by Brian Cotton
***
Kaspar sat on the back porch. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it with his Zippo lighter. He stared off into the distance, breathed in the smoke, and wondered what to do next. The smoke escaped his mouth. He had already fired enough rounds at paper targets to the point where he no longer felt the need nor the want to. Paxton left without saying anything. Clarke sat around at his computer like always, Krys waxed her bike for the umpteenth time, and Kilbourne seemed like an asshole.
Li, well he was a nice enough guy, but not very interesting, apart from that trippy meditation thing. The look on Mother’s face when she shook her head “no” began to wear at Kaspar’s mind. Just like her eyes the day he found her dead, he couldn’t get the most recent image of her from his head. The more he thought about it, the more he came to realize that there were only two explanations for it: either she was saying it was not his time to join her or that Kaspar should forget about getting revenge for her. Could there be any other explanation?
“I’m bored,” Krys said from behind.
Kaspar took a drag from his cigarette and looked back. Krys smiled at him, Kaspar returned the favor. He took another drag.
“I see you are still into killing yourself,” Krys said.
“I see you’re still into riding my ass.” Kaspar replied.
Krys winked, “You wish.”
The two of them fixed their gaze into the distance without saying anything. Kaspar took several puffs on his cigarette before offering one to Krys; more out of being a smart ass than politeness. She shook her head no and grabbed her nose before she moved several inches apart. What did she want?
“I was thinking about taking a ride on the bike, care to join?” she asked.
“With the way you drive? No thanks.”
“I was going to go to the city…”
“What do you mean?” Kaspar wondered.
“I don’t know…grab a drink, have a conversation, maybe kick your ass in pool…”
“Now who’s been spending time at the wishing well?”
“Is that a challenge, Mr. Kaspar?”
“No so much a challenge,” Kaspar replied as he let smoke escape his mouth. “As stating the facts.”
“You think you can back up that talk, big boy?”
Kaspar took another drag and looked over at her. She smiled to him and winked. He could not contain the smile on his face. Smiling, something that Kaspar seemed to do more and more each day, each time he was with Krys. He thought about what she was trying to do or not to do, but after a moment, he no longer cared. What could it hurt? Maybe a little time away from this place would do his mind some good.
“I thought going in without permission was forbidden.” Kaspar said.
“It is…that’s all a part of the adventure.” Krys replied.
Self-doubt crept in. “I…don’t know…”
“Fine, you just stay here and suck on that cancer stick. It is so much more entertaining out here. Be seeing you.”
Krys stood and headed for the back door. Something inside of Kaspar told him to wake his stupid ass up and follow her out. He took one last drag and threw the remainder of the cigarette into the yard. He stood and called for her to wait up.
“Get your ass ready,” Krys said when she turned. “I’m not going to wait around forever.”
“Yes, your highness.” Kaspar replied with a bow.
“Just get ready, smartass.”
Kaspar ran up the stairs and into his bedroom. He threw on a pair of jeans, a white tee, and his blue jacket. He noticed Clarke eagerly typing away at his laptop computer. Kaspar tried to say hello, but Clarke did not acknowledge him at first. Something on that screen captured his attention. Kaspar didn’t spend too much time trying to figure out what it was.
What are you doing? Kaspar asked himself as he walked through the opened garage and approached Krys’s bike. He walked up to the bike. Krys revved the engine twice before she looked back. Someone began calling to them from behind. It was a deep voice, fucking Ron Kilbourne’s deep voice.
“What are you two doing?” Kilbourne demanded.
“Just taking junior over there out for a spin,” Krys replied.
“You two just make sure you get back before Pax does.”
“No problem, Daddy.”
“I’m just looking out for you.” Kilbourne said.
Krys sighed, “I’ll be fine. Don’t you worry yourself about me.”
Kaspar looked back and nodded at Kilbourne, who acted like he wasn’t there. Kilbourne turned and walked away, back to the weight room no doubt. Kaspar ignored the apparent rudeness and approached the side of the bike. Krys held out a black helmet for him. He took it and struggled to slip it over his head. She played around with her hair a bit and then slipped her own on.
“Sorry about that.” Krys said.
“About what?”
“Him, Ronnie. He treats me like I’m some kind of child or something, I don’t know. Ever since I joined up, he’s always like, ‘Krys, don’t do that’ or ‘Krys, stay away from that.’”
Kaspar still struggled with his helmet. He tried to get it as comfortable as he could. What was with these things, anyway? He thought about ditching the damn thing, but then remembered his last adventure on a motorcycle with her. He gave up trying to be comfortable. He just hoped that if there was to be a wreck, the discomfort would be worth it. He wrapped his arms around her waist, careful not to go too far up this time. Krys revved the engine a couple of more times, all the while Kaspar could smell something through his helmet. It smelled of lavender, and it was nice, really nice in fact, to the nostrils.
“Like he said, he’s just looking out for you.” Kaspar said.
“And, that’s awful sweet of him, but I’m a big girl.”
Kaspar tried to change the subject, “What kind of bike is this?”
“It’s a Speed Triple,” Krys replied. “Fine beast, ain’t she?”
“Speed Triple, well that’s a cute…”
Without warning, the motorcycle flew forward. Krys slammed down hard on the brake. The tires squealed on the pavement below, which sent her riding partner slamming into her back. Kaspar felt himself flying off the back of the bike before she slammed down on the brake. He could feel his heart attempt to jump from his throat. All the crazy woman in front could do was laugh.
“You think that’s funny?” Kaspar demanded.
“That is,” Krys said between laughs, “why they call it a ‘Speed Triple’.”
“You almost gave me a heart attack. You’re insane!”
“That’s what you thought of me when we first met, right?”
“You haven’t done anything to change my mind, either.”
She continued to laugh. “We better get a move on. We don’t want to be out when John gets back. It’s a forty-five minute trip into town.”
“I just hope he doesn’t see us on the road.” Kaspar replied.
“He won’t, I take a different route.”
“Oh, I can’t wait to see this. You go in a lot?”
“Yeah, lots of times. I’ve got to get away from this place, you know?”
“I hear that.”
“Let’s get going, then.”
