dealt with all the threatening. If somebody needed correction I gave it to them quick as I could. This part was a play staged for the audience and it was pretty boring so far. The banter wasn’t all that good, only the threat of sudden violent action kept us all watching.
While I was off thinking, Rashid enjoyed his cheering section so much he moved on in at Carl, it looked like it was about to go down for sure. Carl crouched a little and backed up; then he saw me sitting on my porch. I nodded to him and he brightened right up, I could see him slough off the fear and the worries, he was dripping confidence all of a sudden. I thought Carl faster, stronger, anchored, fluid; not words, a sort of vision, unsure if I dictated or sensed it, and felt something. I ignored it, unimportant, just strange.
He stood up straight and quit shuffling around. He looked calm and unconcerned, “Rashid, you leave now or they’re going to carry you off. I am done with this.”
The street went still and silent. None of them knew how to take the radical departure from the normal give and take of working up to a fight. He spoke clearly and enunciated word endings, didn’t use profanity, and didn’t describe the damage he would do. Surely he knew better.
Rashid moved, he appeared clumsy, his movements unsure and jerky. He pulled out his knife and slid his thumb on the handle and the blade came out point up. He held his other arm out to the side to block and shuffled sideways staring fixedly at Carl.
Rashid jumped at Carl with his arm drawn back ready to slash or stab. Carl stood still and waited till Rashid stopped moving. Rashid’s timing was off. He’d clearly expected Carl to react to the attack. Rashid opened his mouth to say something and Carl moved, snatching what looked like a car antenna from his back pocket, he flicked his wrist to extend it as he warped Rashid across the face. A white stripe stood out starkly. It ran at an angle from his eyebrow across his eye and touched the outside of the bottom of his nose and continued across both lips. Rashid was shocked and surprised, he expected more talk before anything happened, and he thought he would get the first lick in. He jerked his head back, stepped back a little as he lifted his free hand disbelievingly to his face. Then Carl warped him on the wrist of his knife hand with that antenna thing.
Rashid snatched his hand back and grabbed it with his other hand. I couldn’t see the mark, his hand covered it. His mouth gaped open, blood welled up and trickled down his chin, his lips were mismatched, cut through with his teeth showing through the gap. Carl beat Rashid out in the hot, silent street. The sound it made was clear. The antenna’s ‘thwup’ followed by a wet sounding smack when it hit flesh. Rashid was cut to the bone every time it landed.
Rashid covered his face and Carl hit him on the shoulder, Rashid turned away and Carl got him on the side, Rashid backed up and Carl followed to hit him on the leg. Rashid was hurt, there was blood ever place Carl hit, that antennae seemed sharp as a razor blade. Carl looked like a matador with a bull, each swipe placed with surgical precision, if Rashid was the bull he was a wounded, beaten, desperate one. There was nothing for Carl to fear.
Rashid went to his knees with his back to Carl, protecting his ears and head with his arms. Carl cut him across the back and tore the shirt, it hung in tatters and one large piece hung off to the side. Carl kicked Rashid in the back over his kidneys, leading with his toes. I winced, that can hurt your toes. I tried to use the side or the ball of my foot if I can, the heel is best but it’s hard to get a lick in with your heel. Carl established a rhythm, ‘Thwack’ with the antennae, ‘thud’ with his foot, twisting his body to add force to the blows, and yeah, he wasn’t using his toes now. He did a nice, thorough job. Carl’s movements were graceful, he was never off balance. He moved fast and looked like he was dancing. I felt his connection, the added weight and stability and speed, like it was me out there.
Rashid’s homeboys were real quiet. They’d quit hollering when Rashid went down. Carl’s homies had quietly surrounded them. They were outnumbered by two or three to one. It didn’t look good for them, they’d backed the loser and they were off their turf. They couldn’t step in to help, they watched helplessly as Rashid was sliced and beaten.
Carl jumped and landed feet first in the middle of Rashid’s back and flattened him to the ground. Rashid balled up to cover his vulnerable parts but Carl kicked him in the head like he was trying to kick a ball over a house. Rashid stopped moving, hopefully unconscious. Carl stomped Rashid’s head into the ground with his heel a few times, then kneeled down by Rashid and stabbed his antennae at the pavement, it collapsed and he put it in his back pocket. He took his time, in no hurry, calm and relaxed.
Carl grabbed Rashid roughly by the shoulders and manhandled him till he had him laid out face down. Rashid flopped limply.
Carl grabbed Rashid’s waistband and pulled Rashid’s big ol’ shorts and underwear down around his knees. Damn, he was fixing to rape Rashid and I had a front row seat. The homies looked at each other uneasily but none of them said a word. Curtains pulled back in house windows evidenced the unseen audience. Two cars had stopped in the street.
I had no idea Carl swung that way, especially not out in public and all. Maybe he was bisexual and just got carried away with all the excitement.
Carl picked up the knife Rashid had dropped and put his knee in Rashid’s back. He looked at the knife and slid the blade up into the handle with his thumb, turned it around butt first and poked it in Rashid’s ass crack. He wiggled and pushed till he got the handle out of sight and gave it a last push. His face drawn up in disgust, he stood up and put his foot on Rashid’s back. I was awed. The street was silent. The driver of one of the stopped cars, an old white haired woman with tits like melons hanging down her chest, was at the front of her car with her elbows propped on the hood watching intently, her mouth hanging open.
Carl held his ass crack hand out to the side away from him. Rashid moved, bloody all over, cut to pieces. I wanted one of those antennae things the worse kind of way.
Carl looked at Rashid’s homies “he’s lucky that was a little knife. You tell
him wash his nasty ass, he stinks like something crawled up his ass and died” he strutted a couple steps; “you motha fuckas take this piece a shit away from here. Don’t none a yall come back. This my place and I don’t allow no shit around here.” He kicked Rashid in the head one more time for luck and turned his back on them. He walked toward his house holding his hand out away from himself.
A celebration kicked off, Carl’s homies closed on him and touched him and told him how good he was. They replayed the fight for each other. There were no high fives with Carl. He looked over at me and smiled and gave me a little bow with just his head. Rashid’s homies picked him up by the shoulders and legs and toted him down the road. I smiled back at Carl, some part of me relaxed and a connection I didn’t know about closed. I went inside to fix something to eat.
Chapter Three
I had a letter in the envelope with the check. It said I had to set up direct deposit in my checking account or bad things would happen. I tossed it in the trash can where it belonged. I called the number on my food stamp card and it was all full up, it was time to go to the store.
I didn’t have a car and I’d never got a driver’s license. The bus worked for me, a pain in the ass but it got me there and I didn’t have to worry about parking or maintenance.
The bus came by the stop about every hour. I got ready to go, put on shoes, shorts and a shirt, then covered it with a shapeless housedress muumuu. My hair wadded up on top of my head with a hat holding it in place was the easiest way to deal with that. The hair was long and straight and brownish red. I didn’t mess with it, attractive wasn’t something I was aiming for. I headed for the bus stop after I set up my home security system.
A woman alone, I guess I was a little paranoid. Then again, it’s not paranoia if they are really out to get you. I slept lightly and had a pistol, a shotgun, and a reputation for insanity. I made clear I was not a victim.
