by David Sharp
X
The threesome kept walking and passed a crossroads, an invisible line of sorts that divided places. Suburbia was gone and in its place was something decidedly more urban. Depression style houses lined the other side of the bayou.
Jason could imagine shadowy people watching them from inside the shack-like buildings. He looked over the edge into the swirling water and his heart beat faster.
If anyone is going to throw rocks this is the place. He purposely kept the dream to himself like he did most things. The idea was crazy anyways.
A soft whinny sound, of an unseen animal, drifted towards them on the still air. Kelly and Tanya did not seem to notice the faint noise as they pounded the hot pavement. Jason shook it off. He was on his way like his brother, Trevor, before him. He was free and that was all that really mattered. They all were going and when Kelly and Tanya tired out he was going to stay. He would find Adam and everything would be all right. Jason felt sure of himself for once in his life and led them away from the tracks to their final destination.
X
The fiery red sun lowered in the sky as they skirted the city and entered the Montrose. Jason had been there once before, years ago, when he had followed Trevor on one of his weekly sneak outs from the house. He had gotten in such trouble by both his brother and his mother that time. The neighborhood had changed since then and seemed dirtier. In fact, Westheimer Street had devolved dramatically from high rises, upscale strip centers, and lofts to old houses turned bars, resale shops, and tattoo parlors.
“It is official! We are now runaways!” Jason turned as he rode his board and smiled.
Regardless of their reservations, Kelly and Tanya smiled back taking in the sights of dusk on their first night on the streets.
Kelly pointed. “What club is that?”
Jason followed her extended finger to a gray stone building (the one with the alley from his dream). Its white running lights seemed to beckon with a grungy pull. He stopped and flicked his board up absently strapping it back to his pack and said, “That dive is Visions.”
Tanya was half rude, yet interested. “How would you know?”
“My brother used to go there when he snuck the car out. I followed him once.”
Kelly became sincere. It was endearing and what made her a true friend. “Have you heard from Trevor?”
“No, not in a long, long time,” Jason said wistfully.
A broad shouldered woman in extra high heels and a low cut dress crossed their path.
Tanya took the distraction to change the topic. “Is that a man?”
Jason lowered his voice. “No, that’s a tranny hooker.”
Kelly stared a little too long and said, “Really?”
“Don’t make a scene.” Jason subtly urged her not to stare.
“The freaks are everywhere.” Tanya shook her head in disgust.
Jason thought for once that she was right. The denizens of the coming night were colorful, consisting of hustlers, street punks, bums, and random strangers looking for their next drink in one of the many dive bars.
A handsome, scruffy, hustler whistled at their approach. Jason noticed him and also noticed that the whistle was answered from somewhere up ahead. Before he could mention it, a bum pushing a shopping cart full of aluminum cans was almost hit by oncoming traffic. The cart tilted over and spilled its aluminum treasure into the gutter.
“Wow,” Tanya exclaimed.
“I can’t believe we are actually here,” Kelly said.
“Bad ass, this is one crazy place!” Jason was excited and felt anything was possible. He also realized that no one, with the exception of the young hustler, had paid them any attention at all. It felt like their being there was normal.
Kelly half whined, “I’m hungry. We should find a place to eat and sit down.”
“Good idea, my feet are killing me.” Tanya stretched her big calves.
“Jason mumbled, “I am glad something is.” His voice went unheard from the ruckus in the street.
Night was coming fast.
We will have to figure out a place to crash soon. First food then we can decide what to do next. Jason promised himself he would prod them to stop at the very next place that seemed safe. He knew he had to focus on one thing at a time at a time, or all of it would overwhelm him.
Taco Shack was the appropriately named seedy Mexican fast food dive they decided on. And it was the only place that looked open and accessible. It rested on a corner, ringside to the chaos of the street. Jason took in the sights around and caught the eyes of two female punks sitting against one of its graffiti marked walls. One of them sported a crew cut, torn jeans, and a wife beater shirt, while the other flicked back her dark, stringy, red hair to stare at him with wild eyes. Something seemed familiar about them. Jason thought he may have dreamt them too, at first.
Neither Kelly, nor Tanya had noticed the watchers and seemed oblivious to the details of the world around them. Tanya grabbed Kelly’s hand and led her to a small, low patio that adorned the front of the Taco Shack.
Jason managed to shut out the rude comment in his head. There always seemed to be one on the tip of his tongue. He found it funny that he was gay, yet Kelly and Tanya acted gayer. Jason could smell fajita meat cooking on a grill and his stomach rumbled in accordance. The hunger was offset by the tingling in his upper back and neck. It was a sign, a sense that he knew too well from the bullies in suburbia, of being watched from behind. Jason looked back to the punks and their stares did not waver. Who they were slowly dawned on him. He could not believe they could be here, right in front of him, having only seen their pictures before in the newspaper. The idea was too fantastic and Jason was not completely sure it was them. He needed a better look.
If it is them, maybe Trevor cannot be too far behind, or better yet Adam.
Kelly ran her hand in front of Jason’s face effectively breaking his daze. “Get us something cheap, will you?”
“Sure, I guess its tacos.” Jason smirked.
Kelly handed Jason some one dollar bills, the exchange did not go unnoticed as the punks raptly watched.
“Come on, Kelly. Let’s grab a table over there.” Tanya coerced them to choose a wooden table with the least amount of carved graffiti. Disdainfully, she pushed aside a crumpled napkin, while Kelly sat delicately on the bench across from her.
Jason watched their discomfort with mild amusement. He took a moment to add some single dollars of his own to their money and overheard them give voice to their predicament.
“I’m a little worried,” Tanya said plainly.
Kelly tried to be carefree, but her hands slightly shook as she asked, “About what?”
With a little urgency, Tanya said, “Where are we going to stay tonight?”
Mirthfully, Kelly replied, “I don’t know, in a park or something.”
“Be for real, girl.”
“I am for real,” Kelly said defiantly.
Tanya was perturbed, yet apparently had decided to keep her mouth shut for once.
Jason had nothing to add. He was glad they were out there on the streets and did not want to entertain the thought of it being reckless or perhaps insane.
Insanity does have a nice ring to it though.
Situated, Jason left his pack and board at the table and shuffled past other dirty tables to make his way inside. He looked back once to see Kelly and Tanya talking about something else in a dramatic hushed tone.
It’s probably about the dead-end baby. He was conflicted about the issue. On one hand, he thought she should do the so called right thing and keep it. Another nagging thought in the back of his head told him it was not his concern. He snuck a look at the punks and caught their profile, no longer watching they were talking animatedly. Doubts swirled in his head. One thing was for sure, the two looked awfully like Hex and Syd, possible baby killers of a different sort.
The Taco Shack dining room was small and cramped. It gave the counter dominance and the shack the air of
‘hurry up and order your food and get the hell out’. Jason waited his turn then ordered six tacos and three drinks from a harried Hispanic woman. He had to reach up over the high counter to pay for the order cracking his toes on the rise. She snatched the money out of his hand and handed him the difference and a piece of paper. Putting away the change and pocketing his number, a lucky sixty-nine, he angled towards the restroom. Jason had been holding it too long. If he had been alone, he would have whipped it out somewhere on the road.
A garage door would have done the trick. He laughed to himself at the thought of a stray dog marking his territory. The thought still played out in his head as he pushed on the restroom door. It seemed stuck and was hard to open, but he managed with a shove.
Jason took in the visual before him in an instant: a scarred skinhead was exchanging a bag of some white powder for cash from a skinny black man with bleached blond hair.
“That’s what I am talking about, Liev. You have the best shit.”
Before replying, the skinhead sensed the door was open and looked at Jason instantly grabbing him and throttling him against the tile wall. The door slowly shut on its own accord. Jason was shocked. His heart pounded hard in his chest. A switchblade clicked open to his face. He could feel the cold steel press against the soft flesh of his right cheek with harsh pressure.
“You didn’t see a fucking thing.” Liev stared with ice in his eyes.
“No, I didn’t. I just need to piss,” Jason shakily said fascinated by the scars.
“Right,” Liev moved the blade closer to Jason’s eyes settling on the left one. “If you did, I will take your eyes.”
“I promise. I didn’t see anything.” Jason let the danger wash over him.
“You will do good to remember that, boy.” Liev tilted his head.
Jason felt the pressure release and the retracting metal nick his cheek. The blade clicked back in and surprisingly the punks left the restroom, the blond with a sick wink and Liev with malice. Jason exhaled and trembled at his reflection in the grimy mirror.
That was close. At least I didn’t wet my pants. Nervously, Jason checked the door as he stood for a long time at the urinal being pee shy. Finally relief flooded out. Back in the mirror, he fixed his hair. He dabbed his index finger on a small drop of blood on his cheek and became upset at himself again for being so weak.
Will I ever get over this damn insecurity? I thought I had changed.
A sudden realization hit him. (His name is Liev.) He had encountered one of the punks from his clippings in the flesh, no longer in black and white but in full color, just moments before. Any doubts he had faded. The scars should have been the giveaway. Jason wondered if that was the same switchblade Liev had used in a fatal knife fight not long ago.
Was there a tear drop under his left eye? Jason could not remember. He had been so scared that he had not paid any attention to the details. One of the articles called Liev a white supremacist, yet he was selling dope to a black guy and a potential gay one at that. Maybe business is business on the streets. He turned on the faucet and splashed cold water in his face. “Everything is fine,” he reassured himself in a low voice, not quite believing it.
Outside the restroom, he scanned the small space and did not see Liev. Of that he was glad. The food had to be ready. He urged himself on to get it, before someone else did. Jason dropped his number on the counter and took his tray.
I suppose it was the wrong time to fight back. If only Adam were here, things would be different.
Dusk was fast coming to the Montrose. The lights of the Taco Shack were on giving an even seedier vibe to the proceedings covering the fast food patrons with a neon green light. Jason walked up to the table and into Kelly and Tanya’s conversation which seemed to be back to its beginning with his return.
“We could rent a motel room,” Tanya said.
Kelly argued. “How long could we afford that, a couple of days? I say we crash wherever we can tonight and worry about the rest tomorrow.”
“Well, I ain’t staying in some damn park.” Tanya stopped and looked at Jason noticing a difference. “What happened to you?”
Kelly leaned forward. “Did you cut yourself, Jason?”
Jason wanted to touch his face, but he was holding the tray. “It’s just a nick.”
“Are the taco shells that hard?” Tanya tried to make light.
Jason felt the tingling again, much stronger, and let his eyes wander to the source. Kelly and Tanya followed his line of sight.
“Something is wrong here,” Kelly said.
Jason searched for and could not find Liev, a small relief. He returned his gaze to the wild eyed girl who was still staring at them and was certain it was Syd. He broke the momentary eye contact and observed the butch girl with the short hair, Hex, who was talking to a frumpy guy in a trench coat with many facial piercings. Unlike the others, Knappy looked just the way he did in the newspaper clippings.
No wonder they had seemed so familiar. The whole damn gang of street punks is here.
The breath felt short in Jason’s chest.
Where was Hound?
The hulking one truly scared him, at least in his nightmares. The punks were all staring at them then. He guessed they were talking about them too and that was disturbing. Jason was a voyeur by nature, but he did not like the idea of being noticed by the ones he wanted to watch, so he looked away.
Tanya grabbed a taco. “Ignore them.”
“Right,” Kelly said and put on a manufactured smile.
“Sit down and eat, Jason.” Tanya demanded.
“Yeah,” Jason said as he set down the tray of tacos and Cokes with shaky hands.
“What’s wrong?” Kelly tried to get Jason’s attention.
He hid behind his bangs, looked from the punks to the Taco Shack then down to his greasy taco. “Nothing, let’s eat.”
Kelly gave Tanya a warning look. She shook it off and they both became absorbed in the food temporarily forgetting their surroundings. Jason, on the other hand, was having a silent panic attack. Lettuce fell out of his taco and he tried to ignore it. He felt it was the worst possible way to meet the characters he had been reading about for over a year. He would have much rather watched them like an anthropologist without them knowing they were being watched. In his musings, he did not notice the soft approach of the girl with the wild eyes.
“Hey, do you have a dollar?” Syd focused on Kelly with her manic energy.
“Sorry….” Kelly trailed off, lost when she looked into Syd’s dark orifices.
Tanya took on a rude tone implying it was the end of the conversation as far as she was concerned. “No, we don’t.”
“Awe, come on. How did you buy your food?” Syd slightly swayed, yet her piercing eyes were steady.
Jason was hypnotized by the insanity of the moment and when he spoke it seemed to be from far away. “Just give her a dollar.”
Kelly silently shook her redhead finding no words to articulate. Jason noticed the rougher one, Hex, strolling over to the table. Before he could interject, Tanya did.
“The bitch can get a job.”
“Like the one you have.” Syd’s intensity ratcheted up with a flash of hate. “We’re hungry, come on.”
Jason was fascinated by the change. One he saw in himself just the night before when the tables were turned on the bully, Mike. Tanya was taken back and realized she had crossed a line. Kelly was plainly shocked. None of them replied as the situation grew worse with the arrival of Hex.
“Are they giving my girl trouble?” Hex moved in, menacing in her size, and put an arm around Syd demonstrating her ownership.
“Yeah, I was only asking for a dollar so we can eat.”
“So what’s the deal? You guys sure are dressed like you could spare a dollar or two.”
Kelly tossed her napkin on the table and said, “Let’s go.” She stood up hoping the others would follow her lead.
Jason slowly rose up and saw Liev on the corner
with his hands in his tight jean pockets watching intently. He could make out the tear drop tattoo from the streetlamp above. “We don’t want any trouble,” Jason said locking eyes with Liev. “We’re leaving.”
Tanya grabbed an untouched taco off her plate and reluctantly rose. “Sure, we’ll go.”
Hex moved closer to Kelly. “You know someone like you should not be out after dark.”
Syd moved in too. “Can I have that dollar now?”
“I don’t have one,” Kelly said feeling lost.
“Maybe you have something else then.” Syd licked her lips.
“We’re going now,” Jason said urgently feeling the scene going wrong.
Lightning fast, Syd turned away from Kelly, and snatched the taco from Tanya’s hand. Tanya lunged, grabbed Syd’s arm, and tried to pry the taco loose from Syd’s surprisingly strong grip. The shell crunched raining fragments of it, lettuce, tomato, and greasy meat to the ground. A wild flash gleamed in Syd’s eyes, one of sadistic enjoyment. In the moment of chaos, Hex reached around from behind and grabbed Kelly immobilizing her arms. Kelly tried to wrest herself away, but was trapped. Jason jumped back knocking down his chair with a loud whack.
Kelly screamed, “Get off me!”
Hex roughly repositioned her arms grabbing Kelly tighter, groping her breasts as she laughed and said, “It feels like chicken.”
Tanya attempted to let go, but Syd vice-gripped her forearm. The remaining shreds of the taco fell down.
“Stop this!” A creeping fear overcame Tanya, one of not being in control. “Leave us alone!”
Syd radiated an intensely hateful stare and pulled a small blade out her pocket, a homemade shank of sorts. “I am going to cut you and flush you bit by bit.”
Kelly whimpered as Hex licked the side of her neck.
Tanya stumbled bumping another table as she was loosed. “You people are fucking crazy.”
Syd seemed ready to pounce again and said, “You have no idea who we really are.”
“We’re really sorry, and we are leaving.” Jason reached out and pulled Tanya towards him. He could not believe that the others at the Taco Shack had either left or were passively ignoring the event like it did not matter.