by Various Orca
What a mess. It was bad being lost but this was worse. Things can always get worse. But they can get better 2 and they did rite then. A car pulld up to ware we were standing—old car about a block long with a black body and white top. Jaden was leening out the windo. Hey Bunny he said and I said Hey back. Befor the car stoppd he was on the sidewalk and so was Xray. Doors swinging. The car rumbld like it was about to spit. Jello got out the driver side and Snocone with him so now there were 4 of them on the sidewalk with me. And the other guys were gone. I dint see them go but they were hurrying down the walk to the next bilding block place. The door swung shut behind them.
What was that about? said Snocone.
My shoos I said.
Huh?
Jello was all reddy in the car. Jaden was shaking his head. Man Bunny we leev you alone for a minit you get in a mess. I got in the back with Jaden and Xray. Jello made a U turn and we rored away.
If that cop Don was there Id say to him told you so. They do care.
WE DROVE
AROUND
PLACES I NEW and places I dint. Down along the river to the lake and then across town under the xpress way ware there were pot holes and hobos and the CNE and then back up thru streets I new with houses and partments and parkd cars and dark lanes and trees. Streetcar tracks made us bump up and down. Music playd. Bildings leend on each other. Smells of garbaj and summer nites. Peepl around—lots of them. Jello slowd down wenever we past a park and we all stared out the windos. I dint no what I was looking for but I stared all rite. 1 time we drove into a parking lot and rolld reel slow past a car with guys sitting on it and they all stared at us and we stared at them. Our music was loud and so was theres. We drove away still staring.
Raders? said Jaden.
Raders said Snocone.
Hate those guys said Xray.
Jello got a phone call that made him sware.
He lissend and nodded and swore sum more. Yah Ill tell them he said. He threw the phone down on the seat next to him.
That was Cobra he said. Deels off.
He turnd up the radio. We were on a twisty street with big houses.
Jaden was shaking his head so I did 2. I dint want him to think I dint care.
This is bad news rite? I wisperd.
Yah.
The car went skid round a corner. Jaden bumpd into me.
Deel was to pay for the jim said Jaden. Were behind on the rent. If we dont do the deel we dont get the money. They kick us out of the jim. Morgan has no ware to live. We have no ware to hang out. Jello is traning for UFC. Without the jim he has no ware to trane.
Too bad I said.
Jello was zooming down the rode. There were speed bumps and the car went bang bang wen we hit them. The lite went from yello to red. We dint slow down. Bang.
Hey said Snocone from the passenger seat. Hey Jello!
Bang.
The lite was red. Jello held on to the weel tite. Snocone yelld at him to stop. Jaden put his hand on my arm. I was counting my breths agane. I cud feel the air going in 2 3 out 2 3. There was a crack in the wind sheel—zig zag zig. At the last minit Jello slammd on the brakes but we dint stop. It was 2 late and we went skid and kept going. We were rite at the lite now and there were cars going across the street in front of us. Jello spun the weel and our car went round in haff a circle so we were facing back the way we came. And now—now we stoppd.
Jello turnd in his seat.
Shut up! he yelld. Evry 1 just shut up—OK?
We went back the way we came. Jaden shook his head. I was trying to think what this reminded me of.
They talkd about things I dint understand. Points and numbers that dint meen a thing. Ware we cud get money. Who wud by our stuff off us. How much time we had. Not much. Thats my point said Jello a few times. My hole point. We got to move now. We need money by next week. Thats wen the rents do. We got to find a deel. We got stuff to sell—we got to sell it. Got to find sum 1 to sell it to. Any 1 thinks differnt you can get out of the car now—OK?
No 1 said any thing for a bit. Then Xray said he dint trust the Angels.
Yah I said.
Well I dont trust those Raders said Snocone. Or the Sonix.
Who we going to deel with then? ast Jello.
I wish Scratch wasnt in Torrents said Jaden. Wens he back?
We were over by Hi Park—trees on our left there branches full of darkness. Stars on top like salt on french frys. Old timey. Spooky. Kind of sad.
Torrents? I wispered to Jaden. You meen where my brother is? Cuz hes not there now.
The lite changed. We took off like a sling shot and I thot about being in the car with Mom and Dad upset about sum thing so that there feelings—the upset feelings—wud spill over the back seat. Id ast Mom why she was fiting with Dad and she wud say they never fot—that this was a free xchange of ideas. Spencer wud be sitting beside me reeding a comic and rolling his eyes.
One time we were on our way to the cottage and Mom almost hit a squirrl and Dad told her to go slower and she said if he dint like her driving he cud get out of the car and not go to the cottage. He said that sounded good to him and she told him to watch out. Dont you dare Jerry O’Toole she said.
Thats what it was like now—Snocone getting mad at Jellos driving and Jello telling us we cud get out of the car.
They were talking about me. Jaden was saying I must have lernd fiting wen I was inside and Jello was saying I was pretty good but not as good as him.
His ink is fresh said Snocone. How long he bin 15?
Thats what I want to no said Xray.
Hes rite here—why dont you ast? said Jaden.
We were passing a hotel. The sine was lit up but there were letters missing. Park sum thing and then Arms.
So what about it white boy? said Xray. Scratch and Jello and me bin 15 a long time—gonna be 15 a long time. What about you?
Silents. They were wating for me to talk.
Im 15 a hole year I said. Then Ill be 16.
There was a small soft minit and then they all startd to laff.
What did you meen about your brother? Jaden ast me.
Huh?
Just now you were saying about him not being in Torrents. What you meen?
Hes not in Torrents any more I said. Hes on his way to sum place calld Jackfish.
Jello pulld off to the side of the rode and stoppd. The sine said No Parking but he stoppd any way and turnd around in his seat. Snocone 2—they both stared at me from the front.
I think its a place I said.
I got out Spencers text about the gost town. Snocone found Jackfish on a map on his sell phone and Jello calld Cobra and they had a long talk. Xray and Snocone were saying do you beleev this guy and Jaden was smiling and saying way to go Bunny. I dint no why any of this was happening but I smiled cuz they liked sum thing I did.
I wonderd if Spencer new all these guys were thinking about him.
Mom lookd up from her book. Your home late she said. What have you bin doing?
Racing over speed bumps in a car I said.
She shook her head. Still joking Bunny. I spose it was a pleece car?
No that was befor I said.
She scrunchd up her face and lookd at me.
You wernt drinking beer were you? You no what weve told you.
No.
I went upstares to put goop on my tatoo. 2 days Id had it and it seemd like part of me.
I DREEMD
I WAS RUNNING on the cottage rode. Summer green beside me and the rode in front and I cud here my breth in 1 out 2 in 1 out 2. I was alone and then I herd feet behind me and Spencer and Mom and Dad went running by together. Spencer was watching a movy on his sell phone. Dad had his bandana. I yelld at them to stop but they dint. Then more feet and Ed from my class went past me and Grampa was running with him and pointing at Eds arrow tatoo and they ran away from me and I was breething in out in out and my arm hurt. Nun of this seemd weerd in the dreem not even the Grampa part. But I felt bad until the possy c
ame running up to me—Xray moning and Jello with his tummy hanging over his pants and Snocone looking back at me like he did from the front seat of the car. Cobra with his hand on my sholder and Jaden with a big smile. They said hi and we ran together and I dint feel so bad xept for my arm that was still hurting and xept for my breething that was so loud. It was like I was breething my own name. In 1 out 2 Bun ny Bun ny in out in out Bun ny.
Bun ny!
Moms voys. I woke up. She was bending over me wispering in my ear.
Bun ny!
Yah?
Shhh! she said. Theres sum 1 down stares.
I sat up. Mom kept her face near my ear. Wares your sell phone? she ast. I want to call the pleece but my phones in the kitchen.
I dint understand rite away. Whos down stares? Is it Spencer?
No. No. Shhh. Lissen Bunny I just want your sell phone.
Is it Dad?
No.
Is it—?
Shhh!
She was wispering but there was that Jeez Bunny! sound in her voys.
I herd a clunk from down stares. Jaden or 1 of the other guys from the possy. I no its stupid but thats what I thot. They were in my dreem and now I thot they were in my house. I went down and turnd on the lite and there was this guy but he wasnt 1 of my frends. He had a ski hat pulld down with eye holes so I cudnt see his face. And a nife in his hand.
Wares your money? he said. I want your money.
I new the nife. It was ours. Thats why I wasnt scared. Its hard to be scared of your own stuff. I membered that nife from forever. In the sink. In the drawer. In Dads hands. It was part of my house like the couch or the TV remot or the car keys. Wud you be scared of sum 1 waving your car keys at you? Rite.
Get out! yelld Mom. She was on the stares. I phond the pleece! she yelld. There on there way! Get out of my house!
I thot your phone was down here Mom I said.
Shut up Bunny!
She was shaking. She was scared. Mom was scared.
I memberd Morgan showing me how to kick in case of a nife fite. I got reddy to kick. But I dint have to.
Your 15 the guy said to me.
Yah.
He took a step back. O he said and agane smaller—like o.
He droppd the nife and a garbaj bag he had in his other hand and ran past me to the kitchen and out the back door. And that was that. I never saw him agane. I dont even no why Im putting this in—I gess cuz of Moms phone the next day.
She came all the way down stares now and gave me a hug. She was shaking. OK I said. OK.
He said you were 15 she said. Did he meen your tatoo?
Yah. It scared him off.
Well at leest its good for sum thing she said.
We checkd over the down stares. The windo in the back door was broke. I went on the porch and lookd round. It wasnt morning yet but the sky over on the left was differnt. The nite was blurry like sum 1 was trying to rub it out. The moon was a tiny slice floting over the shado of the trees. I herd the xpressway humming in the distance. I shiverd and went in.
MY RITING HAND
IS HURTING
SO ILL SPEED UP. Moms phone was in the bag the guy droppd and it broke so she used my phone to call a guy to fix the back door. He came with a tool kit and a smile. Sorry to intrupt your morning he said and went rite to work.
Dad says TV is a trap and a waste of time but Mom puts it on wen hes not around. The news woman had big hair and a big micro phone. She said sum thing about American gangsters and the streets of Trono and guns and drugs. She shook her head at us to show how awful it was. This is Lisa Cook reporting from 52 Divishun she said. Wen the camera pulld back there was the statu of the kid pulling the wagon.
What do you call that thing? I ast Mom.
What?
That thing on the wagon—that triangl thing. What is it?
Peer amid she said.
O.
The door fixer was dun. He took Moms check with a smile. Im sorry for your trubbl mam he said. You have a grate day. He left closing the door behind him. What a guy. Came rite away and did his job. Strong hands white teeth no fuss. What wud the world be if evry 1 was like him? Wud it be perfect?
Mom had stuff 2 do down town. She ast did I want 2 go with her but I dint cuz I was meeting Jaden.
Then I want you close to home she said. After what happend last nite I want 2 no ware you are.
O.
Will you do that for me Bunny? Stay inside or close by?
I took a deep breth. Yah I said.
But I dint meen it.
The woman on the streetcar wudnt stop talking. She had 1 of those ear kind of sell phones with wires hanging and she went on and on about a party last nite ware sum 1 did this amazing thing she dint beleev it and how bisy she was today and all the time she was waving her arms round. Her voys was like sizzers. Other peepl were staring 2 wishing she wud stop talking or get off the streetcar or dy. I cud see the wire going from her ear down the back of her shirt and coming out the bottom—and I saw it wasnt pluggd into any thing. She was saying I no Im just awful and o my god your sooooooo rite and all the time the wire was dangling and she dint even no. Funny eh? I was going to say your frend cant here you but the streetcar came to my stop and I got off. The woman was still talking to no 1.
Jaden was wating outside a park down the bottom of 19 Street.
I shudnt be here I said. I told my mom I wud stay home.
So who nose ware you are? he said.
No 1—xept you.
Thats good.
It is? Does your gramma no ware you are?
Cors not. We smiled—2 guys lying to there famly.
You reddy to pick up the stuff? said Jaden.
Stuff I said.
The deels on agane and this is our end of it.
Stuff. You no—bang bang!
Rite I said. Bang bang.
We walkd thru candy rappers and gees and the smell of the lake. A squirrl stared at me from on top of a garbaj can. He had black button eyes and a nod like hello. I wonderd what his name was. Zeke mayb. Zeke the squirrl. He had a donut in his paws and he took a littl bite and held it out to me. I shook my head no thanks.
Bunny! This way!
Rite I said. Later Zeke.
The park had a slide and a sand box and a bunch of trees and a hill. Up on top of the hill was a statu of—I dunno—a thing. A blob with a curvy line. There were 2 picnic tables up by the statu and evry 1 was sitting on the tables. Cobra was there and Snocone and Jello and Xray and Morgan. And a guy I dint no—thin guy bent like a paper clip with a smoke hanging out his mouth.
Cobra stood up wen he saw me. We did the 15 thing—pound and xplode.
Thanks he said.
Huh?
This guy he said to the others. This guy Bunny saved us.
They nodded. Snocone lookd unhappy but he nodded 2. Wo Bunny! said Jello. He was pink today—big shirt with buttons down the front.
I stood in the middl of the picnic tables and Cobra put his hands on both my sholders. He told evry 1 there about Spencer and Al Capoli going 2 Jackfish and how Scratch and Hobo drove all nite 2 Jackfish 2 and now evry 1 was in Jackfish and the deel was on agane. I dint no why they cared so much about Spencer but they did and they were happy now and that was grate.
And the actress I said.
Huh? said Cobra.
Why Spencers in Jackfish I said. He has to get a kiss from an old lady—Gloria sum thing. It was my grampas idea. Like my cuzzen DJ going to Africa and my tatoo. We got nvelopes I said.
No 1 said any thing. From up here the lake smell was stronger. I cud see a bit of it thru the trees and houses—a spit of water flashing in the sun. With the sun on it the water lookd silver not blu.
Cobra got a phone call. Hey Julius he said. And walkd away from us to here better. The paper clip guy came over and gave me the 15 sine.
Beens talk he said.
They do? I said.
What they call me he said. Cuz Im skinny you no? And my reel
names Jack. Like Jack and the beens talk.
The cigaret stayd in his mouth moving up and down wen he was talking. He sounded like gravel.
Bunny I said. Like Bunny.
Cobra had to go rite away and he took Morgan with him. Befor he went he pointd to his littl brother.
You get into the lock up—OK Jaden? Jello can drive you. Take enuff guys to carry the stuff. You member ware it is rite? Good. Thanks.
Jaden smiled.
Cobra was still on the phone. Dammit Julius he said going down the hill. Dammit why they need me?
Whos Julius? I ast Jaden.
Thats Uncle Julius—our loyer. Dint you see him last nite at the pleece stashun? I told him about you.
Hes your uncle?
Yah. He nose evrything.
Well he sure dint want to no any thing more from me I said.
Zeke the squirrl came back and stood with his paws hanging in front like he was begging. I found a candy in my pocket and got down on my nees. Held out the candy. Zeke took it and ran off and an other squirrl came up looking xactly the same. I wonderd if mayb he was Zeke or if he just lookd like him. And then I thot it dint matter who he was he cud still have a candy xept I dint have any more candy. Tuff luck Zeke I said. Wen I got up the guys were staring at me.
Were going to pick up the stuff now Bunny said Jaden.
Stuff? I said. You meen like—bang bang?
Thats what I meen!
Beens put out his fist and I punchd it. Snocone had a sour xpreshun like he was drinking milk from the back of the frij witch is a bad idea. Trust me.
JADEN NEW WARE
TO GO
BUT HE WASNT OLD ENUFF to drive so he sat in the front beside Jello. Snocone dint come with us and ether did Morgan. So it was me in the back with Beens and Xray. Beens was next to me. He smelld like candy canes. We drove on the xpressway for a bit and then got off it. Jaden told Jello to take this exit and we went down. Turn here he said and we turnd. Go strate. Turn here. And here. Jello did what Jaden said.
You sure this is the rite place? said Xray. I never bin down here. I never herd of any 15 stuff down here. You Jello? Beens? You no this place?