Seven Bundle

by Various Orca

  Nope said Jello hands on the weel.

  Beens gruntd no.

  You sure its the rite place kid? said Xray.

  Cobra took me here said Jaden.

  We were in a strange broken part of the city—xpressway on 1 side of us and lake on the other—driving on dirt and bumps and dead grass and the car jiggling up and down past hobos and see gulls and bildings with no roofs and piles of trash and shopping carts and ovens and things like that. Past broken fences keeping no 1 out of no ware. I cud smell the lake and the trash and sum thing burning and sum thing rotten. We jiggld up to a sine that said LOK ALL and an arrow pointing to the rite. Follow that said Jaden.

  LOK ALL was 1 place ware the fence workd. We stoppd and wated for the guy to open the gate—chinka chinka chinka. It pulld side ways and we drove ahead slow. There was a line of garajs with oranj doors. The 1 at the far end was ours. Jello stoppd the car and we all got out.

  I dint no about this place Jello said. Did you guys?

  No 1 ever tells me any thing said Xray.

  Beens shook his head.

  Jaden opend the locker with a key from round his neck. The door went up and I saw the stack of boxes sitting on the stone floor.

  The stuff.

  They lookd like regular cardbord boxes to me—like youd find at the no frills store—but evry 1 was going Wow! and O yah! so I said it 2.

  All rite! Stuff! I said.

  Jaden punchd my sholder.

  The riting on the side of the boxes said Sum thing Sum thing Car Parts. It also said Handl With Care. It also said China. I dint have time to reed it all befor we were loding them into the car. That dint take long and Jello closed the trunk and we were dun.

  We stood in front of the garaj and nodded at each other.

  So the deels on said Jello. R we reddy? Is evry 1 reddy?

  Yah we said.

  Come on louder! I said is evry 1 reddy? You reddy Jaden? Xray? Beens? You reddy Bunny?

  Yah!

  We got back in the car. This time Xray got in front. I sat in between Jaden and Beens and took a deep breth in—Hahhh. And held it. It was good to be hanging out with these guys.

  I let out the breth—Ahhhh.

  The trip back was reel slow cuz we were riding low. The bottom of the car scraped wen we went over any bump. I cud hear the boxes rattling in the trunk.

  What kind of car parts r they? I ast. The boxes r pretty hevvy. Do they have like tires or mufflers or steering weels or what in them?

  Jaden poked me. Your funny he said.

  Uh huh.

  I wasnt joking. But I dint say so.

  We were riding along Lake shore past trees and big houses and stores that sold things for a dollar. The next sine was Mimico Street. So thats ware we were.

  We stoppd in front of a partment bilding wating for the lite. Xray new the bilding. He was talking about all the things rong with it. The water dint work and the elvaters dint work and there were bugs and noys and other things and after a wile I stoppd lissening. Across the street a woman was walking a lizard. Thing was as F. It movd slow and careful—one leg at a time. A reel lizard. It lookd old like from befor time startd. I pokd Jaden.

  Hey! Cool! he said. The lite changd and we drove on.

  Beens leend over to me.

  You white he said.

  Yah.

  Never sat next to a white guy in a car he said.

  I have I said. Lots of times.

  He laffd. Jaden herd me and he laffd 2. So I gess it was funny.

  A motor bike passd us on the inside. Vroom. An other 1 on the outside. Vroom. 2 bikes. The riders had that on there jackets. They rode ahead of us side by side.

  Angels I said.

  Yah said Jello.

  He drove. The Angels vroomd ahead of us on there bikes. Xray was talking about how his place dint work ether. The door dint open and the buzzer dint buzz and there were flys in the butter.

  More vrooming. There was a bike beside us. A guy with a beerd stared into the car. 2 more bikes behind us. Xray stoppd talking. Jaden put his hand on my arm.

  Do they no who we r? I ast.

  O yah.

  It was tents. I cud feel it. We drove like this for a wile bikes in front of us and behind us and beside us. No 1 talkd. I cud smell swet like after jim class. I was counting my breths. Finally I leend across Jaden and stuck my arm out the windo.

  Go away! I yelld at the biker.

  Beens pulld me back in. Jaden wisperd to me to shut up.

  You crazy? said Jello. You want to get in a fite with stuff in the trunk?

  The Angel beside us stared in. I stared out. A block later all the bikes vroomd off down a side street and the rode around us was empty. I cud feel evry 1 relaxing. We kept going past 10 Street and 11 and Jello fartd reel loud witch made us all laff. Xray startd moning about the smell.

  I turnd to Jaden. Angels r still the bad guys rite? I said. So why cant I yell at them?

  Member the deel with them? We need to be nice for now Cobra said.

  O yah the deel I said.

  He smiled. He cud have bin all like Jeez Bunny but he wasnt.

  I forgot the deel I said to Beens who shook his head but he was kinda smiling 2.

  Tomoro said Jello. Deels today so you can yell at the Angels tomoro.

  We turnd in at the Burger King on 16 Street and the Lake Shore.

  There r the guys said Jaden.

  THEY CRAMMD

  INTO THE CAR

  AND WE WENT TO Snocone’s house. I dint see ware that was cuz the back seat was full of legs and arms and behinds after Snocone and Morgan and Bonesaw piled in. I dint no he was Bonesaw then just a big guy with a bald head standing in the parking lot with bags of food but I met him later wen I spilld on him. Any way evry 1 was shouting and talking and Jello was saying watch out for the gear shifter and the car was smelling like french frys—you no how it does—and we stoppd with a jerk and Jello said get out get out and we did. It was a house with a stroller on the lon and we went inside and there was a lady in the kitchen holding a baby and making fart noys on the babys tummy with her lips you no what I meen? Wen she saw us all she stoppd making noys and the baby stoppd laffing.

  Hi Mom said Snocone. Hi Lucy.

  I dint beleev it was his mom. She lookd like his sister. Not just yung but weerd yung. My mom cud be Snocones moms mom. Snocones gramma. Witch wud make me Snocones—I dont no. Any way she was yung. What Im saying.

  Hello Arthur she said. Hows my boy?

  Snocone dint anser—he went down stares and so did Xray Jello and Beens. Morgan stoppd to say hi to Snocones mom. He was older than us but not like a dad older. More like a big brother. Now I saw he cud be a dad. He held out his french frys and she took sum and gave 1 to the baby who droppd it. Morgan ast how she was doing and pokd the baby and the baby went bla like they do. It was like he was her boyfrend.

  They were talking about me down stares. I herd them. Snocone was saying but hes so dum and I new he ment me. There were laffs and sum 1 ast if I was for reel. Jello said I was fast and that was for reel. Jaden told evry 1 to shut up and that I new enuff to save the deel and that Cobra thot I was OK. Wen I got down stares they were talking about sum thing els. Jello threw a burger at me and I cot it. See he said to the guy next to him. What did I tell you? Hes fast.

  The down stares had white walls and a brown rug and there were chairs and sofas and TVs. There was music playing from sum ware. I cudnt find a place to sit so I ate standing up witch is wen I spilld on the guy I dint no—I was standing next to him and I spilld ketchup out the back of my burger. You ever dun that? And it landed on his bald head and I said oops and Jaden laffd. I tryd to wipe the ketchup but it dint come off and the bald guy jumpd up and swung his fist at me. I cot it in my hand and said I was sorry and evry 1 was crowding round. He went to the bathroom and wen he came back I said sorry agane and he shook his head and said whatever. Thats wen I found out he was Scratchs brother and his name was Bonesaw. He told me my tatoo was a lot like hi
s brothers. He wantd to no ware I did it and I said the place up on Lake Shore. And he said no the candl—ware did that happen? I said the same place.

  Roxy was her name I said. She was bald like you.

  A bunch of us were talking about spooky things—dead guys coming back to hont you and like that.

  I saw sum 1 after he was dead I said. I was thinking of Grampa on the TV at the loyers offis.

  A gost? said Beens all gravelly.

  Kind of I said.

  We were finishd our lunch. I was sitting on the floor with my back to the wall. Jaden was next to me and Beens was on a couch. He sat up.

  Did the gost talk to you?

  Yah for a long time. He was xplaning stuff I said.

  The others were staring at me now. Snocone turnd away from the video game. Bonesaw was frowning like he dint beleev me but he was watching 2.

  What was the gost xplaning?

  Like my task—what Im sposed to do I said.

  Seeryus?

  Jadens eyes were wide.

  You guys think Im dum I said. Well I am but seeryus things happen 2 dummys 2. I saw a gost of my grampa and he gave me a task. And now Im here.

  Evry 1 was staring now and saying weerd.

  Did you see the gost agane? said Jaden.

  I saw his coffin. But that was befor.

  Bonesaw shudderd. They startd talking about music insted of gosts and I stoppd lissening cuz I dont no much about that. Snocones mom came down with Morgan. She startd to pick up the mess. Morgan put the baby on the floor and it rolld around.

  Sum 1 shoutd Jackson! and evry 1 startd laffing. I thot they ment Mikel Jackson but no. Wen I ast they laffd at me 2 and turnd away. They were talking about sum 1 els named Jackson. O well.

  Who did you think they ment? I ast Jello who was sitting near me.

  Huh?

  You lookd up wen they said Jackson.

  Did not he said.

  Sure you did.

  Shut up.

  His phone rang then.

  Hey Cobra he said.

  He pushd the phone into his ear and stared up at the seeling and lissend hard.

  Yah we reddy to go he said. Jaden let us into the locker. The stuff is in the trunk of the caddy now. Were at Snocones. Yah Bonesaws here 2. You herd from Scratch?

  I was on the floor. Baby Lucy crawld over to me and put a hand on my arm. Her fingers were tiny and soft and kind of sticky. Ew. She got a funny look on her face. Like she was talking to sum 1 a long way off—like God or sum 1. Jello did 2. They both had the same look—staring at the seeling and talking to far away.

  But you going to be there rite? said Jello.

  He lissend sum more and said OK and By and put away his phone. We were all watching.

  Deels on he told us. Cobra will meet us at the mall.

  We made a huddl like in a football game—Jello in the middl and us facing in—and he xplaned what we were sposed to do and we made a 1 2 3 cheer and ran up stares.

  I was next to Jello. Dont worry I told him. Itll be fine. The deel will work and then we can pay for the jim and you can keep traning.

  What? he said.

  Thats what we want rite?

  He dint anser.

  Morgan kissd Snocones mom and the baby Lucy good by. She slappd Morgans face with both hands left rite left and he smiled.

  Sum 1 stinks he said.

  Your rite said Snocones mom. O Lucy!

  I was near by and I cud smell it 2. I new what Lucys faraway look ment now. She wasn't talking to God—she was pooping.

  WE WERE ALL GOING

  TO THE MALL

  CUZ THATS WARE THE DEEL was happening. Cobra wantd the hole possy there just in case. We dint trust those Angels and Buffalos in Torrents and we dint trust them in Jackfish and we dint trust them here. We just dint trust them.

  Jaden and Snocone and Beens and me were on the bus. The others were coming by car. Jaden and me in the very back seat and Snocone and Beens sitting sideways in the seats ahead. The sine on the front of the bus said SURE WAY. That was the name of the mall. Sure Way Gardens.

  I wantd to no sum thing. If we dont trust them do they trust us? I ast.

  Beens made a deep snorty sound.

  No 1 trusts no 1 he said.

  The bus went along a street calld Evans. Down a hill and up a hill past tire stores and donut shops and places with sines selling I dunno what. 1 of them said Systems. I wonderd what you got there? At a donut shop you get donuts. Whats a System?

  We past a big restront and a big movy theeter and sum other big stores selling big things. Minded me of the gun in my pants.

  Yah thats what I said. Gun. Jello ast if we were carrying and suddenly evry 1 was pulling out guns. Like it was a TV show down in Snocones basment—guys holding pistols and pointing them and checking that there were enuff bullets. Cool eh? And nives—Jaden had 1 that folded up and then snappd open.

  Jello ast ware my pipe was.

  Pipe?

  You no—your gun.

  So thats what a pipe was. I dint have 1.

  My mom hates guns I said.

  Jello thot that was funny. He took a pistol out of his pants and gave it to me. I said what about him? He told me not to worry and liftd his shirt to show me an other gun on the other side.

  You no how to use it? he said.

  Sure.

  Evry 1 nose how to use a gun rite? Point and shoot. I must of killd 1000s of aliens and zombis. 1000s and 1000s. I put the gun in my pants like him. My shirt hung out over it. I lookd like me but felt funny.

  Its loded said Jello. Dont shoot your balls off.

  Balls. I laffd.

  The bus stoppd and sum oldys driftd in slow and blinky. A bossy woman in a red cap told them to find a seat find a seat find a seat. The bus startd up agane. The oldys sat with there white heads nodding like dolls as the bus bumpd along. 1 of the oldys ast if she cud stay standing up and look out the windo.

  I want to see she said. Ill hold on tight I promise. I have a good grip.

  She was a littl lady with bisy hands she rappd round a pole then unrappd then rappd agane. They were like 2 spiders on the ends of her arms.

  No!

  The bossy red cap pushd her in the nearest seat.

  Stay there Dinty! she said. Ive had about enuff of you.

  Dinty I thot. Funny name but it went with her. She was a dinty lady. Like crumpld and used but OK. Like how a dinty pale wud still hold water.

  She glared up at the lady in the red cap.

  Your such a not see said Dinty.

  Jaden punchd my arm then leend forward and tappd Beens and Snocone.

  We reddy? he said.

  Snocone opend his fist and there was the 15 sine on his hand—the inside of his hand.

  Im with the possy all the way he said.

  Me 2 said Beens.

  And me said Jaden.

  And me I said.

  Not just to be saying sum thing. I ment it. And me.

  The bus bumpd up a big hill and round a bend. The mall was below us small and white with parkd cars all round. From up here the stores lookd like peaces of soap floting in the lake. The cars were the lake.

  RAINY DAYS

  AT THE COTTAGE

  THEY PLAYD CARDS. 1 time Spencer and DJ and Webb I think and Anty Vicky were round the dining room table. Grampa saw me yonning and took me by the hand. Just me. We went to his work room and he showd me this sord. A reel 1 like at the museum. He let me touch it and pointd to the stain on the pointy end. Thats blud Bernard he said. He xplaned that he took the sord off a bad guy wen he was yung. The blud was from a good guy the bad guy was fiting and thats why Grampa never cleend the sord—cuz he wantd to member the good guy. I ast him what the good guys name was and Grampa shook his head. I never met him he said.

  So how do you no he was good? I ast him.

  He was on my side he said.

  And that was the good 1.

  Yah.

  How do you no?

  Grampas teeth lo
okd yello wen he smiled. He said it was hard to xplane.

  You just no he said. Your guys r the good guys. You feel it. Trust that feeling Bernard. Trust yourself.

  OK I said.

  He pickd up the sord. Pretty cool eh? Grampa with his white hair and sad smile staring out the windo. And the sord with the rusty blud on it and the rain running down the windo pane.

  There was an ants nest in the corner of the work-room. Grampa got 2 cans of Raid and gave 1 to me. We sprayd the crap out of all those ants. Got you! he yelld. Dy you littl basterds. Dy! Made me laff.

  I told Spencer this story that nite. Grampa likes you he said.

  Even tho Im a dummy?

  Even tho.

  You shud of seen us bomming those ants I said. Grampa was rite into it.

  He flew bommers in the war Bun. Member what Dad said—hes a killer.

  Grampas a killer I said into the dark. Grampas a killer. Grampas a killer.

  Sum 1 from down the hall told me to shut up.

  MY SIDE HURT.

  THE BUS RUMBLD AND WEEZD under an xpressway. The sun came out for a second and hit me rite in the eye. East Mall Rode said the driver. East Mall Rode is next.

  What you doing with that thing?

  Snocone was frowning at me.

  Nothing I said.

  Put it away. Jeez.

  I had the gun out staring at it. Blu gray color. A shape like my finger and thum wen I pretend to shoot only this wasnt pretend. I stuck it back in my pants.

  Sorry.

  Your crazy he said.

  The bus rolld into the mall parking lot past the Sears store and the sport store. Past the white bricks and banners and parkd cars and fat peepl and strollers and hats. And bags. Evry 1 had a bag. The bags from the sport place were blu and the 1s from Sears were white. I kept count.

  Sure Way said the bus driver. Sure Way Gardens.

  The oldys were ahead of us. They movd off first with Red Cap bullying them along. Stay together til we get to the movy theeter she said. She kept close to Dinty—the oldy who wantd to see evrything.

  Snocone had his phone out. Hi Jello he said. Yah. Yah. OK.

  He put it away. Cobras with them he said. There on there way.