by James Bee
“What do we do then? What the hell do we do?” Robbie said frantically.
Jason shrugged. “What can we do? Can’t stop the police from getting in. Can’t hide from gas. Well. Not here, at least.” He looked upward and the others followed his gaze.
“Shit on that. I don’t want to go up there,” Robbie said.
“Me neither,” Hank agreed.
“Don’t want to be trapped in anywhere with you, neither,” Robbie said, glaring at Hank.
“Like it or not, you are. Unless you have somewhere else you want to go,” Hank shot back.
“Maybe we should just send you downstairs. Let you explain all this to the blue. Give them what they want,” Robbie said. Hank blinked and stepped back, holding his sock in front of him.
“What are you saying, Robbie? We can’t send Hank down there to die. How can you even suggest that?” Jason demanded.
“It could save us. You and me are innocent of all of this, Jason. I know you didn’t kill anyone, and you know I didn’t. We’re not safe if he’s around. How long until he does one of us in, and then what? You want to be alone with a murderer?” Robbie said. Jason opened his mouth but had no words to send out.
“I’d never hurt either of you. I didn’t kill anyone in this house. I didn’t. You can’t pin all this on me. You can’t, it’s not fair,” Hank protested. He was slowly backing away from them, eyes darting left and right.
“He’s right, Robbie. Neither of us saw it. We didn’t see anything. All we’ve got are suspicions. That isn’t enough. Not to send Hank down there,” Jason said.
“I don’t care! We’re not safe with him around,” Robbie said stubbornly.
“I killed someone too, Robbie. You feel safe with me? Huh? I’m no different than Hank,” Jason said, stepping toward Robbie. The old anger was starting to resurface, starting to worm its way back into his brain.
“Drunk, in a fistfight. Not really the same as what he did, and you know it. I know he’s your friend, but come on. You gotta see what I’m seeing here. He’s the most likely suspect; there’s no one else. Unless you really think that ghosts or demons or something else is killing everyone,” Robbie said, not looking like he was interested in backing down.
“Damn you, Robbie,” Hank said. He was slumped back against the wall, his eyes closed.
“We all thought Mac was killing everyone. We were sure. Then it turned out we didn’t know so much, did we? I’m not going to turn against Hank just because you have a theory. It doesn’t work like that, man. We’re not sending him away. You can leave if you like, but Hank stays,” Jason said. He stared hard into Robbie’s eyes. Robbie held the gaze for a moment before shaking his head.
“Fine. But if he murders me, I’m gonna come back and haunt you, man. The hell do we do now? If the cops are tossing tear gas, they’ll be in soon enough,” Robbie said, looking around.
“Gotta barricade the staircase,” Hank said.
“Yeah. If we can get them to stop, maybe we can talk to them, explain what’s been happening,” Jason said.
“Explain? How do you think that’s going to go? ‘Oh yeah, Officer, it’s the strangest thing, people just started getting murdered all around us. Yes, it is weird that us three are the only ones left alive. Must have been some ghosts that did it,” Robbie said with a bitter laugh. Jason didn’t have anything to say to that; it wouldn’t be easy talking their way out of this. Still, they had to try. As long as we’re alive there’s hope.
“Well, it’s better than just sitting here. Quick, grab shit from the bedrooms, furniture and stuff. We’ll pile it onto the doorframe,” Hank said, disappearing into his room.
“Fine.” Robbie also ducked into his room. Following their lead, Jason headed into his. As he stepped inside, a sight stole his breath from him. He’d forgotten about the booze. The bottle was still where he’d left it, sitting on his bedside table. The hunger that he’d felt the last time was a drop in the ocean compared to what he felt now. He had to have some. Just a little, a taste to settle his nerves. How could it hurt? It wouldn’t; it would help. Calm him down. Just a bit, to warm him.
Before he knew it, the bottle was in his hand, the opening to his lips. The voices were louder now, buzzing in his head like bees. The smell of the whiskey flooded his nostrils, irresistible. It was whisky, after all, Moose River, his favorite. He tipped the bottle back and felt the liquid pour over his lips, tongue, and down his throat. More than a taste, after all. The warmness flooded through his body. Jason put the cap back on the bottle and slid it into his back pocket. He felt different than before. He felt good. Ever fiber of his body was buzzing, crackling with energy. It was like he was young again; his hands felt strong, all the little aches and pains in them washed away.
“Jason, hurry the fuck up, man!” Robbie yelled from the hallway. Jason nodded and grabbed the end of his bed, dragging it into the hallway. Hank and Robbie had already taken theirs out and were busy putting them against the doorframe. Jason pulled his over, the legs scraping loudly on the carpet, and tipped it over and added it to the pile. The three men stood back and admired their handiwork.
“Put a few more things in the way and we might actually have something here,” Hank said.
“Yeah, stop them for a minute at least,” Robbie agreed. “Let’s go grab the rest of it then. Police could be here at any moment.” They split up again, scurrying into the rooms and pulling out whatever furniture they could find. Each time Jason went into a room, he took another swig. After the third time, he realized that something was wrong. Standing in Mac’s room, he held the bottle up to his face. It was nearly a third gone, yet he hardly felt buzzed. It didn’t make any sense. I thought your tolerance was supposed to go away if you don’t drink for a long time. I should be almost drunk by now. Should be feeling it a lot more than I am, at least. He sniffed the bottle suspiciously. The reek of alcohol was there, no mistake could be made about that. What was it then? It was like he’d never stopped drinking, like it was when he was putting at least two of these bottles down a day. Jason shook his head. What did it matter?
“There. That’s about as good as it’s going to get,” he said, putting the last table against the makeshift barricade.
“Yeah. Slow ’em down a bit maybe. Still, if they want in, they’re getting in,” Robbie said.
“Can’t stop them from doing that. Just gotta buy us some time,” Hank said. Though what they were going to use the time for, he didn’t say.
“What’s that, Jase?” Robbie asked, pointing into his pocket. Jason showed him. “Not done after all, then?”
“Don’t want to die sober,” Jason answered.
“Cheers to that.” Robbie pulled out his flask and clanged it against the bottle before raising it to his mouth. Jason followed suit.
“Just don’t go overboard, man. I need you here,” Hank said. He was unable to keep the disapproval from his voice. A loud bang from downstairs cut off Jason’s reply. In the following silence, all three men stood and listened. Jason couldn’t hear anything over the voices, still murmuring in his ears.
Robbie, however, was free from such distractions. “I think I hear footsteps, scuffling at least.”
“They’ll be searching the floor, seeing if the smoke drove us into any holes,” Hank said.
“And what happens after they realize that we’re not there?” Robbie asked.
“Then we get to find out if this barricade was worth the trouble,” Jason said, staring at the blocked-up doorway.
25
Chapter 25
“You want any, Hank?” Jason asked, holding out the bottle. The three men were sitting, backs against the wall, waiting. What else could they do?
“Naw. Not supposed to mix booze with my pills. Could make my behavior a little … uh … erratic,” Hank said, smirking slightly.
“What’s the pain from? Never asked where you were hurt,” Robbie said.
Hank shook his head slowly. “Hurt my back ages ago. Started giving me the pil
ls to help with the pain. Was supposed to get off of them once I healed.” The bottle appeared in Hank’s hand, and he tossed one of the small white tablets into his mouth. “Back ain’t hurt for two years. Can’t stop, though. Pills got their hooks in me. Real deep.” Robbie nodded and didn’t press any further. It wasn’t an uncommon story; nearly everyone in jail had some sort of dependency. You didn’t ask after another man’s; it was like prodding an open wound. Jason took another swig from the bottle. He was starting to feel the effects now. The world was getting a bit fuzzy, a little warmer around the edges.
Another loud bang from downstairs made them all jump. “Think this might be it, boys,” Robbie said. “Might be the end of the road for us. Three lifelong criminals, shot like dogs while they cowered in a hallway.”
“Not over till it’s over,” Hank said, though it didn’t sound like his heart was in it.
“Looks pretty over to me,” Robbie said. “You guys ever think about your first time? How life might have turned out different? If you’d just gone the other way?”
“All the time,” Jason said.
“Yeah. What was your first, Jase?” Hank asked.
“Let me guess,” Robbie said before Jason could answer. “A fight at school. Some bully picked on you and you beat him down.”
“Close, but not quite. Was a schoolyard fight, but wasn’t a bully. Was this kid, Jimmy, or Jim or something. Quiet, strong, grew up on a farm, I think. Was big for his age, bigger than me for sure. We must have been fourteen at the time, maybe a bit younger. Me and Jim liked the same girl, Sarah Fields. She wasn’t much interested in me, Jim neither. Somehow we got it into our heads that we should fight, that whoever won would get her. Doesn’t work like that, of course, but what did we know? Anyways, me and Jim agree to meet after school, out back. Word got out, and nearly half the school showed up to watch. I arrive, and Jimmy’s already there waiting for me. Wasn’t any words, we just walk toward each other. It was my first fight. I didn’t know what I was doing. I just swung and hoped for the best.”
“Two teenagers brawling over a girl, how’s that a crime?” Robbie interrupted.
“Turns out I was a natural at it. Hit Jim square on the chin, right on the sweet spot. He went down like I’d smashed him with a brick. Hit his head on the concrete. I won’t ever forget what it sounded like. That hollow knock has echoed in my head ever since. He was never the same again. Couldn’t really talk much, couldn’t look after himself. They had to put him in a home. They sent me to juvy for it. From there it was just one fight after another until it happened again. Only this time the guy died.”
“Jesus Christ. That’s fucking terrible luck, man. I saw so many fights growing up. No one ever had that happen to them,” Robbie said. Jason shrugged. He’d thought like that once, that it was just his shitty luck, that it wasn’t his fault. He didn’t think that way any more; he knew better. He’d accepted the responsibility and the guilt that came with it. The guilt that sat with him, threatening to eat him up.
“Piss-poor luck,” Hank agreed. “What about you, Robbie? What was your first brush with the law?”
“Vandalism. Drew a bunch of graffiti on the side of a supermarket. Thought I had some talent, that I was going to be a renegade artist or something. Instead the cops picked me up and tried to give a scare to keep me from doing it again. Didn’t work, I was out the next day, tagging. Ran in with some people and just escalated,” Robbie said. “Somehow I ended up here.”
“Life’s funny like that. Every day it’s just one small bad decision, day after day. Then eventually it all buries you, like an avalanche,” Jason said. Robbie nodded, eyes unfocused. He’s drunk, or close to it, Jason realized. Should I take the comb away from him? He didn’t think that the younger man would take that suggestion very well, so he just let it lie.
“I suppose now I have to share my story now too, eh? Fine, fine,” Hank said. “I stole a watch. Fancy one. Nicked it right out of the display case.”
“Why?” Jason asked, fighting a grin despite himself.
“Needed some cash. Figured I could sell it. Couldn’t afford one, so I took it. The place had cameras, though, and they caught up with me pretty quick. Did a little time and met a guy who sold drugs. Figured that was easier than stealin’, so I got into that with him. Didn’t end well, not for him at least.” Jason thought about pressing Hank further but decided against it. He’d already put together most of the story, from various hints and little details that Hank had dropped. It had been his partner that got him his sentence, that put him on the path to Oakview. The murder that might end up getting him killed.
“Robbie,” Jason said, a thought that had been bubbling in the back of his mind coming forward.
“Yeah?”
“You should get into one of the rooms and hide,” Jason said.
“What? Why?” Robbie asked, confusion wrinkling his brow.
“They’ll be looking for me and Hank. Mac’s body is downstairs; they’ll have found it by now. Me and Hank will be the prime suspects. We’ve killed before. Once they find us, they’ll calm down. They’ll have to reason to hurt you. Just go into your room and hide. One way or another it’ll all be over.” The more Jason spoke, the more he felt that it was right. Robbie shouldn’t stay with them; he should hide. Robbie doesn’t deserve to die here. He hasn’t taken a life, and there’s no debt for him to pay.
“Jase is right. It’s too dangerous for you to stay with us,” Hank said.
“Fuck that. Fuck both of you. I’m not going to hide while you two get gunned down,” Robbie snarled.
“Robbie, listen to us. It’s the right thing. I know it is. You don’t deserve to die here, okay. Just go and hide, before it’s too late,” Jason said.
“No. Hell, no. I’m staying here, no matter what happens. You don’t know what they’re thinking, what’s going to happen,” Robbie argued.
“Don’t throw your life away, man. You’re still young, you can turn things around, get out,” Hank said.
“Throw my life away? You think it’s some precious thing to me? Living? What has my life been so far? Living on the street and then getting sent to jail. It’s already too late for me, man. I’m stained, damaged goods. Think they’ll let me just walk out of here? Hell, no. I’m never going to get free. Who does? Look at this, look at what happened here. Oakview was supposed to be a place of hope, of fresh starts. New chances. After this there won’t be any more chances, not for anyone. They’ll shut this place down and any others like it,” Robbie said, still stubbornly staying seated.
“You’re only thirty, bud, you ain’t seen everything that there is. You ain’t seen the whole world. I know people who got out. Not many, but some. It’s harder to do that, to try. To not give up. Giving up’s easy. It’s the easiest thing in the whole damn world to do. Give in and lay down. Me and Jase did, for years. I thought I would die in jail, catch a shank in the belly or something. Jase could have kept brawling, ended up a broken shell. But we didn’t. Instead we tried. We tried to change. Sure, we failed, and things didn’t work out for us. But we tried. And we ain’t done trying. So don’t you sit there and tell me it’s over for you, that it’s all too hard. Your history ain’t even that bad yet. Nothing you’ve done that you can’t run away from. So now here’s what you’re going to do. You’re gonna go into your room and you’re gonna hide. Me and Jase are gonna do whatever we can to get things under control, but if it goes bad, it goes bad. We’ve both been living on borrowed time anyway.” Hank’s speech crashed over Robbie like a tidal wave.
“Fine. All right. Just try not to get yourself killed okay,” Robbie said, standing up. He put the comb in his pocket and walked over. He held out his hand, and Jason took it, squeezing it firmly. Hank did the same a moment later.
“Robbie,” Jason said, pulling the man up short. “If we don’t make it, just try to be better, okay. Be a better man than we were. For us, for Stu, Juni, Billy, and Mia. You’re not bad. I could see it from the start. Don’t let the
world pull you down.” Robbie looked taken aback but nodded. Reluctantly, he walked down the hallway and disappeared into his room, the closest one to the staircase.
“That was a good speech, Hank,” Jason said after the door closed behind Robbie.
“It was your idea to get him to hide. If he survives, it’ll be because of you,” Hank said.
“He should. He hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“Since when does that matter?”
Jason rubbed his chin. “I feel like it does matter, in here at least.” Another bang from downstairs caught their attention again.
“Won’t be long now. They might already know we’ve blocked it off,” Hank said.
“Weird that they’re not trying to talk to us, to say anything,” Jason replied.
“Yeah. Guess they’ve got their minds made up. Gotta look strong for the public. Get things under control real quick, can’t let this linger,” Hank said, throwing another pill into his mouth.
“Well, one way or another, it’s not gonna be long now. The wolves are inside the walls.”
26
Chapter 26
“You hear that?” Hank asked.
“Hear what?” Jason responded. He couldn’t hear anything; there were no sounds. Nothing at all. “Oh. Shit.”
“Yup. Silence. We should have put glass on the staircase or something. Come on,” Hank said, walking over to the barricade. Reluctantly, Jason followed.
“Shouldn’t we stay away from it? Go hide in the back of the hallway or something,” Jason said.
“No point. We built this barricade to protect us. We have to use it,” Hank said.
“Use it how? If they want to get through, they’ll get through.”
“That’s right. We can’t stop them from getting in. But maybe we can grab one or two. Use them as hostages or something.” Hank pressed his ear up to the barricade.
“What! Grab one. You want to fight them? Are you fuckin’ crazy, Hank? They have guns! You have a sock! We won’t stand a chance in hell. We gotta surrender, right away.”