“What are you doing... oh! Laundry? Miracles never cease,” Mom exclaimed with mucho sarcasm. “Don't forget to take Onyx out.”
Like he'd let me. I glanced at Onyx patiently waiting by the back door.
I heaved the whole bundle on the laundry room floor and opened the wash basin. Getting soap, I threw what I thought was the correct amount in. Who knew? I couldn't remember between washings.
Mom rounded the corner. “Did you remember how much soap to put in?”
Busted.
“Ah... I put in this much.” I made a space about two inches wide with my index and thumb apart.
“No! You're going to wash the world, honey, scoop some out.”
Geez.
“Okay.”
I scooped, setting the knob to on.
Running to the back door, I let Onyx out.
I watched Onyx running around the “potty area.” It was the lamest name for it in the world. But the lady from the animal shelter (Arlene? Barbara? Whatever) said calling the place where he did his “business” the same name as the shelter used would keep things “consistent” for Onyx. I think he would have taken a growler just about anywhere, being as it was his absolute favorite thing to do. As I thought this he did the old hunch-back, laying a steamer there on the gravel. A prize to be scooped up later, by me, of course.
Opening the door, Onyx rushed in ahead as I closed it behind me. I could smell the pancakes cooking, Dad was on his pulse-top reading boring news or looking at stocks (a fresh hell of unspeakable proportions). I plopped down in my seat, whipping my pulse out to say good morning to Jade. I pressed my thumb to the pad:
Initiated: Hey Hotness,-CH
Hi! grins Whatcha doin'? JLeC
Just sittin' here waiting for the deelish pancakes! CH.
Jealous! Are they fruit pancakes? JLeC
Profanity-block!-no! They're regular.-CH
What do you have against fruit, it's good for you! JLeC
That.-CH
What? That it's good for you? JLeC
Yeah, laughs.-CH
Okay resigned. What's the plan? JLeC
I want to show you the new place.-CH
Are we being careful here? JLeC
Always.-CH
Okay... what time? JLeC
Say... three o'clock, I'll pick you up.-CH
Idk, do ya think it's good for you to come to the neighborhood? JLeC
Yeah. Are there more problems with your dad? CH
Not atm but he goes off in random rages, he's definitely not predictable.-JLeC
thinking...doesn't matter, I won't hide.-CH
I know, that's why you're so special.-JLeC
You're special too, ya know.-CH
smiles thank you, see ya later.-JLeC
See ya.-CH
“Who's that?” Mom asked, putting a stack of pancakes down in front of me.
“Jade.”
“No more pulsing at the table,” Dad said. “What are you guys doing later this evening?” Dad asked, putting his pulse-top down, walking over to the kitchen table.
Third degree. “Ah...we're just going to walk around and stuff.”
They looked at each other, parental radar detection system on line.
Mom started in, “You two are welcome to be here at the house.”
“I know, we just want to walk around, it's warm now,” I said.
“Yes, school's out...?” Dad queried.
“Friday,” Mom said. She was the keeper-of-the-social/house-stuff-in-order goddess.
“Right,” he did a mondo swallow. “The summer stretches before one, shimmering in its ethereal beauty...”
Mom and I stared.
Dad shrugged. “Just waxing poetic.”
“Well... don't, Dad.”
Mom burst out laughing, batting her eyelashes.
Dad smiled back.
Geez.
I stood up, giving Onyx a secret wad of pancake.
The Boy handed the Dog some wonderful food stuff, full-of-life and not the dead food that he was accustomed to eating from the building-full-of-dogs. It was because he was a Good Dog. The Boy's word-smells filled his head and the Dog was happy and wagged his tail.
Onyx did a subtle wolf-down of the pancake and wagged his tail. He was a great dog. Dad caught the whole food thing and gave me the look that Mom should NOT find out. I nodded. Mom turned around and saw my plate in my hands, the milk cup with my used fork inside.
“Use the gray water,” Mom said.
“I know.” Like I'd forget that.
“Just a reminder.”
I headed for the bathroom to complete the shower hassle. Although, I had gotten used to being clean and didn't like the grimy feel anymore. Not that I would admit that to the Js or anything. Dudes on hygiene... no.
I stepped out of the shower, did a swish over the mirror, closely examining my face. Jade would be up-close-and-personal. No zits, check, no unsightly man-hair on the face, check, hair in face... check. Wait a sec, I leaned in, critically looking at my hair. I needed a haircut.
I exited the bathroom telling Mom the dreaded words: “I need a haircut.”
“I'll give you a buzz, son,” Dad volunteered. Ya see, that was what I was afraid of.
“Okay. Can you not make me look like a retarded nerd?”
“Caleb...” Mom started.
“That's an oxymoron, it's not technically a put-down,” I said cleverly, using yet another vocab word.
Dad tried not to grin and failed.
“I guess I'll give you that, but you understand I loathe the whole retard talk. I thought we had moved past that.”
“Apparently not!” Dad howled, slapping his leg.
“Okay... not funny! You goons do the male bonding thing,” Mom huffed out of the room.
“Nice Dad.”
“Once in awhile I have a moment of clarity,” he said, all teeth. “I'll have to sweet talk her later.”
The buzz lasted for what seemed like forever. Dad said he needed to “taper” it for styling. I just itched and my feet got hot.
“What about the little hairs getting all over and inside your clothes?” she asked, moving back into the room and surveying the pile of hair growing on the floor.
I shrugged. I'd get through it somehow. Didn't want to repeat the whole shower routine.
“Done!” Dad exclaimed.
I got up, brushing hair off, looking at the “creature” on the floor. Onyx went over to the pile and gave it a sniff, whimpering.
The Dog smelled the Boy, who was standing and a part of the Boy was also on the floor. It was confusing for the Dog. Was the Boy hurt? The Dog looked up at the Boy, the rest of the pack seemed untroubled by the pile of Boy-smelling stuff on the floor. The Dog backed away.
“It's okay, Onyx,” I said, toeing the pile.
“Let me get a broom, don't move that, it'll get all over the house!”
Dad looked after mom running to get cleaning stuff, “Go check it out in the mirror.”
I looked bald. I hoped Jade liked short hair. It made me look older and taller. That couldn't be all bad. I hated hair cuts. The top of my head felt like a million soft needles, poking my palm.
Mom was cleaning up the mess, Onyx looked like part of me was getting taken away and buried. He looked seriously troubled by the hair; funny.
I thought at Onyx, it's okay, good dog.
He looked at me and began to wag his tail. This connection thing was pretty frickin' awesome.
Dad looked at me expectantly, his skill wasn't in haircuts. I didn't want to hurt his feelings. You couldn't be great at everything, famous scientist or not.
“Thanks Dad.”
“You like?”
“Yeah... it's alright.”
“What do you think, Hun?” he asked Mom.
She looked critically at my nearly bald head. “It's... short!”
“Come on Mom, you're always bugging me about my hair,” I said, defending Dad's skills.
She nodde
d. “That's true. You won't need one again soon.”
Dad folded his arms, looking satisfied.
I took off to my room, Onyx on my heels. I threw myself on my bed and Onyx jumped on it too, settling at the end. I pulsed the Js and told them what Jade and I were doing:
We need the zombie work force, Caleb.-MJ
I don't normally agree with all of Jonesy's ideas, but he's right. A zombie in there could take care of the tunnel issue right away. John Terran.
We can't talk about all this stuff on pulse.-CH
You're right. Let's meet later.-John Terran
No, sighs... you guys, I need to be with Jade tonight.-CH
We have nights now? Nights? It's like profanity-block! joint custody or something! MJ
laughs-John Terran
Okay guys, okay. You jerks don't have gf's so you don't get it. Payback's a Profanity-block! CH
Tomorrow then, Romeo? MJ
Yeah.-CH
Deal.-John Terran
We signed off; time set, plans made, zombies-to-raise. Life was busy. I picked up my book again, killing time for the next few hours until I could pick up Jade.
****
I rounded the corner of her neighborhood entrance, giving the sign a cursory glance. Valley Keys, the lettering long-faded. I was in a “bad area” of Kent. I worried a little bit for Jade. I'd rode my bike because it was three or four miles. I'd pulsed that she'd need hers. I figured it was about the same distance to the dump.
I hopped off my bike, swinging my leg over and doing a little hop and jog to slow down. Engaging the kickstand, I set it up close to the fence, hitting the latch on the gate and walking up to the front door. Jade's Aunt's house was all white. White body, white trim and white door. Kinda creepy.
Jade stepped out the front door looking fan-tas-tic. She wore her super dark jeans that rode the line of looking black but were actually blue. Her hair was swept back in one of those elastic hair things in a neon green color, a few wisps escaping to frame those gorgeous eyes. A cami that matched the hair thing peeked out underneath a hot pink top, just a slip of the color showing. Jade was zipping up a hoodie that was as midnight blue as the jeans, silver hoops swaying as she talked to Andrea.
“Hey,” she said to me smiling.
My mouth was a little dry. Whoever said beautiful girls were mouthwatering must not have had to actually talk to one.
I smiled, swallowing to conjure up some saliva.
“Hey back,” I finally croaked out. Jade's smile turned into a grin. Great, so she knew that I was reacting to her so much it made me ache.
Andrea saved the awkward moment. “Where are you two going?”
I sure wasn't going to tell her the actual place, she'd tell Psycho-Daddy for sure.
“We're going to check out the ice cream shop.”
Jade gave me a look. I looked back like, don't blow it.
“The one where the old Baskin-Robbins used to be?” she asked. I was struck by how much Jade looked like her. The eyes were wrong, Andrea's were like black velvet, you could hardly see the pupil in there. Jade's dad's eyes were the same, the creeper.
“Yeah, I guess. I mean, I was little when they got rid of it.”
“What's the name now?” she asked. Man, she was goin' for the details.
Jade piped in, “Terhune's Ice Cream.”
“Oh, right,” she said, relaxing.
“When do you need to be home?” Andrea asked Jade.
“Ten.”
She turned those dark eyes on me. “Be careful. You know you're welcome to be here too, Caleb.”
“Thanks, I know.”
Jade swung her leg up over her bike, standing with her sandal clad feet on either side of the bar between the seat and the handlebars. On girls' bikes you could do that, boys' bikes had the ball-buster feature. I walked out to the gate and held it open for Jade as she rode out, giving a guy salute to the aunt, who watched us until the gate shut.
Jade balanced on her seat,one foot hitting one side, then the other taking over. I swung up on my seat as I started to pedal with my left foot first, putting on that burst of speed just to get going. I looked around to see if Jade was close. She was but I slowed down, she was shorter and I didn't think she had that maneuver down that the Js and I did. But, I was wrong, she was right on my flank, no trouble at all.
We rode down Kent-Kangley, a dangerous stretch if you didn't pay close attention. My parents always said, “Caleb, pay close attention.” I'd respond, “I won't get creamed today, guys.”
Confidence inspiring.
We took the back route to Scenic Hill. We passed the cemetery on our left after cresting a long hill that at the bottom you think, no problem. But at the top you're like, thank God that's over.
It wasn't long until we were at the refuse place.
Jade looked at me, balanced precariously on her seat. “Okay...so this is the hideaway?”
I remembered that I didn't know the combo for the lock.
“Yes, this is it. Hold on a sec.” I pulsed John:
Hey, what's up? John Terran
Yeah... I'm here with Jade and I forgot to get the combo from you.- CH
Nice... smooth, Hart, in front of the gf and the whole jazz.-John Terran
I know, dill-weed, just give it to me.-CH
Look up there at the sign and just reverse the last four of the phone number.-John Terran
Which part? CH
Didn't I just say? John Terran
There are a bunch of numbers.-CH
It's the one that begins with the area code in parentheses.-John Terran
I looked up, okay there it was, got it. To think that they used to have to dial all that.
I see it, thanks.-CH
Welcome. Are we still on for tomorrow for the “help?”-John Terran
I guess.-CH
So didn't want to do the zombie work party.
I'm choking on your enthusiasm, Caleb, try to rein it in.-John Terran
sighs, I know we have to do it.-CH
It'll be okay.-John Terran
K, pulse ya tomorrow.-CH
K, ttyl.-John Terran
Jade was looking at me. “John?”
“Yeah, he had to give me the combo for this,” I jerked a thumb toward the massive lock.
I explained the whole thing about knowing the combo and how it was the phone number reversed, how we found a tunnel underneath a mound of cars.
Jade's face scrunched up in a cute way. “I don't want to sound like a lame adult here but, is it safe?”
Like I'd endanger the chicks, especially this chick.
“Of course it is! The Js and I went in there for a couple of hours and look.” Jamming my thumbs into my chest, I'm alive still.
She didn't look entirely convinced, sliding off her seat and looking at me while straddling the girl bar.
“What I mean is, do you think the pile will collapse?”
I understood that but it brought to me a funny thought.
“No. But, I guess we'll see what's what when the zombies take care of some space issues.”
“Space issues?”
“Yeah, there's a tight spot in there just before it opens up into the main room.”
Jade's black eyebrows rose, arching prettily on that smooth forehead of hers.
Flicking her hair over her shoulder she said, “So... let me get this straight. The zombies are going to be a 'slave force' and if they get,” she waved a smallish hand around, searching for the word, “stuck, in there,” she pointed to the gate and the lair that lay beyond, “they're already dead so zero loss?”
It sounded bad put like that.
“Ah, I haven't really thought about it that much. Me and the Js,” Jade threw up her hands.
“What?”
“Tell me. Was it Jonesy?”
“Well, yeah.”
“His ideas always get everyone in trouble.”
“Sometimes,” I replied loyally.
“Usually,” she replied wi
th accuracy.
“Alright, I guess we'll just have to be careful with the zombies.”
“Let's get a girl with some brains in on this too.”
“John and I have brains.”
“But somehow Jonesy comes up with all these,” she paused, “schemes, and you and John bail everyone out with a shovel.”
Yeah, that was it.
“Okay, who's the smart girl?”
“Well, we're all smart.”
“Ah-huh.”
“I was thinking Tiffany Weller,” Jade said.
“Tiff... I don't know, sometimes things go weird.”
“What if she can help? What if adults show up?”
I guess, besides her dad, we hadn't had a lot of that. I didn't say it though.
“Okay, you pulse Tiff and see if she wants to involve herself. She's already said yes to the haunted house thing.”
“Another Jonesy idea,” Jade said.
“Yeah.”
“It does sound pretty cool,” she admitted.
“Yeah.”
Jade walked toward the gate with me following. I spun the numbers, and it clicked open smoothly, first time. We walked in and I adjusted it in the fake lock position.
“We can't stop living just because the government might be up-our-ass.”
“Up your ass,” she said, smiling.
“Right.”
We walked together hand in hand until we came to the pink fridge. Jade walked around the part of it that she was able to, but the very back was more or less surrounded by pieces of cars, with a whole car on its nose (scrunched down) all along the left side. It was still bright daylight out but I knew it would be gloomy-as-hell inside. That wouldn't work and I bent down, grabbing a metal tool, about sixteen inches long, with two curved sides opposite each other. I think Dad called it a crow... something. I used it to prop the door open and explained the coffin theory. The look on her face! Geez! I gave her a fierce hug, putting my hand on the back of her neck, leaning her into me.
Destiny's Dark Fantasy Boxed Set (Eight Book Bundle) Page 28
