Snared wd-3

by Stefan Petrucha

  “Philadelphia is about an hour away.”

  “What’s Helensburgh like?”

  “Kind of like Smallville, only without the hotties.”

  Mark laughed. “I’ve been in plenty of those places.”

  Another uncomfortable silence fell over them.

  Lindsay was about to ask how long he and his guardians had lived in the house when she heard their car turning into the drive. Mark’s face went from cool and smiling to absolute panic in under a second.

  “They’re home,” Lindsay said, suddenly feeling desperate herself.

  “Close the window,” Mark said, his voice sharp with fear. “You have to close the window.”

  “I…” Lindsay wanted to run. The car was already parked on the other side of the house. Any second the doors would open, and Mark’s guardians might hear them.

  “Please,” Mark said, drawing away from the desk to the center of the room. “You have to close it.”

  Lindsay shot her hands out and pushed against the glass until the window was again secure in its frame. She looked at Mark a final time. He mouthed the words Thank you.

  Then she ran.

  5

  Lindsay felt so many things. Excitement. Happiness. Disappointment. She paced her living room. Nervous energy crackled in her legs and her fingertips. She needed to keep moving or the energy would burn her up from the inside. But it was all too amazing for her to believe. It was like a fairy tale, only in reverse, because the prince was the one in the tower held captive by his evil guardians. And Mark was as close to a prince as she was likely to find on Redlands Beach. He was handsome and athletic, and he was a musician. Or at least, she assumed he was. He had a piano in his room and little else. It must have been important to him. She should have asked if he played, but she had been so flustered.

  She still felt that edgy excitement. She’d wanted an amazing story to tell Kate and everyone when she got home, and now she was living one. Too bad the story had such a sad beginning, with Mark snared by his guardians and all.

  He looked so scared, Lindsay thought. Do they abuse him? Did they hit him? That cry I heard over the music—could that have been Mark? That’s totally illegal. Nothing he did could be that bad. Maybe he shoplifted or got caught with a blunt or some beer. He might have borrowed his guardians’ car without asking. Kids do stuff like that all the time, but parents act like everything’s a murder charge.

  Lindsay stopped pacing for a moment. She looked out the front window at the beach. The water twinkled with silver light as gentle foam-capped waves whispered to the shore. The sun was high above, and the sand was covered with people. She tried to concentrate on the beach-goers in order to undo the knots her emotions had tied in her head and chest.

  It didn’t work.

  Lindsay walked on the boardwalk. After meeting Mark, she thought about lying out on the beach, but she was too agitated to just lie down on a towel.

  Hot sun bathed her face and shoulders with wonderful warmth. Her sandals clacked on the wooden boards. The boardwalk shops were different than she remembered. Oh, there was still the usual selection of beachwear and surf shops, the flat-front food shacks and the touristy souvenir shops, but now a nice café had sprung up, as well as a clothing store that carried actual fashions, not just T-shirts and bikinis. Not to mention, the buildings were freshly painted. It all looked so much nicer than she remembered it. People wandered in and out of the stores, laughing and pointing, holding hands. Children were everywhere, some clinging close to their parents, others racing back and forth over the boards.

  One figure caught her attention—the burner she’d seen outside of her uncle’s place yesterday. He stood by the wooden railing across the walk from her. His head was down. Blond dreadlocks formed a thick ragged bush on his scalp.

  Lindsay stopped walking. The boy was hunched over as he had been when lighting his pipe amid the thunderstorm, but now his hand moved rapidly from his forehead to his belly and then from pectoral to pectoral. He was crossing himself like priests do, except he kept doing it. Frantically.

  “Someone took scary pills,” Lindsay whispered.

  As if hearing her, the burner fixed a wide-eyed, crazy-ass stare on Lindsay. His lips were moving, but he was too far away for Lindsay to hear what he said. In fact, she got the impression he wasn’t really talking, just moving his lips in silent prayer. He lifted his hands toward her, palms out as if to stop an attacker. Deep cuts on his palms, still bleeding, formed the shape of crosses.

  “They’re real!” the boy suddenly shouted. “God protect us. They’re real.”

  Lindsay jumped with fright and backed away. Even though she knew the kid was tripping hard and ugly, his cry terrified her. She didn’t need this level of crazy in her life. So she ran off, his shouts following her through the crowd.

  Once she was too far down the walk to hear the burner’s shouts, Lindsay relaxed. She stopped walking and looked around at the shops and the crowd.

  A little boy holding a dripping ice-cream cone stubbed his toe on the walkway in front of her and tumbled forward. Lindsay gasped and reached low, totally out of reflex. She caught the boy before he hit the boardwalk, but his ice-cream cone flew through the railing and into the sand. He looked around, confused for a moment, and then started to cry.

  “Hey,” Lindsay said, feeling bad for the kid. “Hey, it’s okay. We’ll get you another one.”

  The teary-eyed boy looked at her like she had a bug on her face. Then he started crying again.

  Oh great, Lindsay thought. What am I supposed to do now?

  “Are your parents here?” she asked.

  Just then a shrill female voice rose up over Lindsay’s shoulder. “Randy!”

  She turned to see a girl stomping over the boards toward her. The girl had long platinum blond hair, perfectly flat and straight, hanging long enough to drape over the brightly colored bikini top she wore. Her skin was almond brown, and so uniform in color, Lindsay imagined she had the tan sprayed on recently.

  “I’m sorry,” the girl said, reaching down to grab the little boy’s hand. “He’s such a total pain.” She turned to the boy and said “Randy. Don’t go running off. Gah, it’s like I’ve told you a billion times.”

  “Ice cream,” the little boy said.

  “It fell in the sand,” Lindsay explained to the girl.

  “Figures. That’s like the third time this week.”

  “Is he your brother?”

  “Sadly,” the girl replied. She shook her head and waved a finger at him. She did it so dramatically Lindsay knew she wasn’t really mad. “I’m Ev, and this is Randy.”

  “I’m Lindsay.”

  “Cool. Who are you here with?”

  “Parents.”

  “Noooooo,” Ev cried, so loudly a bunch of tourists turned to look. She broke up laughing and made an exaggerated expression of shock. “That’s like the worst. I mean, my parents are here…someplace…but I’m totally avoiding them. Unfortunately, my freedom comes with a price: Randy.”

  “Ice cream,” the boy whimpered.

  “Yeah,” Ev said. “We’ll get you another ice cream, but you have to sit down and eat it this time.”

  Ev grabbed her brother’s hand and gave him a playful yank. “Where you headed?” she asked Lindsay.

  “Just hanging out.”

  “Well, come hang with us. We’re in the Hot Dog back there. Smoothies are on me.”

  Lindsay only needed a second to say “Sure.” Ev seemed like fun. Maybe a little wired, but still cool.

  The Hot Dog was a gleaming tile and chrome café with a long neon sign in the shape of a hot dog behind the bar. Other neon tubes were shaped like waves and surfboards. The tiles were salmon pink and the tables matched.

  Lindsay followed Ev and Randy into the cool interior. All of the tables were crammed with families, couples, and groups of friends. Ev raised her hand, waved to someone in the back of the room, and shouted “Got him!” She seemed totally oblivious of the f
act that the room was full of strangers.

  At the back, two small tables had been pushed together, and three girls waved excitedly. Every one of the girls had straight platinum hair, a bikini top, white shorts, and a perfect tan. It was like they’d been to a cloning clinic or something.

  “My entourage,” Ev said to Lindsay. “It’s so weird.”

  Lindsay smiled, not sure what to make of the strange group of girls.

  After shoving Randy into the booth, Ev pulled back a chair and sat down. She introduced Lindsay to her friends. They all had fractured names: Char, Mel, and Tee.

  Char, the girl on Lindsay’s far left, had round cheeks and plump lips and wore a little too much makeup. Next to her sat Mel. Though the prettiest of Ev’s entourage, Mel’s outfit looked the most tragic. Her bikini top was old, the color faded, and her shorts were frayed at the legs. Her bleach job wasn’t terribly fresh either, as dark roots nearly half an inch long ran from her scalp. The last girl, Tee, was small boned with green eyes that made her look like a cat. Though all of the girls smiled, their eyes were clouded with suspicion. Lindsay could tell that Char liked her least of all.

  Lindsay felt uncomfortable, but Ev said, “So Lindsay here saved Randy’s life.”

  The girls gasped.

  “Totally true,” Ev continued. “The little creep about fell off the boardwalk and snapped his neck. Then Supergirl showed up and saved him. She rocks. Be nice.”

  Before Lindsay knew what was happening, the girls were leaving their seats and swarming her, hugging her. “My god, you could’ve been killed,” one, maybe Mel, whispered. Lindsay nearly laughed at all the overblown drama, but she decided to play it cool.

  It turned out that Ev was something of a local celebrity. Or at least she used to be a local who would soon be a celebrity. Knowing from a very young age that Redlands Beach and its surrounding areas were not for her, Ev pursued her dreams. Last year she’d asked her parents to let her go to New York to stay with a cousin, so she could break into modeling and acting. Already she’d done a number of ads for national magazines and was offered a small part in an independent film.

  “I’m just like hanging with the old school until I have to start shooting,” Ev explained. “We’ve hung out since we were like four or something. Once I started getting work, my girls here got all Single White Female on me. Have you seen that movie? No? It’s awesome. But anyway, it’s just a goof. Mel is already letting hers grow out.”

  Lindsay didn’t know what to say. She found herself suddenly intimidated by Ev. A model? An actress? Kate was never going to believe this.

  “What about you?” Ev asked. “You’re like here with your parents. Are you on a leash or can you cut loose?”

  “I’m here, aren’t I?” Lindsay replied. “I cut the leash a long time ago.”

  “Exssssssssssellent,” Ev said, rubbing her hands together.

  “Totally.” “Awesome.” “Cool.” Ev’s entourage chimed in.

  “So,” Ev said. “Here’s the schedule. We’ll be on the beach at like ten A.M. every morning, because morning sun isn’t as harsh on the skin. Around lunch, we hang here or over at the Java Pit, so we can plan our world domination. Afternoons, we totally relax, right? Mannies. Peddies. Facials. Whatever. At night we do the bonfire thing. I’m only in for the next four days, so join the carnival before it leaves town. Know what I’m saying?”

  “Sure,” Lindsay said, excited to know she wouldn’t be totally dependent on her parents for entertainment.

  And there’s always Mark.

  She wanted to see him again. Something about him touched her. Maybe it was the fact that he seemed trapped, and she wanted to help. Maybe it was just his bod. She didn’t know, but she hoped their first conversation wouldn’t be the last.

  “Add another name to the VIP list,” Ev said, wrapping an arm around Lindsay’s shoulders. “Girl’s got a full-access pass.”

  Lindsay smiled and leaned into Ev’s hug.

  This was going to be a very cool vacation after all.

  6

  At night we do the bonfire thing.

  The bonfire was a tradition with Redlands Beach teens that went back generations. There on the beach, they built a cone of wood and lit it up, allowing the flames to illuminate their parties, giving each gathering a sense of celebration. Not that there was much to celebrate in Redlands Beach, not for teenagers anyway. Though most kids dreamed of getting out of town and leaving it all behind, few ever made it. Those that did often traded Redlands Beach for a town just like it. Against such a gloomy background, any star, even one as small as Ev, shined brightly.

  The ocean roared on her right as Lindsay picked her way over the sand toward the dancing flames in the distance. She didn’t even know if this was the bonfire Ev meant, as she didn’t get specific directions. In fact, Ev only said “You totally can’t miss us. We’re like full-on tribal.”

  Her parents were thrilled to hear that she’d made friends already. Her mother gave her an I-told-you-so look, and her dad just looked pleased, like he’d introduced her to Ev and the other girls with fractured names. Whatever, Lindsay thought. She was happy, and they were happy, so it didn’t really matter.

  Or at least, she was mostly happy. Poor Mark. All cooped up in his room. She’d walked through the alley between the houses when she left, but his window was covered by a black shade, so she didn’t see him. She thought about tapping lightly on the glass, maybe asking him to sneak out, but she didn’t know him (or his guardians) well enough to try a stunt like that.

  And of course, there was Kate’s party. Lindsay called to check in on Kate after dinner. She could hear how nervous her friend was, even though Kate tried to play it cool. Fortunately Trey was there, helping Kate set up, keeping her distracted with jokes.

  For a minute Lindsay was pissed off at her parents again. Hearing Kate on the edge of panic hurt, because Lindsay was too far away to do anything about it. Plus, there was the party itself. All of the fun. All of her friends. She should have been there, not here on some beach with a bunch of strangers.

  After another ten minutes, Lindsay found herself at the edge of the bonfire’s light. A stack of wood that came up to her waist burned and crackled. All around the flames, two dozen kids, boys and girls, sat in the sand. Some drank from beer cans, others upended bottles of cheap whiskey and vodka. A Shakira song blasted from a portable player, seemed to stoke the fire with a dense bass beat.

  Ev’s laugh, like a siren, drew Lindsay to the far side of the fire. The girl and her friends were all giggling wildly, rocking forward with the power of their own amusement. Around them, a group of boys, some in nice shorts and others in ragged cutoffs, sat listening and smiling.

  “Totally!” Ev cried amid a splutter of shrill giggles. “He’s like Rob Schneider, only creepier. And he was like trying to French me, like ‘eat my tongue,’ ahhhhhh.” She waved her hands in the air as if fighting off the boy she was describing. Tears were filling her eyes, she found the moment so funny. “And I’m all, nooooooooooooo!”

  The kids around the fire broke up laughing.

  “Supergirl,” Ev shouted, her voice slurring.

  “Hey,” Lindsay said.

  “Pull up a boy and get comfortable.”

  A second later someone handed her a beer. She turned to thank whoever had given it to her. A guy with light brown hair smiled down at her. At first glance he was cute, but as Lindsay looked at him, she realized he was older than most of the kids around the fire. A lot older. Maybe twenty-three or twenty-four. Lindsay also noticed his teeth were kind of crooked, which made his smile look sinister. He worked out though. His pecs were huge and his arms were feathered with thick veins. She had to admit the guy had a nice body, but Lindsay preferred tighter bodies like Mark’s.

  “Thanks,” she said.

  “Anytime,” he replied, his voice heavy with flirtation.

  “That’s Doyle,” Ev called. “He has a lot to offer a girl. Know what I mean?” This sent Ev into
another round of hysterics. Lindsay noticed she was already drunk.

  Next to her, Ev’s entourage said, “Totally,” “A lot!”, and “So much to offer.”

  Lindsay decoded the less-than-subtle message, and felt uncomfortable. She sipped at her beer. Doyle just kept smiling, nodding his head as if she’d already agreed to date him.

  “Well, thanks,” Lindsay said, then knelt on the sand to join in Ev’s conversation.

  Char slid closer to Ev until their butts touched and put an arm around her friend as if protecting her.

  “So, Lindsay, do you have a boy back in Pittsburgh?” Tee asked. Her green eyes reflected the fire and they glowed like emeralds.

  “Helensburgh,” Lindsay corrected.

  “Like there’s any difference,” Char said. She burst out laughing, but since no one else did, she reeled it in fast.

  “Ease up on the meds, Char,” Mel said. Lindsay looked her way.

  “She’s always trying to be funny, and it somehow continues to elude her,” Ev added.

  “Man, Ev,” Char said, pouting.

  “So, do you have a boy, or what?” Tee asked again. She flipped her hair over an ear and leaned toward Lindsay. It was obviously information she really wanted.

  “No,” Lindsay replied, though she thought about Mark. “No boy at home.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve gone out with a couple guys.”

  “You weren’t in love?”

  “Third degree much?” Ev interrupted. She took a long drink of beer and tossed the can in the sand. “Tee is a total perv. She wants like all of these private details.”

  “I do not!” Tee protested loudly. “Why are you being such a bitch tonight?”

  “Because it’s free and it’s low-carb.”

  Doyle plopped down in the sand on the other side of Lindsay and flashed her a smile. She crossed her arms over her knees.

  “Doyle,” Ev said “why don’t you get me another beer?”

  “I just sat down.”

  “Think of it as exercise.”

  Doyle looked around smiling and nodding his head until he realized Ev was serious. He shook his head and whispered a curse under his breath. Then he stood and showered sand down on Lindsay’s head before stomping off.