Stranger in the Woods

by Geof Johnson

  Justin leaned his head back, closed his eyes and groaned. “Aw…man! I forgot. I don’t wanna go.”

  “Mama said you have to,” Shelby said. “We’re all going with Zach and his mom, and we have to be ready on time.”

  Bo raised his eyebrows. “A dance, as in a social occasion?”

  “I guess you’d call it that,” Zach said. “Don’t know how social I’m going to be, though. I won’t know anybody except these guys.”

  “I wish I could come and observe this. I have only read about them in books. Will there be a string quartet or an orchestra?”

  “Not hardly,” Jason said. “We’re having a DJ.”

  “Is that a type of ensemble?”

  “It’s just one guy playing CDs and stuff. Recorded music.”

  Bo stroked his jaw while he considered that. “How interesting. And you perform ritualized movements to this music, such as the waltz?”

  “Uh…not me,” Zach said. “I don’t know how to dance.”

  “Most people just get out on the floor and shake it.” Justin wiggled his body and grinned.

  “Is that what you will do?” Bo said.

  Justin and Jason exchanged glances and didn’t reply, so Shelby said, “They’ll probably stand around in the back with some of the other dorks and look stupid, like they did last year.”

  Jason scowled at her. “Yeah? And what are you gonna do? Stand around with ugly old Petra and look pitiful. That’s what you’ll do.”

  A hurt look flashed in her eyes and Zach felt badly for her. Shelby crossed her arms and said, “I’m going to dance. You’ll see. I’ll have fun and you won’t.” She stormed toward the trail that led back to their bikes.

  Zach watched her go for few seconds before turning to face Bo. Zach had something to ask him before they left. “Bo? Do you remember when you told us about how you first got here? About the room with the strange devices? How far away was that?”

  Bo hesitated before answering. “I do not remember clearly because I was in a state of severe panic. All I can remember is racing desperately past many houses to reach this forest.”

  “But how long did you run for? Five minutes? Thirty, or maybe an hour?”

  “It is hard to say exactly, not only because of my mental state at that moment, but also because I do not have the same concept of time as you.”

  “But…was it long or not?”

  “It seemed long, but in hindsight, it probably was not. My senses and judgement were affected by my anxiety.”

  “So…less than an hour?”

  “How long have we been playing this game?”

  “About an hour and a half.”

  “Then it was much less than an hour, perhaps half that. Why do you ask?”

  “Just wondering.”

  “I am sorry I cannot be more specific, but surely you understand why.”

  “You were freaked out,” Justin said. “I would be, too, if I had just stumbled into a new world.”

  Zach hadn’t gotten the answer he’d hoped for, but it was something, at least. It must’ve been somewhere in Whitmer. The place that holds the answer to his problem is in this town, or was. I hope it’s still here.

  * * *

  Liz turned the key to start her car and looked over at Zach, who sat next to her in the passenger seat. “You look nice, honey.”

  Zach answered with a low grunt, refusing to meet her gaze. Before they’d left, he’d worn what he always did, a T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers, but she’d pointed upstairs and said, “That is not appropriate for a dance. Go change clothes this minute.”

  He protested, lost the argument, and trudged back to his room.

  Now he had on a new maroon polo shirt, pressed khaki slacks, and leather dress shoes, and he had combed his brown hair. He looks so handsome, she thought as she put the car in gear and backed out of the driveway. A little bit like his father.

  He was surly and silent during the trip around the corner to the Rosses’ house. She pulled into their driveway and their front door opened almost immediately, and out came Shelby, followed by her unenthusiastic-looking brothers. She wore a black cocktail dress with one shoulder exposed and a narrow belt at the waist, with low-heeled black shoes. Liz knew that the outfit had come from the consignment shop, but it looked brand new.

  Tina had been delighted when she called to tell Liz about it the previous week. “It still had the tags on it, Liz! It smells new, so I don’t have to have it dry cleaned. Shelby loves it.” It was probably the first time Shelby had ever been excited about wearing second-hand clothes.

  Now Liz could see why Shelby was so thrilled about the dress. “Shelby looks nice, doesn’t she?” Liz said.

  Zach didn’t answer; he only watched them approach with his eyes narrowed and his mouth tight, the same expression that the twins had on their faces. They were dressed better than usual, with long pants and button-down shirts. “You and your friends are going to be the life of the party.”

  “It’s a dance, Mom,” Zach said flatly, “not a party.”

  On the short trip to the school, Shelby was the only one of the kids who seemed happy to be going. Liz could see her glowing face in the rearview mirror, and Liz said, “Are you guys excited about tonight?”

  The twins answered with surly frowns, but Shelby said, “I am. I love music and I love to dance.”

  “Your hair looks just lovely, Shelby. I like how you styled it.”

  “Mama bought me something for it. It supposed to make it curly instead of frizzy.”

  “Well, it’s certainly looks pretty.”

  “Looks stupid,” Jason grumbled.

  * * *

  The inside of the darkened gymnasium was illuminated by strands of tiny white lights, strung like stars along the walls, and it was decorated with crepe paper streamers, twisted into spirals, along with blue and gold bunting.

  The DJ set up at one end behind a table full of equipment, with stacks of speakers on either side of him from which the music boomed, the bass so forceful that Zach felt it in his chest before he walked through the front door. Thump. Tha-thump. Thump. Tha-thump.

  Racks of colored lights were set high on tripod stands to mark off the dance area, and the DJ was already urging people to take advantage of it. “Who’s gonna be first?” he said. “Don’t be shy. Come on, let’s go!”

  At the other end of the gym were two long folding tables laden with refreshments. Zach stood to one side of them with Jason, Justin, and a couple of eighth-grade boys Zach didn’t know. One of them, the taller of the two, glanced around before holding open his leather jacket to reveal a flat bottle tucked into a pocket.

  “What’s that?” Jason said.

  The tall boy grinned. “Something for the punch. I’m gonna get this party started!”

  “That’s booze?”

  The boy nodded and his grin broadened.

  Zach quickly shook his head. “Don’t let my mother see it.”

  “Who’s she?” the boy said.

  “She’s one of the chaperones.” Zach gestured toward the other side of the refreshment tables, where she stood, talking with two adults.

  “Maye you can distract her while I pour this in the punch.” He grinned again.

  Justin smirked at him. “That one little dinky bottle ain’t gonna do nothin’. Might as well put water in there.”

  The boy’s grin vanished. “Well, I don’t see you doin’ nothin’ to get things goin’.”

  “It’s a school dance, pea brain. Ain’t nothin’ gonna get goin’ ’till we go home.”

  “Why’d you come then?”

  Jason shrugged. “Somethin’ to do.” He neglected to mention that his mother had insisted.

  The boy looked around again and slipped the bottle out of his coat. He uncapped it, put it his lips, and took a quick gulp. His face pinched up and he wheezed as he hid the whiskey again. “You guys want some?”

  The shorter boy shook his head, and to Zach’s surprise, so did both of the twins.<
br />
  “Whassamatter?” the taller boy said. “Ain’t you ever tried any of your dad’s whiskey?” He nodded. “Oh, I forgot. Your dad’s in prison.”

  Zach glared at him. He didn’t forget. He’s a jerk.

  Both of the twins hardened their eyes and balled their hands into fists. Zach was afraid they were going to start a fight, but Jason seemed to cool off first and angled his head toward the refreshment table. “Come on, Justin. Let’s get something to drink.”

  “Hold on,” Justin said. “Shelby’s comin’ this way. Let’s see what she wants, first.”

  Zach turned and saw Shelby walking toward them, alone. When she reached them she grabbed Zach by the elbow and led him aside. She had to raise her voice to be heard over the music. “I need to ask you something.”

  “Why couldn’t you ask me where I was?”

  “Because I don’t want them to hear.” She glanced over her shoulder at her brothers and moved Zach even farther away from them. “I need you to do me a big favor. I want you to ask Petra to dance. The DJ said he’s going to play her favorite song next.”

  “Aw, man,” Zach groaned, “not her.” He looked across the gym to the DJ station, where Shelby’s friend from Croatia stood by herself. Zach remembered what Jason and Justin called her: Ugly Petra.

  She was the tallest kid in seventh grade, and she was big-boned. Her dark hair was cut short but ragged, as if she’d done it herself with her eyes closed, and her thick face had a pasty, fish-belly complexion.

  “Please?” Shelby continued. “As a favor to me? You’re my friend, aren’t you?”

  Zach looked at Petra again and winced. “Uh…I don’t want to.”

  Shelby said in a lower voice, so quiet that Zach could barely hear her, “Please? It would mean a lot to her, and to me.”

  “Aw…dang!” He shoved his hands in his pockets and locked eyes with Shelby for a long moment, tempted to walk away, but he said, “All right, I’ll do it. But don’t make a big deal about it, okay?”

  Shelby went with Zach toward the DJ station, where Petra still waited forlornly. The next song had already started as Zach approached her, and he cleared his throat before saying, “Uh, Petra? Would you like to dance?”

  “Now? With you?” A smile spread across her plain features and she said, “Yes, please.”

  They went to the lighted dance area, where other couples were already moving to the heavy beat. I don’t know how to do this, he thought, panic rising inside him like hot lava. Petra was already dancing, so he tried to copy what she was doing, and he shook back and forth and swung his arms in time to the music. She smiled at him again and he tried to smile back, but barely managed a twitch of this lips. Focusing on his movements was taking most of his concentration.

  He managed to make it all the way through without tripping and falling, or otherwise making a spectacle of himself, and felt relieved when the song ended and flowed into the next one, a slow tune.

  “Thank you,” Petra said in her heavy accent as they walked off and headed toward Shelby. “Now you dance with her, yes?”

  He stopped and faced Petra. “This is a slow song.”

  “Is Shelby’s favorite.”

  “How do you know?”

  “She tell me. She make request to DJ, same as me.”

  “I’m not dancing to a slow song with anybody.”

  He started to walk away again but she grabbed his arm with one hand. Her grip was strong and her fingers dug into his flesh. It hurt. “If you are Shelby’s friend truly, you dance with her. Are you not her friend?”

  “Well…yeah.” He glanced at Shelby, who was still several feet away, standing by herself with her chin lowered. “But I don’t know how to dance to a slow song.”

  “Is easy. Put arms around each other and sway to music. So simple, baby could do.”

  He really didn’t want to try it. He wanted to retreat to the back of the gym where his friends waited, and he saw Shelby’s brothers watching him, but instead of laughing, which Zach expected, they were gazing at him curiously. Then Zach looked at Shelby again and she seemed so sad and dejected that it hurt, suddenly.

  “Oh…all right.” He sauntered up to Shelby and said, “Wanna dance?”

  “Not if you don’t want to,” she said without lifting her chin, and he had to strain to hear her over the music. “I know Petra put you up to it.”

  “No, I want to.”

  She raised her eyes to look into his and he nodded. “Really. I like this song.” Which was a lie, but he felt like he had to say it.

  “Okay.” Shelby nodded, too, and smiled faintly.

  They started to join the rest of the dancers, but Petra called out and pointed to her eyes. Shelby pulled off her pink-framed glasses, folded them, and handed them to her.

  “What did you do that for?” Zach asked.

  “So they won’t bump into your head.”

  Are we really going to be that close? he thought with dismay.

  They walked together to the dance area, now full of couples already swaying to the music. Zach and Shelby stopped near the middle and faced each other, and Zach said, “What do we do? I’ve never done this before.”

  “Me either. Not to a slow song. Let’s just do what everybody else is doing.”

  Zach looked around to see how the other kids were dancing, arms around each other, rocking side to side and turning slowly.

  Shelby stepped to him and he put his hands on her tiny waist and she wrapped hers behind his head, and they began to move.

  Zach’s feelings of awkwardness had reached new heights. This was the first time he had held a girl who was not his mother, and it was a peculiar experience.

  The first thing he noticed was how fragile Shelby seemed. He knew she was thin, but now, when he could feel her, she seemed delicate, like a flower, as if she might break if he squeezed her too hard.

  The second thing he noticed was her scent. She didn’t smell of bath soap, but of something else, sweet, like nectar.

  A tiny, happy sound floated up from her, so quiet that Zach could barely hear it, and she pulled him closer.

  For some reason he didn’t mind.

  They swayed side-to-side and turned slowly to the music with Shelby’s cheek pressed against his shoulder, and he knew why she’d taken off her glasses.

  It was comforting, somehow, holding her like that. He chanced one quick look to see if anyone was watching them, but no one was. All the other couples were in their own little worlds.

  He relaxed completely and let the sound and the moment flow over him. Time ceased to exist, and his thoughts vanished. There was nothing but the slow steady beat and Shelby and himself, wrapped in a pleasant bundle and floating on a gentle tide of music. He sighed and put his arms all the way around Shelby’s back, and he felt her sigh, too.

  Before he knew it, the song was over.

  * * *

  Zach was lying on top of his sheets, propped up on his pillow with a book facedown across his lap, and he didn’t notice his mother until she reached his bedside. “You’re still up?” she said.

  “I’m still a little too wired to sleep.”

  “Exciting night, wasn’t it? What do you think, after your first dance? Did you like it?”

  “It was okay.”

  She sat lightly on the edge of his bed. “That was a good thing you did, dancing with Shelby. Thank you.”

  “I didn’t do it as a favor to anybody. I did it because I wanted to.”

  “Really? You’re not just saying that?”

  “Yeah, really.”

  Actually, the first dance had been more of a favor, but the second one wasn’t. Before the night was over, he’d asked her again when the DJ played one of Zach’s favorite songs, a fast one. Zach wanted to try it once more, now that he had a little experience, just to see how well he could do.

  He mostly just hopped from side-to-side, but Shelby! She had moves, good ones, and at one point he stopped and stared at her, open-mouthed. “How did you l
earn to dance like that?”

  She laughed, sparkling, and said, “From watching music videos on TV.” Then she smiled and twirled, and Zach had to smile, too, while he resumed his ungainly back-and-forth shuffling, inadequate, he knew, but he didn’t let it bother him. It didn’t seem to bother Shelby, either.

  His mother brought him back to the present when she patted his leg and said, “Still, I’m glad you did it. I know Shelby loves to dance and I think you made her very happy. She’s really a really good dancer, isn’t she?”

  “Never knew she had it in her.”

  “I noticed her brothers didn’t try it, though.”

  He bit one thumbnail while he thought about his answer. “I think…it’s not that they don’t like to dance. I think they’re too shy or something. They’d never admit it because they try to act real tough all the time, but they didn’t ask any girls tonight because they were afraid they’d say no.”

  “That’s common for boys that age. Is it partly because they’re worried that other people look down on them because of their reputation?”

  “Because their dad’s in prison? It came up, once.”

  “That’s awful. People can be so hurtful. Those two boys are good kids, and Shelby too, but others kids are listening to their parents when they bad mouth them.”

  “It makes me mad.”

  “Do you think other kids look down on you because you’re friends with Shelby and the twins?”

  “I don’t care.”

  She patted his leg again. “You’re a good boy, Zach. I’m proud of you.”

  “I’m not friends with them because of you or Grandpa or anybody else. It’s because I like them. That’s all.”

  “I like them, too.” She sighed and stood. “Are you going to the woods tomorrow?”

  “I don’t think so. Justin said they’re supposed to do something with their mom since it’s her day off. I think they’re going to go swimming in the river.”

  “Do you want us to go with them? I’ll see if your grandfather wants to come, too.”

  “I think it’s one of those family-time things, you know? They don’t get much of that, so we should probably do something else.”

  “Then…what if we go to the store tomorrow and see about getting you a cell phone? I think it’s time, don’t you?”