The Pantheon

by Amy Leigh Strickland

  Teddy had his mother’s coffee-colored skin, dark hair, and full lips. He had her large, thickly-lashed eyes too, but they were a silvery blue like his father’s. Not too many people seemed to notice. Ignorance was a wonderful thing in a small town.

  Teddy parked his purple Jaguar (a sixteenth birthday present) under a lamp in the lot to guard against vandalism after sunset. He was dressed in seersucker cargo shorts and a lilac polo shirt. Most teenagers couldn’t get away with dressing like such a WASP, but Teddy carried it with confidence. Besides, everyone wanted Teddy on their side. He always came through with the liquor.

  Three spots away Jason Livingstone was trying to orchestrate getting his twins out of their car seats while his daughter ran circles around the old Buick. “Haley!” he shouted. “Haley this is a parking lot! Stay here. You’re going to get hit by a car.”

  One of the twins started making crashing noises and banging his hands together like he was playing with invisible cars while the other laughed. Teddy was pretty sure he never wanted to have kids.

  When Teddy entered the front gate nearly three hours late for setup, his adoptive mother started her raving. She had always taken out her anger on him, so he just zoned out while she yelled about punctuality and reliability.

  “Your father thinks that if we give you responsibility you’ll rise to the occasion. You can’t even get yourself out of bed before noon when left to your own devices!”

  Teddy didn’t hear a word of it. She couldn’t tell that he had a pair of ear-buds hidden under his shaggy black hair, blasting French rap into his ears.

  When she was done shrieking he went to his father and got a hundred dollars in spending money. Teddy made for the concession stand. He bought a burger and large slushy drink. He found a spot at an empty picnic table. Once he’d finished the last bite of his overcooked burger he lazily dipped his finger into his punch to stir it. Sloppy slushy bubbles rolled to the surface for a moment and then stopped. Teddy took a sip. It had kick now. It was probably about 20 proof alcohol by volume.

  Theodore had been able to turn water into alcohol for six months now. It had been an accident when he’d turned his bath into vodka back in late April. Now he did it all the time. At first he’d been drunk twenty-four/seven, but the novelty had worn off quickly. He still drank a lot, not because he liked being drunk, but because he liked the taste. He preferred to get other people drunk instead. It was free entertainment. Needless to say, it was a dangerous ability for a sixteen-year-old boy.

  Teddy sat and sipped his drink for a minute before he got up to wander around. He stopped by a booth selling novelty hats and masks. He decided not to wear his scary clown costume to the carnival because he didn’t want to spend the night trying to scrub white cream paint out of his ears with a Q-tip. He bought an alien antenna headband and a pair of lime green alien eye sunglasses. Teddy continued on through the fair, wishing someone interesting would show up so the party could really get started.

  Teddy’s entertainment came from an unexpected place. It was like the answer to a prayer. Teddy found a dunking booth where you could dunk members of the Olympia Heights football team. The Thunder captain, Zach Jacobs, was in the seat now and, judging by the fact that he was dry, he’d just gotten there.

  Zach’s girlfriend, June Herald, was far too icy for Teddy’s tastes. June was collecting tickets in a wool pants suit and a blond wig. She had a little American flag pinned to the lapel of her coat and Zach’s Bill Clinton mask tucked under her arm. Someone in a Luchador mask was hitting on her, leaning awkwardly close to her, his arm on the post behind her head. Teddy knew this could only lead to trouble so he found a bench to watch from. At last there was something to pass the time until nine o’clock when he could excuse himself and sneak off to a decent party.

  After about ten minutes Zach had been dunked four times. It looked really easy. June was still trying to ignore the Mexican Wrestler- Wannabe. Frank Guerrero took over Zach’s shift and Zach, in a dripping wet swimsuit, came to hug June. She squealed and tried to push him away. “No, you’re soaked!”

  Teddy wished he could hear what the Luchador said. It was muffled by his mask and wasn’t a shrieking harpy trill like Zach’s girlfriend. Zach turned suddenly and stepped in front of June. All of the lingering football players hurried to back their captain.

  Zach reached out with quick hands, palming the guy in the forehead, and pulled off the spandex mask. It was Mark Alvarez, the Miami West Captain. This show just got better. Teddy got off the bench and tried to casually move closer so he could hear. The football team closed in on the trespasser, each ready to jump if Zach or Mark threw a punch.

  “Why don’t you go home?” Zach said.

  “I have every right to be here.” Mark snatched his mask from Zach. “I’m supporting the local schools.” He flashed a devious grin.

  “You overstayed your welcome when you moved on my girlfriend.” Zach’s hair seemed to be standing on end, like someone had just rubbed him down with a bundle of latex balloons.

  Mark looked over at June, then at Zach again. His eyes scanned the wall of jocks behind their king and he seemed to realize just how much trouble he was in. Still, he couldn’t keep his mouth shut and walk away. He was far too impulsive, “What, this tramp?”

  Zach’s whole body started to move. He was about to pounce on Mark and stomp him flat, but a booming voice broke through the crowd and stopped him in his tracks.

  “Is there a problem, boys?” Teddy was disappointed to see Dr. Livingstone push his way through the crowd. His kids were back hanging on to the hand of a freshman cheerleader. It seemed the only thing that guy ever did was ruin good fights.

  “Whatever, screw this.” Now that he’d picked a fight, Mark Alvarez wanted out. He was far outnumbered here and very lucky that Jason had stepped in to save him. Mark put his mask back on and left. Slowly the varsity team dissolved and left Zach and June alone.

  Teddy, frustrated at the loss of a good show, headed toward the beach. Perched on the lifeguard post, Teddy recognized Nick Morrisey. Nick had once been the best swimmer on the Olympia Heights swim team. On account of the fact that he told the coach of the team that she was a cold, heartless banshee, he swam for a local club rather than the school team. It was his goal in life to make the Olympic Swim Team and shatter some of Michael Phelps’ records. He’d recently gotten serious about it and now he was constantly training. As a result he had a body that made him very popular with the ladies. His dark hair, cute freckled mug, and clear blue eyes didn’t hurt either.

  Teddy nodded a greeting to Nick as he passed. Nick was a frequent flier of Teddy Wexler’s legendary bashes. They got along all right, but where Teddy was about having fun, Nick was about conquest. The two ideals didn’t quite mesh.

  Nick glanced back from the direction where Teddy came, peering over his sunglasses. “Someone said there was a fight?” he asked Teddy.

  “Yeah, Livingstone busted it up.”

  “Lame,” Nick sang. “Who was fighting?”

  “Zach was almost fighting the Miami football douche.”

  “I’d have paid to see that.”

  “Me too.”

  Nick nodded to Teddy, a dismissal. Teddy wandered down the beach, his eyes trained on the sand for a skipping stone, his drink still firmly clutched in his hand, an agreeable buzz starting to make his lips tingle.

  Nick was about ready to die of boredom when a pleasant sight passed. Devon Valentine crossed in from of him in a pink string bikini and bunny ears. Jackpot.

  “Hey!” He waved. She turned and gave him a flirtatious smile. Devon came up the beach to Nick’s seat and leaned against the ladder. “What’s your costume?” he asked.

  “Costume?” She winked. “Oops.”

  Nick laughed. He noticed Teddy had stopped his rock hunt down by an old dock and commenced staring at Devon from the distance. Nick’s smile grew wider, knowing he was getting attention that someone else, anyone else, could be jealous of.

 
; “You hear about the fight?” he asked with the air of someone who knew far more than he did.

  “Oh, yeah, I saw. Some Titan idiot trying to get with June.”

  “Yeah, I heard Jacobs took personal offense.”

  “So did the rest of the team,” Devon replied. “You know, they have to go with the group brain no matter who’s using it at the moment.”

  Nick laughed. “All over June, though? What’s wrong with them. Didn’t they see you there?” He was a shameless flirt.

  “I guess not.” She leaned closer to him.

  Teddy tore his eyes away from the bikini clad form of Devon Valentine. He wondered if she was cold. Teddy picked up a smooth rock from under the dock and chucked it into the ocean. He stared out into the horizon as the sun set and focused on a floating log.

  No. It wasn’t a log.

  “Hey!” he dropped his plastic cup of slushy in the sand and ran toward the water. “Hey, someone’s out there!” Teddy wasn’t very good at swimming, but he tried anyway. The time for apathy had passed.

  Nick looked up to see Teddy in his alien antenna running into the water. This was a perfect chance to look heroic, saving lives in front of a beautiful girl.

  “Excuse me,” he said to Devon and jumped off the chair. He landed hard on the sand, grabbed a life-preserver, and ran down the beach.

  Nick ran into the water until he was waist deep and then dove forward. The surf caught his leg and he fell forward faster than he had anticipated. His sunglasses were knocked off his face. His mouth was open to take one last gush of air and his lungs filled with water. He could still breathe!

  Nick surfaced, panicked. He breathed out water. What the hell had just happened? He often had dreams where he could breathe water, but this was really happening.

  He dove back under and drew in more water. He wasn’t choking. Nick remembered why he was here in the first place and swam under the current. He opened his eyes and saw a girl. He reached out for her. His eyes focused on chords around her wrists. She was tied up.

  Nick pulled her to the surface. Water poured out of his mouth and nose. His lungs once more filled with air.

  Teddy Wexler had charged into the water to save the drowning girl. By the time Nick’s help had arrived Teddy was flailing in the water. Waves were crashing in his face and making it hard to see or breathe. Nick saw him floundering and dragged the girl with him to help the sophomore.

  “Hold on to my back.” Nick told Teddy as he put the life-preserver over the girl’s neck and under her arm. Teddy obeyed. Nick swam hard, holding the girl close to him. It was slow progress, but he didn’t seem too hindered by waves crashing into his face. He finally touched sand and dragged them to shore. Once Teddy could reach the bottom he let go of Nick’s back and helped to heave the girl on the sand. Teddy didn’t miss it when water poured out of Nick’s mouth and nostrils.

  Now that he could look at her properly, Nick saw that under the ropes around her wrists, the girl had horrible burns. Fresh burns. They were shaped like fingers wrapped around from behind. He quickly checked her pulse. She had a heartbeat but she wasn’t breathing. He pinched her nose, tipped her head back, and formed a seal with his lips over hers.

  “What do I do?” Teddy asked, coughing from the water that had invaded his own lungs.

  Nick paused between rescue breaths and pointed back at the carnival. “Go get help, idiot!”

  Teddy ran up the beach, weighed down by heavy, wet clothes. His feet squeaked and slipped on his slick, wet sandals. He kicked them off to gain some speed, his feet sinking in the soft, dry sand.

  Nick gave the girl another breath. Her body convulsed.

  She started to cough so he rolled her on her side. She spat up water. After a spasm of violent coughing she opened her eyes.

  “What—where?” She was a pretty Asian girl, conservatively dressed. Nick recognized her from school but he didn’t know her name.

  “You were in an accident,” he tried to untie the ropes on her hands. “I need you to stay awake with me, OK?” He didn’t want to hurt her more, but the knots were tight.

  Devon ran down the beach to them and knelt beside Nick, unsure of what to do. Teddy soon returned with help. A muscular, stout woman with a messy ponytail ran ahead of him. She was the on-call EMT. Coach Morin was there too. The EMT sat the girl up. “What’s your name, dear?” she asked.

  “Valerie. Valerie Hess,” Valerie recited, staring down at her wrists. Coach Morin pulled a pocket knife out of his jeans and cut the ropes. She was in too much shock to really register the pain.

  “Do you remember what happened?” the EMT asked. Teddy pulled out his cell phone to call the police. Water poured out of it. Coach Morin passed his to Teddy while he cut the ropes on Valerie’s ankles.

  “Some guy grabbed me outside the bathroom.” She coughed a few times and then had to catch her breath. Her lungs burned. “He smelled like something burning and he started talking about teaching a lesson. My wrists started to burn. It hurt so bad.” She began crying. The shock was wearing off. “I blacked out.”

  The EMT had her field kit open. She got burn cream and gauze out. They could clean the burns when they got her to a hospital. “You’re safe now,” her voice was very soothing. “We’re gonna get you to a hospital. They’ll keep you safe.”

  Jason Livingstone came running down the beach. “Need any help? I’m a doctor.”

  “Good. C’mere, bandage up her other wrist.”

  Jason was excited when he got to do something besides hand out cough drops and call kids’ moms. He grabbed a bandage and started wrapping.

  “I lost my antenna,” Teddy said quietly.

  “I lost my Oakleys,” Nick grumbled back.

  “Wait,” Valerie said as Coach Morin and the EMT stood her up. She was weak on her feet so Jason picked her up and started to fireman carry her up the beach. “He said something else.”

  The details were starting to un-fog like a dream that came back at midday. He knew who she was; he’d called her “Hess.” His hot breath on her ear, his fingers squeezing her wrist-- she remembered those sensations. He was pissed.

  He’d pushed her against the outside wall of the bathroom building. He’d told her that he’d teach them all a lesson. She’d asked who he was.

  “He called himself Epimetheus, that’s the last thing I remember.”

  “Excessive fear is always powerless.”

  -Aeschylus

  viii.

  The cavern below was dark and bitter cold.

  She waited at the mouth where the stone stairs fell,

  spiraling downward, hung by vines of shadow.

  Water rushed beneath.

  The black river coursed under the skin of earth.

  The moisture’s quick chorus was the only sound.

  It echoed from the void of the cave below

  and then the sunshine.

  A head of golden hair rose to meet the sun.

  Her beautiful daughter emerged from the dark

  and was received without delay with a kiss

  and a warm embrace.

  “Tell me,” the mother said, “did you eat something?”

  “No,” the girl said, shaking her head in reply.

  “Not any more than three pomegranate seeds.”

  The girl did not know.

  Her mother began to weep for her child’s fate.

  The trees grew dry and the leaves fell and rattled,

  landing as brittle brown sheets and then rotting.

  The air became cold.

  Her mother looked back to the mouth of the cave.

  He was standing alone in his ashen form.

  He was smiling wickedly with pleasure.

  He had won his bride.

  “Modesty is the colour of virtue.”

  -Diogenes

  VIII.

  It was Halloween-- the real Halloween, though all of the parties and trick-or-treating had occurred over the previous weekend. Even though the main attraction
s were over, students still wanted to wear costumes and stuff their faces with candy corn. The dress code had permitted any costume that wasn’t provocative, racially offensive, or involving any type of headgear that might obscure the face. This eliminated most of the costumes that students had worn over the weekend, forcing much of the student body to improvise a second costume.

  Dr. Celene Davis had opted for a lab coat and a stethoscope. She got a kick out of being “Dr. Davis.” The actual M.D. at Olympia Heights Senior High, Dr. Jason Livingstone, was dressed as Indiana Jones. He strapped a whip to his belt and wore a very nice leather fedora. He’d even shaved his beard, which made him look ten years younger and entirely unrecognizable.

  “I didn’t recognize you,” Celene said as she stepped into his office in the afternoon, looking for a quick fix for a bad headache. Jason had set a roll of guaze and a disinfectant wipe on the sink. He was washing his hands. Valerie Hess, sat on the chair in front of his desk, waiting for him to change her bandages. It was her first day back at school since the incident at the Halloween Carnival.

  “Yeah, I tried to pull off Harrison Ford. I don’t think it’s working.”

  “Don’t feel bad, nobody can ever be Harrison Ford,” she joked, “that’s just reaching for perfection.”

  “I guess that’s right,” he chuckled. “What can I do for you?” He dried his hands and took his supplies to sit opposite Valerie. Valerie was silent.

  “Acetaminophen. Headache.” Celene said.

  “Top shelf of the left-most cabinet.” Jason said, though Celene knew by now. Her headaches were quite frequent.

  Valerie grimaced as he unwrapped her old bandages. She had been quiet since the attack. Her mind was somewhere else, somewhere bad. Celene glanced down at the burns. Handprints. The burns were in the shape of handprints. Celene had heard a rumor to that effect, but she was startled to see that it was actually true.