by Ike Hamill
George was running away from them, tracking his big brother.
Ricky floated towards the lake.
Chapter 23 : Prescott
[ Swimming ]
TRINA RAN TO MARY’S side. The woman had slowed herself with the extension cord, but she had taken a pretty good fall. Her hands were streaked with red burns, and her neck had a pretty good friction burn too.
Mary didn’t seem to care about any of that. She was trying to straighten out her leg.
She slapped away Trina’s hands when Trina tried to examine her ankle.
“For heaven’s sake,” Mary said, “go get Ricky.”
Trina looked up. Vernon and another man were chasing little George across the grass. They were all focused on the boy floating through the sky.
“Okay,” Trina said. She glanced back at her cousin and then sprinted after the men. She saw the direction Ricky was headed. Trina veered to the right, where the public dock went a good fifty feet out into the water. The men were tripping over the rocks as Trina sprinted down the planks. She glanced at the water—the level was plenty high. Ricky was picking up speed as he floated over the water and he was losing elevation. Although he sailed through the air, his arms and legs weren’t moving.
Trina got to the end of the dock and didn’t hesitate. She dove in the water.
She came to the surface scissor-kicking her legs. She kept her head up and saw Ricky as he splashed down. Trina put her head down and swam her hardest. She poked her head up every few strokes to make sure she was on course. Ricky disappeared below the surface. She dove.
She didn’t spot him until she was almost out of air. Trina grabbed the cuff of his formal shirt and clawed frantically for the surface. Her head breached and she dragged in a chestful of air. Ricky’s shirt was trying to tear. She tried to keep her head above water as she tugged his arm upwards.
Trina got a mouthful of lake and accidentally kicked Ricky.
She felt him move in her grip—that was a good sign.
Meanwhile, Vernon was swimming hard out to her position.
“I’ve got him,” she yelled between gasps of air. Vernon seemed to be veering away from her. Maybe he thought she was wrong about where he had gone in.
When he heard her, he came fast.
He reached her just as she pulled Ricky’s hand up to the surface.
Vernon grabbed his son and immediately pulled him up. Vernon turned to his side and used his body to push Ricky up as he stroked towards the shore.
Trina paddled after, trying to catch her breath. She had a stitch in her side and couldn’t move too quick or else it jabbed her with fresh pain.
John Endicott had waded out to where the water was chest deep. When Vernon reached him, they both took Ricky by the armpits and raced towards shore. A bunch of other people were waiting on the rocks. Many hands reached and guided the waterlogged people up to the grass.
Trina emerged, panting and coughing and dragged herself up the rocks.
They had Ricky laid out on his back. Someone rolled the boy to his side and thumped his back. When he coughed, a rush of snot and lake water gushed from him. His little brother, George, reached out and touched Ricky’s shoulder as they rolled him to his back and Vernon tilted his head back and put his finger in the boy’s mouth.
“For heaven’s sake, will someone tell me what’s going on?” Mary asked. She limped up to stand over her son.
Ricky got an arm up and batted his father’s hand away from his face. He pushed himself up and blinked rapidly.
“George! Quit with the rocks!” Vernon yelled.
Trina looked over to the kid. He was throwing rocks in the air again. He didn’t obey his father’s command.
“We should get both of you to the doctor,” Vernon said, looking up to Mary. “Give us a hand, would you?”
Several people leaned in to help. Trina held back. Between John Endicott, Bruce and Wendy Hazard, and the others, they had plenty of people to help. Lily circled the group and came to her side.
“Are you okay?” Lily asked.
“I’m fine. A little soggy is all.” Her own voice sounded strange to her. Her sinuses were soaked in lake water. She and Lily followed the group as they moved towards the Village Peddler. It was the closest building to the park.
“Yes!” George shouted.
“George!” Vernon yelled. “Get your butt in gear.”
Trina turned to look at the boy and stopped. He was jumping up and down near something that buzzed on the ground.
“It’s one of those video drones,” Lily said. “They were making a video of the magic show.”
“Are you sure?” Trina said.
Sarah went over to the boy and put out her hand. He took it reluctantly. He wanted to stand over his kill. Everyone moved in a loose group towards the store.
Chapter 24 : Cormier
[ Lookout ]
SARAH ALWAYS LIKED RICKY’S little brother, George. Sometimes when they were working at the ice cream stand, George would come down to the dock in his bathing suit, dragging a fishing net. He would catch crawfish one at a time with the net and put them in a jug to sell to Roger Emmonds. Roger paid a nickel for each crawfish and charged the Summer People fifty cents. It worked out well for everyone. The boy was a natural hunter. This time, he had knocked one of the flying helicopters out of the sky. Sarah took his hand. Together, they looked at it for a few seconds.
“I killed it,” he said.
“You bet you did,” Sarah said. “Let’s go with your folks.”
“Don’t you wonder where it came from?” George asked.
Sarah looked around. “I’m sure someone wanted to make a recording of the show.”
George shook his head.
“That’s not a regular drone like you get at Walmart,” George said. “Look at it.”
Sarah didn’t know much about the things. She had seen Summer People flying them sometimes, but always at a distance.
George reached out with his toe and kicked it. “It was making Ricky fly.”
“That was weird,” Sarah said. “Come on, let’s catch up.”
When she tugged on his hand, he came along. It would have been so much easier having a younger brother. They were easier to keep out of harm’s way. Lily’s mom was helping George’s mom walk. They way she had fallen, it was lucky she was able to move at all. Sarah saw Mary Dunn glance back, checking on her other son. She caught Sarah’s eye for a second. The message was clear—you’ve got temporary custody of him. Don’t let me down.
George’s dad split off from the group and jogged in the direction of his truck. The thing had run off the road and was resting against a tree.
“There’s another one,” George said. He pointed with his free hand.
Sarah looked, but didn’t see what he was talking about. Maybe there had been a brief glimpse of a dark shape near the roofline of the store, but it was probably just a weird shadow.
“Did you like the parade?” Sarah asked.
He looked up at her. His face was neutral.
“Yeah, I know it was a dumb question,” she said. “I just thought you might want to talk about something happy.”
Lily’s mother was helping Mary Dunn into the store. Ricky made it inside under his own power, but the two women were herding him carefully. Over at the road, Vernon Dunn cranked his engine over and over. The truck wasn’t starting. George pulled his hand free form Sarah’s and ran after his mom. Most of the people stayed on the porch of the Village Peddler. Sarah joined them there just as Vernon Dunn ran back over.
“My truck is kaput. Bruce, can I borrow a car?” Vernon asked.
Bruce Hazard pushed his glasses up on his face. “Of course. Yes. The keys are back at the house. Car’s there, too, of course.”
Vernon waited for a split second while Bruce just stood there. “Can we go?”
“Yes. Sorry. Yes.” Bruce looked at the door, maybe wondering if he should check in with his wife. He settled for Lily. “Tell you
mother I’ll be right back.”
Lily nodded. Sarah moved to her side.
“I should go find Gerard again,” Trina said. She stood there, soaking wet, and looking like she wanted to do anything but go find Gerard. Maybe she was waiting for someone to offer to help. Sarah sensed Lily getting ready to volunteer. Lily was always doing that, even if it wasn’t in her best interest. When she started to step forward, Sarah put out her arm and held Lily back. Her friend got the message—she stayed quiet.
Trina finally found her resolve and walked for the corner of the building. She seemed confused as to where she should even start.
Sarah leaned in towards Lily. “Let’s go inside and see if they need help.”
John Endicott looked down at himself. His clothes were soaked too. “I suppose I should get home and change,” he said. Mr. Endicott was Ruth’s father. He had always seemed like a good person.
“Ms. Townsend might have something that would fit you inside,” Lily said. “She has all kinds of clothes and everything.”
“I suppose I have a whole bureau full of things that will fit me at home,” he said. He tried on a smile, but it quickly disappeared.
He left the girls standing on the porch. Sarah opened the door and waved Lily inside.
[ News ]
They had Ricky in a wooden chair next to the counter. It was one of Louise’s “Husband Chairs,” where men would wait for their mates to finish shopping. Ricky looked exhausted. Mary was unbuttoning his wet shirt while Ricky’s blank eyes looked off towards the postcard rack.
“Girls,” Mary said, “go find a t-shirt and shorts. He’s a medium and a twenty-eight.”
Lily nodded and practically ran for the front of the store. Sarah disobeyed and walked to Ricky. She knelt down in front of him while Mary leaned him forward and Wendy stripped his shirt.
“Ricky? Are you okay?”
His eyes moved to her. Ricky seemed to acknowledge her and then his eyes moved off to the postcards again.
Mary grunted as she lowered herself down next to Sarah. She was working on Ricky’s shoes. With them both off, she rolled down his black socks.
“Ricky?” Sarah asked.
“I should have never talked to them,” Ricky mumbled.
“What was that?” Sarah asked.
“He’s in shock,” Louise Townsend said from behind the counter. Sarah looked up. The woman was such a fixture in the store that Sarah hadn’t even noticed her there. She almost seemed like one of the displays.
“Let’s get him up,” Mary said. “I want to get these wet pants off.”
“Ms. Dunn? Maybe you should let him use the changing room?” Sarah asked. Ricky was normally embarrassed by everything. He didn’t even seem to realize that his mom intended to strip him naked in front of a bunch of strangers. Sarah was blushing for him.
“He’s not going to do it himself,” Mary Dunn said. “Look at him.”
George ran up from one of the aisles. He had a giant beach towel in his arms. “Here you go,” he said.
“Good monkey,” Mary said. She took the towel and wrapped it around Ricky’s midsection. Still, Sarah turned away.
Lily came back with some options.
“There aren’t any twenty-eights,” she said. “I had to get bigger.”
“That’s fine,” Mary said.
“Ricky?” Sarah asked. “Who did you talk to? Did someone help you with that trick?” She was trying to make connections. Maybe there was someone behind what happened—someone who took the prank a little too far.
Ricky nodded at her question.
Mary stopped what she was doing.
“Who did this, Ricky? Who put you in danger like that?”
Ricky looked at his mom. She was holding a pair of shorts. When his eyes focused on her she blinked and her hands stopped worrying at the waistband of the shorts.
“They don’t have a name,” Ricky whispered. “I didn’t think they were inside me, but they are.”
Mary’s hands fell. She dropped the shorts.
Chapter 25 : Hazard
[ House ]
WHEN VERNON DUNN HEADED across the lawn towards the road, Bruce Hazard simply followed. It wasn’t the fastest way back to his house, but Vernon was in control. The man was tall and had a voice so deep that it sounded like it would rattle a mug off a shelf.
Bruce had met Vernon a few times. Lily and Ricky were in the same grade. But he didn’t really know the man. They moved in different circles. As Bruce followed him, he noticed that Vernon was leaving wet footprints on the pavement. Vernon’s footprints were nearly two strides apart for Bruce. He felt like a child following the man.
“We’ll take the van,” Bruce said. This was one thing he could offer. “It seats more people so we can all ride along in case there’s something we can do to help.”
Vernon didn’t acknowledge the suggestion. He simply kept up his determined pace while Bruce panted behind him.
They reached the end of the driveway and Vernon turned in. Bruce trotted up to his side. He felt like he should lead the way now that they were on his property. He realized with a little embarrassment that his feeling of ownership was a little misplaced. After all, this had once been Dunn land. The name of Vernon’s grandfather was right there on the deed in Bruce’s safe. The family had owned the land and one of them—a distant uncle or cousin—had even built the house that Bruce called his own. But if Dunn felt any claim over the house, he had never mentioned it.
He cleared his throat as they walked. “The keys are in the kitchen. I’ll run in and get them if you want to…”
Dunn’s arm shot out and stopped Bruce in his tracks. He looked up to Dunn and saw that the man was holding a finger to his lips. Bruce almost laughed. He frowned to keep it inside. The way Vernon was standing there with wide eyes and his finger to his lips, he almost looked like Elmer Fudd. Bruce pictured him saying, “Shhh! I’m hunting wabbits!”
The humor evaporated as Bruce looked towards the house to see what Dunn was worried about. There was something wrong with his house. Bruce reached up and lifted his glasses. They weren’t the problem. He dropped them back down in front of his eyes.
The house was moving.
Of course it wasn’t moving—it was stationary, but the surface of it wouldn’t stay still. There was something crawling all over the house. Whatever they were, they were easier to see on the windows. Instead of seeing into the living room, or Lily’s room upstairs, the windows were dark gray and made up of shifting patters.
“What are they?” Bruce whispered. He looked back to Dunn. The man didn’t cut such a formidable figure now. He looked just as frightened as Bruce felt. But Vernon simply shook his head and the fear disappeared. He looked confident and in control once again.
“Where in the kitchen?” Vernon asked. He was moving again. Vernon was circling the house. Bruce didn’t take his eyes from the shifting surface of his house, but started to follow.
“There’s a set of hooks next to the microwave. You’re not going in there,” he said.
It wasn’t a question, but Vernon answered anyway.
“I suppose I have to.”
As they walked along the side of the house, Bruce’s eyes started to make sense of the house. It was covered with little creatures. They were exactly the same color as the paint of the building and they took up every inch of the house. As they crawled over each other, he got a sense of their size. Each of the things was about the size of a box of matches. Bruce trotted to catch up to Vernon. The man was stalking quickly towards the back door.
“Wait,” Bruce said. “Is it safe?”
“The phones are out, right?” Vernon asked. “That’s what you said.”
Bruce nodded.
“And this is the closest car. I’m going to get my wife and son over to Maine General. I don’t suppose I have a choice.”
He walked forward.
Bruce revised his earlier opinion as he watched Vernon swing open the screen door. The bugs could
n’t be the same color as the house, because the ones on the frame of the screen door were clearly black. In a burst of insight, he understood. Each bug was the color of whatever it was standing on. They were like little chameleons.
Bruce stood there while Vernon walked through into the kitchen. When the screen door slammed shut behind him, several of the little things were dislodged and hit the porch. He watched them change to the gray of the porch and then scurry off. When they hit the grass, they changed to green. Bruce backed up a step. He couldn’t tell where the things had gone. Suddenly, it seemed like he could feel them crawling up his legs. Bruce backed up another step.
Vernon came back through the door.
One of the little things dropped from the doorframe and landed on Vernon’s shoulder.
Bruce opened his mouth to say something, but his mouth was completely arid. He couldn’t make his tongue work. Unable to speak, Bruce lunged forward and swatted the thing from Vernon’s shoulder. It flew off and hit the side of the house. Vernon gave him a little nod and then moved around Bruce. He was walking for the van.
[ Van ]
Vernon got behind the wheel before Bruce could object. He moved around to the passenger’s side while Vernon cranked the engine. Bruce closed his door and put on his seatbelt. His finger itched where he had touched the little bug thing. It felt like he had touched a thistle—like there were little invisible hairs stuck in his skin.
Vernon looked at him.
Bruce realized why—the engine was still cranking. It wouldn’t catch.
“This thing normally run?” Vernon asked.
“Always,” Bruce said.
Vernon took in a breath and expelled it through his nose with obvious frustration.
