The Tear Collector

by Shawn Burgess

  “S’up, man? I’m Devin. But my friends call me Dev.”

  “Cool. Nice to meet you, Dev.” Silence ensues. Awkward. Not really sure what else to say.

  “Hey, brah, really sorry about moms. Didn’t know she was going to bring me over here. I feel bad about crashing your guys’ deal.”

  “It’s okay, man. Really. We’re probably just going to go play or something. You can come along.”

  “So what’s to do in this town? No waves, I know that.”

  “We ride our bikes and stuff. Tee and Robby play on the school basketball team.”

  “That’s cool. Like to shred that hill outside, that’s for sure.”

  Tee descends the staircase, and Robby makes his way out of the bathroom. They exchange a glance followed by a grin. My mom walks to the door.

  “Now why don’t you boys go have some fun. Show Devin around.” She ushers us out the door.

  “Guys, this is Dev. He’s from California.”

  “Yeah dumbbell, we heard your mom.” Tee slathers his words in sarcasm.

  Robby grins and gives Devin a fist bump greeting. “So, what’s up, man? You ready for an adventure?”

  “Sounds sweet. I’m in.”

  I lift my brows at the suddenness of his answer, not a moment of hesitation.

  “Like you already, Dev. You’re much more agreeable than Brooks.” Tee gives me a playful punch on the shoulder.

  “Wait, you guys can’t be serious. You still want to go through with this?”

  Robby grins wide. “A dare’s a dare.”

  “But what about Dev?”

  “You just heard him. He’s in.” Robby gives two thumbs up with a grin, his chestnut eyes shimmering in the sunlight.

  “I’m up for whatever, brah.”

  “Quit trying to back out of the dare, Brooks.” Tee nudges me, sporting a grin.

  “What’s the dare?”

  “Follow me.” Robby leads us to the end of the driveway. He tells Devin about Mysterious Margo and what transpired at the search party earlier that morning. Devin listens as Robby recounts how Mr. Wadlow acted suspicious and about the unusual things Brady Palmer told us. Tee tells him about the dogs yelping and freaking out. I can’t help but jump in the mix.

  “And then there were three gunshots!”

  “Yeah, it was like pow.” Tee mimes the recoil of a pistol. “And then, pow, pow!”

  “And I thought this town was going to be boring.”

  “That’s not the half of it. Brooks saw Mysterious Margo in the woods yesterday. She was saying some weird crap to him, and then something chased him in Grief Hollow.” Tee puts ominous emphasis on Grief Hollow leaving Devin with questioning eyes.

  “So that’s it, man. We think Mr. Wadlow might have something to do with the disappearance of Mysterious Margo, so we’re going to go do some recon. Cloak of Assassins style.” A reckless luster brews in Robby’s eyes like a gathering storm.

  “Love that freakin’ game, brah. And hell yeah. I’m in.”

  “Alright Dev, my man!” Tee gives him a celebratory fist bump.

  “So, where’s your bike?” Robby surveys the driveway. “Mr. Wadlow lives on High Street. We figured we’d roll over there and check it out.”

  “No bike, but I got this.” Devin walks to the stoop by the brick stairs. He reaches into the bushes and pulls out a skateboard. It’s covered in dings and scratches, the bottom emblazoned with a crazy skull with vampire fangs. Tee sniggers.

  “How you gonna keep up with us on that thing? You gotta be kidding?”

  “Watch!” Devin tosses the skateboard onto the driveway and jumps onto the deck. Giving the ground two quick pumps with his foot, he accelerates, racing to the end of the driveway. In an athletic crouch, he maneuvers the skateboard like an extension of his body, commands it as he would one of his own limbs, making it respond to every subtle movement he makes. He hops the curb and launches into the air, grabbing the board as he sails. The wheels strike the street with a thud. With expert precision, he shifts his weight to his back foot, lifting the front of the skateboard into the air. The back of the skateboard grinds into the pavement as he skids to a stop. He looks at us, wearing a huge grin. He taps his foot on the end of the skateboard popping it into his awaiting hand before strutting the length of the driveway to us.

  Tee’s lower jaw lunges. “Holy crap! That was awesome!”

  “Okay. Impressed.” I can’t muster anything else.

  Robby shakes his head with a grin. “Where’d you learn how to do that?”

  “Memorial Skatepark. Back in San Diego. I can teach you guys if you want.”

  “Dev, I’m definitely going to take you up on that. But not right now… Right now, we have a mission.”

  “Let’s do it.” Devin flips his hair from his face with a quick head whip.

  “Now that’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout.” Tee’s eyes are aflame.

  It’s clear that we’re feeding off Devin’s energy. We all instantly love him.

  Chapter 17

  Mr. Wadlow

  “LET’S DO THIS.” Robby hops on his bike and rolls into the street.

  “Yeah, buddy,” Tee chimes, following close behind.

  I grab my bike as Devin jumps onto his skateboard, veering out of the driveway and onto the street. We coast together down Slippery Hill. Devin carves a meandering descent, riding a wave of asphalt, leaning in like he’s attacking the apex of a cresting wave before making a swift weight adjustment, sending him charging to us. Robby and Tee exchange grins, a giddy acknowledgment of our flawed assumptions. Devin finds no issues keeping pace with us on his skateboard.

  Robby jumps the curb at the corner of Slippery Hill and Chambers Road, landing on Chambers without missing a beat. Tee and I stay in the roadway and hang a hard right. As if responding to an unspoken challenge from Robby, Devin jumps the corner of the curb as well and gets massive air before landing on Chambers Road and righting the direction of his skateboard. After a few quick leg kicks, he catches Tee and I. Robby grins as he leads the group on Chambers Road.

  Curiosity commandeers my gaze, casting it down Parson Street. Robby points to the spot where the search party began, providing context to the story we told Devin. The two squad cars remain parked at the end of the street. The pickup truck is gone, but there’s a new vehicle in its place, a shiny, black station wagon.

  Tee’s eyes grow wide. “Whoa! Did you see that?”

  I swivel my head around for another look. “Yeah, what was that thing?”

  “That’s a hearse, bro.” Devin’s words spill out nonchalant as he glides on his skateboard.

  My stomach tumbles. “Like for picking up bodies?”

  Robby frowns, crimping his lips. “Yeah, wonder who they found?”

  “Hope it’s not Margo.”

  Robby shakes his head. “No way, Tee. We’d’ve already heard about it.”

  My stomach turns on itself. This is a really bad idea. “Maybe we should go back and try to figure out what’s goin’ on.”

  Robby looks at me and grins. “Nice try, Brooks. That’s what the news is for. We’re going to Wadlow’s house.”

  Robby starts pedaling faster. I can tell what he’s doing, trying to set the pace of the group so fast that it stifles any further debate. Tee raises his eyebrows, eyes wide, a hint of a frown on his lips, but he’s pedaling hard to match Robby’s pace. Devin’s grinning ear to ear and pumping his leg to gain speed.

  This isn’t an argument I’m going to win. I stand on my bike pedals to gain more power and leverage. I pedal hard until I catch the group as we make the turn onto High Street.

  My smile crumbles as we coast onto the cracked pavement of Mr. Wadlow’s street. My pulse quickens as the reality of what we’re doing here begins settling in, plucking my nerve endings like guitar strings. Robby hops off his bike while it’s still moving and hustles it over the curb, rolling it into a vacant lot. Tee, Devin and I follow, stashing our bikes and Devin’s skateboard between so
me trees and thick brush. We huddle there in a circle. Robby points to a one-story house.

  “Mr. Wadlow’s house is that yellow one over there.”

  “So, what do we do now? Just watch?” A crackle in my voice betrays me.

  Devin grins. “I think we should go over there for a closer look.”

  How the hell is he smiling?

  Tee cuts skittish eyes to Devin. “Dude’s car is parked out front. He’ll spot us for sure.”

  Finally! Another person with some common sense. I can tell Tee’s comfort level with what we’re doing is wavering. Sure, he talks a big game, but Tee resembles me more than Robby, our daring not our most effervescent personality trait.

  “Chill out, Tee. Dev’s right. We can’t see anything from here.”

  “We can just walk down the road. Nothing should look unusual about that. Kids walk down the road in this town all the time, right?” Devin checks our faces for agreement and settles on mine as if waiting for an answer.

  “I mean, I guess so. But what are we supposed to do when we get down there? Just stand in front of his house and stare?”

  “No, we walk past the house. You see that hedgerow over there between Wadlow’s house and the next house?”

  “Yep, and then we go down the hedgerow to the side of the house for a closer look.” Robby hoists a big smile. He’s already beginning to complete Devin’s thoughts.

  “Exactly!” Devin fist bumps Robby.

  “He’s gonna see us for sure if we do that.” Tee’s voice crackles like distant thunder.

  “Yeah, what are we supposed to say if we get caught?”

  “We won’t get caught.”

  “Dev’s right. Look. You see the side of the house, right?” Robby points to the side of the house closest to us. “This side doesn’t have any windows. I bet the other side’s exactly the same.”

  My stomach churns and I frown. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

  “Yeah. I don’t know about this, guys.” Tee’s eyes swim around the group. “Why don’t we just watch from here?”

  “Well, I got good vibes, man.” Devin grins, bright eyes sparkling. He bounces his shoulders playfully. “Lighten up, guys. It’s going to be fun.”

  “Or dangerous,” I reply with wide eyes.

  “Tee, we can’t see anything from here. And Brooks, it’s going to be fine. Trust me.”

  “I guess.” My voice wavers at Robby’s assurance. Tee shoots wary eyes in my direction.

  “Don’t forget about Heavenly Everly,” Robby reminds with a smile.

  “Who’s Heavenly Everly?”

  “The hottest girl at our school. Alyssa Everly. Tee thinks she’s going to go out with him after this.”

  “Not think, I know she is, Brooks.”

  “Not if she finds out you puss’d out!”

  Tee shakes his head at Robby. “Okay, okay. I’m in.” His voice is a begrudging grumble.

  Everyone turns to me; I shrug my shoulders and mentally prepare for the worst. Robby reads my body language and grins.

  “Glad to see you have your winning attitude back, Brooks.”

  I take a deep breath trying to settle my nerves. Robby and Devin lead the way with Tee and I following. Devin and Robby both sport an extra bounce in their step. They’re excited about this? Really? This is so dumb. We’re going to get into so much trouble. But from somewhere unknown, a faint smile finds my lips, and a tingle blooms in my chest. Seriously, Brooks? You too? Excited? Don’t be an idiot. Listen to your fear. So what if Harper Pass is boring? Better bored than dead!

  As we walk past Mr. Wadlow’s house, Robby and Devin act nonchalant, mimicking enthralling conversation. They avoid making eye contact with the house.

  Tee and I don’t exhibit as much discipline. We both turn our heads to sneak a peek.

  Everything looks quiet. Three large, overgrown rose bushes in the yard reflect the overall neglect of the property. Though unkempt, beautiful blooms of red and white spiral out from their branches, and their sweetness perfumes the air. An older silver sedan sits parked on the curb. Dingy, yellow siding clings to the house like a deteriorating exoskeleton, the blinds drawn, and curtains shut. There’s no sign of Mr. Wadlow. How’s this even going to help us find Margo? We’re never going to know if Mr. Wadlow had anything to do with her disappearance.

  As Devin and Robby approach the hedgerow, they change direction in unison as if choreographed and beeline down the hedgerow in Mr. Wadlow’s yard. Tee and I follow. Once Robby and Devin descend far enough into Mr. Wadlow’s yard that they can avoid detection from the street, they dart across his driveway to a cluster of bushes by the house. They’re crouching behind the bushes as Tee and I rush in behind them.

  My heart thumps in my chest. “This is crazy, guys. We can’t even see anything over here.”

  “Yeah, we could get into a lot of trouble.” Tee’s eyes frantically scan our periphery.

  “Relax, guys.” Robby motions open palms to the ground. Robby and Devin rise and grab a quick view of the house before crouching with us. “Guys, there’s a window.” There’s hushed excitement in Robby’s voice.

  “I didn’t see any windows.”

  “That’s because it’s right by the ground, Brooks. It’s like a half window.”

  “I think it’s to the basement.” Robby motions to the house with his thumb like a hitchhiker and whispers, “We need to get over there and take a look inside.”

  “For what?” Tee’s voice jumps several decibels.

  Devin and Robby both turn to Tee and latch their pointer fingers to their lips.

  Tee lowers his volume. “For what?”

  Robby tilts his head and flashes big eyes at Tee. “So we can see if he has Mysterious Margo.”

  Devin nods at Robby. “Basement’s a good place to hide someone.”

  “We’re gonna get busted.” Tee’s words collide together like a freeway pileup.

  “We’re not going to get busted, Tee. If you’d just keep your voice down.” Robby narrows cutting eyes on Tee.

  “Follow me.” Devin gets low to the ground, crawling, weaving through the bushes to the window.

  “Love this guy.” Robby grins at Tee and I before he trails behind Devin.

  “Come on, Tee.” I follow them to the window.

  Upon reaching the window, we lie flat on our bellies in the dirt. The window sits about two feet off the ground and rises about twelve inches tall by three feet wide. It’s covered in grime and pollen dust, obscuring the view inside. Robby rubs the window with his palm, careful not to make any noise, and the dirty haze begins to clear away. Devin joins in on the glass, and they work their way to the middle. I get a foggy view of the ceiling inside. A shining lightbulb with no fixture protrudes from a wooden ceiling joist. From my vantage point a couple of feet away from the window, my view of the room cuts off about three feet below the ceiling.

  There isn’t space for all of us by the window. Robby and Devin secure the best view for themselves. They press their faces close to the glass, shielding their eyes with their hands to eliminate the glare of sunlight.

  “What do you guys see?” I whisper.

  “A guy.” Devin presses his face closer to the glass. “He’s looking through a microscope or something.”

  “Is it Mr. Wadlow?”

  “Yeah.” Robby’s voice is no more than an exhale. “Yeah, I think so.”

  “You see Mysterious Margo anywhere?” Tee asks.

  Robby turns his head to us. “No. I don’t see her.”

  “What is that?” Devin sinks his head deeper into the shadow of his shielding hands. “Looks like he’s cutting something.”

  “Let me take a look.” Robby places his face to the glass.

  “Can’t tell. It’s small. It looks white,” Devin says.

  “The part he’s cutting. I think it’s black.”

  “Sounds like what me and Tee saw him pick up in the woods.”

  “Dev, let’s back up so Brooks and Tee can
get a look.”

  Devin and Robby ease down from the window, crab crawling away to make some room. Tee and I crawl on all fours, taking their place at the base of the window. We raise our heads and peer inside.

  Mr. Wadlow stands by a workbench, positioned against the wall, in the dimly lit basement. Stacks of old dusty books and newspapers tower high on a wire shelf in the middle of the room. Mr. Wadlow lifts something small from the workbench between his thumb and forefinger. As he shifts his weight, it glints in my direction. Metal… A razor blade?

  My heart’s thundering in my chest; it's beating so loud that—irrational as it seems—I’m worried Mr. Wadlow might actually hear it. Even though we’re outside, less than twenty feet separate us. He moves aside offering a glimpse.

  “That’s it, Tee. That’s the thing he picked up in the woods.” But I can’t make out what it is with certainty through the hazy window.

  “I think so too.” Tee’s voice trails into a soft trickle.

  It appears he’s making a precision cut. He takes the sliver, puts it on a glass slide and slides it under his microscope. As he stoops to place his eye on the lens of the microscope, we get a much more inviting view, but I still can’t make an identification through the dirty glass. Tee jockeys for a closer position but loses his footing. He extends his hand to break his fall, and it hits the glass with a bang. Wadlow shoots his head in our direction.

  “Down!” I grab Tee’s shirt and yank him to the ground with me.

  “Oh crap, I think he saw us!”

  “What do we do?” My heart gallops, pumping hot blasts of blood.

  “Take another look,” Robby urges.

  My eyes bulge. “What?”

  “See if he saw you guys.”

  “We gotta run.” Tee flashes high-beam eyes at me.

  “Just look!”

  I pant for air, frazzled nerves nudging my need for more oxygen, sweat tumbling from my open pores. My body shaking, I ease my eyes a couple of inches above the window ledge at the same moment Mr. Wadlow’s legs disappear up the stairs leading out of the basement.

  “Oh shit! He saw us. He’s running up the stairs.”