How had it happened?
She’d graduated high school on the honor roll, gotten a two year Associates degree in business, and was dating Andy through it all. After college, she told Andy she wanted to spend some time apart, spewing a long speech about how he needed to get his priorities right, and most importantly, demanding that he grow up. She was sick of busting her ass while he partied and dealt drugs, him sleeping most of the day while she trudged through class on loans. When she’d left him that night, she’d actually prayed to God for her sermon to have gotten through to him.
Apparently, it had, seeing how quickly he’d turned things around.
But, visiting a bar with some friends the Friday night after breaking up with Andy, she ran into Danny. She drank a dozen beers with him, then came back to this forsaken trailer for a weekend sex spree.
And, she’d been here ever since. More than ten years had blinked by.
Now the tears did come.
Not now. Stop it.
Taking a deep breath, she held it in until she no longer could. Exhaling, her chest expanded, feeling tight and achy. It helped delay the sobbing fit, but she knew it hadn’t conquered it. Sometime tonight she would have to let it out. Just not right now.
She used her thumb to wipe the tears from her eyes.
Don’t want Andy knowing I’ve been crying.
He’d ask questions, get her talking, and they’d most likely end up where they both wanted to be, but shouldn’t be. She should tell him, tonight, that they can’t ever be. Maybe that was why he was here? To tell her the same?
She doubted it.
Pushing the door open, her fingers felt like they might poke through its cheaply thin surface. The door swayed inward. No lights were on inside. She doubted Andy would be hanging out in the dark for her to come home. She tried to recall if the power bill had been paid on time and she thought it was.
Then why aren’t the lights on…?
Power outage? No way. Other trailers on the way in had had their lights on.
Fumbling her hand along the wall, her fingers found the light switch. She flicked it up. Nothing happened.
Maybe the bill hadn’t been paid after all.
“Andy?” Her voice sounded strange in the silence, shaky and thin.
No reply.
A chill lodged in her spine. Although she didn’t hear anything, she couldn’t help the inclination that someone was in there, hiding in the shadows.
Waiting.
Oh really? Waiting for what? To ambush me? Get over yourself, Nicole.
She shook her head, then clicked the penlight back on. Pointing it into the trailer, she waved it this way and that. She saw the couch, her ash tray on the middle cushion, a pyramid of crinkled cigarette butts about to spill over the brim. The coffee table looked as muddled as normal underneath unopened letters from the collection agencies, utility bills, coupons and other junk mail. She’d made cheese crackers in the microwave yesterday, and the plate still sat atop the envelopes and sales papers. Clumpy streaks of spilled cheese and cracker crumbs were on the plate. She needed to wash it, plus all the other dishes, but she’d still love herself if she waited until tomorrow.
“Andy, are you in here?”
Stepping inside the trailer, she noted how hot and stuffy it was. With no power, the air conditioner couldn’t run.
Probably tripped a breaker.
Happened all the time with their cheap wiring. Sighing, she left the front door open, using the washed out light of the moon to see by as she came all the way into the living room.
Up ahead, she could see the pale shape of the counter that separated the cramped kitchen from the living room. She avoided its pointy edge on her way into the kitchen. Shining the light on the fridge, she stopped. Listened. No hum. She wondered how long the power had been out. Hopefully nothing spoiled. She really couldn’t afford to replace what was inside. Plus the stuff in the freezer! She’d check on it once she got the breaker box figured out.
As she started across the kitchen, nearing the sliding glass doors, the curtain fluttered inward. Before she could focus on that, something crunched underneath her shoes. Stopping, she looked down, putting the light on the floor. In its glowing wink, she saw Tortilla-shaped shards of glass. Following the trail, she discovered a much larger pile at the foot of the door. The tips of the swaying curtain glided across their twinkling surfaces.
Nicole’s back felt as if it was being scraped with an icy fork, skin tightening. Her stomach felt hot and mushy. Someone had broken in. Would Andy do that? She didn’t think so, wanted to not think so. She’d been correct in her initial feeling upon entering the trailer. She had felt a presence inside…
And if that was true then they were still inside.
Her feet were stepping backwards before the idea to leave had even registered. More glass crunched and crackled as she moved away from the damage. Her rump knocked against something hard. Hollering, she spun around, arms held out to strike. The light raked over the counter. Realizing it was just the countertop, she exhaled a relieved gust, wanting to laugh.
Then two tiny red eyes appeared in the dark block between the cabinets and countertop, choking off that laugh. A monstrous pair of slimy hands slapped down on the surface, cracking the counter in several directions. The talons attached to the fingertips tapered to piercing tips.
Nicole raised the penlight. It landed on foaming jaws, teeth that could crunch metal inside a cavernous mouth. She knew she should scream, should be appalled by what she was seeing, but the sight of the creature froze her, shutting down her response system. All that registered in her mind was a dull blank.
That all changed when the hands lashed through the darkness and gripped her shoulders. The scream ripped through her throat, exploding from her mouth in tortured wails. She was yanked through the narrow space, her back glancing the bottom of the cabinets as she shot through. She felt herself being released, darkness spiraling around her, then she crashed onto the coffee table. It shattered beneath her. She lay in the table’s broken remains, her back on the floor.
The impact had blasted the wind out of her. Heaving, her neck bobbled as she tried to suck in air. The creature stepped toward her. She felt the vibrations of its movement through the floor. Looking in its direction, she watched it rise to full height. It was much larger than she’d originally thought. A kaleidoscope of colors swirled through its body like tie-dyed clothes. Garish shades, too many to track, but all bright and shimmering, flowed from its shoulders down to its feet and back. It was beautiful to see, really, and Nicole found herself enthralled by its constantly evolving patterns.
She couldn’t move. The landing had really hurt her back. Her lungs burned, tightening, air not coming through fast enough. She tried to pull herself away from the looming creature on her elbows, but she couldn’t do it fast enough.
A webbed foot stomped down on each side of her. Colors flashed, splotchy and bright to reveal two elongated toes, talons protruding from the tips. The skin looked hard and scaly, coated in thick slime that reminded her of the glaze on doughnuts. The toes made wet slurping sounds as they flexed.
The creature crouched, scrawny legs lined with tight muscle bending at the knees. She saw the little bulges of its knees poking out like pointy lumps.
Nicole sucked in an asthmatic breath. “What…are you…?”
Its head tilted slightly to the side, displaying recognition of her speaking. The eyes narrowed to thin red slits. A bifurcated tongue unraveled from inside its mouth, licking the thin lips baring those giant razors for teeth.
A hand lowered, claws extended.
She sucked in another trembling breath that stung her lungs.
The hand squeezed her right breast, talons piercing through her work blouse, tearing through her breast’s springy softness as if it was nothing more than pudding.
A tumult of Nicole’s screams shook the walls.
Chapter Seven
After twenty minutes of signing paperwork
, and collecting what little he’d had on him from storage, Pinky escorted Andy to the waiting area. A female officer sat behind a desk, scrolling through her iPhone. Her dark hair was cut boyishly short like a pixie. When she noticed Pinky, she quickly set the phone face down on her desk.
“Andrew Raab,” said Pinky.
The lady nodded. “Noted.”
Pinky grabbed Andy’s hand and gave it a shake. It felt slightly awkward to Andy with Pinky’s missing finger. He hid his grimace, though, but cringed on the inside.
“Good luck,” said Pinky. “I hope you find your brother.”
“Thanks.”
Frowning, Pinky nodded, leaving through the door. It was on a mechanical fastener, so it took a moment for the door to completely close. Andy watched it until the door latched into place. When he could no longer see the other side, he suddenly felt lonely, a little sad, as he turned around.
The officer had gone back to her phone as if Andy wasn’t even in the room. Sighing, he looked around the small space. Old furniture was placed around, and Lou Manchu was seated on a tattered couch that looked as if it had been taken from the side of the road. Head leaned back, he dozed, legs extended on the floor, and feet crossed at the ankle. He had on sandals, gray sweatpants and a navy green T-shirt. His fingers were entwined on his large gut, thumbs pressed together. As he softly snored, rattling sounds came from his large, hooked nose. His mouth was slightly parted under the bushy moustache that crowned his upper lip and hung off both sides of his chin in shaggy ropes. That was where the Manchu nickname had originated: A combination of his mullet and moustache. He wasn’t Chinese, just an overweight white guy from the sticks.
Seeing Lou now, Andy wondered—not for the first time—how they’d ever been such good friends. He guessed it was their childhoods spent together. Back then, kids didn’t care where you came from, or the kind of house you lived in. You could be friends and those things wouldn’t matter. It was only when you got older that everyone started to understand societal classes.
Lou came from nothing but built an empire in the county’s poor sections by selling meth and weed at affordable prices. The police suspected his activities, but never had enough proof to bring charges.
As Andy approached the snoring pudgy Lou, he contemplated sneaking past him, going outside, and using his cell phone to call Nicole for a ride. He might have done it, too, but Lou’s eyes opened with a snort.
Blinking, he looked over to Andy. “There you are,” said Lou, groggily.
“Yeah.”
“Get all your shit?”
He patted his pocket. “My cell phone.”
“Wallet?”
“Sitting in the car at Danny’s.”
Sitting up, Lou used his fists to rub the sleep out of his eyes. “That sucks.” He coughed. “How’d they treat you in there?”
“Fine. I think you’ve got a couple pissed off associates back there.”
Lou looked at Andy, frowning as if he wasn’t sure what he was talking about, then shrugged. “Let them sweat awhile, the dumbasses. I heard about what they did to you. Plus, Wayne had some shit on him. That’s their problem for a couple days.”
“Not worried they’ll…say things…?”
Lou stood up, stretching. “Nope.”
Andy guessed Lou had no reason to worry. It wouldn’t be the first time one of his boys was arrested. Nobody had ever snitched on Lou in the past, so why would someone now?
“Let’s get the hell out of here,” said Lou. “We’ve got some things to talk about.”
“I suppose so.”
Lou waved to the officer. “Bye, Jessica!”
She looked at Lou, smiling a bit bashfully. “Have a good night, Lou.”
“Hopefully I’ll see you around.”
“You just might,” she said with a goofy grin. “You just might.”
“I’ll thank my lucky stars if I do.” The officer—Jessica—laughed. Lou turned to Andy, motioning him to follow. “Let’s go.”
The small parking lot beside the station was empty and dark except for two cruisers and Lou’s red Jeep Wrangler. Bulbs in the sodium arcs had burnt out, so the lot was shrouded in a heavy blanket of darkness. It was after nine and still muggy outside. Andy’s clothes clung uncomfortably to his sticky skin.
Lou pointed his keys at the Jeep and pressed the button on the remote pad. Lights flashed, the headlights remaining on and cutting two bumblebee eyes through the shadows. The brightness hurt Andy’s eyes, so he looked down as they walked. “Mind if I ask what made you front the money to get me out?”
Lou shook his head. “Wasn’t a front. I just paid it. Don’t worry about owing me nothing.”
Andy was confused. “Why the act of kindness? Did your heart grow three sizes too big?”
Lou tilted back his head and unleashed a deep guffaw. The laugh ricocheted off the building. “Not at all. Let’s get on the road, and we can talk.”
“You don’t mind dropping me off at Danny’s so I can get my car?”
“Nope. Don’t mind. We’ll talk on the way.”
The Wrangler had a detachable vinyl top, and removable half doors. The wheels weren’t factory standard, but jacked-up designs that raised the platform two extra feet. Andy had to lift his leg high so he could use the step to climb inside. Before he even had the door shut, Lou was already buckled and firing the engine. It came to life with a tremendous growl.
Lou had to shout over the engine because Andy’s door was still open. “I’d take the top off, but it might rain tonight, so I’m not risking it!”
Andy was finally situated in the seat. With all the room up here, he was surprised how cramped he felt. Leaning out, he pawed at the door handle until finally catching it. Then he pulled the door. It slapped against the Jeep, vibrating. He pushed on it to make sure it was closed. He didn’t trust the plastic durability of the door, so he quickly pulled down the seatbelt.
Revving the engine a few good times, Lou popped the brake and they started to roll forward. As they were pulling onto the street, a police cruiser turned into the station. Lou had to swerve so his giant tires wouldn’t crush the front end of the marked Charger. The Jeep bounced over the curb and onto the road.
“Asshole,” shouted Lou, though there was no way the cop could hear the insult. He shook his head. “Took up the whole damn space!”
After they were on the road and driving smoothly, Lou spoke. “Is it true that Larry…you know…?”
Andy sighed. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Jesus H. Christ. I’m sorry. I always knew he was four quarters short of a dollar, but I didn’t realize he was a perv.”
“People are full of surprises.”
“True.”
“Like you.”
Lou studied him from the corner of his eye. “Me?”
“Yeah. You surprised the hell out of me by paying my bail.”
Lou shrugged. “Figured it was the least I could do.”
“I’m not gonna rat on you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I know you won’t. You’re too loyal. Still are, even after all the shit between us. I want to wipe that clean, by the way.”
Andy thought about it. A clean slate with Lou would be fantastic. “Deal.”
“Good to hear.”
“So, tell me, why are we talking right now?”
“Our idiot brothers.”
“Figured as much.”
“When Larry called to tell me you’d all been arrested at Danny’s, he told me you were there looking for Danny because Nicole hadn’t seen him in a couple days.”
“Since Friday. She’s worried.”
“I’m guessing I was the last one to see either one of them,” said Lou. “Danny showed up the other night to pick up Rosco, and you should have seen them. Both acting like a couple a teenagers going to go get laid for the first time. I ribbed Rosco like normal, wanting him to tell me where they were going. He wouldn’t, though. When I asked why it was su
ch a big secret, he got this smug look about him and told me that they only allow certain kinds of people inside.”
“And, what’d you say?”
“I said: ‘Certain kinds of people? You mean dumbasses?”
Andy laughed.
“I thought if I kept pressing on him, he’d finally cave and tell me, but he didn’t budge. I’m guessing Rosco had worked so hard to get an invite to this place, he didn’t want to risk fucking anything up. And, I haven’t seen him since.”
“Well…I wish I could say the same about Danny. I haven’t talked to him in months.”
Lou shrugged. “Things happen…people fall out of touch. But, I guess your situation is a little different because of Nicole.”
Andy harrumphed. Nicole had caused more damage to the Raab brothers than all the drugs combined. And, here Andy was, still doing whatever he could for her. Not even a full day had passed and he’d already nearly been ass-raped and arrested.
“Still doing her bidding, huh?” asked Lou, twisting the proverbial knife deeper.
“He’s my brother, Lou.”
“And it’s Nicole.”
Andy threw his hands up, letting them smack down on his knees. “What do you want me to say?”
“I’m not meaning to bust your nuts, bud, really. Sorry to even bring her up. It’s just that…I’ve never liked how she treated you.”
“Hey…”
“She’s the only girl I’ve ever seen pussy-whip you like she does. The control she’s always had over you is scary. I’m not saying she’s a wicked bitch or anything, even if she talked you into quitting the business with me, but I think deep down she knows she has you grasped by the dick and just sort of tugs you in the direction she needs you to go in the moment she needs it.”
“Damn, Lou. You sound just like my mom used to when she got on my shit about Nicole. Did you spend all that money for bail just to lecture me?”
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