Unhooking the Moon

by Gregory Hughes

  Ice looked bewildered. Tommy and the Rat were bewildering him.

  Tommy’s eyes widened. ‘It’s … it’s the Iceman!’

  ‘What happened?’ asked an overweight couple crossing the street.

  Tommy froze. Then it came to him. ‘Mugged!’ he shouted. ‘I’ve just been beaten and mugged!’

  ‘Oh my God!’ said the women.

  ‘They took my money but they couldn’t take my life! Thanks to this man!’ said Tommy pointing at Ice.

  ‘Hey I know him!’ said the guy. ‘He’s one of those rappers!’

  ‘You’ve got a camera!’ said Tommy. ‘Take our picture!’

  Tommy put his arm around Ice and the man took his picture.

  ‘This rapper has just saved this guy’s life!’ shouted the woman to some passers-by. More people came to the scene.

  ‘I saw the whole thing!’ said a guy pulling up on a horse-drawn carriage.

  ‘Me too!’ said the guy clicking away with his camera. ‘Ice saved him all right!’

  ‘Good. I have witnesses!’ said Tommy. ‘We’ll go to the Times, the Post, and the police, in that order. And we’re gonna need some cab money.’

  ‘We’ve got money!’ said the overweight woman. ‘Don’t worry about that!’

  Ice shook his head. ‘Come on, kids. Let’s go.’

  The limousine reversed towards us and Ice opened the door. Just then Tommy pulled us towards him. ‘Listen, Marie Claire, Bob! My girlfriend kicked me out! I haven’t eaten all day!’

  He wasn’t on the hustle now. He was really desperate.

  ‘Here, take this,’ said the Rat handing him what money she had. Tommy tried to smile but he looked sad. ‘You’re too good to me, kid!’ And he sounded like he really meant it.

  ‘Ah forget about it. We’re partners, ain’t we?’

  ‘You gonna be OK, Tommy?’ I asked.

  ‘Sure I am. Here, Bob. Take my card. Call me tomorrow and I’ll buy you kids breakfast.’

  ‘But you’re broke.’

  ‘Are you kidding? The Iceman has just saved my life. The papers will pay good money for that story.’

  ‘Come on, kids. You’re getting wet,’ said Ice.

  Tommy walked us to the limo. ‘Listen, Ice. If you ever need a chauffeur I’m an excellent driver. Or a bodyguard. I’m out of shape right now but give me a week. Or a PR guy. Tommy Mattolla has worked for some top people.’

  ‘Beat it, hustler!’ said the Rat, sliding into the limo.

  ‘Is that any way to talk to your Uncle Tommy? After everything I’ve done for you!’ Then he turned his attention to the people. ‘OK folks, gather round. Now, who witnessed what?’

  I looked back at Tommy as we drove away. And then I looked at his card: Thomas Michel Mattolla, Disbarred Attorney at Law. Tommy was a hustler. But he never pretended to be anything else. And I liked that about him. I really did.

  Ice sat there bewildered. ‘Sleeping rough in the park, street fights and shady hustlers! I’d hang out with you kids more often if it wasn’t so dangerous.’

  But that was the Rat for you. She’d most likely get us killed one day, she really would. But for now we’d got away with it, and so I sat back and enjoyed the ride … while it lasted.

  Chapter Sixteen

  After the long day and the big brawl we sat at the dining table drinking hot chocolate. I don’t think Ice was speaking to us in a way. He looked at us every now and again and shook his head. Then he went back to drinking his hot chocolate. It was a little uncomfortable to tell you the truth.

  ‘Is your hand OK, Ice?’ I asked.

  ‘Yeah, it’s OK.’

  ‘How’s your jaw, Ice?’ asked the Rat.

  ‘It’s good.’

  The Rat looked at me and then back at Ice. ‘Did you enjoy the fight, Ice?’

  Ice gave her a look. ‘No, I didn’t!’

  ‘They were real meanies,’ she mumbled. She went back to drinking her hot chocolate but she stared at Ice over the cup. ‘Are you sure you didn’t, Ice? Because you looked like you enjoyed it.’ Ice tried not to laugh but he did. ‘But you weren’t scared, Ice. You were brave. I knew you’d be brave. And it was a good fight, wasn’t it? I liked the way you dropped those two guys at once. That was my favourite part.’

  Ice laughed out loud. ‘You have a favourite part already?’

  ‘Sure, Ice. But it would be better if we had it on video. Then we could watch it over and over.’

  ‘Don’t your friends come here, Ice?’ I asked.

  ‘If Mia throws a party, they do. But I don’t really like people coming to my home.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Because when they do, they usually want something.’

  ‘We don’t want nothing from you, Ice,’ said the Rat.

  ‘No, that’s because you’re real friends. But other people pretend to be friends. I’ve done more favours for my so-called friends than I care to remember. After a while it’s like they expect you to take care of them. And when I say “no”, they turn traitor. They run off to the newspapers with stories about me that aren’t true. I swear, I can’t tell my friends from my enemies these days!’

  The Rat frowned seriously. ‘Ice, would you like me to tell you the Native legend about the Bear and the Windigo?’

  That’s what Ice needs. He’s bewildered enough and now he’s going to get one of the Rat’s legends to bewilder him some more.

  ‘What’s a Windigo?’

  ‘Well, Ice, a Windigo is a monster. Some people say they used to be human, but they got trapped in the snow and turned to cannibalism. They grow as big as a house, their eyes become blood red, and their fingers turn into claws,’ said the Rat clawing her fingers. ‘They become addicted to human flesh, but children are their favourite. They like their meat tender. Once upon a time a Windigo was stalking a Native village. It waited until nightfall and, pouncing, it ate five children. The next morning the villagers packed up and moved away as far as they could. In frustration the Windigo started killing the animals in the forest. Some he ate for food. But mostly he killed them for spite. Windigos are very evil. It snapped the antlers from the deer, squashed the squirrels and ripped the fur from the rabbits. And so in desperation all the animals went to see the great grizzly bear. “Will you help us, great grizzly bear?” asked the bunny rabbit. “We need protecting,” said the beaver. “The Windigo has no humans to eat and he’s taking his rage out on us!” said the squirrel. “If you fight and kill the Windigo,” said the owl, “we will be your friends forever.” All the animals agreed with the owl. “We will be your friends forever,” they said. The great grizzly bear agreed and the next morning, along with the rest of the animals, he charged down the mountain to fight the Windigo. They came to a clearing and drank some water from a stream. Suddenly there was a mighty roar and above the treetops they saw the head of the Windigo. All the animals ran for cover. “Good luck, grizzly bear,” they shouted. Then the Windigo let out a horrific scream and came charging at the grizzly bear. But the bear stood his ground. The Windigo bit the bear’s back and tore at his eyes. Then he got him in a headlock and started to strangle the grizzly bear to death! Suddenly the grizzly bear threw the Windigo over his shoulder and bit his throat with his sharp teeth. Blood ran into the river. The Windigo was dead. All the animals stood on the dead Windigo and cheered for the grizzly bear. We’ll be your friends for life, they said. But the grizzly bear had been injured in the fight. “I have been injured,” said the grizzly bear. “I will not be able to hunt or search for food. Will you fetch food for me?” Of course said the animals. But later that night they met in the forest. We could have killed that Windigo ourselves, they said. We didn’t need that goddamn grizzly bear. And now he wants us to feed him. Let him fend for himself, they said. We are far too busy to get food for him. So for the rest of the summer the grizzly bear went hungry. When winter came he hibernated. And the following spring he came out with his wounds healed. He ate plenty of salmon and he grew strong. One day he was taking
a bath in the river when all the animals came running toward him. Please help us they said. There’s another Windigo in the woods and he’s so terrible. “Please help us!” said the beaver. “Please help us!” said the little bunny rabbits. “We’ll be your friends for life!” said the owl.’

  Ice sat up. ‘What did the grizzly bear say?’

  ‘“Beep off! Go on, beep off or I’ll beat your beeping brains in!” That’s what he said, Ice! And do you know what the moral of this story is?’ But Ice was laughing too much to listen.

  ‘What’s the point of listening to the legend if you don’t hear the moral?’ said the Rat.

  Ice tried to control his laughter. ‘Sorry, Marie Claire, but I think I already know the moral.’

  ‘I made you laugh,’ said the Rat. ‘Now you have to do something for me.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I want you to sing me a song.’

  Ice laughed again. ‘Maybe Mia’s right! Maybe we should have kids!’

  The Rat gave Ice her scary kid look.

  ‘What, you’re serious? I’m more of a rapper. Would you like me to rap for you?’

  ‘I’d like a song, please.’

  Ice made a grim face. ‘All right, let’s do this.’ Getting up he attached a laptop to his music system. ‘What would you like me to sing?’

  ‘Sing something by the one and only Frank Sinatra,’ said the Rat.

  ‘I’ve got thousands of songs on my karaoke system, but I only have one by Sinatra.’ Ice clicked on his laptop and picked up a mike. ‘OK, here we go.’

  Me and the Rat sat on the sofa. Music oozed from the quad speakers and the words came up on Ice’s laptop. ‘That old black magic has me in its spell …’

  It was the funniest thing I’d ever heard! Ice, the new star of rap, couldn’t sing a note! I laughed so hard, tears came into my eyes. He even looked serious like he was trying to do his best. I felt sorry for him in a way, but that made it funnier.

  The Rat grabbed the other mike and, jumping up on the couch, she sang along. Then I jumped up and sang next to her. We went right through to the end of the song and then we gave ourselves a round of applause.

  ‘Oh man, I haven’t laughed so hard in years!’

  ‘Why not, Ice?’ asked the Rat.

  ‘I’m not happy, I guess.’

  ‘Haven’t you ever been happy, Ice?’ asked the Rat.

  ‘I was when my mother was alive. She was a great woman, strong and intelligent. You know she’d never let me hang out on the street. Church on Sunday, football on Saturday, and boxing three times a week. She took care of my education too. Once a fortnight she gave me a book to read. When I’d finished I’d have to write an essay about it with no spelling mistakes. By the time I was fourteen I’d read every book that Maya Angelou had ever written.

  ‘I can still remember telling her: one day I’ll make it. I’ll get you out of these projects and I’ll buy you a nice apartment. But she got cancer when I was fourteen, died when I was fifteen. And here I am,’ said Ice looking around him. ‘I’ll be able to pay for this place with the money from the next CD. And I bought that Range Rover I always wanted. And I’ve got gold chains, diamond rings, and Rolex watches. They mean nothing to me. But to Mia things are everything. Having things makes you someone. Strange, the happiest time of my life was when my mother was alive and we were living in the projects. I’d go back there tomorrow if I could be as happy.’ When Ice had finished speaking his head went down.

  ‘Don’t be sad, Ice.’ The Rat got up and gave him a hug. She could be affectionate at times.

  Ice smiled. ‘Hey, I’m sorry for wimping out on you kids like that. I don’t know what came over me.’

  ‘It’s OK, Ice,’ I said.

  ‘Anyway, it’s getting late. Look, why don’t you kids go get ready for bed. I’ll come and say good night when you’re done.’

  We wandered into the bedroom and closed the door behind us.

  ‘Ice is lonely,’ said the Rat. ‘But he won’t be lonely if we’re his friends.’

  ‘He has friends.’

  The Rat went in the bathroom. ‘Not real friends like us.’ She came out wearing her soccer kit and dived under the duvet.

  ‘Everyone decent?’ Ice knocked on the door and came in. ‘Listen, I’ve been thinking. Tomorrow I’m going to see what I can do about finding this uncle of yours. I don’t know what I’ll do. But I’ll hire a private detective if I have to.’

  ‘You’re too good to us, Ice,’ said the Rat.

  ‘Just doing the right thing, Marie Claire. Can’t go wrong doing the right thing. You kids say your prayers?’

  ‘Sure, Ice,’ said the Rat. ‘And I said a prayer for you so you’ll be happy again.’

  ‘Thanks, Marie Claire. One of the nicest things you can do is pray for someone. Right, you kids get a good night’s sleep and I’ll see you in the morning.’

  When the lights went out, we lay there thinking.

  ‘This is nice,’ said the Rat. ‘But it’s not quite the den, if you know what I mean.’

  ‘Don’t tell me you miss that damn den!’

  The Rat pulled the quilt over her head and laughed. She was just winding me up.

  It must have been the early hours of the morning when the living-room light lit up the bedroom. I kept my eyes half closed but standing in the doorway I saw the silhouette of a woman.

  ‘Are you kidding!’

  ‘What are you doing, Mia, you’ll wake them up!’ Ice closed the door and it went dark. I jumped out of bed and woke the Rat.

  ‘Is it morning already?’

  ‘No, but Mia’s home and she’s not happy!’

  Sneaking over to the door we opened it an inch. Mia and Ice were sitting on the sofa.

  ‘Are you insane? You found two white kids sleeping in the park and you brought them home! Do you know what people will say? What they’ll think! What if the media gets hold of it?’

  ‘They were there when I was doing the interviews. I told them they were my godchildren.’

  ‘What happens when they find out they’re not? Ice, you have to get rid of them. This could ruin your career. Everything you’ve worked for. Everything I’ve worked for.’

  ‘What a beep!’ said the Rat.

  ‘Shush.’

  ‘They have an uncle in New York. Tomorrow I’m going to look for him.’

  ‘Fine, but get rid of them for now. Call the cops, Ice. I’ll say I found them sleeping rough and I brought them home. That way it won’t look so bad.’

  ‘I don’t care how it looks! I did the right thing!’

  ‘I can see that, baby. Your heart was in the right place. But you’re not thinking, Ice. The press could have a field day with this.’

  ‘And what are they going to say? That I brought two kids home because I didn’t want them sleeping in the street, the way I did after my mother died!’

  Mia took hold of his hand. ‘They don’t have to say anything, Ice. All they have to do is tell the facts with a few choice words and you’ll spend the rest of your life trying to clear your name. You’re a good man, Ice, but you’re naïve. I have to protect you now. We have to call the cops. Let the proper authorities take care of them.’

  Ice looked sad. ‘Let them sleep now. They’re tired. I’ll call the cops first thing in the morning.’

  ‘If you don’t call them, Ice, I will.’

  ‘I will. Come on, let’s go to bed.’

  I closed the door. The Rat switched on the bedside lamp and sat on the bed. She looked as sad as Ice. ‘We have to leave, Bob. They’ll put us in a home. I couldn’t handle it.’

  The thought of leaving the apartment was scary. But I knew we had to go. Without another word we started to pack. The Rat got our stuff from the bathroom while I collected the cellphones. Then, quietly, we shoved our clothes in our rucksacks.

  When we were finished the Rat wrote Ice a note and read it to me. ‘“Dear Ice. Thank you for your hospitality. We were very happy here. We will return when w
e find our uncle. Love. Bob and Marie Claire DeBillier” … What do you think?’

  ‘It’s good. Let’s go.’

  We put on our rucksacks and, opening the bedroom door, we listened. It was quiet.

  ‘I should have written something bad about that beeping Mia!’ whispered the Rat. ‘I’ve never liked her! And she’s nowhere near as good-looking as she thinks she is!’

  ‘Shush … Come on.’

  We crept through the dark living room as quietly as we could, but our clothes swished as we walked. It’s amazing how loud things sound when you don’t want them to. The Rat unlocked the front door and we crept out into the brightly lit hallway. Closing the door behind us we scurried to the elevator and tapped on the button. I kept looking back at the apartment. I was dreading Ice would come after us, but he didn’t. When the elevator came we got in.

  ‘The doorman!’ said the Rat as we descended.

  ‘Oh no.’

  When the elevator doors opened we sneaked a look around the corner. He was sitting in a chair behind his desk.

  ‘He’s asleep,’ whispered the Rat. ‘I can hear him snoring.’

  We sneaked past the doorman and pulled at the glass door, but it wouldn’t open. ‘We’re trapped,’ I said. Then I saw a button on the wall and pointed at it. The Rat pressed the button and the door unlocked. We ran out and into that dreaded park.

  ‘Don’t go to the den,’ I said. ‘Ice might follow us there.’

  We ran across one of the roads that ran through the park and, climbing over a small fence, we headed towards a big tree. Once there I slid down the trunk and the Rat slid down next to me. She looked up at Ice’s apartment. ‘From the park to the penthouse and back again! Un-beeping-believable!’

  There was a loud roll of thunder and it began to rain. I looked up at the sky. ‘Doesn’t it ever stop raining in this city?’ We pulled our plastic jackets and baseball caps from our rucksacks and put them on. Then wrapping our sleeping bags around us we huddled up. The rain dripped on the branches and tapped on the leaves, but it stayed dry at the base of the tree. That was something to be thankful for. But then a cop car cruised through the park with its spotlight shining. We watched it, ready to run, but it moved away and went out of sight.