Boondocks

by Casey Peeler

  Boondocks

  By Casey Peeler

  Edited by BB Books

  Published by Casey Peeler at Smashwords

  Copyright 2016 Casey Peeler

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is a written act of fiction. Any places, characters, or similarities are purely coincidence. If certain places or characters are referenced it is for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. The author recognizes all copyright and trademarks that are mentioned within this work of fiction.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter16

  Chapter17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Epilogue

  Boondocks Playlist

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  May 2015

  Walker

  “Walker! Get your stuff! We gotta go,” Mom urgently yells from the other end of our run-down, roach infested trailer. Grabbing the one bag I own, I stuff it with all the clothes I can and my picture of Grams and Gramps. Everything else can stay. After sliding on my black boots and black leather jacket, I grab my bag and keys to my Harley-Davidson Softail Custom Night Train and am ready to go as she swings open the door.

  “I’m coming, Mama,” I say as I follow her out of my room. What the hell have they done this time? Without question, I look around the run-down place once more and say goodbye. I’ve come to realize my parents are bad people, and little by little they have been pulling me into their world. The moment I have enough cash to survive on my own, I’m out. Until then, I have to live with the choices they make and continue to play their game.

  Chauna

  As the three o’clock bell rings at Barber High School, I grab my backpack and head to the parking lot. It’s finally Friday! As I reach the exit door, Logan Moore, my best friend since we were knee high to a grasshopper, is holding it open for me.

  “Thanks, Lo,” I say with a smile.

  “No prob, Chauna. You ready for tonight?” he asks.

  “Heck yeah! I can’t believe they moved teen night to Fridays at Boondocks. Can you?”

  “They had to do something with all the folks you and your dad are bringing in.”

  “Yeah, I’m supposed to start waitressing there as soon as I’m eighteen.”

  I smile as the memories of my childhood weekends engulf me. “Mama, the show starts in fifteen minutes. Come on!” I squeal as I run toward my parents’ room.

  As I turn the corner, I see her standing there in worn-out jeans and a Johnny Cash T-shirt as she places her final dangling earring in her ear. She turns my direction as her shiny bracelet reflects in the light and smiles. “Hold your horses, sweet girl. We’ve got plenty of time, and not to mention reserved seating,” she says as she walks toward me and takes me by the hand. Looking down at myself, I realize I’m the spitting image of her minus the earrings.

  As we drive toward Boondocks, I can hardly contain my excitement. As we walk to the back door, it feels like my second home. Mom pulls the worn-out screen door, and I follow Mama as we make our way into the massive hall and my heart jumps as I see my daddy on stage with his guitar in hand. We take our seat at the table set off to the front of the stage for us. Mama pulls me onto her lap as Daddy turns around and gives us a wink as he approaches the microphone. “How y’all doin’ tonight?” he says with a smile, and with the first downbeat Mama jumps to her feet with me in her arms as we watch Daddy do what he does best.

  Logan lets out a laugh, bringing me back into the moment. “Seriously? You have like a kick-ass SAT score, and that’s still your plan?”

  “Since the day I walked into that place as a little kid, I knew that’s where I belonged.”

  “Please tell me you’ve thought about leaving this town behind, going to college, or doing something exciting like going to Nashville.” I shrug my shoulder as Logan opens the driver’s side door for me. We both pause as a rumble begins to hum in the air and gets louder as we see a few motorcycles pass the school, and the sound vanishes as fast as it came.

  “I think I’m going to get one of those. Whatcha think?” Logan asks as I begin to get into the truck.

  I bust out laughing. “Um, I can totally see that. You and your khaki shorts on a bike. That’s hilarious. I mean, you might get a callus on your hand.”

  “Hey! That’s not funny. Have you seen what my hands look like when baseball season starts?” he says defensively.

  “Don’t get your panties in a wad. I’m just teasin’,” I say as I close my door.

  Chapter 2

  Walker

  The rumbling of my bike fills me with peace. The sound and vibrations take my mind to a place where I can escape the life I was given. As we make our way into a town, I read the sign, “Welcome to Barber: Home of the Barber Tigers Baseball Team - 2014 State Champions.” Great, this is their claim to fame—high school baseball. As we drive through town, we turn onto a side street and pass one run-down house after another. As we drive past an old mill, I can visualize how this place used to be—full of life and a small community within itself. We slow down and turn into the lot of an auto body shop filled with old cars, a junkyard, and I have an eerie feeling that this is my parents new way of living.

  After parking my bike, I remove my helmet, wipe the sweat from my brow, and make my way to my parents so we enter the shop together. Inside there are cars lined up and on lifts. This is going to be interesting. What are they getting into now? As I wait for my mom and dad to finish their business, I take in the beauty of the cars on display. There is something about how automobiles have evolved over time, and when I’m not on my bike there’s nothing like popping the hood and making a vehicle come to life.

  “She’s purdy, ain’t she?” a guy about my age says as he wipes grease from his hands and extends one to me. “I’m Jimmy.”

  “Walker,” I state as we shake hands.

  “Just got into town I take it?”

  “Yeah, my dad, Troy, wanted to stop by and check in with the owner first.”

  He begins to nod
his head. “Ivan. He’s the owner and my uncle. I’ve been working here since I could pick up a wrench. You any good?” he asks, motioning toward the car.

  “Not sure how good I am, but nothing’s better than working under the hood,” I say.

  “Come on, I’ll introduce you around. I’m sure they’ll be in there a while,” Jimmy says as he tosses the towel on the front fender, and we walk toward the other guys hanging around. “Hey, y’all, this is Walker. Walker, this is my brother James, and my cousins Bo and Lance.” They give me a welcoming nod, and I do the same. “That’s my Aunt Suzy. She runs the desk, answers the calls and shit,” he says as he motions toward the front of the shop. We hang around and shoot the shit a few minutes before an older, weathered man appears out of nowhere with my parents right behind him.

  “Jimmy, thought you were gonna have that car ready today? What you doing runnin’ your jaws?” Ivan barks.

  “I’m on it, Unc. Just trying to help Walker out here,” he says as he walks toward the car. “Holler at us later, Walker!” Jimmy yells as he begins to work under the car.

  As Dad, Mom, and I walk back outside, Ivan follows us out. “The house is right down the road. Follow me, and I’ll welcome you to your new home,” he says with a sarcastic laugh. This is going to be a hellhole, I’m sure. We follow on our bikes down the worn road to a stop sign, turn right, and follow it to the end of the street. It’s very obvious that each of these houses used to be filled by people who worked at the run-down textile mill. The small, old, white millhouse reminds me of something you’d see in an old movie. The paint is chipped, the screens are torn on several windows, and it looks as if no one has lived here in years. Just great, but did I really think we’d move up in this world? Hell no.

  As Ivan opens the door, I follow my parents inside. I’m thankful that the inside is better than the outside. Ivan shows Dad and Mama around while I hang out quietly by the front door. After they finish, he and Dad step onto the porch to discuss something. They shake hands, and Dad walks back inside to Mom and me.

  He points to the room that will be mine and tells me to meet them in the kitchen in a few minutes. I wonder if this bed has some crazy fungus from the last tenant. After placing my clothes into the worn out dresser, I go to the kitchen as instructed. I know what we need to discuss—work and school. My parents might be trouble, but one thing they don’t mess with is school. It was their one way to make sure they didn’t go to jail when I was younger, and I guess they feel they might as well stay the course until I graduate.

  As I walk into the kitchen, Dad is propped up against the counter and Mom is sitting in the old wooden chair at the table. Guess it’s a good thing this place is furnished.

  “Walker, I’m sure you can figure out we’re here thanks to Ivan. I’m gonna be workin’ for him at the shop. He might need you, too.”

  “So, what exactly are we going to be doing?” I ask, unsure of what kind of answer I’ll get.

  “What we do best. Work on cars,” he says with a sly grin.

  Mom jumps in. “Troy, you better tell him. He’s gonna find out soon enough.” And just like that, a sickness fills my stomach. What illegal crap am I going to be doing? Stealing cars? Transporting drugs?

  “We’re doing a different kinda run than normal.” He pauses. “We’re runnin’ shine.”

  “Moonshine?” I question. I do love watching Moonshiners, but this ain’t some reality TV show. It’s real life, my life, and I’m pretty sure this isn’t going to end well because it never does.

  “Yeah. You don’t need to worry about the details. Just know you work part-time at Ivan’s Imports when they need you.”

  “Yes, sir,” I say.

  “I think things are looking up. We’ll have jobs, and your Aunt Mary isn’t too far out of town,” Mom adds. Aunt Mary is my mom’s younger sister. She’s the one with a little bit of sense, and typically doesn’t want my dad anywhere near her. Maybe she’s right. Maybe things will be better here.

  “Shit, like that hoity-toity princess is going to do anything for us,” he says with a rough laugh. “We’ve got to go out tonight. Make sure you stay out of trouble, boy. You got me?” Dad says sternly.

  “Yes, sir,” I say.

  Chauna

  “Dad!” I holler as I enter our quaint home.

  “In here!” he hollers back from his bedroom.

  Making my way to his room, I see him with his guitar in hand and papers on the bed. A new song.

  “Whatcha writin’?” I ask as I take a seat beside him.

  “Just a little tune I can’t seem to get out of my head,” he says as he begins to play it for me. When he strums the last note, he places his guitar down. “How was school today?”

  “Same ol’, same ol’. I’m so ready for summer,” I sigh.

  “Don’t wish your life away, sweet girl. Hard to believe you’ll be in the twelfth grade soon. Any thought on what you want to do after?”

  “Really? I told you I want to stay here and work at Boondocks. Well, maybe sing more than work.”

  He pauses. “Chauna, I know that you love to sing, and I know you love Boondocks as much as I do, but is that where you see yourself twenty years from now? There’s so much you could do. There’s college, traveling, or maybe Nashville.”

  I shake my head. “Daddy, but then where would you be? I can’t leave you,” I say and mean it with my whole heart.

  “As much as I love that, I know that your mama wouldn’t want you worrying about me so much.”

  “Daddy, don’t pull Mama into this because that’s not the reason. The fact that she’s not with us anymore is hard enough, but this is home. I love it here, and don’t plan on leaving.”

  “Chauna, I just want you to think about it. I also know that one day I’m not gonna be around because that’s the inevitable. I want you to live for you. Stop worrying about your old man and enjoy life.”

  “Daddy, I am. This is home, and I don’t want to go anywhere else.”

  Daddy stands and walks to his dresser and pulls out a small velvet box. He walks toward me and hands it to me. As I open it, I gasp at the small diamond bracelet that I can remember as a child. “You know your mama would want you to have it. I was going to wait until a milestone in your life, but sometimes I think you don’t need a reason to do something special. She loved you, and she would want you to do what makes you happy. So every time you look at this, it’s a reminder to do what makes you happy.”

  “I love it!” I say as I hug him.

  “Now, get ready. I’m heading to Boondocks within the hour to help Darren unload the truck.”

  I hurry to my room, crank up the music, and sing, as I get ready for teen night at Boondocks. I live for this night every week. Not only do I get to see my daddy perform on stage, but I also get to sing as well. Taking Mama’s earrings in my hand, I gently place them in my ears before hurrying out the front door for another fabulous Friday night.

  Chapter 3

  Walker

  Before my parents leave, my mom comes into my room to check on me. I wonder if she even really cares.

  “Walker, I left Aunt Mary’s number in case you ever need it.”

  “And how am I going to call?” I question with excessive attitude, knowing I have no phone and there isn’t a landline.

  “Just in case,” she says. Maybe she does in her own twisted way.

  Moments after my parents leave, I turn on the worn out TV and am impressed to find the cable still works. I bet that’s illegal, too. After flipping through the channels, I stop on ESPN and catch up with the world of sports. Once I’ve watched every update twice, I grab my jacket and keys and walk down the worn, squeaky steps toward my bike.

  After placing my helmet on my head, I turn the ignition and bring my baby to life. I have no clue where I’m going, but it’s time to escape this life for a while.

  Chauna

  As Daddy and I pull up to Boondocks, I hurry out of the truck and into the bar. Darren, Paige, and Kris
ta are getting ready for teen night and the late night crowd.

  “Hey, y’all! You need some help?” I ask.

  “Sure!” Paige says, and I follow her down to the basement to grab the cases of non-alcoholic beverages. On my way back upstairs, I feel my phone vibrate. Logan is texting to see if we need any help. I shoot him a quick reply and then make sure the tables have all their chairs, and the minor details that are done each night are finished.

  Just before opening, my phone begins to blow up with texts from friends saying they will be here tonight. I help Daddy set up the stage and begin a sound check. Daddy begins to strum the guitar as I begin to sing.

  Looking around the room, I can see what others can’t when the lights are down. The usually dark room is filled with florescent light. There aren’t lines at the bar, and the dance floor is completely empty. I can see Paige filling the cooler with ice while singing along. Darren is counting money at the cash register, Krista is stocking the bar for later tonight, but when I look to the corner table, I smile as my heart warms as I remember my mama. Daddy and I sing one more song, and as we slow it down, I see Darren walk toward Krista. He takes her in his arms, and they sway to the beat of the music.

  When the last note ends, I hear whistling and I look up to see Logan. I shake my head and jump off the stage to meet him.

  “That was awesome, Chauna. I swear, one of these days I’m going to be telling The Tennessean that you’re my best friend.”

  “Whatever,” I say as I push his shoulder.

  “No, really. You could make it, Chauna. You have that star quality. You’re going to realize that one day. I just hope it’s not too late.”

  Shaking it off, I make my way to a barstool. “Hey, Paige, can we get some wings before the crowd gets here?”

  “You got it!” she says as she makes her way to the kitchen. Within ten minutes, she comes through the swinging door with wings, ranch, and curly fries. Logan and I sit, eat, and laugh. As the crowd begins to pour in, I take the stage with Daddy. At eight on the dot, we welcome everyone to Boondocks and begin to perform.