by Bryn Roar
Frosty fingers traced the knobs on her spine, the chill raising goosebumps all over her arms. I need to leave this house. I need to leave it right now…
“Gee, it’s nice to hear your voice, too.”
“I’m sorry, love. I was expecting someone else.”
“Something wrong, Red?”
“No…not really. It’s just that Joel’s not here, and I was hoping to talk to him when I got home. Shayna took him over to the mainland until the storm passes.”
Somewhere in the house, a floorboard creaked. The fine hair on Josie’s arms stood on end. Josie stared at them in dull disbelief.
“Is that a bad thing? It sounds as if she’s trying to be a more responsible parent.”
“I guess. She did allow Ham to board up all the windows.”
“Well, hey! That is a good sign!”
“Yeah, you’re right. I guess this dark empty house just got to me.” She shivered. “It feels like one of those sinkholes we used to play in as kids. Did you call for a reason, or is this your lame idea of an obscene phone call?”
“Now there’s the girl I love and fear. I was just wondering if you could pick up Tubby’s birthday cake before the bakery closes at the grocery store. Some candles too. Bilbo and I still have a little more to do around here.”
Josie checked the clock. It was already five-thirty and the bakery closed at 6:00. And just like that, she forgot all about calling her Aunt Sissy. “Sure thing, and while I’m there I’ll pick up some chips and soda.”
Another creak. Louder this time. Josie looked over her shoulder at the dark hallway behind her. Yuck, what’s that stink? Did Joel forget to flush the toilet again?
“Don’t bother. My pop already ordered a huge party platter from Mr. Pete. Oh, and Josie? Make sure you put this on my dad’s tab at the grocer. Bilbo said he’ll wring your pretty little neck if you pay for it yourself.”
Josie hung up without saying goodbye, dashing out the back entrance as if the house was on fire. Slamming the back door behind her, she suddenly felt silly for being such a scaredy cat inside her own home. She was tempted to go back in, just to prove a point to herself. The next thing you know you’re going to be like Rusty. Jumping at every shadow and sound! She had her hand on the doorknob, ready to go back inside, at least to flush the damn toilet, when she noticed how much brighter it was outdoors.
The sun had fallen well behind the trees, and the shadows had lengthened. And yet, despite all the lights she’d turned on in there, it was a lot brighter outside than inside. Hmmm. Curiouser and curiouser…
“Screw it, “ she said, hitching up the bag on her shoulder and stepping into her backyard. “I don’t have a thing to prove to myself. And Joel can flush his own damn toilet. After a few days stewing in the commode, I bet he’ll never forget to flush again!”
Rusty was opening the picket gate in his front yard when he saw Josie walking down Huggins Way. “Hey, Tits! Wait up, girlfriend!” Like Josie, he had his bag packed. Their plans were to spend the night at the museum. He’d already worked it out with Tub’s folks, and it was his job to get their clueless friend there by six.
He caught up with Josie down the road. The girl acted as if she was in a big hurry. “Slow down,” he said, pushing his glasses up on his nose. “What’s the hub-bub, Bub? We’ve got loads of time.”
“I’ve got to pick up the cake before you guys get to the museum. How about give me another fifteen minutes before you head out?”
“Sure. I’ll stall Opie.”
“Say Gnat, how did Joel seem when you walked him home today?”
“Quieter than usual. Not upset like he was this morning. Why, is something wrong with the little delinquent?”
Josie shrugged. “I’m not sure. Shayna took him over to Beaufort until the storm passes. I was just hoping to talk to him. No big deal. By the way, it was nice of Ham to board us up like that. Did he mention if my mom said anything to him?”
“No. I just assumed he asked her first. Maybe she’d already left. Remember what happened the last time he did that without asking her?”
Josie rolled her eyes. Shayna had gone off the deep-end that time, calling 911, telling old lady Purcell that Ham was vandalizing her property. “Hey, Gnat, I wanted to tell you that book really helped the other night.” She looked to the skies. “Thank you, Ms. Larouche! Wherever you are!”
“Spare me the gross details, Tits.”
“Yeah. Like I’d tell you. Seriously, though. Thanks. I’ll get it back to you tomorrow.”
“No rush.”
“Don’t you need it?”
He sighed. “Not yet I don’t.”
Rusty peeled off from her at the Drive-In, and Josie began jogging down the dirt road. With her sports bra holding the Bobble twins in place, it felt wonderful to be able to run without looking like a slo-mo promo for Baywatch. For some reason only straight men could understand, the sight of bouncing boobies made them salivate like…well, like rabid dogs. She snickered at the rather apt insight. She was passing the Academy when she heard something large lumbering about in the piney woods, off to her right. A deer, perhaps?
Josie stopped and peered into the leafy shadows.
The rustling ceased at once. Silence, and more silence. Josie shrugged and continued her jog, although not before edging over to the other side of the road.
******* The birthday/induction party of Ralph “Tubby” Tolson was a smashing success, the Big Guy never having caught on at all. His real birthday was still a month away; this was just an excuse to make an even bigger deal of his formal entry into theCreeps. They enjoyed their cake and ice cream up on the roof, lazing about on the beach chairs that overlooked the harbor below, sipping their sodas and giving each other shit (Tubby, dishing out his own brand of heck). Bilbo Brown made an appearance and gave Tubby a tote bag before excusing himself from the festivities. He had a large group coming in at 8:00, and without Bud to help him this time, there was much to do. The Dark Side of the Moon tote bag contained all of the treasures Tubby had been drooling over ever since he’d first set foot inside: The logo baseball hat, an oversized T-shirt featuring Ed Gein with his ubiquitous shovel, a Stand by Me lunchbox—to replace poor old Spidey—and last but not least, all four of the Frazetta reproduction posters rolled up in cellophane tubes. Bud dragged the Zenith out onto the gravel-covered roof and they all watched Tubby’s three favorite horror movies, one after the other: Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Shining, and of course, The Exorcist. Tubby found it was a lot easier to watch that one with friends by his side.
But the highlight of the evening had to be the presentation of the club jacket. Tubby thought it clever, how Josie had wrapped it in old funny pages. Good ol’ Charlie Brown looked up from every corner of the box.
Feeling like it was Christmas Tubby tore away at the paper, hoping the box contained the one thing he wanted most in the world. And he wasn’t disappointed. He lifted the army coat from the tissue paper, much greener and cleaner than those belonging to his friends, and began to cry. It never occurred to him that deep held hurts would come spilling out of that opened box. Opening old wounds, while healing them once and for all. He swiped at the tears, ashamed of being such a baby, but the floodgates were open now, washing away all of the loneliness and hurt.
He blinked blurry-eyed at the raised stitch-work over each top pocket:The Creeps over the left.Tubby over the right. Running his hand over both, making sure it wasn’t some cruel trick of the light.
“I told you we should have had Ralphie stitched on there!” Josie said, slugging Bud in the arm.
Bud looked genuinely distressed. “Gee, Hoss. I don’t know what to say. I just thought that by putting your nickname on the coat it would take the sting out when other people called you that. You know, assholes who aren’t your friends.”
“As opposed to the assholes who are your friends,” Rusty quipped.
Tubby swallowed the lump in his throat and gazed adoringly at the greatest friends he wo
uld ever know. Sitting across from him in their beach chairs. Smiling at him, as if they’d known him forever. Loving him like family. God! How was such a thing possible? The three of them: Rusty, Josie, and Bud. Three individuals, one more different than the next. And yet they were exactly the same! A miracle is what they were. And Tubby was one of them now! “I know what you were trying to say, Bud. And I wouldn’t change that name for the world. I mean that! Tubby Tolson…that’s who I am!”
“Then what is it, tiger?” said Josie.
“I-I was just crying b-because…because…”
The tears returned, stealing the sentiments from his mouth. It didn’t matter. His friends understood all too well. Maybe not as well as Tubby, but they knew.
Yes, they knew.
As evening deepened into the wee small hours, Josie and Tubby realized they were the last two left standing. At some point in the night Bud and Rusty had crawled into their sleeping bags and were battling it out to see who could snore the loudest. Rusty was winning.
“Gee, it’s past three o’clock!” Tubby said, looking at his watch. “I didn’t realize it had gotten so late.” He pushed his bulk up out of the aluminum chair, hoping the flimsy thing wouldn’t collapse under the strain.
Josie got up as well and grabbed Tubby by the hand. “Follow me,” she whispered.
Tubby could only gulp and nod.
They entered the clubhouse and Josie closed the door behind them. She sat on the sofa, patting the seat next to her. “Sit down, Ralphie. I need to ask you a favor.”
Tubby sat beside her, running his hands over his coat. He’d been doing that ever since he’d first put it on. He never realized a garment of clothing could make him feel so complete. So darn good inside. Thin, even! “Is it too late to help you pack up your stuff?”
“Nah, I’ve got everything I need in my bag,” she said, yawning. “You really like that coat, don’t you, tiger?”
Tubby looked down at his hands, afraid that by talking about it, it might start him blubbering again. “It’s the nicest present anyone’s ever given me.”
Josie was almost as happy for Ralph as he was for himself. In her mind, she saw Charlie Brown kick that football to the Moon, and she, the little red haired girl, leaned over and gave him a kiss. It was a chaste, closed-lips kiss, but Tubby’s eyes lit up all the same. Like fireworks in Disneyland. His hand leapt to his mouth, touching his lips in disbelief. Realizing her mistake, Josie jumped in before Tubby could put his foot in his mouth. “That was your birthday smooch, suge. Hope you liked it, ‘cause I only give out one a year!” She cleared her throat. “So, how does it feel to be an official, honest-to-godCreep?”
Tubby smiled and nodded, letting her know he understood. “It feels good, Joe. Better than I’ve felt in my entire life. And thanks for the birthday smooch. Now I have something to look forward to next year.”
Josie laughed throatily. “Bud wanted me to give you this.” She handed over a small white box.
Tubby rattled the box next to his ear.
“It’s a key to the museum. Sorry it took us so long to get it to you. Bilbo said any time you want to go through the ride by yourself, just go ahead and make yourself at home. Our casa is su casa. That goes double for this tin shack,” she said, gesturing at the roof overhead. “When this rabies mess dies down, we’ll take you to Margaritaville.”
“Margaritaville?”
“What Rusty and I call the Bunker.”
“You guys have been so good to me,” Tubby said, wiping his nose. He looked down at the werewolf-key-ring attached to his key. “I just don’t get it.”
“What’s not to get? You’re one of us, Ralph! Buddy boy, he knew it right from the start. And even though you just moved here, you’ve always been one of us.”
“Like Jack Torrance in the Overlook?”
“Spoken like a trueCreep!” Josie laughed. “Now, about that favor…”
Tubby tucked the key away in his breast pocket and carefully re-buttoned it. “Anything, Joe. Whatever it is—”
“Not so fast. You’re not going to like what I have to say. But I want you to know I’ve given it a lot of thought.”
“Come on, Joe. Spill! What’s the favor?”
“That report in Bidwell’s office you saw? I need to get that. We need to get that. Tomorrow.”
“Why? I mean, if we’re not likely to come down with the disease, then what’s the point?”
Josie told him about Bud’s reoccurring nightmares; how they all seemed to tie-in with the Research Center. “That place has cast a pall over Bud’s life, his dad’s, too.”
“And you think it has something to do with this Rabies Project?”
“Yes, I do. The shining red eyes Bud witnessed that night in his bedroom. The insanity involved. And now it’s starting all over again! With Bidwell and the Center right smack in the middle of it all.”
“I see your point, Joe—but what good is that report going to do you?” The smile on Josie’s face spoke volumes. “Oh! You’re going to give it to Bilbo, aren’t you?”
“Exactamundo, my friend. Bill will know what to do with that info. Then maybe he and his son can finally put this nightmare behind them.”
“I’ll do what I can, Josie. Only, I don’t see how—”
“I’ve already got it planned out. Now here’s what we’re going to do…”
*******
Tubby looked at Josie as if she’d lost her mind; and even though he’d already promised to help, he had no trouble in telling her otherwise. “No way, Joe! Nuh-uh! Not gonna happen. Leave you alone with that man? What if—”
Josie’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “You owe it to me, Tolson.”
“Huh? I don’t understand.” The deepening blush on his face said otherwise, though.
She paused before playing her ace. A card she was hoping she wouldn’t have to lay down. “I know what you did in my bathroom. I know that you watched me through that feckin’ keyhole.”
Tubby’s chin trembled. His mouth opened to object, to protest his innocence, but he couldn’t get the lies past the guilty knot in his throat.
Josie’s green eyes bore into his, ignoring the humiliation burning his round face. She didn’t have time to make this easy on him. “I’m not mad at you, Ralphie…but you do owe me. It was a violation of my trust; you peeked at me undressing, and then you—”
“Okay! Okay!” he blurted. “Please, don’t say it out loud! I’m so, sooo sorry! I hate myself for doing that! You have no idea! Jeepers, I’m such a pervert!”
“You’re not a pervert, Ralphie. You’re just a typical, horny, teenage guy. Believe me. I know the species all too well. Besides, I already forgave you. Just please help me with this one thing and I’ll never mention it again. You know I can’t ask Bud or Rusty—
“Cause they’d say no!” Tubby’s shoulders sagged in defeat. “I’ll do it, Josie. Because I do owe you…and I swore to myself that I’d make it up to you somehow. I think you’re crazy, though. Shoot, I’m crazy for helping you! If anything happens to you, I’ll never be able to forgive myself.”
Josie placed her cool hands on Tubby’s flushed face. “Well, then, sweet cheeks, we’ll just have to make sure nothing happens to me.”
*******
