by Michael Okon
Wyatt opened his mouth to say something snarky to the jock and then considered the nasty possibilities of Nolan’s response. Nolan was as hot-tempered as he was reactive. He was known to sucker punch teammates when they disagreed with his football calls. Wyatt wisely decided to keep quiet.
“Oh, look who?” Nolan acted surprised. “Wyatt Baldwin. Are you desperate to sell me a burger?”
Wyatt’s heart sank; he could feel the shame of the note on his back again. He wished he’d taken the fryer duty after all.
Jade and Keisha approached the counter, smiling at Wyatt.
“What did Casella give you for your paper?” Keisha asked.
“I got an A.” Wyatt shrugged, his voice low as if he were ashamed.
“Me too. It was easy,” Keisha replied. She was tall, with long legs and a curly Afro held back from her lovely face with two barrettes. She had slanted dark eyes and wide lips with a friendly smile. She was head of the cheerleading squad and the smartest girl in school. Wyatt grinned when he heard the clumsy clatter of Howard dropping a metal pan. He wasn’t the only klutz in the restaurant. It was followed by a muffled curse. Keisha liked Howard, but she couldn’t get him to do anything more than stare at her.
“Is that you, Howard Drucker?” Keisha called. “Come out here so I can see you!”
“Who’s going to cook your burger if I come out there?” Howard grumbled.
Jade gazed at Wyatt with a sweet smile. She toyed with a hank of her brown hair, twirling it until it fell like a fat sausage on her shoulder. Nolan and Jade had been on-again, off-again since fifth grade.
Wyatt looked at her and admitted wryly to himself that he was indeed quite desperate to catch her on the off-again loop. When he was around her, his throat turned into a noose, and words had to be painfully squeezed out. Wyatt swallowed hard, looking at her perfect teeth as she bit her lower lip. She was lightly tanned, but she glowed when she walked into a room. Keisha and Jade were dressed in tennis skirts. Keisha shoved her shoulder into Jade’s, playfully smiling.
Wyatt’s face turned crimson. Jade had picked him to do a report on the containment camps this spring, and she worked with him on a community project for the homeless. They had to meet alone to write the paper. It was probably the highlight of his senior year. It was like she was finding excuses to be with him.
Wyatt opened his mouth to say something but found his vocal cords uncooperative.
Nolan was oblivious to the interplay and pounded his chest. “Me want meat.” He came forward, wrapping one arm around Jade’s waist, picking her up. “Me want meat.”
Theo walked over to Keisha, who eyed him sideways. “Don’t even think about it,” she told him pointedly. “I could crush you like the vermin you are.”
“Ay caramba, Mamacita,” Manny crooned. “You too harsh on that boy. Maybe you need a real man.”
Keisha rolled her eyes, dismissing him. “Keep that up, Manny, and I’ll have to show you what I learned in taekwondo this week.”
“Yeah, man, she threw the instructor over her shoulder. You better watch out,” Theo said in a stage whisper.
“Howard Drucker! Make me a Double-Wubble the way I like it. You know the way I like it, don’t you? You still wearing your pocket protector?” Keisha asked seductively.
“Aw, leave him alone, Keisha,” Wyatt murmured. “You’ll make him nervous.”
“What? I think it’s sexy. All loaded up with number two pencils and his compass. His weapons of choice,” she said with a smile. “Maybe he’s got other goodies stuffed in that thing.”
This time something very big and probably expensive hit the floor. Nolan and Theo roared with laughter. Jade caught Wyatt’s flushed face again, and Manny cursed loudly, running to the back, muttering about kids.
Theo saw a dusty black Sprinter pull up and wandered to the window to investigate. He called to Nolan to see if he recognized the vehicle. Nolan pulled Jade possessively with him to the window. She hung backward; Nolan gave her a look of warning, and she stood just to the side of him.
Wyatt leaned over the counter, swallowing hard, and then, taking a deep breath, he asked Keisha, “Why’d you do that to Howard Drucker? You know he likes you.”
Keisha made a rude noise. “Well,” she huffed. “When you like someone enough, you should ask them to go out to a movie or something.” She propped herself on the counter, so she was half on it, her long legs dangling. “Don’t you agree, Howard Drucker?” she shouted. “That goes for you too,” Keisha said in an undertone to Wyatt and then glanced over her shoulder at Jade.
Wyatt looked nervously away, his fingers fidgeting with a paper bag. He peeked up to find Jade’s steady gaze upon him.
Jade was back, her face intent as if she were trying to tell him something. Or maybe that was his imagination speaking, and she was just nice. If she was even slightly interested in me, he thought bitterly, why was she hanging around King Kong?
Both girls jumped back with loud shrieks when Melvin appeared out of the darkness to stack a tray with fresh fries. His face floated between the shelves, the light painting it with an eerie reddish glow. The green glass of his werewolf pendant winked in the steam.
Wyatt dragged his eyes from Jade and laughed. “It’s just Melvin.” He turned around and said to his friend, “Mel, you should see what you look like.”
“What? What do I look like?”
“Like the star attraction at Monsterland, that’s what,” Keisha said. “You should make a little noise when you approach people. You’re a scary dude.”
“Me? Scary? You think so?” Melvin was impressed. “Did you hear that, Wy? I gotta see that in the mirror. I’m taking a break.”
Melvin rushed toward the restroom, Jade waved her fingers and said, “Hi Melvin.” She turned to Keisha and commented, “He’s not that scary.”
“He’s so weird,” Keisha said to Wyatt. “Why do you hang out with him?”
Wyatt shrugged. “Maybe I should wonder why he hangs out with me. Maybe we’re the weird ones.”
Keisha’s mouth dropped open. “I think you just blew my mind.”
“What? Who blew what?” Nolan was back, rapping out an order. He sized up Wyatt. “I heard Vincent Konrad gave all the civil servants free tickets for the opening of Monsterland,” he said contemptuously.
“So?”
“Did your father score?”
“Who?”
“Carter White, your father.”
“My stepfather Carter? Um … no. He’s not interested. He—”
“Yeah?”
“He’s not happy about the park.”
“What’s that got to do with it? If you had them, I’d offer a thousand for two. Right, Jade, you want to go?”
“Hey,” Theo said. “If you were going to Monsterland, that extra ticket would be for me, bro.”
Nolan’s eyes narrowed at Jade, who was watching Wyatt. He put his arms around her back to grip her shoulder. She tried to ease out of his hold, but he held her tight. “Don’t think so. I’d want my girl to be with me.” He gave her a slight shake. “Right, Jade?”
Jade tore her gaze from Wyatt to look at Nolan and then to the floor. Her mumbled answer was cut off when the door flew open, and the room flooded with a group of people. They were not from around here. Wyatt stared at them, not recognizing them. There were no strangers in Copper Valley—well, except for the homeless. With a population of barely twelve hundred, a person grew up knowing everybody else in the small town.
About ten people were filing in, Los Angeles types with smartphones and tablets; most were dressed in grungy, black-colored clothes covered with reddish dust. They were filthy, as if they had been working in the old copper mines.
A girl approached the counter. Her skin was fish-belly white, her hair an unnatural magenta. It was spiked around her small head. She asked Nolan impatiently, “Are you done ordering? I have a large order.” She turned around and shouted, “Ryan, you wanted a bun, no meat, right? But you’ll eat cheese?�
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“I’m lactose intolerant,” the only man in the group wearing a business suit whined. “A bun with tomato and lettuce.”
“May I have your name for the order please,” Wyatt asked.
“Sharice,” she replied.
Sharice’s group settled around four tables, their heads together, deep in conversation. “I want that too! I can’t look at meat anymore,” a girl on the far end of the crowd called out.
The door opened again, and a shabby man with a long khaki-colored coat slid into a dark corner. A vagrant, Wyatt surmised. Who wore a coat in the summer, Wyatt wondered, observing him. Someone who had no place to leave it, who didn’t belong anywhere, he thought, looking at the bum, who hunched himself down, his hair covering his lean face. Wyatt knew that feeling well. He watched the hungry eyes dart around the room until they settled on him. He seemed familiar, but Wyatt couldn’t place him.
Manny tended to be mean to the homeless, but Wyatt felt a keen sense of responsibility. These people were the real victims of the outbreak. His mother regularly gave out meals to anyone who passed by. Carter donated old clothes. Vincent Konrad’s mission was to put them on their feet again by creating jobs. The mogul was proactively finding solutions, he had argued with Carter. At least, unlike the polarized politicians in Washington, he was doing something to help the country. Wyatt even explained in school that, if everyone did a little something to help, the problem would solve itself.
He heard Manny curse when he spied the dirty-looking man. The manager passed Wyatt and quietly said, “Tell him to leave.”
“He’s not disturbing anybody, Manny. Give the guy a break. It’s hot outside.”
“If it’s so hot, why’s he dressed like the Grim Reaper?” With disgust, Manny eyed the leather duster the man wore.
Wyatt finished ringing up Nolan’s order, quickly packaging it.
“Have a heart, Manny. Maybe he’s a vet.” Carter was a veteran. His stepfather always talked about returning soldiers, friends who fell on hard times.
“If he’s a vet, he musta been one from the Crusades.”
Wyatt smiled, knowing Manny was joking, so he was okay with it. He watched the old guy looking down, trying to be inconspicuous, as if he wanted to disappear. Wyatt recognized that feeling. “Let it go, Manny,” he said in a small voice.
Manny shrugged. “Okay, Wyatt, but he makes a mess, you have to clean it up.”
Nolan swiped his bag from the counter and headed for the door. Jade pulled his hand, her voice imploring, “I want to eat inside.”
Nolan gave in ungraciously, and the four of them took a booth in the rear. The restaurant was packed now—burgers were flying; stacks of fries and a dozen shakes were all carried over to the large group of newcomers. The noise level rose, the group bickering about something. They must be here for the theme park, Wyatt figured.
He turned, looking at the older man who sat drumming his fingers uncomfortably. His shoes were caked with mud, and the coat’s hem rested on the floor. The patrons treated him as though he were invisible. Wyatt pulled out a few bucks from his pocket and placed it in the register. Employees ate half price. Wyatt took a Double-Wubble, a large package of fries, and a shake and brought it over to the bum.
“Where are you goin’ with that?” Manny called out with exasperation, watching Wyatt place it on the table where the man sat alone. “If you feed him, he’ll keep coming back.”
“Don’t worry. I paid for it,” Wyatt told him quietly over his shoulder. The shyness he felt around his peers evaporated. Wyatt understood loneliness, the malaise of not fitting in. While he was tongue-tied with Jade or a bully like Nolan, his sense of compassion took over for someone down on their luck. It was these qualities that drew Melvin and Howard Drucker to him. He never judged, and he wanted so much to make people feel at ease around each other. “Hungry?” he asked.
The huge group grew strangely quiet. The lactose intolerant man wearing the suit stood. He had his mouth open to interrupt Wyatt, but something unseen to everyone else made him pause.
“Is that for me?” the old man asked softly.
“It’s the best burger we have.” He leaned down to confide. “I like it better than the fish, but if you’d rather—”
“I didn’t pay for it.” He considered Wyatt, his eyes piercingly direct. “Do you know who I am?”
Wyatt searched his face but couldn’t place him. He was painfully skinny, his cheekbones jutting from his face, the creases lined with the red dust of the valley. He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. My name’s Wyatt. Don’t worry about the cost. My treat,” Wyatt said as he gestured to the food on the table. “I’ve got another for you when you leave … for later.”
“No, no, this is fine, I mean exceptional. You’re very kind.” He glanced back at Sharice and the group in silent communication. “What’s your last name?”
“Baldwin, sir. My name is Wyatt Baldwin.”
“Baldwin. Baldwin. I knew a Baldwin once.”
“It’s a pretty common name, sir. And you’re probably thinking of Alec, Stephen, or Billy—the family of actors. No relation. What’s yours?” Wyatt held out his hand.
“If you touch that guy, I don’t want you touching my food!” Nolan shouted.
Wyatt ignored Nolan, reaching forward to take the grubby hand. “Don’t pay attention to him.”
“You’re very brave,” the man stated. “Do you always shake a stranger’s hand?”
“If we’ve shaken hands, I don’t think we’re strangers anymore. Besides, I’ve introduced myself.”
“Indeed, you have,” the man said, coming to his feet, straightening up. He was so tall, Wyatt had to put his head back to look up to him. He didn’t look old or frail after all, Wyatt thought. His black eyes swept the room, coming back to rest on Wyatt. “Doctor Vincent Konrad,” the man replied, taking Wyatt’s hand in a surprisingly strong handshake. “Forgive my filth. We’ve been knee deep in your red sand, getting the park ready. The werewolves …” he said as if it were an apology. “You understand.” His deep voice filled the room, and Wyatt was awed by his presence.
Wyatt’s eyes widened with excitement as he looked closely at the man’s lined face. He was dirty, his hair scraggly, but the eyes—Vincent Konrad in Instaburger? Wyatt was thrilled with the thought of it. Meeting him was unbelievable, a dream come true. Wyatt smiled; that’s why he seemed familiar. His face split into a wide grin. He pumped the older man’s hand enthusiastically. “Dr. Konrad! You look so … different. This is amazing.” He pulled his phone from his back pocket. “Do you mind if we take a selfie? No one is going to believe this,” he said, his voice cracking.
Vincent smiled, leaning toward Wyatt’s shoulder to squeeze into the frame.
“How’s it going down there? Are you ready for the opening?” Rapid-fire questions popped out of Wyatt’s mouth. He was standing right next to him, the most famous man in the country, now the planet. He had treated Vincent Konrad to a Double-Wubble. Wait till I tell Carter, Wyatt thought, his eyes bright with excitement. “Man, what I would give to go to the park tomorrow,” Wyatt said.
“Really?” Vincent turned to look at him full in the face. “What would you give?”
Nolan burst out laughing, “Yeah, that’s Vincent Konrad, like I’m Tom Brady,” he sneered.
Sharice’s group stopped talking at once. The room was silent, except for Nolan’s inappropriate laughter. Vincent snapped his fingers and then held up four fingers.
Sharice fiddled with different envelopes. Vincent turned a baleful eye on her, and her search became frantic. Dropping her sheaf of papers, she rushed to him, slapping four silver strips into his palm, uttering an apology.
Vincent walked deliberately to the table in the rear. Nolan’s laughter died on his lips, his face puzzled.
“Ah, the cool kids. So you don’t believe that I am Vincent Konrad?” he asked with menacing calm. “I wonder, what will it take for you to believe? Do you like to be scared?” He leaned down, his
face next to Jade, who sat frozen in her chair. Theo edged away from the old man. Keisha stared him straight in the face. He wagged a finger at her. “You don’t seem afraid of anything.” He peeled off one ticket, letting it float onto the greasy tabletop. “One ticket for Diana.”
“My name’s Keisha.”
“I think you are the fair Diana, goddess of the hunt,” he said, considering her appreciatively.
Keisha picked up the ticket to look at its contents. Nolan snatched it from her slender fingers. “Hey!”
“Holy cow, this is a ticket for the grand opening of Monsterland!” Nolan looked up to reconsider the older man. “You really are Vincent Konrad.”
“Doctor Vincent Konrad,” he corrected. “I need you youngsters to come and take lots of pictures and spread the word using all those little devices you’re so addicted to.” He dropped the remaining tickets onto the table. “Let’s see if Monsterland can scare the daylights out of you.” Vincent leered at them.
“These are free tickets,” Keisha said suspiciously. “Why are you giving them to us?”
Vincent’s eyes bored into Nolan. “What’s your name?”
“Nolan Steward.” Nolan puffed out his chest and then reached out for a handshake. “My father is—”
“I know who your father is,” Vincent eyed his proffered hand and dismissed him.
Jade shuddered. “I don’t know—”
“You don’t know what?” Vincent moved down to be eye level with her.
“Wyatt was kind. He gave you something to eat. Why would you give Nolan the tickets?”
Vincent’s long fingers caressed the top of Jade’s head. “Very nice. Very nice. I like a girl with heart.” Vincent turned, opening his arms wide. “You are right! It seems as though we have left out the nerds! But …,” he rose and circled the room, “appearances can be deceiving,” he said grandly. “I have something very special in store for Wyatt of the infamous Baldwins. Perhaps you’ll invite Alec?”