Initiation

by Phil M. Williams

  There was a pause.

  “What?” Amber said.

  “How do you tell a guy to slow down?” Molly asked. “I mean he’s like a jack hammer that breaks down after thirty seconds.”

  Amber and Lilly laughed.

  “I’m serious, it’s not funny,” Molly said.

  They stopped laughing.

  “I swear everything he does must come from porn,” Molly said.

  “You just have to tell him,” Amber said.

  “He’ll be so mad – I can’t.”

  “Yes you can,” Lilly said. “He’s not going to find anyone hotter than you.”

  “He will when he’s playing football at Virginia Tech next year,” Molly replied with a sniffle.

  “Awww, it’s going to be okay,” Lilly said.

  Justin emerged from the hallway with a shit-eating grin. He sauntered over to the couch and sat next to Carter. Zach still snored in the recliner. Riley staggered down the hall shortly thereafter. Her dark hair was disheveled, her lip stick smudged. She went into the kitchen. Her friends said she looked like she’d just fallen out of a Mexican whorehouse. They all giggled.

  “I love drunk chicks,” Justin said as he leaned back on the couch.

  Carter didn’t respond. This didn’t stop Justin.

  “You know why?”

  Carter glanced at him. His Mohawk was freshly cut, his blue eyes bright and alert.

  “Because when they’re wasted, they’ll let you do whatever you want to ’em. I did some shit to Riley …” Justin cackled. “When she gets married – I mean how is she ever gonna explain that shit to her husband?” Justin shook his head. “She’ll always have my stench on her.”

  Carter stood up and ambled to the kitchen.

  “Where you goin’?” Justin said.

  Carter ignored him.

  “Hey, fuck face, wake up,” Justin said to Zach.

  Amber, Lilly, Molly, and Riley sat at the dining room table, slurring nonsense at each other, still passing the strawberry booze water.

  “Could I talk to you for a minute?” Carter said to Amber from the edge of the kitchen.

  Amber stumbled from the dining room to Carter. Despite her alcohol-induced sloppiness, she still exuded raw sexuality.

  She gave him a sloppy kiss. “I was so proud of you tonight,” Amber said.

  “We should get going,” Carter said.

  She pressed out her lower lip. “What, why?”

  “You’re wasted and it’s getting late. It’s already past one. I have films tomorrow morning.”

  “I’m staying here tonight. My mom knows I’m sleeping over.”

  “I should get going then. My dad would kill me if he knew I had my mom’s car out this late.”

  She grabbed his hand, stroking his palm with her thumb. “I’m sorry, sweetie, that’s my fault. My mom freaked when she got my grades. She never stays mad. I’ll probably get the truck back next week.”

  Carter shook his head. “It’s fine. I just can’t get the car very often.”

  Lilly shuffled toward them. She looked at Carter. “Have you seen Noah?”

  “He was playing video games in the TV room a few hours ago, but I haven’t seen him since.”

  Lilly stumbled down the hall.

  Carter glared at Amber. “By the way, I would prefer it if you didn’t tell your friends private stuff about us.”

  She grinned. “Oh come on, it’s all good stuff. They probably wanna fuck you now.”

  Carter took a deep breath. “I’m gonna get going.”

  “Don’t go,” she said wrapping her arms around his waist and whispering in his ear. “Pretty please with a cherry on top. I’ll make it worth your while.”

  “An hour.”

  She let go, grinning. “Why don’t you come back to Molly’s mom’s room with me? I have a present for you.” Amber turned, looking at the curvy redhead. “Hey, Molly, is it okay if Carter and I go back to your mom’s room?”

  “Go ahead,” Molly said, smiling. “Does Carter know the rule?”

  “Don’t worry,” Amber said with a giggle. “Every drop will be inside me.”

  Carter and Amber strolled down the hall to the master bedroom. They heard Lilly arguing with Noah through a closed door.

  “Calm down,” Noah said. “It’s not a big deal.”

  Amber put her ear to the door.

  Carter shook his head. “Don’t. Leave ’em alone.”

  She flashed her pouty face. “You’re no fun.”

  They continued to the master bedroom. Amber opened the door without knocking, flipping the overhead light on as she did so.

  “So bright,” she said.

  She adjusted the dimmer switch, turning the light from bright white to dim yellow. Carter closed and locked the door behind them. A king-sized bed took up most of the room. A dresser sat along the wall next to the door.

  Amber unzipped her boots and kicked them off. She sprawled on the bed as if she were making a snow angel. Carter slipped off his running shoes and climbed on the bed next to her.

  Noah and Lilly continued to argue down the hall, their voices penetrating the bedroom.

  Amber gaped up at the motionless ceiling fan. “The room’s spinning,” she said.

  “You okay?” Carter lay on his side, his head propped up with his arm.

  “I think I drank too much. Gonna rest my eyes.” Her speech was slurred and fading.

  “Do you want me to tuck you in and let you sleep?”

  She shook her head, her eyes closed. “I’m ’posed sleep … Molly’s room.”

  “Why don’t I go see if they’re done in there?”

  She moaned. “No, don’t go. Have to give … you something.”

  “Give it to me tomorrow. I should get home anyway.”

  She shook her head. “No … don’t go.”

  She pulled her tight sweater over her head and dropped it on the bed. Her black bra had a front clasp. She undid it, freeing her breasts, the bra straps still looped round her shoulders. She fumbled with the top button on her jeans.

  “You do it,” she said.

  He reached over, undid the button and pulled the zipper down. A few pubic hairs poked through her lacy black thong. She lifted her butt off of the bed and pushed her jeans and thong down her legs. She stopped at her knees, breathless. She was fully exposed, her jeans and underwear bunched around her knees.

  “You take them off,” she said.

  He pursed his lips. “Amber, you’re wasted. You can’t even move. Why don’t we do this tomorrow?”

  “Just do anything you want.”

  He grabbed onto her pants and underwear and tried to slide them back up her legs. He stopped at her upper thighs. Her butt was firmly planted on the bed.

  “No,” she said. “It’s okay. You can have me.”

  He took a deep breath. “Amber, I can’t. I mean I can –”

  “Wanna know a secret?”

  “Sure.”

  Carter heard a pounding sound coming from the front living room.

  Her eyes were sealed shut. She breathed heavily as if she were sleeping. “My brother.”

  “What about him?”

  “He did stuff to me.”

  Carter sat up and gripped her hand, his eyes wide. “What kind of stuff?”

  She was silent. Carter heard gruff voices through the walls.

  “Amber, wake up.” He shook her body. “What kind of stuff?”

  He heard heavy footsteps in the hall.

  She smirked, her eyes still shut. “Bad stuff … he –”

  The banging on the door jolted Carter upright.

  “Open up, it’s the police.”

  Shit.

  He grabbed Amber’s pants and yanked them over her ass. He snatched her sweater off the bed and pulled it over her head.

  He spoke into her ear. “Amber, get up.” He shook her body, the mattress squeaking. “We gotta go.”

  There was another loud knock that almost took the door o
ff the hinges.

  “Open this door now, it’s the police.” the officer said. “You have ten seconds to open this door or I’m gonna kick it in!”

  Carter slipped his running shoes on and pushed the dresser in front of the door. He hurried to the window, unlocked it and pushed, but it wouldn’t budge. It was painted shut. He pushed again with all his strength. The paint cracked and the window opened. He rolled Amber to the edge of the bed. She laughed as her world rotated. He slammed her boots over her wool socks and zipped them up. Grunting, Carter heaved her over his shoulder. She giggled. The adrenaline had wiped away any tipsiness he’d been feeling. He carried Amber to the window.

  The police officer kicked the door, breaking the lock, but he was blocked by the dresser. The racket jolted Amber from her stupor. Carter helped her through the ground floor window. The officer slammed into the door, pushing the dresser enough to slip into the room. Carter dove through the window head first. He tucked his head and landed with a thud.

  “Stop right there,” the officer said, shining his flashlight at the couple.

  Carter stood and helped Amber to her feet. They ran to the parking lot, Carter pulling her by the arm.

  “Shit,” Carter said. “It was right here.”

  Carter looked around. Two police cars with flashing lights were parked near the entrance to Molly’s apartment. Beyond the housing complex was a small copse of dark trees.

  “Let’s go,” he said, yanking Amber toward the woods.

  The going wasn’t easy: Amber kept stumbling, complaining that she was going to throw up. He hoisted her over his shoulder and continued toward the tree line. Amber bounced up and down, her face green. He ran down an embankment, stepped over a concrete gutter and disappeared into the dark trees. Safe within the brush and bark, he set Amber down. She dropped to her knees and heaved. Hot liquid splashed on dead leaves. He kneeled with her, rubbing her back as she emptied a night of strawberry alcopop. She groaned as he helped her to her feet.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  She nodded, wiping her mouth on her sweater sleeve.

  “The car’s gone,” he said.

  “They probably towed it,” she said, reaching under her sweater and clasping her bra.

  “What do you mean they towed it? Who’s they?”

  She spat bile on the ground. “The apartment people, I guess. They tow after midnight if you don’t have a pass.”

  He glared at her. “Are you fucking serious?”

  “What?”

  He clenched his jaw. “You don’t think you should have told me this?”

  She sighed. “You said you were gonna leave at like eleven.”

  “Christ, Amber.” He exhaled, shaking his head. “Why didn’t you tell me when it started to get late?”

  “Stop yelling at me. I’m wasted – how am I ’posed to remember that?”

  Carter peered at the apartment complex through the trees. “Who is that behind the bushes over there?”

  “Where?” Amber asked.

  Carter pointed. “That first building on the left, right next to the front door. I see two people.”

  “I don’t see anyone.”

  “It’s Noah, and I think that’s Lilly. I should go get them. Noah’s probably trying to find his car.” He took a deep breath and pulled his hood over his head. “Wait here.”

  Carter ran out of the woods, hopped over the drain pipe and climbed the embankment. Toward the top of the hill, he stopped and dropped flat onto his stomach. He squinted, gazing across the road. There were no cops in sight. He sprinted for the bushes across the street. Noah and Lilly were still arguing, the holly hedges concealing half of their bodies. They hushed as soon as they heard Carter approaching, their eyes wide.

  “Fuck, you scared the shit out of me,” Noah said.

  “The cars were towed,” Carter said.

  “Zach’s Jeep is still here, and Justin’s Explorer.”

  “They must have had parking passes.”

  Noah clenched his jaw. “Fuck, Lilly. My dad’s gonna kill me. Your fucking friend is payin’ for this.”

  Lilly’s wavy light brown locks hung past her slight shoulders. She wore a thick sweater and corduroys. Her face was tear-streaked, her eyes puffy. “Molly doesn’t have any money. And I told you about the pass last week. You told me to remind you.”

  Noah clenched his fists, his biceps bulging beneath his flannel. “Then why didn’t you remind me?”

  “Maybe I was too focused on you wanting to have a threesome.” Lilly crossed her arms over her chest.

  Noah’s pale face went red. He hung his head, revealing a swirling light brown cowlick. “I’m sorry, okay. Every guy thinks about it. I’m just the only one stupid enough to say it.”

  Carter stared at the sticker on the front door. Unauthorized Vehicles Will Be Towed At Owner’s Expense. There was an address and company name underneath: Glenn’s Towing.

  “Guys, we gotta go,” Carter said. “The cops can see us from here.”

  “How do you know that?” Noah asked.

  “I saw you, didn’t I?”

  Carter led Noah and Lilly across the road, down the embankment, and into the woods where Amber waited. Lilly hugged her friend.

  “What happened?” Carter asked. “Who called the cops?”

  Lilly blushed.

  Noah shrugged. “Lilly was yellin’ at me.”

  “Where is everyone else?” Carter asked.

  Noah scratched the back of his head. “Don’t know. As soon as I heard that bangin’ on the front door, I knew it was the cops. No fuckin’ normal person knocks like that. We went out the window.”

  “So did we,” Amber said.

  “We think everyone else got busted,” Lilly said.

  “Zach’s dad’ll take care of it,” Noah said. “He’s a lawyer.”

  “So, what do we do now?” Amber asked.

  “Let’s go get the cars,” Carter said. “The sticker on the front door said the tow lot’s on Fremont Avenue. Does anyone know where that is?”

  “I do,” Noah said. “It’s not that far from here.”

  “Does anyone have any money?” Carter asked.

  Noah opened his wallet, the Velcro tearing. “Thirty-five bucks, you?”

  “I have twenty-two,” Carter replied.

  “My purse is at Molly’s,” Amber said.

  “Mine too,” Lilly said.

  “We could wait for the cops to leave and go grab the purses,” Noah said.

  “It won’t help,” Amber said. “I only have like ten bucks.”

  “I spent all my money on party food,” Lilly said.

  “Shit,” Carter said, “I guarantee you it’s at least a hundred bucks to get a car out.”

  “Why don’t we go down there and check it out,” Noah said. “What do we have to lose? It’s only a fifteen-minute walk.”

  “I’m cold,” Amber said, her arms wrapped around herself.

  “You want my sweatshirt?” Carter asked.

  She shook her head. “No, I’ll be fine once we get movin’.”

  The quartet cut through the woods and across a couple of streets. They walked along Calvert Street until they got to Fremont Avenue. The street was home to a couple of construction companies, a landscaper, a junk yard, a trucking company, and a tow yard. One side of the street was left wooded so that those living in the nice neighborhood on the other side didn’t have to look at Sanford and Son across the way. They crept along the edge of the woods.

  “How’d you know about this road?” Carter asked Noah.

  “My dad used to work for a landscapin’ company that has their yard here,” he replied.

  Glenn’s Towing appeared to be open. There was a small office next to the front gate. It was well lit, and an old man sat inside behind a cramped desk. The gate was shut. It was an eight-foot-tall chain-link fence with barbed wire on top. They could see their cars with the back bumpers facing the gate.

  “Someone’s comin’,” Noah sai
d.

  They backed up into the woods, waiting and watching. A tow truck lumbered down the road. It slowed before stopping at the gate. The driver beeped his horn. The old man stood up and hit a button on the wall inside the office. The gate with wheels opened, propelled by a chain and an electric motor. The driver pulled in and parked the tow truck off to the side, leaving the gate wide open. The driver climbed out of the truck and went into the office with a clipboard. The old man greeted him, and they stood talking over the paperwork.

  “Now’s our chance,” Carter said.

  “What the hell are you talkin’ about?” Noah said.

  “Let’s run up there, get the cars and drive ’em out before they shut the gate.”

  “Are you fuckin’ crazy?”

  “That’s dumb,” Amber said to Carter.

  “It’s not dumb,” Carter said. “That gate moves really slow. I counted like twenty-five seconds from the time the old man hit the button and the gate finished opening. We just need to get to the cars without them noticing. When we start the engines, we should have at least twenty seconds to get out before the gate shuts.”

  “That’s dumb – the cars are facing the wrong way,” Amber said with a frown. “You would have to turn the cars around, and it’s too crowded in there. It would be like a twelve-point turn.”

  Carter grinned. “We’re gonna back straight out.”

  “You are crazy,” Noah said with a crooked smile. “But it could work.”

  “You guys are so fuckin’ retarded,” Amber said. “You’re gonna get arrested. Carter just started drivin’ like two weeks ago.” She shook her head. “Let’s go back and try to find Zach or Justin. They’ll give you guys the money.”

  “I agree,” Lilly said, “let’s go back. Zach or Justin will help.”

  Noah shook his head. “No, we’re not askin’ for shit.”

  “Let’s hurry then,” Carter said to Noah. “I’ll let you pull out first, but you gotta pick up Amber and Lilly because I might not have time to stop.”

  Lilly looked like she was going to be sick. “Don’t do it, Noah.”

  “They’re not gonna do it,” Amber said.

  “Just be ready to jump in Noah’s car,” Carter said.

  Carter and Noah crept up to the tow lot. The darkness covered their approach but the gate was bathed in yellow light. The men were still talking. Gravel crunched under their shoes as they ran past the gate to their cars. Carter opened the door to his mom’s powder-blue Buick Skyhawk. He saw Noah slip inside his dad’s white Nissan Sentra. He heard the whine of the four-cylinder engine. Carter fired up his own engine a split second afterward. Alerted by the noise, the men in the office ran out to check the lot. Noah sped toward the gate in reverse, Carter right behind him. He was moving quickly but carefully, keeping the vehicle under control. The old man smacked the button on the wall, and the gate started to move. It looked like Noah was going to clip the gate, but he made it through unscathed. Carter was three car-lengths behind him, gunning the engine of the old Buick wagon. The tow truck driver waved his arms. Carter blew past him, squeezing through as the gate shut on the front passenger quarter panel, scratching the car and knocking off a hubcap. He turned, the tires screeching as he backed onto Fremont Ave. He slammed on the brakes. Amber and Lilly jumped into Noah’s car with wide smiles. Carter jammed the automatic transmission into drive and spun the front wheel as he floored it.