Chasing Ellie: A Chasing Fireflies Spin Off

by Paige P. Horne

  Yeah. Why wouldn’t he? Piper’s hot.

  Rolling my eyes, I slip my phone into my front pocket. I need new friends that will lie to me. Sounds of laughter fill our kitchen as I make my way downstairs. My dad is laughing with a woman.

  “It’s just dinner, right, Bear?” I sit down and he sighs, flopping his butt down on the floor, sweeping it with his tail. “They’re not getting married or anything.” I look up when Piper walks out of the kitchen.

  “Hey, you ready to eat?” Her blonde hair is braided to the side, and she has little make up on.

  “Yeah, just giving this old dog some loving. He feels neglected when I’m gone all day.” I stand up and follow her.

  “You been with Tommy?” she asks me with a sly smile.

  “Yeah,” I respond, wondering why she’s looking like that. Nosy and secretive, she peeks over at Dad who isn’t sharing in her joy. “Something I’m not getting here?” I ask as I walk over to grab a plate.

  “I think Tommy has a crush on you,” Piper says, picking up a plate herself. I look back over at the chief who takes a sip of his beer before he tosses it into the trash.

  “A crush?” I almost laugh.

  “Yep, it’s pretty obvious.” She piles meat into her taco shell.

  “Well, I think you’re crazy. Tommy’s my best friend.”

  “Yes, and let’s leave it that way.” Dad walks over and kisses my forehead before reaching around me to pick up the sour cream. While stuffing my tacos, words from earlier flow through my mind. “You really don’t know?”

  *

  Miserably full from four overloaded tacos, I peel myself off the couch and pick my plate up from the coffee table.

  “I’m going to take Bear for a walk,” I say after I wash my dish and toss the dishtowel into the sink.

  “Be careful. It’s dark,” Dad says.

  “Really?” I ask sarcastically, like I don’t know it’s dark.

  “You know what I mean, Little Miss.”

  I give him a grin and open the screen door. The evening air swings the wind chimes, and I pull my phone out when it vibrates.

  “Hey.”

  “You finished with dinner?” Tommy sounds like he’s walking. Bear and I step off the porch.

  “Yeah, where are you?”

  “I got into it with Ronnie. He’s so fucking high.”

  “Want to come over?”

  “It’s late, Ellie.”

  Piper and Dad walk out of the house, and I give her a wave bye.

  “The chief will be asleep soon. Just text me when you get here.”

  *

  After the chief calls it a night, I stand in front of the kitchen window with a glass of chocolate milk. Mindlessly, I watch the moonlit leaves sway from the wind picking up. Thunder roars in the night sky, rattling the old windowpane and vibrating my chest.

  Resting my cheek on my closed fist, I wonder about a five-year-old Tommy. Was he scared a lot? Was he hungry more than he wasn’t? Heartsick over the possibility of any of that, I switch thoughts and cogitate about myself at five.

  I stayed at my Aunt Leigh’s for a bit after Mom died. Aunt Leigh was one of my mom’s best friends. She was a part of my life even before I was born. She’s one of those people who will give it to you straight. Aunt Leigh is an avid stray dog lover and works at the animal shelter downtown on Fifth Street. If you’re not careful, she’ll send you home with one. That’s how Dad got Bear.

  I don’t remember much about the short time I stayed at her house, but the one thing I do recall is the day the chief pulled up in Old Blue to bring me back home.

  When he hugged me, his dad-safe scent brought me solace during a time I was scared and confused. The hurt in his eyes was evident. Shattered was a man who once was whole, and my heart burst into pieces. I had no idea then that years of depressed sadness lay ahead of us both. Even as a child I knew he wasn’t fixable. Promises that we’d be okay spilled from his lips, but his promises didn’t hold any weight back then.

  Another round of thunder makes me jump and pulls me from my reverie. I step back from the window when lightning strikes across the sky. Holy hell. Looking over, I see a panting Bear with his tail thumping. When the thunder rumbles again, I trade out my glass for my vibrating phone.

  “Tommy.”

  “I’m outside.”

  I put my glass into the sink as Bear gets on all fours, following close behind me.

  “It’s just a little thunderstorm, buddy,” I tell him as I hear his paws tap against the wood floor. Unlocking the bolt, I open the door. Tommy stands with both hands in the pockets of his black jeans. Bare ankle in his matching Vans, he lifts his lip.

  “Gonna let me in, L? It’s about to get bad out here.”

  Bear lies down on his bed in the hallway, and my curious eyes peek down at my dad’s room to see that his door is closed. I’m satisfied that it is, so I gently twist the knob on mine and Tommy follows. I click the door locked and walk over to my dresser.

  “I’m gonna change.” Walking to my bathroom, I enjoy the feel of the coolness from the tile floor against my bare feet and I grab my toothbrush and rinse my mouth out before I trade out my cutoffs for cotton PJs. Flicking the light switch off and opening the door, I see Tommy has already made himself a pallet on the floor. Thunder that sounds like moving furniture bangs loud in the distance as I whisper Tommy’s name.

  “What, L?” He turns his head and looks up.

  “Get in my bed. I know that floor has to hurt.”

  “I’m good.”

  “The door is locked. Dad won’t come in.”

  “I’m not sleeping in your bed, Ellie.”

  I roll my eyes. “Fine. Suit yourself.” I step over and turn my fan on before I pull the covers back and climb into bed. My sheets are cool, and the smell of springtime fabric softener surrounds me as I reach across to turn the lamp off.

  Lying on my stomach, I look down at Tommy, and from the glow of my little night-light see him looking up at me.

  “It’s so quiet here,” he says, blinking his eyes. “I’m used to gunshots and sirens going off. After five years, I still can’t get used to the calmness.”

  “Well, it’s about to storm, so you’ll have the rain and then there’s the fan.”

  He chuckles lightly. “Tell me a story, L.”

  I roll over, locking my fingers behind my head. Looking up at neon green stuck-on stars Dad and I put up, I hear the first ping of rain fall against our tin roof. I try to recall a story to tell, but come up short.

  “I don’t know any.”

  “Tell me a memory you have of your mom.”

  “I don’t remember too much about her. I was only five when she died.”

  “Tell me something you’ve heard about her then.”

  “Okay,” I say as the thunder roars again and the rain falls harder. Lightning burns the sky and illuminates the entire room, turning darkness into silver blue, and just like that my fan dies, my night-light goes off, and it’s just the storm and us.

  “My dad’s fan shutting off will wake him.”

  “Should I leave?”

  “No, just be quiet for a minute.”

  We both listen for his door to open, and sure enough, a small creak sounds down the hall. I hear the thump of Bear’s tail, and I get out of my bed and walk to the door, beating Dad to it. I crack it open just as he is midway.

  “Lights went out.”

  “I know,” sleepy and messy hair says, his voice sounding groggy. “You okay? You want Bear to come in there with you?”

  “I’m not a kid, Dad. I’ll be fine.”

  He chuckles. “Right. Well, good night.”

  “Love you.”

  “Love you, Little Miss. Come on, Bear.” He pats his leg, and Bear follows. Apparently, the tough guy needs Bear to sleep with him, and honestly, if my best friend weren’t with me, I’d have told Bear to come on.

  I close my door once he is back in his room. Stepping over Tommy, I climb back into
bed, stomach down, and snuggle and inhale the clean sheets.

  “So go on and tell me,” the only other person I’ve ever shared a room with urges. His voice sounds like safety in the dark. I mess with the cuticle on my thumb and bend my knee upward. My mind digs up repetitive stories about the woman almost everyone around me knew better than I do—the things Dad has told me from when they were younger, how she used to climb the water tower in their small town more than a few miles away from here.

  How she almost missed prom because she was having a bad day, but my dad refused to let it happen so he put on his tux and brought prom to her.

  I roll over on my side and cuddle my extra pillow, not looking at Tommy, but not looking at anything else either. I tell him that no man has ever or will ever love another person as much as the chief loved Sara Williams. How he says that kind of love is the rarest love there is. Tommy listens to me go on about the stories I’ve heard and growing up with a dad who only has half a heart. I leave out the extra bad stuff as we talk until my eyes shut and the thunder moves on. Until sleep drifts me away and dreams of a mom I didn’t get a chance to know cloud my mind.

  Chapter Four

  Tommy

  “How the hell do the lights work but the fan on it doesn’t?” Hudson asks as he, Ronnie, Ellie, and I hang out in the living room at my house. I look up at the ceiling fan as Hudson pulls the string for the twelfth time.

  “The lightning,” Ronnie says.

  “The lightning?” I question.

  “Yeah, the damn lightning. Last lightning storm we had made the lights stop working and the fan worked. Now, the toilet in the downstairs bathroom works again and so do the lights. It’s the lightning.”

  “What does the toilet have to do with it?” Ellie looks over at me with wide eyes, and I smirk as Hudson lights a Red.

  “Hell if I know,” Ronnie replies to her. The sound of the power going off causes me to look up at Hudson. Ronnie stands on two legs.

  “You didn’t pay the light bill,” Hudson says it like he already knew.

  Ronnie runs an unsteady hand through his greasy hair as he grabs a pack of smokes that isn’t his off the table. Drunk and useless slides them into his pocket as I tighten my jaw. His smile makes me want to hit him, and the shrug in his shoulders shows he doesn’t give a fuck.

  “Banner had a good deal going on at the bar.” Ronnie shifts on his feet. “I came up short on the bills.”

  “Are you kidding me?” I say, standing up, trying to keep my cool because Ellie is here. Faking sorry, Ronnie backs up toward the front door.

  “You kids will figure out something. I’ll tell you what.” He shows his teeth when he smiles and points his finger into the air. “I’ll get me a sign wrote up and hitch a ride to the interstate. I’ll make us the light bill in no time.” He keeps his big smile, like that’s the best idea he’s had in years. Visions of me knocking his bad teeth out crowd my brain, and it’s a struggle not to.

  “You better not come home until you have that money, Ronnie, or I swear to God, you’re out.”

  “Don’t be so dramatic, son. I’ll get it.” He turns the knob on the door and takes off. My blood boils over as I rush toward the place he just walked out. I yank it open.

  “We mean it, Ronnie. You better have that damn bill paid.” I slam the door and hit my fist against it. Closing my eyes, I take a breath before I look back at Ellie.

  She’s biting her bottom lip. It’s easy to see the commiseration on her face. She looks like that incorrigible asshole should, but she makes me feel different things and I want to take her upstairs. She’s sweeter than I’m used to. All the girls back home were rough around the edges, because half of them lived just like Hudson and me––in a broken home with shit for parents.

  “I got a little savings I can let you guys borrow,” Ellie tells me. My heart sinks. This girl is worried about Hudson and me having no power.

  “No way, Ellie,” Hudson says, taking a hit of his smoke. “We’ll figure this out. It’s not our first time in the dark.” He stands and walks over to me.

  “I’ll go get ice for the coolers so our food doesn’t spoil.” He pats my shoulder before he opens the door. I look back at L.

  “Fucking Ronnie,” I say, sliding the smoke from behind my ear.

  *

  Ellie helps us unload what little groceries we have into coolers filled with ice. There’s no room for the six-pack of beer Ronnie left in the fridge, so we three sit on the back porch and drink them, talking shit and telling jokes until Hudson’s girlfriend comes over and leaves Ellie and me alone.

  I rest my Vans on the railing of the porch and take a sip of my beer as the sun starts to set. The evening air is sticky thick, making my shirt cling to my skin and the bottle in my hand sweat. Messing with the label, I wonder how the hell I’m gonna come up with the money to get the lights back on because I know Ronnie’s ass and he won’t have it.

  “Penny for your thoughts?” she asks.

  I look over at her. She’s got a cute smile on her pretty face, and I’m sure she has no idea just how pretty she is.

  “I start that new job soon. It’ll be nice to have a regular paycheck.”

  “What about when school starts back?”

  “I’ll worry about that then. I’m just sick of not having lights or running water on a daily basis. Ronnie is a piece of shit.”

  “You can come stay with me again,” she says, lifting her brow and giving me a sincere smile.

  I look out into the yard and take a sip of my beer.

  “What are we gonna do if the chief finds out I’m sleeping in his daughter’s room?” I shift my eyes over to her.

  Confident and sneaky, she replies simply, “He won’t find out.”

  “How can you be sure of that?”

  “Because once he passes out, he is out and I’ll lock the door.”

  I shake my head at this pretty wild girl, wondering why she wants to even hang out with me. A poor as shit boy from the south side of Chicago.

  Covered in mine and my brother’s blood, I should have repulsed her the first time we met. The chief looked at me like I was going to be a problem, but not Ellie. Cool blue eyes showed me nothing but wonder. Her dad was right to feel that way. I am no good for this girl, and I knew I wanted his daughter the minute she asked who won. But I think the chief likes me, and his wild child seems to be clueless of my feelings for her.

  “You’re sweet, L, but I don’t want to get you in trouble, and I don’t want your dad to not let me see you anymore.”

  She bites her thumbnail as her eyes peer down at the beer she rests on her knee. “I won’t sleep knowing you don’t have any power or running water.”

  “I’ll be all right,” I say, taking a long swig before I crush the can.

  *

  It’s after midnight and I’m lying in my bed listening to my breathing and a ticking watch because there’s shit else to do. Ronnie didn’t come back, so I’m assuming he didn’t get the money. Just as I figured. Unreliable is probably passed out in the park or at the back of Banner’s.

  Hudson’s new girl has him staying away from home, so it’s just me and this timekeeper that’s ticking like crazy. I toss and turn, wondering how anyone sleeps in this deafening silence as the outside breeze sways into my bedroom window. My phone lights up, and I pick it up.

  My dad went out tonight with Piper and he hasn’t come home. Think he’s staying at her house?

  I sit up and run a hand through my hair. Letting out a weak cough, I grab my pack from the nightstand and walk over to my window. I pull a Camel out with my teeth before I cup my hand and light it. Blowing the smoke out into the night air, I look back at my phone and put my nicotine between my lips as I text.

  Yeah, L. They’ve been seeing each other for months now. That’s plenty of time for foreplay, baby. Don’t worry about it. ;)

  I smile and hit Send, thinking I’m sure that’s not what she wants to hear, but it’s the truth and I never want to b
e anything but honest with this girl…for the most part.

  I laugh when I get her response, which is a fuck off emoji. Yep, not what she wanted to hear. I put the phone down and finish my smoke before I shut the window. Clearing my throat, I climb back into bed as the screen lights up again.

  Still no power?

  No.

  Come over then.

  No.

  I can’t sleep.

  Me either.

  Well, come over and I’ll tell you a story.

  I stare at the screen. She has no idea how bad I want to come over, but us alone in that big house… I don’t know if I can stay down on that floor knowing her soft body is so close and no one is there to stop me from keeping my hands to myself. I tell her to call me instead, and within seconds I hear her sweet voice.

  “Tell me a story, L.” And she soothes me to sleep.

  *

  I get a ride to the construction site from Uncle Joe. Hudson has a car, but it has a mind of its own, and I don’t want to be late if it breaks down. I need to save up and buy my own car so I can take Ellie out of here for a day or two.

  “I’ll be back at five to pick you up, kid. This is going to be hard work, but the money will be decent.”

  “Yeah, thanks.” I open the door.

  “Hey, listen,” he says and I look back at him.

  He runs a hand through his hair like he isn’t sure how to say whatever it is he is trying to say. I lift my brow.

  “I know you kids have had it rough. That’s the way Ronnie and I had it too. It makes for tough skin.” He laughs, but I don’t.

  “You have no idea how rough we’ve had it. This right here is a walk in the park. Back home was a different story. Things were easier to get for Ronnie. Here, it’s short supply.” I let the door close a bit and rest my back against the seat.

  “Where is he getting drugs from anyway?” I ask, like my uncle is going to tell me.

  “No clue. The next town isn’t that far over. He could be hitching a ride.”

  “Yeah,” I say, pulling a smoke out from behind my ear. “Well, thanks again.” I rest the smoke between my lips as I climb out.