Tools of the Devil

by Barbara L. Clanton

  One of the younger police officers on duty strode toward Sam. Lisa smiled appreciatively at the cute young blonde, her hair pulled back into a tight pony tail. The uniform definitely gave her a look of authority, and Lisa didn’t want to get on the wrong side of her.

  Sam gave the officer a quick shake of her head to let her know they didn’t need her help. It looked to Lisa like that kind of thing wasn’t new to Sam. The police officer’s job was probably on the line if anything happened to Sam.

  Sam said, “We’re okay, officer. Really.”

  The officer hesitated for a moment. “My name’s Christie. Call me over immediately if there’s any more trouble.” She smiled and reluctantly retreated after Sam thanked her again and gave her a thumbs-up.

  “Hey, you know what?” Jordan said. “Those jerks are entitled to their opinion.”

  “Mierda, I wish they would keep it to themselves,” Susie said.

  “Amen,” Lisa said.

  “There are those, not me, but there are those who believe that gay people are inherently evil,” Alivia said. Figures she was looking right at Lisa when she said it.

  Ronnie, a twinkle in his eye, teased, “Well, it’s true. Being a homo is a sin, you know. It says it right there in the Bible. Leviticus or something.”

  “Leviticus 18:22,” Lisa said. She knew the verse well. She’d read it in the Bible when she was twelve years old after discovering that she liked girls instead of boys. That part, liking girls, had never bothered her. The Bible passage did, though, and she still hadn’t come to terms with it. She quoted, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.”

  “Not a problem for me,” Susie said with a laugh.

  Ronnie laughed. “Sounds like you lesbos have it made!”

  “Ha!” Jordan said. “I don’t think you’re ever gonna convince them of that.” He pointed over his shoulder at the holy-roller table.

  Lisa smiled half-heartedly. Maybe it was time to go back and re-read the bible verses about homosexuality. Maybe she’d read the pew Bible in church tomorrow. If she went. She might not even go. Ever again.

  “Anne Foster is the adult sponsor of the Rainbow Youth Alliance,” Jordan said. “You guys met her at the Pride event in October, I think. Anyway, she says most people can’t see beyond their own upbringing.”

  “Hey,” Ronnie said, “you guys have to come to the youth alliance. Marlee, they have cookies.”

  “Uh, thanks, Ronnie,” Marlee made a face, “but I think I’m swearing off cookies after tonight.”

  “I don’t blame you.” He laughed and added, “We’re meeting on Tuesday. You have to come because we’re starting this video series on treating people with respect. Jordan is going to be the star. I’m directing.”

  The others got excited about the youth alliance meeting, but Lisa couldn’t find much energy for it. That idiot who insulted Marlee and the jerks at the other table had completely unnerved her. They would never see past their own ignorance, and probably didn’t care about the hurt they caused. She picked up her camera and scanned through the pictures one by one.

  Her breath caught in her throat when a picture of the freckled-faced kid named Freddie came up. His eyes shot fury toward her camera lens. His face was contorted in pure rage. His fists were clenched tight. Never in her life had she seen such hatred. And it had been directed at her and her friends. She turned the camera for Sam to see.

  Sam shot her a look of concern and then whipped around toward the police officer she’d shooed away before. She was there in a flash, and Sam showed her the picture. It wasn’t long before a big burly officer who looked like he could bench press any one of them was posted near the holy-rollers’ table.

  “Hey, let’s lighten the mood.” Ronnie held up his glass of punch. “Here’s to the queers.” Lisa half-heartedly raised her glass.

  Susie said, “If people see us treating each other well, if we lead by example, then they’ll see we’re not monsters. We’re just people. We’re just us. And we are going to have fun tonight.”

  For the second time that evening, Lisa wanted to ask Sam to take her home. But something shifted inside of her as she watched the burly police officer stare down the holy-roller table he guarded. It was the same something that had flashed inside her at the end of Reverend Rinaldi’s sermon. She wanted to knock those jerks into next Tuesday. She wanted to stand up for herself and for her friends. Not one to back down from a challenge, Lisa stood, draped her silk wrap over her chair, and said, “Screw it. Let’s go dance. I’m here to have fun.”

  Chapter Six

  “Your words have supported those who were stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees.” — Job 4:4

  AT FIRST LISA and her friends danced together as one big group. They were all a little shell-shocked after their visitation from Ryan the jerk and Freddie and his holy rollers. Ronnie was making jokes about that being a great band name, “And now put your hands together for Freddie and The Holy Rollers!”

  Everyone laughed, but it was really disturbing to Lisa that people she didn’t know thought they had the right to judge her and her friends. Lisa stopped thinking when the DJ played Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose.” Sam let out a whoop, and when she reached over, Lisa was ready to waltz to the song in three-four time.

  Sam had such good rhythm that she was able to lead them artfully around the dance floor. Lisa loved the feel of her gown flowing behind her as she and Sam moved together. Soon Susie and Marlee were waltzing with them. Not as expertly, but they had gotten the hang of it soon enough. Marlee was leading.

  “What are we doing?” Marlee called over to Lisa and Sam as they caught up.

  “Waltzing,” Sam said.

  “All the cool kids are doing it,” Lisa called back hoping they were still within earshot as Sam surged around a couple of kids still doing freestyle.

  Ronnie and Jordan were trying to waltz but soon gave up and turned it into a comical G-rated tango, Ronnie leading of course. Alivia and Karl fell flat trying to waltz, mainly because each one kept trying to lead, so they simply joined Ronnie and Jordan and did a completely unsexy comical tango. Before long most of the kids were doing the mock tango, and Lisa and her friends had to give up their waltzing, but it didn’t matter. Lisa could finally say she was having fun.

  Freestyle dancing was favored by most during the next song, a rap, and then something incredible happened after that. The DJ put on a song with a Spanish rhythm causing Susie to yell, “Let’s salsa!” The floor basically cleared out except for Susie and Marlee. Always up for a challenge, Lisa watched them for a while and mimicked the smooth Latin movements. Before long Sam and the rest of their friends joined in, Alivia and Karl included. Susie and Marlee clasped hands and together danced their way around the floor twirling and moving together expertly. It was breathtaking, actually, and was like watching a dance competition; they were that good.

  Eventually a few East Valley kids got brave enough to join them, and once the song moved on, a rousing round of applause broke out.

  “Having fun is kind of fun,” Lisa said to Sam, “but, geez, I need a break.”

  “Phew, no kidding.” Sam started to lead the way toward their table, but Lisa wanted to freshen up in the rest room.

  “Bathroom?” Lisa smiled.

  “C’mon, I’ll take you.” Sam led the way, and Lisa, not sure what possessed her, reached forward and took hold of Sam’s hand.

  Sam pulled Lisa closer and they headed toward a side door leading to a well-lit hallway.

  “Hey, wait up,” Susie called after them. “We’re coming with you.” She and Marlee followed behind.

  Just as they opened the door, they heard a commotion in the hallway.

  “Freddie, what are you doing?” the girl in the yellow taffeta dress screeched.

  Thinking it might be Holy Roller Freddie picking on somebody, Lisa let go of Sam’s hand and pushed her way through a group of kids. He could pick on her, but enough was enough. Instead of
finding Freddie fighting, he was on the floor writhing.

  “Oh, shit. He’s having a seizure.” Lisa fell to her knees and put her hands under his head. “You,” she pointed to some jock who was wearing a letterman’s jacket, “give me that jacket.”

  When he hesitated, Lisa barked, “Now! I have to cushion his head.”

  The kid sprang into action and tossed Lisa his coat. The first rule of seizures was to make sure the victim didn’t hurt himself on anything in the environment. Freddie was going to crack his head on that cement floor if she didn’t get something under it quickly. She carefully stuffed the jacket as gently as she could underneath his head and part of his shoulders. His eyes rolled back in his head as his body seized.

  Feeling the press of the other kids around her, Lisa looked up and said to the first person that made eye contact, “You, there, in the blue dress. Use that cell phone in your hand and call 911. Tell them he’s having a seizure.”

  “Okay, okay,” the girl said in a shaky voice and did as she was told.

  “You! Tuxedo boy, go get some teachers.” Good Lord, somebody be friggin’ useful already.

  “What can I do?” Sam bent down next to Lisa.

  “Get these kids back into the gym. They’re in the way and starting to piss me off royally.” Lisa’s growl was low, but effective. Sam leaped up and enlisted Susie in her efforts to move the gawking crowd away from the action.

  “Cell phone girl stays,” Lisa said pointing to the girl in the blue dress.

  Sam nodded and continued herding the other kids back to the gym.

  Cell-phone girl pulled the phone away from her mouth, “They said they’re on their way.”

  “Excellent.” Lisa nodded her approval.

  “They told me stuff to do for him, but you’re already doing it.” She gestured to the jacket under his head.

  “How long till they’re here?”

  “Ten minutes maybe.” Cell-phone girl held up her finger and turned away from Lisa, “Yes, I’m still here.” She listened for a moment and said, “Okay, I’ll meet you on the sidewalk outside the gym.” She gestured to Lisa that she was heading outside, and Lisa gave her a thumbs-up.

  Lisa put what she hoped was a calming hand on Freddie’s shoulders and said, “You’re okay, Freddie. You’re safe. Don’t worry, you’re okay.” She repeated the soothing message several times.

  The girl in the yellow dress who had hurled insults at them earlier kneeled down next to Lisa, “What’s happening to him?” Her voice was high and tight.

  “You’re his girlfriend?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is he on drugs? Tell the truth.” Lisa’s eyes bored into the other girl’s.

  “No. No way. We don’t do drugs.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Freddie’s girlfriend didn’t answer. She kept staring at him and then started to cry.

  “What’s your name?” Lisa asked. She had to get more information.

  “Rebekah.”

  Lisa heard the edge of hysteria in the girl’s voice and tried to derail it with the question. “Rebecca with two c’s or Rebekah with a k?”

  “One k.”

  “Okay, Rebekah with one k, tell me what happened.”

  “We were heading toward the rest rooms and then he just stopped and reached his arm out to, like, steady himself, you know? And then he crumpled to the floor. And that’s when you came out. That’s all I know. What’s happening to him?”

  “He’s having a seizure.”

  Rebekah sat back on her heels, panic clearly growing in her eyes. Lisa hoped the girl would keep it together. She didn’t need two patients on her hands.

  Freddie’s tremors seemed to be lessening. Hopefully the worst part would be over.

  Sam and Susie were effective herding their classmates back into the gym. Lisa hoped they’d clear out fast because she had another problem to take care of, and she had to do something about it fast. A quick look around gave her nothing useful.

  She saw Marlee out of the corner of her eye. Thank God. “Marlee?”

  She was at Lisa’s side in an instant. “Yeah?”

  “I need you. Go get my wrap off the back of my chair. Hurry. Fast, fast, fast.” Marlee took off without asking why, bumping into a few kids as she went.

  Geez, where were those teachers? Or those policemen? Or any grown person?

  Freddie’s arms and legs continued to twitch intermittently, but not at the same magnitude. Thankfully his head and torso had stilled. Lisa leaned her ear over his mouth.

  “What are you doing?” Rebekah screeched.

  “I’m making sure he’s breathing.” There was a lot of commotion inside the gym, and she had a hard time hearing. “Give me your mirror.” Lisa pointed to the girl’s clutch purse.

  “What?”

  “Mirror.” Lisa pointed again. Every girl had at least two things in her purse, a mirror and a cell phone.

  Rebekah pulled out her compact, and Lisa opened it. She put it next to Freddie’s mouth and it fogged up immediately. “He’s breathing. Thank God,” Lisa mumbled to herself.

  Marlee made it back in record time, sprinting past the two teachers who were rushing toward Freddie. “Here you go.” Marlee was out of breath as she handed Lisa the wrap.

  “Awesome.” Lisa placed the silk wrap carefully over Freddie’s groin area.

  “Now what are you doing?” Rebekah was clearly appalled.

  “He wet himself,” Lisa whispered so that only Rebekah could hear. “He deserves some dignity, don’t you think?”

  Rebekah’s face and voice softened. “Thank you.”

  Lisa nodded and went back to reassuring Freddie that he was okay and that help was on the way.

  Marlee explained to the middle-aged female teacher what had happened, while the younger nerdy male teacher leaned over Freddie, then knelt, clearly not sure what to do.

  Lisa told the kneeling teacher about Freddie’s seizure and what she had done to help him.

  “Thank you, young lady.” The teacher looked relieved. “And someone called for an ambulance?”

  Just as Lisa nodded, they heard the distant sound of sirens getting closer. In a matter of moments, the rescue squad burst through the doors aided by the cute police officer named Christie who had finally worked her way through the mob of kids. Lisa backed away when two of the paramedics asked her to.

  She answered their questions as a good-looking paramedic in her late-twenties took down the information. The woman’s hair was as short as Marlee’s. Was she family, maybe? To hide her blush, Lisa reached down and picked up the letterman’s jacket that had been under Freddie’s head.

  Finished with the questions, the cute paramedic tucked the notebook in her back pocket. “Because you acted so quickly, you may have saved his life. If he had hit his head on this floor,” she stomped down twice on the concrete with her boot, “he could have gotten seriously hurt.”

  “Where are you taking him?” Lisa asked.

  “East Valley Hospital.”

  “Do you know if someone called his parents?”

  “The teachers said they’d take care of that.”

  While Lisa was giving her statement, Freddie had been checked out by the other paramedics and loaded onto a stretcher. He had regained consciousness, and Rebekah was by his side reassuring him. Good, at least somebody he knew would be with him.

  The kid who had given up his letterman’s jacket stood off to the side waiting for Lisa to finish her interview.

  “We have all of your information, and if we need anything else, we’ll give you a call,” the paramedic said.

  “Let’s go, Erin,” one of the other paramedics called.

  “Gotta go.” The cute paramedic winked at Lisa, and then turned on her heels to follow the rest of her team out the door and into the waiting ambulance.

  Lisa took a step toward the kid and handed him his jacket. “Thanks for this. You were the first one I saw that had something useful.”

  “Gl
ad I could help. Freddie’s a whacko, but, hey, you can’t kick somebody when they’re down, right?”

  “Guess not,” Lisa said.

  “See ya.” He turned and headed back in the gym.

  Lisa took a step back, closed her eyes, and blew out a sigh. She was suddenly exhausted.

  Sam was at her side in an instant. “You were amazing, baby.” She reached for Lisa’s hand.

  Lisa ignored the hand and wrapped Sam up in a quick, but solid hug. “That whole thing was crazy. God, I hope he’s okay.”

  “You were incredible, Lisa,” Marlee said. “The way you got everybody moving and helping. That was awesome.”

  “Geez, guys. I really didn’t do anything.”

  “Where is she?” Ronnie pushed his way toward Lisa with Jordan, Alivia, and Karl following behind him. Ronnie pulled up short in front of her. He looked her straight in the eye and then bowed deeply in front of her. “My lady. It is an honor to be in your presence.”

  “Ronnie, stand up.” Lisa shook her head. “I swear I didn’t do anything. I just knelt by him until the paramedics got here.”

  Alivia moved closer. She was frowning. “You did a lot more than nothing, from what I hear. And how could you?”

  “Huh?”

  “Seriously.” Alivia looked around at all her friends. They looked as confused as Lisa felt. “How could you help him? He condemned you. He judged you. He thought he was better than you, so how in the world could you help him?”

  Lisa’s circle of friends was stone quiet. They collectively turned to look at her. What was she supposed to say? Why wouldn’t she help him? Wouldn’t they?

  She hadn’t formulated any words in response, when a bunch of kids raced by them and out the door to the parking lot. Freddie’s holy roller friends. “They must be scared, too. Not knowing how he is.”

  “See what I mean?” Alivia said. “Why do you give a flying f-bomb about them? I just don’t get it.”

  Sam came to Lisa’s rescue. “Because that’s who she is, and that’s why I love her.”

  Lisa hugged Sam, and whispered in her ear, “Thank you.”