The Hollowed Land

by Krisch, Glen

  The others had totally excised him from their game. No one else was taking note of him. It was just him and the beautiful bikini-clad girl who suddenly appeared wise beyond her years. He came closer and sat in the hot sand, resting his elbows on his knees.

  When he thought she would say something, when he thought she would pepper him with questions, she remained silent. But her eyes never wavered, never flitted away at the myriad distractions all around them.

  "So…" Kip paused. "I thought you were Billy's sister. At least at first I did."

  "Oh, hell no." Silvia pushed her glasses to the top of her head. "It's nothing like that."

  "And you're not a cousin? Related in any way?"

  "No. I met Luna, what… three, four years ago? We were at Burning Man—"

  "What's that?" Kip cut in.

  "You never heard of Burning Man? Really?"

  "Really," he said without hesitation.

  "Burning Man…" she said, looking at her hands. She lifted her head and her eyes sparkled. "It's an experience. It's a party. It's about freedom, and giving, and revelry. I can't really describe it, but it's transcendent," she said, and paused, losing herself in the memory. "One night Luna was dancing this free-flowing, exotic dance that was so… self-aware. Dozens of people were just chilling, watching her. Wow, this sounds lame if you've never been there." She chuckled. "But seeing her perform, I knew I had to meet her. And later on that night I did. I offered to braid her hair for her, and then she painted henna tattoos along my hands, and I knew at that moment that I needed to be a part of her life."

  "So you…?" Kip said, unsure of what he was asking.

  "So when the festival ended I left my life in Oregon behind and moved back to Echo Bluff with Luna and Ziggy. Ziggy… he's my soul daddy. He's just so… astute, right? Like, brilliant, yet simple."

  "Okay… so you are a family friend?" he said, still trying to figure it out.

  "No, silly. I'm a member of the family. Full-fledged."

  "Right." Kip's head was spinning. "And you… go to school with Billy?"

  "School wasn't right for me." She looked at her hands. "I've been painting. I just started learning acrylics. I don't know if I'm any good at it, but Luna seems to think so, and she gives me the space to explore whatever creative outlet I want."

  "That's so…" He almost said, insane. "That's cool. And you can just do… whatever?"

  "Time is my canvas, as Luna likes to say."

  Kip nodded. "You'll have to show me some of your work. You know, if you'd like."

  "Sure. I'd like that." She playfully tossed a small handful of sand at him, and he reciprocated. "Earlier… I saw that look you gave."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Like you were a million miles from home. Like you didn't know how to live, how to experience or understand the stimuli around you. I saw that look and it was so familiar. I saw it staring at me in the mirror every day, back in the day. That was before I left home… before I ran away."

  "I don't know what you're talking about," he said defensively. Silvia's eyes were probing, intent, yet comforting. Kip looked away.

  "I've been there, Kip. My cousin tried to hook up with me, and he wouldn't take no for an answer. No one believed me. No one cared to listen."

  "It's nothing like that," Kip said, unable to meet her penetrating gaze.

  "That might not be what's going on, Kip, but it is. Whatever it is."

  "I… I don't want to talk about this," he said and stood up. Sand clung to his legs. Sweat dripped from his face and down his spine. "I need… I need to go."

  Kip left Silvia behind, and didn't look back until he reached the conical-shaped parking lot. He passed a vendor pushing a stainless steel cart.

  "Lemon ice? Get your lemon ice here!"

  Kip ignored him as a group of teenagers lined up, their hands reaching inside their pockets for loose change. He didn't know what he was doing or where he was going. He felt like an alien dropped off in a foreign land. Silvia stood up, brushed herself off. She wrapped the towel around her waist and followed him.

  "Kip, hold on. Wait a minute!"

  He glanced back quickly and saw that she was trotting after him. He picked up his pace, heading for Ziggy's VW. A woman on a ten-speed bike nearly crashed into him, but he skirted her path of destruction. He felt a weak amount of relief when he spotted the VW in the spare bit of shadow afforded by the withered-looking elms lining the parking lot.

  As he closed on the VW, he realized something wasn't right. The bus wasn't exactly moving, more like bouncing slightly. He slowed to a walk, his feet scuffling along through the gravel-strewn blacktop.

  "Oh, yeah, perhaps we should wait for…?" Silvia said when she caught up to him.

  A sweaty palm slapped the VW's window in the far backseat. The palm slid across the steamed glass as the bus continued to jounce. Kip knew he was slow on the uptake, but he knew what was going on, and based on the absence of Billy's parents, he was almost certain he knew who was inside the VW.

  His face reddened, and he turned to face Silvia.

  "They, um… they really do love each other. It's sickening, really," she said and chuckled. Surprisingly, she seemed as embarrassed as Kip felt.

  "So… can I get you a lemon ice?" He patted his pocket and pulled out his money.

  "Without a doubt, Kip." She glanced at the bus before saying, "I think we still have about ten minutes."

  Kip laughed, and all the bewilderment he'd felt just a minute ago had vanished. Something about Silvia made him even more certain that he wanted to leave his father's influence and live a normal life. Silvia's vagabond life, in whatever capacity she lived under Luna and Ziggy's roof, was somehow more normal than his own.

  Silvia let him lead the way to the vendor's cart, which in itself was an oddity in his life. He was always the one who walked a stride or two respectfully behind. Silvia surprised him yet again when she took hold of his bicep and clung to him. It felt incredible. Empowering. Endearing.

  His heart stuttered when she squeezed his arm. As they reached the wheeled cart, he felt like he was floating on air.

  "I thought you looked like a couple needing refreshment!" the short old man said. He wore a white paper hat, a white button-up shirt, and white pants. Sweat streamed down his flushed face, but he wore a big grin regardless.

  "Yes, sir. Two lemon ices, please." Kip placed his one and only five dollar bill on the cart. His mom had slipped him the money before he left this morning. He just hoped he wouldn't need to pay for anything else.

  "Coming right up!"

  The old man opened the lid to his cart. A frosty cloud billowed from the opening as he pulled out two small paper cups with cardboard pull-tab lids.

  Kip handed one of them to Silvia, and she pressed the icy coolness against her forehead. He gladly took his change, and then they went a short ways away from the cart and sat down on the curb to bask in the lemony sweetness. Kip didn't realize how hungry he'd become, and he ate the lemon ice so quickly that he verged on an ice cream headache. Silvia was more restrained, using the little wooden spoon to bring scoopfuls of the lemon ice to her tongue, and letting it melt slowly.

  "This is so good." She groaned as she slowly worked through the lemon ice until all that was left was the cool slurry in the bottom of the paper cup. He watched her avidly.

  "Here, have the rest." She offered him the cup.

  "O… kay." He took the cup and tipped the liquid into his mouth until it was empty.

  "You know you're not alone, right?" She squinted at the choppy waves of Lake Michigan. Seagulls hovered over the wet sand near the shore, waiting for some kid to drop a bit of food. They squawked and dived, squawked and dived.

  "I… I know," he replied, even though he wasn't sure what she'd meant.

  "Billy, he's known Hax since they were in diapers. And I've lived with the Reveres for three years."

  He waited for her to continue, but when she didn't he said, "And?"

  "You are t
he only other person Billy's allowed into his inner circle. He's close to Luna and Ziggy. Closer than any other family I've seen. And Hax? He's like his brother. But really? There's no one else."

  "Really?" Kip wasn't sure how to take this information.

  "His personality? Yeah, you wouldn't think that would be the case, but it's true. Billy sees something in you. Just like I do."

  Kip had never felt special, had never felt like anything other than a hindrance at best, a total let down at worst.

  "So, like I said, you are not alone." She bumped her shoulder playfully against his. "I mean it. You are one of us."

  "Okay." His voice cracked with a sudden wave of emotion.

  "So that means, at some point, meaning not this fucking second, we're going to have a talk, you and I."

  "Yes, ma'am." He laughed softly, and it seemed to balance the tumult of his emotions.

  "And maybe, somehow," she said, setting her hand on his thigh, "I'll figure out how to help you relax."

  "Oh, okay…"

  "Hey, there you guys are!" Billy came trotting over to them, while Hax trailed ten feet behind him, bulldozing through the hot sand. "I thought you decided to walk home."

  "Trust me, when we realized what was going on in the bus." Silvia paused, pointing toward the VW. "I seriously considered it."

  All at once they all looked at the bus. It no longer rocked, but the windows were still steamed, a single palm print pressed into the condensation.

  "Eew. Gross," Hax said.

  "That's the chance you take when you hang out with my parental units for any length of time," Billy said, not the slightest bit embarrassed.

  "I think it's cute," Silvia said. "It's like they still love each other."

  "In the most inappropriate way," Hax added.

  "So, Kip, what did I tell you? Great fucking time, right?" Billy said, sitting down on the curb next to him.

  "Yeah, sand, sun, and… and all that," Kip said, looking away.

  "Titties, Kip," Silvia cut in. "I believe the word you're looking for is titties."

  Hax guffawed and sat down next to her.

  "What?" Kip said.

  "It's pretty much Billy's favorite word," she said, not offended in the slightest. "Not too hard to guess."

  "And what a glorious word it is!" Billy said, pushing his long hair back behind his ears. A buxom woman in a string bikini serendipitously walked by, immediately drawing Billy's attention. He jumped to his feet and walked a few paces after her. "Why, hello. I love you!" he whispered, extending his hand out to the unaware woman.

  "Pig!" Silvia said.

  The woman turned down and aisle and out of view. Billy snapped his fingers. "Oink, oink, Silvy." Billy sat down on the curb next to Kip.

  "So, now what?" Hax slipped on his overalls and winced as he fastened the straps over his shoulders. The skin of his upper body had gone from a pasty white to a near lobster cast.

  "I'm not going over there," Silvia said.

  "Me neither," Kip added.

  "Wellll…" Billy drew out the word until his eyes lit up. He stood up and waved for them to follow. The bus's door was open. "Let's ask Ziggy."

  Ziggy Revere stepped out into the parking lot, a cloud of smoke wafting out along with him. He stood unsteadily on his feet, and his eyes were drawn to slits.

  "Those wakin' bakers," Billy muttered. "Jesus Christ almighty."

  Billy hurried over to the bus, with everyone else following close behind.

  "My boy!" Ziggy said, straining to open his bloodshot eyes.

  "Ziggy, come on now! Really?" Billy chastised his dad.

  "My people!" Ziggy said as everyone gathered around him.

  "We should get out of here," Billy said, checking the surrounding area for any observant police officers.

  "I think I've had enough sun," Hax said.

  "Let's load up the bus and hit the road then," Ziggy said. He turned to head over to the driver's side door.

  "No, wait a minute!" Billy said. "I'm not getting in that bus with you full-on tweaking."

  Ziggy gave him a dismissive wave and then combed his long beard with his fingers. "Don't worry, I'm level."

  "No… no, hand me the keys. I'll drive." Billy held out his hand.

  "That's a brilliant idea!" Ziggy tossed Billy the keys and headed over to the side door.

  "Can you drive this thing?" Hax asked.

  "Sure. I've used it to get gas and groceries a couple times."

  "That's just in town, though," Silvia said.

  "Hax has been driving a tractor since before I even met you, Silvy. Age doesn't matter. I know how to drive the bus."

  She stood with her arms folded in front of her, her hip cocked to the side. "You better get us home safely."

  "Well, I'm sure there's a better chance of that happening than with Mr. Reefer Madness behind the wheel."

  Ziggy climbed all the way into the back of the VW and curled up with Luna, who was sleeping peacefully. Kip and the others loaded the cooler, wet towels, and other beach stuff.

  "Hax, you co-pilot me home?" Billy asked as he closed the tailgate.

  "Sure will."

  "And by co-pilot, that means keeping your eyes open for fucking cops."

  "You know it."

  Billy climbed into the driver's seat, and Hax took the front passenger seat. Silvia followed Kip into the back seat. Even though the bench seat was wide open, she sat with her leg touching his. He felt an almost nauseating mixture of euphoria and unease. Billy looked unsure of himself, but once he got the key in the ignition and pulled out into traffic, he seemed to settle into the rhythm of the task.

  "This was a fun day," Silvia said. She tilted her head until it rested on Kip's shoulder. Hax opened his window, and the VW's smoky interior started to air out. "And illuminating."

  "Yeah, definitely."

  "Watch it!" Hax called out. Billy stomped on the brakes, just missing a couple of boys on skateboards crossing in front of the bus. "Stupid kids."

  "Who, the skaters, or us?" Hax asked.

  "Ah, probably a yes on both counts."

  "Thanks for saving the body damage to the old VW," Billy said. "That would've righteously pissed off the parental units."

  Kip listened to his new friends chatter back and forth in the front seat. He didn't add anything to the conversation, but that was okay. Just hearing their voices was comforting. And the feel of Silvia's head resting on his shoulder was a mad thrill. He had stumbled across this band of odd people, and he had instantly become a member of their group.

  He pondered both how this could have happened in the first place, as well as how he might hold onto it, as they slowly made their way back to Echo Bluff. Billy kept the bus a steady three miles an hour below the speed limit, but Kip wanted the trip to only lengthen, for it to last forever, as if suspended in time. For he knew that as soon as they returned home, this might all end just as quickly as it had begun.

  Chapter 9

  A harsh wind blew early fall leaves across the front lawn. Kip was sitting on the living room couch, a dense book open on his lap. He couldn't help looking out the window, couldn't help his mind wandering when he was supposed to be reading about Rommel's strategy at Kasserine Pass. He used to enjoy reading about the mechanics of war. The way a simple rearranging of the same pawns on a chessboard could determine a different outcome. But ever since he hung out with his new friends at North Avenue Beach, the Desert Fox bored him to tears.

  "I'm glad you had fun at the beach the other day," his mom said.

  At the sound of her voice, his eyes immediately defaulted to looking down at the text, but then he realized what she had said. He looked up and she greeted him with a slight smile. As always, she was in perpetual motion. She had only slowed in her route through the living room, toting her sewing basket, with a couple of shirts that needed mending hanging from her shoulder. "Thanks for letting me go. Hax and Billy are good guys. Silvia, too."

  "Silvia?" She stopped in her tracks. "I
s that the cute young thing I saw when you were dropped off?"

  "Yeah, Mom, let's not make a big deal out of it."

  "I won't." She looked like she wanted to burst with questions, but she held them at bay. "Not unless you want to. And then, I'm here. I will always be here for you."

  Kip smiled, but the guilt over her beating welled up, tarnishing every good memory from his trip to Chicago.

  "You've been at it all day with your studies. Why don't you call it a day? See if your friends are around."

  He closed the book with a thud and placed it on the coffee table. "Are you sure?"

  "Just be back inside in…" She checked her wristwatch. "Make it an hour. Your dad won't be home for almost two. It'll be our little secret."

  "Really?" He couldn't believe her offer, or that she would risk his dad's wrath. He'd assumed his newfound freedom would be limited to that white-hot moment at the beach; a short-lived blaze that would leave him with only the afterglow of memory.

  "Yes. Go. Take life by the scruff of the neck whenever you can, Kip."

  "Thanks, Mom." Before she could change her mind, he hurried over to the door, and just like on the day he first met Billy Revere, he felt enveloped by the possibility of outside—the mythical land where anything and everything could happen—upon closing the door.

  He checked his own watch. It was just after four. Plenty of time. But time for what?

  He turned down the sidewalk and headed in the only direction he knew would lead to anything worth his time. Two, three, four houses swept by. At the fifth house—Luna and Ziggy's quaint ranch with the stained glass peace symbol in the front window—he spotted Silvia sitting on the front steps. She was leaning forward and held a cigarette between the index and middle fingers of her left hand. She raised it to her full lips, took a long drag.

  She let the smoke trail in languid wisps from her mouth. When she saw him approaching, her face lit up.

  She pointed the index finger of her free hand at him. "Hey, you're new, right?"

  He felt gut-punched. Their time together had been more than just hanging out. So much more. At least in his own eyes.