He’d wash away the grime, discard the cloak, and burn it. He was aware of every odor, the vomit clinging to him when he couldn’t make it to the bathroom, the stains when he’d wet himself. His body demanded fresh air, the brisk water of the canal! The sun’s rays reached into his brain and seemed to purify his thoughts.
Why are you so stuck in yesterday? he thought. Tomorrow I’m buying pants and shirts and shoes…actual shoes!
The trees were closer now. Cottonwoods shaded a large area up ahead.
“Grandpa!” Malcolm shouted, chasing after the old man.
The canal was visible through the trees. The perfect thing to cleanse his body and mind…
Algernon shed the cloak, throwing it to the ground, revealing a pasty, wrinkled, naked body. He laughed out loud.
“Grandpa!” Malcolm shouted from behind. “What are you doing?”
Algernon Alister ran and leapt into the air as he reached the bank of the canal. The air sailed under his feet. His arms pin-wheeled. He hollered, crying out, feeling twenty-five again: “Yeeee-haaaaa!”—and made a huge splash. Cold crisp water embraced every inch of his body!
Now, if only he could remember how to swim…
Water rushed into his ears and up his nose. It was cold. Oh, man, it was cold! But it felt good!
The years of grime peeled away. He should’ve grabbed a bar of soap. He was more clear-headed, more sober than he’d been in years! He gulped water, broke the surface, and spit it out of his mouth. He howled again:
“Wheeww—eeeeeee! Man that water’s cooold!” He grabbed his arms, rubbing his flabby biceps, and shivered.
Malcolm came to a halt at the edge of the canal, eyes wide in surprise, but the boy was beaming.
“Jump in, lad!” Algernon said, splashing around. “The water’s fine!”
Malcolm laughed—and much to Algernon’s surprise—leapt off the bank, and into the canal. He broke the surface, coming up just inches from his grandfather.
Algernon put his hands on top of Malcolm’s head and pushed him under.
Malcolm broke the surface, coughing and laughing at the same time. “What did you do that for?” he asked, hair matted, plastered to his head, glasses wet and foggy.
“For not dragging me out here sooner,” Algernon said, and pushed him under again.
ii
The weather had noticeably cooled on the afternoon of the skate party. Kids were anxious, anticipating the event with relish. Not all, of course, shared such enthusiasm. The skate party made it hard to concentrate on school, and some (including Malcolm) were all ready to leave.
Before lunch, with some help from Eddie, Seth managed to endure the more painful aspects of math. But he was still worried about the long haul throughout the year. Still, it was good to get a jump on his least favorite subject, and for once, he was optimistic about his grades.
At the end of the day, in Mrs. Dunbar’s class, the last bell finally rang. Kids scattered, hurrying home to take advantage of the early break, while others scurried down the hall to the skate party.
“Are you going?” Seth asked Malcolm.
Malcolm (with a look that said, ‘You ought to know better than that.’) shook his head.
“Why not?” Seth said, disappointed.
“Not my kind of thing,” Malcolm said. “Grandpa needs me to help around the house anyway. I told him I’d be home early.”
Malcolm hadn’t made as many cynical comments lately, Seth noticed. The boy was smiling more than usual, in fact.
Eddie Higglesby seemed disenchanted by the skate party as well.
“Aren’t you going?” Seth asked Eddie.
“Gee, Seth,” the kid said, blushing. “I don’t know. All them girls and everything. I don’t know how to skate to begin with. I don’t think—”
“Come on, it’ll be fun,” Seth said. “Skating’s easy.”
“I don’t know—” Eddie said. He looked at the floor, his hands in his pockets, and shuffled his feet.
“Come on!” Seth said. “I don’t want to be the only one skating.”
“Aren’t you going with Kinsey, anyway?” Eddie asked.
“That’s what I mean! I don’t want to be the only boy there. Are you sure you don’t want to go? It’ll be fun. I promise. You might even find someone to skate with.”
“Well…okay,” Eddie finally gave in.
“What about you Gavin?” Seth said. “You coming?”
Gavin looked preoccupied, thinking of something else, but gave a barely perceptible nod. At least, Seth saw, he wasn’t limping anymore. Seth looked at Howard.
“What about you, Howard?”
“I’ll go,” Howard said.
Seth looked at Malcolm again. The boy shoved his notebook into his desk.
“Sorry,” Malcolm said. “I’m taking off. Have fun, though. And I want a full report of all skating activities with the opposite sex by oh-nine-hundred Monday.”
Howard giggled. Seth frowned, but nodded. The four boys said goodbye as the taller one exited the classroom.
“Well,” Gavin said. “Seth has an important date, so we’ll meet you down there. Come on, Higgledy-piggledy.”
Eddie raised his eyebrows at Gavin. “What did you just call me?”
“Higgledy-piggledy,” Gavin said, smiling. “Hey! What’s the deal with Higglesby anyway? It’s not a Chinese name.”
“My mom’s Japanese, thank you very much,” Eddie said. “Not Chinese. My dad’s American.”
“Sure,” Gavin said. “I get it. Hey, if you don’t like Higgledy-piggledy, how about Higgs for short?”
“I don’t think I like Higgs, either,” Eddie said, taken aback.
“Are you kidding?” Gavin said with fervor. “Higgs is great. Higgs is the ruler of the world! The Kingdom Smasher. He is the great and powerful Higgs. The once and future Higgs.”
“I’ve never heard of him,” Eddie said. “And I don’t like it. No one’s ever called me Higgs before. Not even anyone in my family. And if you’re going to start calling me Higgs, I’ll jujitsu your eyeballs out.” Eddie held up a fist and pumped it in the air, then turned to Seth. “What do you expect from a Spawn freak?”
“Jeez!” Gavin said. “Give a guy a title, and he gets all bunged up!” He looked at Seth, who shrugged and said nothing. Gavin turned to Eddie. “Higgs just happens to be the name of my grandpa. He was a war hero. Saved over a dozen lives. A hero, you understand? I’m surprised you haven’t heard of him. Got his foot blown off.”
“Whatever!” Eddie said, rolling his eyes.
Seth looked at Howard. The smaller boy smiled and shrugged, as if to say, ‘Let them go at it. We’ll just stand here and make sure no one gets hurt.’
“I am not!” Gavin said, trying not to smile. “Higgs Lolly. That’s what people called him. Sometimes they changed his name around. Lolly Higgs. He was a great man.”
“Yeah? How did he die?” Eddie asked.
Seth looked at Howard, who shook his head, holding his palms up.
“I don’t know,” Gavin said, the amusement going out of his voice. “Bus hit him or something while he was crossing the road. You know, not having a foot and all.”
Howard burst out laughing. It sounded funny with the retainer. Apparently aware of this, he stopped laughing instantly.
“Whatever!” Eddie said, rolling his eyes.
“I am not, Higgs!” Gavin protested. “Honest to goodness crunch!”
“Don’t call me Higgs. I don’t like it!”
Eddie traipsed out of the room, shaking his head. Howard tried not to laugh, but he was quick to follow Eddie. Eddie and Howard had taken to each other rather quickly, Seth noticed.
“Jeez!” Gavin said. “What’s got into him?” Gavin and Seth watched until the two smaller boys disappeared down the hallway.
“Is there really a Higgs Lolly?” Seth asked.
Gavin looked at Seth and smiled wide. “Nah. But it’s fun getting him all wound up, isn’t it?” Gavin nudged Seth wit
h his elbow. “See ya at the gym,” he said, following the two boys into the hallway.
Seth heard him call:
“Hey, Higgs! Wait up!”
Across the room, Kinsey was putting her books away. She stopped and looked at Seth. Pink barrettes were in her hair again today. Her shirt was white with a shooting star leaving a rainbow trail on the front.
Other kids put their things away and gathered at the door, shuffling into the hallway.
He walked over to Kinsey. “Are you ready?”
She nodded.
“I hope this’ll be fun,” Seth said.
“Me, too,” Kinsey replied.
He’d been anticipating the skate party with Kinsey, and now that it was here, he didn’t know what to do. Should he strike up a conversation? Seth drew a blank. He wanted to grab her hand but knew how inappropriate that was.
They walked down the hallway with other boys and girls. His cheeks flushed. Music was coming from the gym, old time rock-and-roll. Kinsey turned to him and smiled. Seth felt his cheeks warm.
“Have you ever skated before?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said. “My mom and dad take me every now and then to The Skate Shack in Boulder.”
Seth nodded.
“Do you know how to skate?”
“Not very well,” he admitted, thinking of when Masie had taught him how to skate several years ago. A bruised knee and a strawberry elbow had been the result. He hoped today wouldn’t be a repeat of that episode.
The skates were in the cafeteria to the left of the gym. Instead of grabbing lunches, boys and girls announced their shoe sizes to Mr. Bimble, who—with the assistance of other teachers—distributed them accordingly. The skates were all the same. Blue tennis shoes with yellow stripes. Feeling ridiculous, he realized they matched the blue and yellow shirt he wore.
“Hey, Seth,” Kinsey said, her face lighting up. “They look just like your shirt. Did you call in advance or what?”
Seth blushed, rolling his eyes, and shook his head.
They waited in line until it was their turn. Once they got their skates, they went back to the gym. The doors were closed. Rock-and-roll oldies played from inside. Two girls opened the door before them. Seth grabbed one and held it open for Kinsey, and she walked inside. Seth followed, transported to another time and place. Kinsey gasped in surprise.
It was dark inside. In each corner of the gym, tall stands of multi-colored lights blinked randomly: yellow, green, orange, red, blue, and purple. To Seth, they looked like giant, colored flyswatters. A disco ball hung suspended from the ceiling, sending silvery rays of mirrored light in all directions. Classic oldies played from a stereo on the opposite wall. Kids skated inside a perimeter defined by black streamers connected to orange soccer cones, making a makeshift ‘rink.’ To Seth’s right, along the wall, long tables held punch and ice cream, where flocks of kids stood and mingled, having treats. Along the left wall, kids sat on the floor, discarding their tennis shoes, and put their skates on.
“Holy cow!” Kinsey said. “This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen! I never thought it’d be like this!” She turned to Seth, eyes wide.
Seth laughed and shook his head. “I didn’t, either. It’s kind of amazing.”
“Come on,” she said, grabbing his hand. “Let’s skate!”
Seth laughed again.
They took off their shoes, setting them alongside the others by the wall, and laced up. Seth turned to Kinsey once he had his skates on. In one section between the soccer cones was an opening where kids could enter and exit. Seth stumbled awkwardly after Kinsey, trying to get his balance.
“Race ya,” Kinsey said, and bolted—looking to Seth both comical and enchanting.
Seth followed but lost his balance. His arms pin-wheeled, legs kicking out in front of him. Finally, he righted himself without too much trouble, sweat breaking out on his neck and cheeks, and slowly skated after Kinsey.
The music played. Lights cycled, blinking colors. The teachers had done an amazing job. It was everything except an actual roller rink.
Kinsey had made a lap already and was right behind him. She grabbed his waist. Seth lost his footing again, but Kinsey held on, keeping him upright.
“Almost took a tumble,” she said.
Seth tried to smile and felt the urge to kiss her.
Before he lost himself in the moment, Gavin skated by, breaking the spell, and jabbed him in the ribs. Seth looked up, startled. Sweat broke out along his forehead. Gavin turned, skated away, and grinned, shaking a finger at him.
Seth tried to ignore it and skated with Kinsey.
“I wish a slow song would come on,” she said.
“A slow song?” he asked.
“Yeah. So we could skate together.”
“But we are skating together,” he said.
“I mean…you know…?” she said.
Seth turned bright red, swallowing the lump in his throat. Kinsey looked away and blushed. She wasn’t concerned with the other kids, apparently. It made him like her even more.
Soon, Kinsey’s wish was granted. “Earth Angel” came on. She looked at Seth and started laughing. A hot flush rose in his cheeks.
A tall, dark-haired boy skated up to Kinsey and grabbed her hand. Kinsey pulled away, giving the boy a deadly glare. Seth was intimidated by the kids’ height, but he didn’t want to start any trouble. The boy rolled his eyes and skated away.
“Sorry,” Kinsey said. She grabbed Seth’s hand and smiled as if nothing happened.
He couldn’t believe it! Seth closed his eyes for a second and savored the moment.
“What a jerk,” Kinsey said. “I hate boys like that.”
“Makes you want to give ’em one of these,” Seth said, holding his fist in the air.
“Right. Pow!”—she said, swinging her arm around.
“You handled it very well,” Seth said. “I was getting scared.”
They laughed. A motor-like feeling moved through him. Holding her hand, and the way she’d handled the boy, made him fall in love with her all over again.
Gavin and Eddie stood next to each other on the other side of the rink, but Seth couldn’t see Howard anywhere. Gavin and Eddie smiled at Seth, cheering him on with ice cream cones in their hands.
“Go, Seth!” Gavin cried, holding out his cone like an Olympic torch.
Seth flushed with embarrassment and almost regretted asking them to the skate party. Before Seth skated out of view, a girl rolled up to Gavin, grabbed his hand, and pulled him out onto the rink. Gavin almost dropped his ice cream in surprise, and Seth laughed out loud.
“Sorry about that,” he said, referring to Gavin’s jeers.
“They’re just jealous,” Kinsey said.
Eddie was skating minutes later with a cute blonde Seth had noticed in Mrs. Higgins’ class. He didn’t know the girl’s name, but Eddie was smiling from ear to ear. The girl’s hair was a straight golden spill to her waist.
“Earth Angel” ended, replaced by something more upbeat. Kids flocked to the floor again—those skating without a partner—and whizzed by Seth and Kinsey. A pang sliced through him when she let go of his hand. Eddie skated up to Seth and Kinsey, excited and wide-eyed.
“Man!” he exclaimed, his forehead perspiring. “I can’t believe that just happened!”
“I told you,” Seth said.
“Yeah,” Eddie said. “But I didn’t really believe it! Golly. She’s cute. Her name’s Melissa. I mean, I can’t believe it myself, so I know you can’t believe it!”
“She seems to like you, too, Eddie,” Kinsey said, beaming.
“Jeez! I don’t know.” Eddie put his hand to his chin. “What am I gonna do?”
Seth grinned. “Ask her to skate with you some more.”
Eddie looked dumbfounded. “What if she says no?”
Seth and Kinsey laughed.
“She just pulled you out onto the rink, right?” Kinsey asked.
Eddie nodded, amazed by the depth of
this simple phrase, and skated off again.
Seth couldn’t get over how comical all this was, he and his friends skating with girls. Another day would not be like this, he thought.
Kinsey grabbed his hand again. Warmth spread through his chest. Did he love her already?
“You wanna get something to drink?” Seth asked.
Kinsey nodded, and they skated toward the tables of punch and ice cream. Her face was aglow. Seth’s shirt clung to him. He was already perspiring.
Seth filled two plastic cups with punch and handed one to Kinsey. He took a drink instantly. It wasn’t punch but strawberry Kool-aid. He finished the Kool-aid and quickly refilled his cup. Kinsey looked at him and raised her eyebrows.
“I’m really thirsty,” he said, making Kinsey giggle.
Gavin skated over, coming to a stop. His eyes were large, mouth wide in a big, stupid grin. “Hey Seth!” he said. “Did you get a load of Higgs? Ole’ Higgs has scored! Trumpeting sounds all around! Man! That’s the coolest!” Gavin cackled.
“What happened to the girl you were skating with?” Seth asked.
“Uh…” Gavin stammered. He didn’t look so excited suddenly. The boy scanned the gym from one end to the other. “Well, the thing is I don’t think she’s my type. She’s a little persistent.”
“Aren’t you a little persistent?” Kinsey asked.
Gavin looked at her and frowned. “What kind of girl is this, Seth?” he asked.
“The prettiest kind,” Seth said.
Kinsey gasped, eyes wide. “Oh, Seth, that’s so sweet.”
“But she’s right,” Seth told him, agreeing with Kinsey. “You are kind of persistent.”
“Well, yeah,” Gavin said. “Golly busters. That’s all show. I’ve been trying to give her the clues to the mystery, you know, but she’s—”
Seth and Kinsey exchanged a glance. Golly busters? Seth would have to explain Gavin’s idioms to Kinsey.
Before the bout had finished, Gavin saw her; Seth and Kinsey did as well. She was coming from the far side of the rink, calling Gavin’s name. From where the stereo played, a very cute girl with short red hair and wearing a white skirt saw Gavin and waved.
Snapdragon Book I: My Enemy Page 27
