by Zara Zenia
“I mean…” Benzen hesitates to say anymore. “Like… He isn't quite the same…” he trails off, embarrassed.
These guys are real weird, but I can only imagine where they’ve come from. They’ve obviously fallen on hard times.
“Anyway,” I try to change the subject, “what are you hungry for?”
“I like the yellow finger things?” Benzen ventures.
For some reason, despite his awful description, I think I know what he means.
“Bananas?” I ask.
He shrugs.
“Those?” I point to the fruit aisle.
“Yes!” his eyes grow wide.
“Well, let’s get you some of those.”
As we walk around the store, I think it’s rather nice to be a customer for once. I talk them through some of the items that confuse them, and they seem content listening to everything I say. The youngest and only female member of the group is a tiny girl who says her name is Victorinth. She’s a real sweet girl and seems far too young to be away from home. She takes an extra special liking to candy, especially the more colorful varieties, so I pick her out some Pop Rocks.
I think we’re almost done when Benzen stops in front of the cheese aisle and wraps his arm around his face.
“It smells bad,” I hear his muffled voice come through his shirt sleeve.
“It’s actually really great,” I say. “Sometimes the worst-smelling ones are the tastiest.”
“Hmmm… If you don’t mind, I don’t want to believe you.”
I chuckle at his innocence. It’s hard to imagine he’s never seen cheese before.
“What is it? Where does it come from?”
“It comes from milk, right?” I say, assuming he knows what milk is.
He looks at me blankly.
“You know the stuff that comes from cows, we put it in cereal?”
Still, he has no idea what I’m saying.
“Do you know the word 'cow?'”
Again, he stares blankly.
“The animal… You know… Mooooo.”
I point over to the deli counter where there’s a photograph of a cow up on the wall.
“That is cheese?” He frowns and looks a little worried. “Mooo… Is cheese, is milk?”
I have no idea what to say.
“Yeah, sure,” I shake my head. “Come on. Let’s get your stuff.”
As we take the food up to the checkout, the oldest one hands over the coupons, and I get their stuff paid for, even adding in a few dollars of my own to cover the cost of the Pop Rocks.
“Thank you so much!” The girl takes the candy from my hands and grins.
“Yes,” Benzen agree, looking up to me. “You are a really nice human!”
“Human?” I burst out laughing. “I’m glad I’m a nice human.”
His friend is back at his side, glowering down at him as though unhappy with what he's said. These guys are confusing, but they’re completely harmless. Thinking my job taking caring of them is done, I begin walking to the exit.
“Alright guys, I’m going home now. Have a date in front of the television with a steaming plate of spaghetti. You have a good night.”
I wave as I leave and begin rooting through my pockets for my car keys. I’m not even a hundred yards away, and I feel as though I’m being watched.
Looking over my shoulder, I notice none of them have moved. They’re all still watching me leave the store as if they’re sad to see me go.
“What have I gotten myself into?” I mumble as I walk back over to them.
The closer I get, the happier they seem.
“What’s up, guys?”
None of them say anything.
“Everything ok? Are you going home now or what?”
There’s a long pause as Benzen shuffles from one foot to the other.
“We have no home.”
“You don’t have a home?”
I’m taken aback, but not surprised. With their scruffy appearance and obvious lack of food, I guessed they were poor, but I didn’t realize they literally had nowhere to go.
“Where have you been staying?” I ask, bewildered.
“Over there, behind that light.” Victorinth points way into the distance.
“In the parking lot?”
“Parking lot?” she looks confused. “You mean the big space over there with the white lines painted on the ground?”
“Yes. Where all the cars are. It’s called a parking lot.”
I can’t help but sound a little angry. I want to help these foreigners, I really do, but they’re starting to drive me crazy. It’s as though they’ve lived their whole lives in a box and don’t understand anything about the world. Yet they look so afraid and frail.
“Do you know where we could live?” Benzen asks. “And where we can find some new ones of these?” He tugs at his shirt, showing how badly it fits. The neckline gapes around the front of his chest, and his pants are falling off his hips.
“I wish you told me this last night. I would have been able to help you out.”
Exasperated, I look through my backpack for my phone and dial the number for my dad. He answers on the second ring with his usual chipper voice.
“Hey, sport!”
“Hey, Dad.”
“What’s up? You sound a little down in the dumps there, champ.”
“I have a little situation here. I’ve made some new friends.”
“Well that’s great!” he beams.
I can even imagine him on the other side of the phone. He’d a have a pencil behind one ear, a mug of coffee in one hand, and a cheesy smile across his face that accentuated his fluffy mustache.
“No, it’s not great,” I sigh. “I mean, well, they’re really nice and stuff, but they’re in some trouble.”
“Oh no.”
“Yeah… Like, they have nowhere to stay, and they’re just so nice and…”
“How old are they?” He sounds desperately worried.
“About my age. A couple of them are maybe a little older.” I scan their faces as I speak.
“That’s terrible.” I can hear his voice drop. “Do their parents know where they are?”
“No. I don’t think anyone does, and anyway, it’s not like they’re children.”
I hear him bumbling about on the end of the line as though he’s rifling through his desk.
“Well… no matter what their age is,” he pauses to take a drink of his coffee, “they’re still someone’s kids. And we can't possibly just let them sleep on the streets.”
“I knew you’d understand,” I breathe.
“Well…you know,” I can hear him tap a pencil between his teeth. “Apartment twenty-seven is currently empty. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s a real mess right now, just frightful, but I’m not renovating it until next month and well… Makes no sense, it being empty while youngsters sleep rough. They can stay there until the end of the month, and we can make plans after that.”
“You’re the best! I’ll drop them 'round in a few hours.”
“That’s great kiddo. See you soon.”
Hanging up, I look back at the group, and they’re still waiting with expectant faces.
“I’ve found you somewhere to live. It won’t be the prettiest, but it’s better than a parking lot.”
“Oh!” Benzen leaps forward. “You are so very kind.”
“It’s cool, don’t worry about it. My dad’s a landlord. He owns loads of apartments. Some get run down and end up empty for a little while. He’s happy for you to crash there a few weeks, you know…until you get things sorted.”
“Crash?!” the girl looks horrified.
“Sorry I mean, live. 'Crash' is a weird American type of phrase.”
They all look ecstatic and relieved. Benzen turns around to his friends as if waiting for them to make a collective decision, then he turns back to me. Holding my hand, I worry for a second that he might kiss it, but he doesn’t. He just squeezes it tight and says “Thank
you.”
“It’s nothing,” I say, pulling my hand away.
His skin was cold and smooth like a pebble that's been left on the beach for decades, the sea eroding away its texture year after year.
“I’m glad I can help,” I say as something pops into my mind. “Actually! You know what? Working in the mall, I get discounts, so like….I could maybe get you guys some more clothes.”
I pick at Benzen’s shirt.
“This is a mess. We can jump into that place over there,” I point across the building, “and grab you something comfier for a couple dollars. I mean, the place is cheap, but it’ll do for now. Come on!”
I lead them into the clothing store and watch as their eyes widen as they look around.
“So…” One of them comes up to me hold a sweater. “What situation would you need this armor for?”
“Armor?” I laugh. “Like...I don’t know, maybe snow or a bit of cold wind.”
“Armor for snow?” He holds it close to his face. “Fascinating,” he muses as he wanders off to pick up something else.
Meanwhile, Benzen is wandering away from the rest of the group. He seems to have his eye on something. I hope to god he isn’t going to go anywhere near the bras.
“Hey! What is this armor for?”
“No… Erm. I mean, you don’t need those.” I try to explain, but a couple others have joined him.
It doesn’t take long before they realize they’re standing next to a mannequin that’s wearing them.
“Wow!” Benzen’s jaw drops. “That’s what they’re for.”
The group proceeds to pick them off the rack and hold them to their chests with great amusement. They attract their fair share of freaked-out looks from other customers and staff.
“Jesus,” I whisper under my breath, my hand clutched to my head.
“Guys,” I say through gritted teeth.
They don’t notice.
“Guys!” I yell, attracting even more attention. “Let’s go this way. You don’t need those.”
“Are you sure?” Benzen asks as he runs to catch up with me.
“I’m positive, now come on, let’s get you some pants and a couple t-shirts.”
Finally, after rounding them up like lost children, I manage to get them across to the general clothing section. Things are going well for a moment, and so far, I’ve got a good pile of stuff that’ll suit both them and my wallet. Just when I think everything is going smoothly and we’re well on our way to making a move, the oldest one comes out of nowhere wearing a skirt.
“Can I get two of these?” he asks casually.
“No. Can you put it back, please?”
“But why? It’s so much more comfortable than these,” he slaps at a pair of pants that are hanging up beside him.
“Yeah! I want one too.” Benzen pulls one up around his waists and rips off his pants underneath.
“Oh my god.” I’ve never been so embarrassed.
Everyone in the store is watching the spectacle, and I can’t hide how red my face is.
“Please! Guys! Put them back, and Benzen, put your pants back on.”
“But why?”
“Because…girls wear those! Don’t you know anything?”
His face crumples, and I feel terrible for getting angry.
“Look, I’m sorry but….it’s just weird if you wear these.” I point at the skirts. “Pants will do you fine.”
He looks heartbroken, and I can’t decide whether it’s because I shouted or because he really wanted to wear a skirt. Regardless, I feel pretty bad, so I pick him out an extra t-shirt and take everything up to the checkout.
Once we’ve bought everything, I hand over the bags and yawn. It’s been a long day.
“Here you go. Now let's see… I’ll have to drive you over to my dad’s apartment now.”
“Drive?” one of them asks, puzzled.
“Oh my god, please tell me you know what a car is.”
They all just stare at me. I’m getting fed up and tired of seeing their blank expressions every time I mention the most mundane of objects.
“Look, just…follow me, we’ll figure it out in a minute.”
As we stand in the parking lot, my mind whirring with ideas of how to fit them all in my old and dilapidated Nissan, I see they’re gathered around one of the wheels.
“Wow, it’s like in the old days, when they still used animatronic spheres,” I hear the girl say.
“I know. It’s strange. Why don’t they have static hover technology yet?” Benzen kneels down beside her.
What the hell did I just hear? I’m pretty sure I just imagined that. At least, I hope so. There’s no way. Just… I try to put it out of my mind.
“Alright guys, pile in. It’ll be a tight squeeze, but it’s not far, and hopefully, the cops won’t pull us over.”
“Cops?”
“Yeah, you know those guys in uniform who like to eat donuts and chase bad guys down with tear gas.”
“What is tear gas?” the girl looks petrified.
“It’s like…I give up.” I climb into the driver’s seat. “Get in. Let’s get you to your new place.”
As I start the engine, I’m not sure if the car is going to make it. It stutters and groans under the weight of all the people. Looking in the rear view mirror, I see four of them crammed in the back, their legs tangled over one another. Beside me sits the young girl and the boy I assume is her brother. She’s holding onto him as though she thinks the world is about to end.
“Alright then, let’s go.”
Very slowly and with a massive amount of creaking, the car finally moves away. As we make our way through the city, the sun is already starting to dip behind the skyline. The street lights begin to flash on one by one, and less and less children are running around with their parents this late at night.
I hear a gentle snoring beside me. It isn’t too dissimilar from hearing a cat sleep soundly at the bottom of the bed. Looking over, I see the young girl asleep in her brother’s arms. It’s then that I see how small and innocent she is.
Behind me, Benzen and the other three are talking rapidly, excited at everything they pass. I’m starting to think they’ve come from a country that’s vastly different from America. I’m trying to figure out where that could be, but draw a blank. Pretty much everywhere has grocery stores and cars, unless they come from the middle of the mountains or something but then…how did they get here?
“The buildings are small,” I hear one of them say. “Rather like the ones of the Onibian Dynasty,”
I glance up in my rear view mirror to watch them talk to each other.
“I agree,” Benzen points out the window. “That building which has the large yellow arches, and the red sign, it looks more like a playhouse, but there are many people inside as though it is a business.”
“And you see that?”
“The colored lights that make the vehicles stop and start?”
“Yes. They are similar to the LED systems discovered in the excavations done on the Gray Ridge.”
“Hmmm…” Benzen drifts off into deep thought as he looks out the window.
In the distance, I can see the apartment block.
“Nearly there,” I say cheerily.
I can’t wait to get home and head straight to bed, but I’m glad that even though it has been difficult, I’ve managed to take care of these guys. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to live on the edge of society, and the girl… She shouldn’t have to live in a parking lot, the poor kid.
“That’s us here, guys!”
As I pull up outside the apartment building, the darkness has set around the city. Above, the building towers over us with the lights flickering on inside like stars coming to life. They all fall out of the car onto the street and look around as though they’re deeply scared.
“It’s so different here,” says the girl.
“Don’t worry. You’ll be absolutely fine here, I promise,” I try to reassure her
. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
As we climb the stairs, the noises and smells from the apartment travel down the long corridors. Benzen is walking beside me, absorbing the atmosphere of the place.
“I’m sorry, it’s not that glamorous, I’m afraid.”
None of them say anything or seem to mind.
“I used to stay in an apartment here when I first left home,” I try to pick up the conversation. “But you know…I live across town now.”
As we reach their apartment, I see that my dad is already standing outside the door with the keys in one hand and his cell phone in the other.
“Hey, kiddo!”
“Hey, Dad.”
He cranes his neck to look behind me at the group.
“Well…they’re a bunch of little rapscallions, aren’t they? Tiny, too. The poor fellas.” He purses his lips together making his mustache stretch down to his chin.
Noticing the girl and the way she’s hanging off her brother, his face instantly softens.
“Let’s get you all inside,” he says as he unlocks the door.
As we all step in, I can see why the place needs to be refurbished, or even just deep-cleaned.
“Jesus, Dad, what happened here?”
“The last tenants were real filthy slobs, I can tell you that for free.”
“Mucky pups?” I laugh at him. “That’s an understatement.”
It smells disgusting like the place was used as a brewery. Mismatched furniture and wallpaper that’s peeling from the corners of the walls.
I turn around to my new friends and shrug.
“Home sweet home?”
Chapter 6
Benzen
I watch Allison leave with her father close behind. The keys to this place are in my hand, and I feel the metal between my fingers. Without these, we have no home, no hideout.
“I think she has been very kind to us,” I say as I look around the room.
“I agree.” Voland steps out of a side room holding some sort of bedding between his hands.
He sniffs it and recoils.
“And,” he continues as he walks around the apartment, picking things up at random, “we are very safe here, I think.”