Hi Mom said Snocone. Hi Lucy.
I dint beleev it was his mom. She lookd like his sister. Not just yung but weerd yung. My mom cud be Snocones moms mom. Snocones gramma. Witch wud make me Snocones—I dont no. Any way she was yung. What Im saying.
Hello Arthur she said. Hows my boy?
Snocone dint anser—he went down stares and so did Xray Jello and Beens. Morgan stoppd to say hi to Snocones mom. He was older than us but not like a dad older. More like a big brother. Now I saw he cud be a dad. He held out his french frys and she took sum and gave 1 to the baby who droppd it. Morgan ast how she was doing and pokd the baby and the baby went bla like they do. It was like he was her boyfrend.
They were talking about me down stares. I herd them. Snocone was saying but hes so dum and I new he ment me. There were laffs and sum 1 ast if I was for reel. Jello said I was fast and that was for reel. Jaden told evry 1 to shut up and that I new enuff to save the deel and that Cobra thot I was OK. Wen I got down stares they were talking about sum thing els. Jello threw a burger at me and I cot it. See he said to the guy next to him. What did I tell you? Hes fast.
The down stares had white walls and a brown rug and there were chairs and sofas and TVs. There was music playing from sum ware. I cudnt find a place to sit so I ate standing up witch is wen I spilld on the guy I dint no—I was standing next to him and I spilld ketchup out the back of my burger. You ever dun that? And it landed on his bald head and I said oops and Jaden laffd. I tryd to wipe the ketchup but it dint come off and the bald guy jumpd up and swung his fist at me. I cot it in my hand and said I was sorry and evry 1 was crowding round. He went to the bathroom and wen he came back I said sorry agane and he shook his head and said whatever. Thats wen I found out he was Scratchs brother and his name was Bonesaw. He told me my tatoo was a lot like his brothers. He wantd to no ware I did it and I said the place up on Lake Shore. And he said no the candl—ware did that happen? I said the same place.
Roxy was her name I said. She was bald like you.
A bunch of us were talking about spooky things—dead guys coming back to hont you and like that.
I saw sum 1 after he was dead I said. I was thinking of Grampa on the TV at the loyers offis.
A gost? said Beens all gravelly.
Kind of I said.
We were finishd our lunch. I was sitting on the floor with my back to the wall. Jaden was next to me and Beens was on a couch. He sat up.
Did the gost talk to you?
Yah for a long time. He was xplaning stuff I said.
The others were staring at me now. Snocone turnd away from the video game. Bonesaw was frowning like he dint beleev me but he was watching 2.
What was the gost xplaning?
Like my task—what Im sposed to do I said.
Seeryus?
Jadens eyes were wide.
You guys think Im dum I said. Well I am but seeryus things happen 2 dummys 2. I saw a gost of my grampa and he gave me a task. And now Im here.
Evry 1 was staring now and saying weerd.
Did you see the gost agane? said Jaden.
I saw his coffin. But that was befor.
Bonesaw shudderd. They startd talking about music insted of gosts and I stoppd lissening cuz I dont no much about that. Snocones mom came down with Morgan. She startd to pick up the mess. Morgan put the baby on the floor and it rolld around.
Sum 1 shoutd Jackson! and evry 1 startd laffing. I thot they ment Mikel Jackson but no. Wen I ast they laffd at me 2 and turnd away. They were talking about sum 1 els named Jackson. O well.
Who did you think they ment? I ast Jello who was sitting near me.
Huh?
You lookd up wen they said Jackson.
Did not he said.
Sure you did.
Shut up.
His phone rang then.
Hey Cobra he said.
He pushd the phone into his ear and stared up at the seeling and lissend hard.
Yah we reddy to go he said. Jaden let us into the locker. The stuff is in the trunk of the caddy now. Were at Snocones. Yah Bonesaws here 2. You herd from Scratch?
I was on the floor. Baby Lucy crawld over to me and put a hand on my arm. Her fingers were tiny and soft and kind of sticky. Ew. She got a funny look on her face. Like she was talking to sum 1 a long way off—like God or sum 1. Jello did 2. They both had the same look—staring at the seeling and talking to far away.
But you going to be there rite? said Jello.
He lissend sum more and said ok and by and put away his phone. We were all watching.
Deels on he told us. Cobra will meet us at the mall.
We made a huddl like in a football game—Jello in the middl and us facing in—and he xplaned what we were sposed to do and we made a 1 2 3 cheer and ran up stares.
I was next to Jello. Dont worry I told him. Itll be fine. The deel will work and then we can pay for the jim and you can keep traning.
What? he said.
Thats what we want rite?
He dint anser.
Morgan kissd Snocones mom and the baby Lucy good by. She slappd Morgans face with both hands left rite left and he smiled.
Sum 1 stinks he said.
Your rite said Snocones mom. O Lucy!
I was near by and I cud smell it 2. I new what Lucys faraway look ment now. She wasn't talking to God—was pooping.
WE WERE ALL GOING TO THE MALL
CUZ THATS WARE THE DEEL was happening. Cobra wantd the hole possy there just in case. We dint trust those Angels and Buffalos in Torrents and we dint trust them in Jackfish and we dint trust them here. We just dint trust them.
Jaden and Snocone and Beens and me were on the bus. The others were coming by car. Jaden and me in the very back seat and Snocone and Beens sitting sideways in the seats ahead. The sine on the front of the bus said SURE WAY. That was the name of the mall. Sure Way Gardens.
I wantd to no sum thing. If we dont trust them do they trust us? I ast.
Beens made a deep snorty sound.
No 1 trusts no 1 he said.
The bus went along a street calld Evans. Down a hill and up a hill past tire stores and donut shops and places with sines selling I dunno what. 1 of them said Systems. I wonderd what you got there? At a donut shop you get donuts. Whats a System?
We past a big restront and a big movy theeter and sum other big stores selling big things. Minded me of the gun in my pants.
Yah thats what I said. Gun. Jello ast if we were carrying and suddenly evry 1 was pulling out guns. Like it was a TV show down in Snocones basment—guys holding pistols and pointing them and checking that there were enuff bullets. Cool eh? And nives—Jaden had 1 that folded up and then snappd open.
Jello ast ware my pipe was.
Pipe?
You no—your gun.
So thats what a pipe was. I dint have 1.
My mom hates guns I said.
Jello thot that was funny. He took a pistol out of his pants and gave it to me. I said what about him? He told me not to worry and liftd his shirt to show me an other gun on the other side.
You no how to use it? he said.
Sure.
Evry 1 nose how to use a gun rite? Point and shoot. I must of killd 1000s of aliens and zombis. 1000s and 1000s. I put the gun in my pants like him. My shirt hung out over it. I lookd like me but felt funny.
Its loded said Jello. Dont shoot your balls off.
Balls. I laffd.
The bus stoppd and sum oldys driftd in slow and blinky. A bossy woman in a red cap told them to find a seat find a seat find a seat. The bus startd up agane. The oldys sat with there white heads nodding like dolls as the bus bumpd along. 1 of the oldys ast if she cud stay standing up and look out the windo.
I want to see she said. Ill hold on tight I promise. I have a good grip.
She was a littl lady with bisy hands she rappd round a pole then unrappd then rappd agane. They were like 2 spiders on the ends of her arms.
No!
The bossy red ca
p pushd her in the nearest seat.
Stay there Dinty! she said. Ive had about enuff of you.
Dinty I thot. Funny name but it went with her. She was a dinty lady. Like crumpld and used but OK. Like how a dinty pale wud still hold water.
She glared up at the lady in the red cap.
Your such a not see said Dinty.
Jaden punchd my arm then leend forward and tappd Beens and Snocone.
We reddy? he said.
Snocone opend his fist and there was the 15 sine on his hand—the inside of his hand.
Im with the possy all the way he said.
Me 2 said Beens.
And me said Jaden.
And me I said.
Not just to be saying sum thing. I ment it. And me.
The bus bumpd up a big hill and round a bend. The mall was below us small and white with parkd cars all round. From up here the stores lookd like peaces of soap floting in the lake. The cars were the lake.
RAINY DAYS AT THE COTTAGE
THEY PLAYD CARDS. 1 time Spencer and DJ and Webb I think and Anty Vicky were round the dining room table. Grampa saw me yonning and took me by the hand. Just me. We went to his work room and he showd me this sord. A reel 1 like at the museum. He let me touch it and pointd to the stain on the pointy end. Thats blud Bernard he said. He xplaned that he took the sord off a bad guy wen he was yung. The blud was from a good guy the bad guy was fiting and thats why Grampa never cleend the sord—cuz he wantd to member the good guy. I ast him what the good guys name was and Grampa shook his head. I never met him he said.
So how do you no he was good? I ast him.
He was on my side he said.
And that was the good 1.
Yah.
How do you no?
Grampas teeth lookd yello wen he smiled. He said it was hard to xplane.
You just no he said. Your guys r the good guys. You feel it. Trust that feeling Bernard. Trust yourself.
OK I said.
He pickd up the sord. Pretty cool eh? Grampa with his white hair and sad smile staring out the windo. And the sord with the rusty blud on it and the rain running down the windo pane.
There was an ants nest in the corner of the workroom. Grampa got 2 cans of Raid and gave 1 to me. We sprayd the crap out of all those ants. Got you! he yelled. Dy you littl basterds. Dy! Made me laff.
I told Spencer this story that nite. Grampa likes you he said.
Even tho Im a dummy?
Even tho.
You shud of seen us bomming those ants I said. Grampa was rite into it.
He flew bommers in the war Bun. Member what Dad said—hes a killer.
Grampas a killer I said into the dark. Grampas a killer. Grampas a killer.
Sum 1 from down the hall told me to shut up.
MY SIDE HURT.
THE BUS RUMBLD AND WEEZD under an xpressway. The sun came out for a second and hit me rite in the eye. East Mall Rode said the driver. East Mall Rode is next.
What you doing with that thing?
Snocone was frowning at me.
Nothing I said.
Put it away. Jeez.
I had the gun out staring at it. Blu gray color. A shape like my finger and thum wen I pretend to shoot only this wasnt pretend. I stuck it back in my pants.
Sorry.
Your crazy he said.
The bus rolld into the mall parking lot past the Sears store and the sport store. Past the white bricks and banners and parkd cars and fat peepl and strollers and hats. And bags. Evry 1 had a bag. The bags from the sport place were blu and the 1s from Sears were white. I kept count.
Sure Way said the bus driver. Sure Way Gardens.
The oldys were ahead of us. They movd off first with Red Cap bullying them along. Stay together til we get to the movy theeter she said. She kept close to Dinty—the oldy who wantd to see evrything.
Snocone had his phone out. Hi Jello he said. Yah. Yah. OK.
He put it away. Cobras with them he said. There on there way.
We walkd round the out side of the mall. Beens and Snocone were talking about what to do if there was trouble with the Angels or Buffalos. Snocone said we shud go in hard—reddy to fite. Show who we r so they no not to mess with us. Beens said sum thing I dint understand. Jaden turnd to me.
What do you think Bunny—if things go rong how shud we go in?
Together I said. Thats how. Cuz we r together.
We were round the front of the mall now. Cars parkd. Banners flappd. Clouds floted. We found a place to wate next to a low sement wall. My tatoo felt sticky. A lady came out of the mall with a white Sears bag. That made 44 of them to 36 blu.
I herd the vroom vroom sound in the distance. I new what it was and who.
Angels said Jaden.
Basterds said Snocone.
There were 4 bikers riding 2 and 2. They went round the parking lot leening over to turn. We watchd them ride out of site. Beens was thin and his head was big so it lookd like a lite on a pole. There checking the place out he said. Tell Cobra.
Snocone all reddy had his phone out.
Basterds r cheating he said. There here erly.
I wispered to Jaden. R we here erly?
Jaden nodded.
So were basterds 2 I said.
BEENS WENT INTO THE MALL
AND CAME OUT WITH COFFEES for him and Snocone and cokes for me and Jaden. Snocone wasnt much older than us but he got the grone up drink. He liked that. I countd more blu and white bags.
We talkd about what made you strong. Not just doing pushups and lifting wates but other stuff like how you stuck with your frends and dint care what any 1 els said. I told them about Grampa and having a teem with you and that made you strong. Like he had his own crew way back wen.
Who cares about your grampa? said Snocone. What does your grampa no about being strong and standing up for himself? What does he no about killing peepl?
Grampas a killer I said. He killd 100s and he hurt them 2—blu there arms off and there legs. He was strong all rite.
They stared at me.
100s? said Jaden.
At leest.
Thats what Dad said—100s at leest. Spencer and me were littl and we thot it was cool and Dad said no no the hole thing was aw full and evil. I ast if Grampa was evil and he said no that Grampa was fiting the not sees and they were evil. And then it was bed time.
A girl walkd past with her mom. She was about as old as me. Thin and pretty with sunglasses and hair pild up and tall shoos making her taller. Beens ast Jaden what he thot. That sisters pretty hot eh? Dint you think so Snocone? Bunny?
Shes hot all rite said Snocone.
Hot I said.
Jaden punchd me. I punchd him back. Beens sippd his coffee. The girl and her mom got in there car and drove away.
Jaden and I climed on the sement wall and startd walking up and down. I was thinking about the hot girl.
Cud I call her a sister? I ast.
Who? said Jaden.
Beens calld her a sister cuz shes black I said. And I was wondering if I cud call her a sister 2. Cuz shes still black even wen Im talking about her.
No.
No shes not black?
No you cant call her sister. Shes not your sister. Your white.
Is she your sister?
Yes.
He was so sure.
But shes still hot rite? I said.
The sun was out agane. Shining down it made things hard to look at. Why dint I have sunglasses? But I dint. Jaden stood on the wall with his hands out. I cud see the gun bump under his shirt.
Im glad your here Bunny he said.
Me 2.
You and me well stick together.
Yah.
The parking lot had poles with letters on them—A B F like that. Jellos big black and white car pulld into a free spot under the M. Cobra and Jello and Morgan and what was his name got out and stood round the car with there hands like this. Tuff.
Deel time. We movd closer—behind a van with a dent
in the side. I cud see a baby seat inside the van with a Sponj Bob doll. You no Sponj Bob with the big eyes and the skinny littl arms. Hes funny.
Angels were giving us money so we cud keep the jim. I wonderd what we were giving them.
Vroom. The Angels were here. They rord round the car. Round Cobra and Morgan and Jello and Bonesaw—that was the name I forgot. Jello had a sell phone up to his ear. Head turning to follow the bikes.
Basterds said Snocone.
Ware r the guys from Buffalo? said Beens.
Jaden put his hand in his shirt feeling for the gun.
The sky was the sky.
The bikes made farting noys wen they stoppd. The Angel in front had a black beerd and vest like a pirate. I new him from watching the TV news with Mom that time. Cobra and Morgan were leening on our car. I thot about Morgan kissing Snocones mom. And teeching me to fall. The pirate Angel sat on his bike with his arms across his chest.
Wares the guys from Buffalo? Beens said agane.
Basterds said Snocone.
The Angels were wating. We were wating. I cud feel the wating like evry 1 was holding there breth together. I wonderd about evry 1 in the world holding there breth and what wud happen wen we all let it out.
I wonderd who Jello was talking to on the phone.
A dad came up to us. He was waring shorts and flip flops and carrying a littl kid in his arms. The kids hair was xploding around her head. Shorts. Brown legs. Littl toes in sandals.
Mine! said the kid. Mine! She was pointing at the van.
Snocone went close to the dad.
Were bisy here he said. Go away.
Dad took a step back. Uh he said.
Daddy! said the girl.
Uh.
He took an other step back and turnd. The top of a white bag stuck out of his shorts pocket. That made 76.
No! said the girl. Daddy! No! Go home. Go home!
A black SUV slid to a halt in front of the bikers. It had fat bumpers and head lites like eyes staring. A white guy stuck his head out the front windo.
1 of yous named Cobra? he shoutd. Im looking for a guy named Cobra and a guy named Zeke. Got sum thing for yous.
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