by May, W. J.
“We should git outta here. If we keep laughin’ the cops mightn’ hear us.”
Brent walked back and bent to collect his socks and shoes. “I’m with the Scot on heading back. My toes are freezing.”
Rylee’s breath sucked in. “A couple of flashlights just shone into the forest in our direction--”
“Yeah,” I interrupted, my own heart rate picking up. “Someone heard us. They’re heading to their cars to grab some more lights.”
“Run!” Seth hissed, grabbing Rylee’s hand and pulling her. “Get back to the wagon as fast as you can.”
Chapter 6
“I’m not spending the night in jail.” Heidi gripped the back of the driver’s seat as the rest of us clamoured inside the car.
Kieran tore out of the gravel side road. Tires squealed in protest when they hit the paved street. Sitting in the middle of the backseat, I slammed into Brent and then bounced against Heidi as the vehicle straightened. The distance between us and the mine couldn’t be far enough for me.
“We’re not going to get caught,” Kieran said, his voice tense.
“Even if we do, we won’t get arrested,” Seth added. “Cops’ll just give us a warning about how irresponsible teenagers we are, and how we won’t grow up to be participating members in our society.”
Brent grinned. “Been there before, buddy?”
Seth glanced at us in the backseat. “Couple of times.” He turned back around when the car veered sharply as Kieran swerved around a bend in the road. “Go down the next street on the right. It’ll take us to Brent’s place. Few more stop signs, but hardly any street lights. Good ol’ country roads. Lots big, old trees.”
Five rolling stops later, Rylee started giggling.
“That was pretty awesome.” Seth nodded. Even Kieran, whose knuckles were white from holding so tightly to the steering wheel, smiled.
Brent pounded the car’s ceiling with his fist, and shouted, “Can I get a holler?”
Heidi and I screamed, “Whoop! Whoop!” Then we dissolved into laughter.
“Seriously though, that was pretty crazy.” I said as we neared Brent’s place.
“We need to plan this shit out better.” Seth punched his knee.
“Yeah, like not go.” Rylee sighed, shaking her head. “I was so stressed. I think I just took ten years off my life. Or way worse. I’ll probably be dead by the end of the year.”
“Hey, dead-dude’s got no stress now,” Seth joked. No one laughed. “Too soon?”
Brent leaned against his seatbelt and swatted the back of Seth’s head. “Yeah.”
“Whatever.” Seth rubbed his head. “You know what we need? Outfits. I’m gonna look online tomorrow. Maybe I can find something on eBay.”
Rylee snapped her fingers. “I’ll look. No way am I letting you choose what we wear. I can only imagine what you want to get for Zoe, Heidi, and me.”
Seth grinned. “Yeah, you wouldn’t like it. But you’d be totally hot.” He leaned away from Rylee’s fist, easily missing it. “We’ll look together. I don’t trust you either.”
Kieran pulled the car alongside the gym, mere feet from the doors. He put it in park and handed the keys back to Heidi.
We piled out of the car. Brent unlocked the gym and then slipped inside. By the beeping of buttons, I heard him turn off the alarm. Funny, each key made a slightly different noise, like a telephone. It wouldn’t be difficult to figure out a combination if I listened hard enough. After tonight, avoiding any cop situation might be a better idea.
“It’s getting cold out,” Rylee murmured, her breath sending puffs of smoke into the air.
Brent leaned out the door. “It’s off. We’d better get into our sleeping bags before someone finds out where we were.”
“Sounds good to me.” I slipped under his arm and inside. Relaxing and trying to sleep would be a lot better than talking about the lonely, cold, lifeless body. I shivered, not liking the mental picture.
In silence we set the gymnastic mats on the floor with our sleeping bags over top. Rylee, Heidi, and I slipped into another room to change.
“Rylee,” Heidi asked, “Are you okay? You’re awful quiet.”
Rylee sighed. “I just wish I could get the image of that poor guy’s body out of my head. It’s so freakin’ crystal clear.” She rubbed her eyes. “This sense-thing is a blessing and a curse.”
Heidi hugged her. “I brought hot chocolate. Let’s go make some.”
When we got back to the room, the guys were eating chips and popcorn. I couldn’t resist teasing Seth. “I thought you said the smell at the mine wouldn’t leave your nose hairs for weeks. A bag of chips and a whole bowl of popcorn for just you? Seems your appetite is back.”
He grinned and tossed a few popped kernels into his mouth. “Seems the butter managed to remind my gut what’s good for it.”
Kieran sat at the table doing a crossword from one of the newspapers. “So what do you guys think? Will you guys be able to find out what happened at the mine?”
“I don’t know.” Brent came out from the bathroom connected to the room. “It’s not like we know more than what the cops said. They’ll do an autopsy and it’s not like we want to break in and see what it says.” He dropped down on the couch and stole some of Seth’s popcorn. “From what was left of the body, the guy was probably homeless or something.”
Seth shifted and turned just as Brent leaned over to grab another handful. “I’m not giving up. I bet we can find out who the guy is – was before the cops.” He pointed a greasy buttered finger at Brent. “And figure out who killed him.”
Rylee, now standing behind Kieran and looking over his shoulder at the crossword, took the hot chocolate Heidi offered. “I agree with Seth. If I gotta live with that image in my head, I want to know who it is.”
Heidi slipped into her sleeping bag. “Can we just give it a rest tonight? I’d rather not get caught by the cops and wait till the papers or news say something.” She yawned, a big long one which got me then everyone else copying.
Shortly after, each of us crawled into our makeshift beds. No one felt like trying to make conversation, we must have each been lost in our take of the evening. One by one they began nodding off.
An hour later I shifted, trying to find a comfortable spot on the floor. The ground felt too hard, my sleeping bag too tight. The sounds in the room were overly annoying. I’d finally started getting used to the night noises at Dad’s and Mom’s houses. Here, everything drove me crazy. Seth’s lumberjack snoring, Rylee’s moan every time she exhaled, Brent’s constant finger drumming against the gym mat, Heidi sounded relaxed, which made me jealous, and then there was Kieran. His erratic breathing and changing heart rate kept me from dozing.
Sighing, I rolled over and exasperatedly kicked at the bottom of the sleeping bag, trying to free my tangled feet.
“Can’t sleep?”
I nearly bolted when Kieran’s whisper shouted in my ear. Across from me, he sat slightly sideways, his lower body covered. The room was dimly lit by the full moon through the window. His pale, lean torso rippled against his ribs and taut muscles stretched across his back and down his arm. The eerie blue night light seemed to gravitate toward him. Not that I could blame it.
“Everything’s kinda… noisy.” I leaned on my elbows and shrugged.
He unzipped his sleeping bag and crawled out. “Come on.” He tiptoed over and offered me his hand.
I slipped mine into his warm, calloused one and let him pull me up. We grabbed our gear and snuck out. We could’ve driven a garbage truck through the room. Those guys weren’t going to wake up for anyone or anything.
“Where’re we going?”
“The room a wee further down the way.” His accent sent tantalizing shivers down my spine. “Brent said his dad had a hyperbaric thingy-medoby.”
“Chamber,” I corrected, feeling a little nervous, though not sure why.
“I think it’s gonna help you, maybe dampen the noise.”
&
nbsp; He turned the knob on the second to last door, and flipped the light switch.
I blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness and looked around the room. I started laughing when I saw the chamber. It looked like a submarine, except Brent’s dad had painted it like a Canadian flag. All bright red and white enamel.
“’e’s a bit patriotic?” Kieran raised his eyebrows. “Me dad’ve painted it like a kilt. Maybe a bottle Bovril.” He blinked and swallowed, his face suddenly serious. “It’s big.”
“Yeah, Brent’s dad does everything that way. There’s a hyperbaric bed at the hospital by my dad’s office and it looks like a giant baby incubator. It’s see-through on the top. This one’s probably got a launch pad somewhere and it’ll shoot off into space.”
Kieran walked around the room, and opened a door to a closet. “No launch pad in thar.” He headed over to the controls and hit a few buttons. Clicking, swooshing, and a loud pressure release squeal sounded. “Thar pretty easy to use. Just need to set the timer.” He played with a few more dials.
The door to the chamber had one of those handles that reminded me of a submarine. I wondered if it had a steering wheel doorknob on the inside. Walking over, I poked my head through the doorway.
Two single beds with pillows and sheets sat on each side, and also a small writing desk. I dropped my sleeping bag on top of the thin sheet and turned to check the back of the door. Kieran ducked his head as he came in and held the door. The knob was a push bar.
“It can’t lock us in,” he said. “You needn’t worry, lass.” He let the door click shut.
I smiled, about to reply, when the quietness of the room dispelled all train of thought. I heard our hearts beating, semi-steady rhythms, and Kieran swallowing before he set his sleeping bag on the other bed and sat down. He looked questioningly at me, his face so hopeful.
Like a knight in shining armour. “This is really nice.” My voice seemed to echo against the walls, so I dropped it to a whisper. “It’s awesome.” Without thinking, I leaned over and hugged him. “Thanks.”
He smelled musky and heavenly. My nose, or maybe it was my body, begged me to inhale again and memorize the scent. His arms came around my waist, his hands resting on the small of my back. I dropped my head to his shoulder. It fit perfectly.
“Hey,” he whispered, leaning slightly back.
I lifted my head and looked into his steel grey-blue eyes. They flittered back and forth between mine, then dropped down to my mouth. I felt his heartbeat hammering as mine raced alongside. He brought his head forward and I closed my eyes, letting my lips open a little. His were so soft. It was a light kiss. Slowly I opened my eyes to see him staring at me.
Weird, I’d only kissed a few guys, and they’d never kept their eyes open. I wondered why Kieran did.
Looking sheepish, he grinned. “You’re so pretty… I wanted to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.”
He probably said that to every girl he’d ever kissed, but telling me those words, I believed him. I blushed, he had spoken like he’d read my thoughts. “I think maybe this chamber’s filling up with something other than oxygen.” Bad, bad, bad joke.
“Whatever the drug, or gas, I like it.” He bent toward me again, this time closing his eyes. The kiss deepened and I loved the feeling of him pulling me tight. Too soon, he moved his hands to my sides and gently pushed me back. “I’d love to do this all night, but I didn’t bring you here for this. I am a bit of a gentleman. At least I try to be. You need sleep. And I need to take you out on a proper date before I kiss you.”
Sigh. Big movie star sigh.
He slid off the cot and made my bed. “Git in and I’ll zip you up.”
His moisture still on my lips, I pressed them together for a moment. “You don’t have to take me out on a date to kiss me. Honest, I don’t mind.” Instant burning to my face. Could I sound more trampy? I blinked when a horrible thought crossed my mind. Maybe there was something wrong with the way I locked-lips.
He kissed my forehead. “I dig you. You’re the first good thing to walk into my life in a long time. I don’t want to screw it up.”
Ahhh… my insides melted. If he asked me to rob a bank with him, I’d do it. Fly to moon? We could use this hyperbaric chamber and turn it into a rocket. Funny, maybe every girl had these silly fairy tale thoughts.
Kieran squeezed behind his cot and pushed it a bit closer to mine, and then went over to shut the lights off. The little round windows kept the room bright from the fixtures outside the chamber.
“We forgot –” I started.
“Remote.” He held up his hand, holding a tiny, black, TV-looking remote. Pressing a button, the room went instantly dark. I heard him slip into his sleeping bag and settle on his back, his hands behind his head.
I thought about his lips against mine and tried to focus on something – anything – else. “I’m not tired now.”
Kieran laughed. “Me, either.”
I said the first thing that popped into my head. “Have you heard from your dad?”
“Me dad?” I heard his fingers scratch against his scalp. “He’s, uh, good.”
Poor Kieran. Apparently he hadn’t patched things up. How awful. I couldn’t imagine fighting with my dad that long. “When’s he coming back?”
“I dunno know.” He paused. “Maybe in a couple of months.”
I pushed up on an elbow. “A couple of months? He just leaves you on your own? What about groceries? Bills? Money to pay for everything?”
He lay silent and I scolded myself for being so nosey. It wasn’t any of my business.
“It’s not a big deal.” Kieran shrugged, I heard his shoulders crack and relax against the sleeping bag. “He sent me money yesterday actually. And I usually do the groceries anyway.”
“I can make a mean bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. I can come over and make it a night if you’d like. Or, you could come to my place.” I cringed. He’d probably zoom away on his bike so fast after being interrogated by my mom or dad. Either house we were screwed. “You know, kinda like a date.”
“I’d like that.” He yawned, long and deep. “Hmmm… let’s talk in the morning, ‘eh?”
“Sure.” I listened to his heart settle into a slow, steady rhythm, his quiet breathing music to my ears.
It felt like moments, but when I rolled over and checked my watch, I was startled to see the clock read after seven a.m. The silence inside the chamber reminded me where I’d slept, and who lay in the cot beside me. I sat up and stared at Kieran.
His long, lean body stretched out on top of his sleeping bag, his ankles crossed and an arm thrown across his forehead, covering his eyes.
I stared at his face, seeing a slight trace of dark stubble. It tempted me to run my knuckles light over it, to check if felt smooth or like sandpaper. Looking down, I shoved my hands under the blanket, less they decide to have a mind of their own.
Glancing up, I noticed a slight smile on his lips.
“I’m awake,” he said. “Don’t drill me wit’ a pillow.” He moved his arm and looked at me, resting his chin in his palm. “It’s pretty quiet in here for you, right?”
I nodded, part of my brain wondering how he could look so hot first thing in the morning. This only made me think I probably looked like a rumpled shirt. Pulling my band out of my hair, I redid my pony, then changed my mind and stuffed it into a bun.
“I was hoping it would work. Maybe the extra oxygen in here will do something good for your ears. Like take some extra crap out.” He pointed to the door. “Can you hear anything from there?”
The flashing buttons made a little clicking noise. Easy to detect. “Yeah, but --”
He pointed to his feet and wiggled them. “Can you hear them?”
I listened, letting the clicking noise fade out and noticed his toes crackling as the bones slid against each other.
“What about the lights? Is there a buzz from the electricity?”
I glanced up and heard the sound… for the fi
rst time since I’d woken. “How’d you do –”
“I didn’t do anything.” He grinned. “I just had a gut feeling the hyperbaric chamber might help muffle out some of the noise… make it like a background sound. I hoped it might help you control, like zoning in and out.”
“Way. Too. Cool.” I jumped off the bed and stretched my arms toward the low ceiling. “I believe I owe you my sanity.”
“Darn.” He snapped his fingers dramatically. “I’m a little particular to the insane.”
I grinned. “Spend a year in Elliot Lake. The boredom will make you crazy.”
“Since coming, I don’t believe there’s been a moment of dull.”
“True.” I needed to pee. Not exactly something you want to share with a guy you’re crushing on. “We should probably check if the others are up.” I headed for the door. “Best sleep I’ve had in a long time.” Looking back, I watched Kieran grab both sleeping bags, haphazardly rolling them up. An idea struck me. “Hey, my dad wants me to do some blood work. You know, to make sure there’s no radium in it. He asked me to see if one of you guys would do it also?” I shrugged. “Since everyone’s folks are home and’ll get paranoid, would you come?”
Kieran stopped rolling the bags and stood quiet for a moment.
“You don’t have to,” I said, trying to make it sound like no big deal. “I just figured… your dad’s away and your blood’s probably the cleanest of all of us…” I let my voice trail off and chewed the inside of my lip, waiting for him to say something.
He picked up the sleeping bags. “Is this your way of getting me to meet your da’?”
My mouth dropped, probably into a perfectly circled ‘O’. I hadn’t even thought of that.
He winked. “How ’bout Thursday or Friday? Maybe you can make some of that spaghetti bolognaise you were talking about afterwards?”
Play it cool, girl. “Sounds perfect. It’ll get my dad off my back.” I reached for the door handle. “Now I wanna see if I can make the noises driving me crazy become background when we’re outside of here.” A huff escaped my lips. “I doubt it’s going to work.”