He thrashed his arms and legs in the frigid water, but neither struck bottom. Nor could he determine, at first, which way was up. It was like swimming through cold mud. Already his fingers were brittle as sticks and his clothes like hundred-pound weights.
The water rushed rather than drifted here. It carried Sully downstream, so that when he surfaced, Tank and the others were mere inches tall, huddled and posed like Eva’s dolls on the hillside, watching him.
It didn’t take much to make it to shore once Sully put some effort into it. He hauled himself onto the riverbank and breathed in the river stink, as he dragged his long hair out of his face.
He glanced over at the trio again. Their huddle had become a brawl. Tank shoved Dodger backward and Ox made a fist. It was Dodger who stepped away first to see that Sully had made it to shore. When the other two joined him, their stances visibly relaxed and they slapped each other’s backs.
While Sully didn’t believe they’d planned the train encounter, the way he’d escaped would surely be fuel for their fire, given that it hadn’t actually killed him.
The wind bit into Sully’s arms as he pulled himself up through the bushes. From this side of the tracks, his distance home was tripled.
Sully trudged home under gray skies. His teeth chattered on his left temple, loosening gobs of snot from his nose, which had hiked to his forehead. Cowering on his right cheekbone, his eyes squinted back tears but, for the first time, his maelstrom of emotions made room for something more than fear and sadness and loneliness. It felt a lot like anger.
CHAPTER 37
“A hundred and three.” Mom pulled the thermometer out of Sully’s mouth. “I’m sorry for doubting you, Sullivan.”
Sully lay back in bed and closed his eyes. Something good had come out of the rail bridge incident after all. He hadn’t actually told Mom what happened. If he told her about the rail bridge, he’d have to admit to skipping school. One problem at a time.
“Stay home tomorrow, and we’ll talk about the rest of it when you’re up to it, okay?”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Sully smiled. A fever ought to be good for at least two days at home, and then it would be the weekend.
“Hey, Rooster.” Eva put a hand on Sully’s head like a mini-Mom.
“Don’t you have a bus to catch?”
“It’s after school, Silly.”
Sully sat up and looked at his clock. His head throbbed and he felt cold and hot at the same time.
He trudged down to the kitchen and was rummaging in the medicine cupboard when the doorbell rang.
“It’s not Halloween, yet.” Eva stood at the front door. “What are you supposed to be, anyway?”
Wearing only his boxers, Sully snuck past Eva on his way upstairs.
“There are some people at the door for you, Rooster,” Eva called.
Sully froze on the first step. What if Tank was home-delivering the Black Spot?
“One of them says he’s Morty.” Eva opened the door wider. “But I don’t think so.”
Sully grabbed the railing and hoisted himself up three steps when a voice called through the door.
“Dude, you okay?”
“We’ve brought you some homework, Bee Boy.”
“Bee Boy?” said Eva.
Sully let out the breath he’d been holding.
“Tell them I’m sleeping,” he whispered.
“We can see you, you know.” Blossom pointed to Sully’s reflection in the hall mirror.
“We heard rumors of something happening at the rail bridge, Dude.”
“Keep it down.” Sully raced for the doorway. “I don’t want my sister to hear.”
“We’re here to help you, Dude.”
“Look,” said Sully, “I know you’re trying to help, but it’s not helpful. You wanted to help yesterday, too, and I nearly got run over by a train.”
“That’s not fair and you know it. How were we supposed to help when we didn’t even know where you were? You’re the one who ran off on us.” Blossom’s delicate, pale wildflowers had been replaced by deep purple lilies and black-eyed Susans that climbed the contour of her cheeks, accented with a web of dark green leaves. “And while we’re at it, you can’t really be so thick as to think we had anything to do with that video.”
“No,” said Sully. “I’m sorry for thinking that. But that’s my point. How is it, exactly, that you think you’re going to help me? You were right there with me Monday and look what happened. In a moment of weakness, I told myself that hanging out with you two might make me invisible. You know, take the focus off me? But it just made me a bigger target.”
Morsixx jerked back a foot as if blasted with a pocket of air, while Blossom’s lilies piled up in the middle of her forehead.
“That’s harsh, Dude.”
“It’s more than harsh,” said Blossom. “It’s extremely rude and insensitive. And if you look at the facts, you didn’t do any better on your own. Arguably, you did worse. At least when you were with us, it was only your emotions at risk, not your life.”
“Only my emotions,” said Sully. “Yah. They don’t matter at all.”
“Believe me, you can learn to swallow your emotions when you have to,” said Blossom. “You’d be surprised at how resilient the human spirit can be. But physical bullying is another matter, if the one taking it out on you is physically stronger.”
Her eyes were like thorns pressing into his skull as she said this. Her fists balled at her sides as if ready to punch someone herself.
“There’s strength in numbers, Dude.” Morsixx reached for Sully’s arm. “You need help, and we’ll—”
“I’ll take my chances on my own,” said Sully. “And I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to be insulting. What I meant is that with the way you guys dress, you just kind of, you know, stand out. So people wouldn’t notice me.”
Blossom unclenched her fists and raised the fingers of her right hand to trace the yellow flowers on her cheek.
“You know our ‘Shalott’ essay is due Monday,” she said. Though the comment was clearly directed at Sully, Blossom’s gaze fell somewhere in between them, as if she were two different people operating within one body. “Even if you insist on refusing our help, you and I need to get together to work on it.”
“Some stupid essay is not at the top of my list right now. If you really want to help me, do it for me.”
“You are so messed up, Dude. You can’t keep running.”
“Watch me.”
“I’m telling you, you don’t have to deal with this on your own, Dude. We’ll stick by you.”
“You don’t deserve loyal friends like us,” said Blossom, “but nor do you deserve to be bullied. We’ll go to the school administration together and stop it at the source.”
“I already kind of burned that bridge,” said Sully. “Look, I was out of line. I’m sorry. I know it’s not your fault, and I also know what a jerk I’m being. But guys, I’m actually on the short list! I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but please don’t come to my house again.”
Sully took a step back and pushed the door to close it, but Blossom shot her foot out to block it.
“Call me and we’ll do this over the phone.” She pushed a sheaf of paper into Sully’s hands. “That’s my number at the top. If you want to get credit for this essay, you’ll have to do some of the work.”
“I’m sick.” Sully shoved Blossom’s foot out of the way and shut the door. “I have to go.”
CHAPTER 38
The rail bridge incident bought him two days. Three, if you counted the actual day it happened, but Sully’s fever was normal going into the weekend. He had his talk with Mom and convinced her his mention of lists was just feverish confusion on his part, and explained away the “incidents” as male adolescent antics he assured her wouldn’t be repeated. A
ll this left him with no other option than to head to school on Monday morning.
So here he was, in Sex Ed again, but mercifully the class passed uneventfully. Tank sat at the back of the class and largely ignored him.
English was a different matter.
“Place your essays in the tray,” instructed Wippet, as the class filed in. “I hope none of you has forgotten that a late essay will earn you a zero, and this paper is worth fifteen percent of your mark.”
“I swear we have ours done,” said a girl who frantically riffled through her knapsack.
“Didn’t you print it off?” said her partner. “You said you’d bring it!”
“Ms. Wippet,” the first girl protested. “We honestly have it done! I must have left it at home.”
“Just get it in to me by the end of the day,” said Wippet. “I’ll be in my classroom until five.” Sully looked around the room as Wippet launched into the lesson. Blossom hadn’t arrived yet.
A half-hour into the lesson, with the seat still empty beside him, he pulled out the notes Blossom had shoved at him through the door last Thursday and found her number at the top of the page. Tuning out Wippet, he sent Blossom a message demanding to know where their essay was.
After another three-quarters of an hour, Sully punched “send” on his thirteenth irate message, since Blossom still hadn’t responded.
“I’m certain that you have an excellent reason for launching missives to the outside world in my class.” Wippet had somehow managed to sneak up on Sully’s left and hovered over his shoulder. “Can you share with me what’s so vastly urgent that it can’t wait until lunch.”
“I think he missed his train,” said Dodger.
Wippet gave Dodger a strange look, but the rest of the class laughed.
“This is between me and Sullivan,” she said. “Quiet, please.”
Sully was relieved that she’d called off the rabid dogs, but it wasn’t enough to put Wippet herself off.
“Show me, please.” Sully reluctantly turned his phone so Wippet could read his last message.
“So, I take it your essay isn’t among the ones on my desk,” she said quietly. “That’s a bit of a problem. And if I’m reading your message correctly, I think there might be more than a zero at stake here. Speak to me after class.”
Sully approached Wippet’s desk after the last student had left. His eyes circled his head while his ears pivoted his mouth.
“As I’ve said, if what I’m surmising about your role in developing this paper is correct, we might be talking about more than a zero grade,” said Wippet.
While Sully didn’t know exactly what Wippet was driving at, a glimmer of hope squeaked between her words.
A suspension, he thought. Why hadn’t he thought of that before? A way to stay home legitimately until after one of the other two got the Black Spot was pure genius.
“While technically grounds for suspension,” said Wippet, apparently reading Sully’s mind, “removing you from school would help no one.”
Beg to differ, thought Sully.
“Instead, Sullivan, I’m offering you remedial help. Additional classes.”
“Wait, what?”
“Early morning and after school tutoring. More school, Sullivan, not less school. More school, to get you up to speed. No one gets left behind in my class. I’m willing to put in the extra time to ensure that. Are you?”
“I’ve got till five o’clock, right?” Sully gulped. He might as well give himself the Black Spot if he had to spend more time in Tank’s arena.
“That’s hardly the point, Sullivan. Do you understand that I’m trying to help you?”
“It’s like that other girl said,” Sully said. “The one who forgot her essay. That’s the same with me. I was sick when Blossom and I worked on it and that must be why she’s away today. She must have got what I got.”
Wow, he thought. Really quick thinking on my part.
“But I’ll go get it . . . the paper we worked so hard on together. I’ll get it to you by the end of the day.”
“I will give you until the end of the day, Sullivan, but I can’t help but notice you’re struggling. And not just with the work, am I right?”
Sully feigned interest but his brain was racing.
“You can ask for help, you know. We’re not the enemy. Maybe we don’t always get it right, but I’d like to try. I’ve already spoken with Ms. Hamada. No one would have to know if you’re worried about that.”
No way, thought Sully. He believed Wippet was sincere, but she obviously didn’t really get how things worked.
“Everything’s fine,” he said. “Really.”
“You don’t have to decide right away, but I want you to think about it, Sullivan.”
“I’ll just go grab the essay and be back by five. But, thank you.”
Ms. Wippet nodded and gave him a concerned smile. “See you by five, then,” she said.
With a sigh of relief, Sully dashed out of the classroom.
Reverse searching Blossom’s number, Sully dug up her address and set out on foot to confront her at lunch.
CHAPTER 39
Sully imagined Despereaux Court would be fancy and regal looking, but the tiny houses on the small circle cried for paint, and their windows winked with mismatched cloth curtains. Number 27 hunched off to one side. Its shingles peeled up like dozens of little wings. Its porch knelt in a scrubby swath that might once have been a garden.
As Sully started up the dirt driveway, a scream exploded out the window before the screen door flattened against the side of the house. Blossom burst into the yard and grabbed the rail for support as she yelled back at the house.
“You have to stop!”
Turning to run down the driveway, she halted when she saw Sully. She clutched her hands by her mouth as lilies bled down her cheeks.
“Bee Boy? What are you . . . why are . . . ?”
“Are you okay?”
“Who, me? Oh, that? Of course! Was I convincing?”
“What do you mean?”
“What do you think I mean? My acting! Did I convince you?”
“That was acting?”
“Don’t be rude. I thought I was very good. I’m starring in a local theater production. It’s why I missed school today. The first matinee is this Saturday, and I needed to practice my part.”
“I thought you were going to look out for me,” Sully said. “Our paper is due today. You said you’d handle it.”
“I told you to call me.” She sniffed and swiped the knuckles of one hand under her eyes, and then put her hands on her hips.
“I did try to reach you,” Sully said. “About a thousand times this morning. Wippet’s going to make me stay for extra classes if we don’t hand it in by five. I don’t need more exposure at school, understand?”
The sound of broken glass from inside the house was followed by what sounded like a wounded bear.
“Is everything okay?” Sully asked.
“Of course.” Blossom looked back at the house.
“Thanks for helping me with my lines, Dad!” she called. “Listen, Bee Boy, can we go to your place?”
“What? Why?”
“To work on the essay, of course. I told you before, I won’t do it for you. You’re going to have to help.”
“You’re kidding me, right? Tell me you’ve got it done.”
“It’s all in here.” She tapped her head. “C’mon, let’s get going. You have a computer, right? I’ll take the lead, but you’ll have to add your two cents. If you pay attention and work hard, we’ll get it to Wippet well before five.”
“I’m a dead man,” said Sully.
“Don’t be so dramatic,” Blossom said. The smeared lilies left angry pools of purple on the right side of her face and ugly blue blotches on her cheekbones.
“Wow,” she said, catching Sully looking at her. “I must look a mess. Give me a minute.”
She ducked between some trees beside the driveway. Dropping to her knees, she slid a rock to one side and pulled out a small wooden box that she opened to reveal dozens of markers and a mirror.
“We’re kind of in a hurry,” said Sully.
“I’ll just be a sec. You really want to walk through the streets with an actress out of makeup?”
“My life is kind of at stake here,” said Sully.
In less than a minute, Blossom emerged with black and red roses scaling her cheeks amidst dangerous thorns.
“Why do you do that?” Sully asked.
Blossom marched ahead of him, forcing Sully to trot to keep up.
“It’s a memorial for my mother,” Blossom said. “You know, like those roadside memorials?”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just carry a photo?”
“I don’t forget what she looks like,” Blossom said. “It’s to remind me of what our life was like when she was here.”
“She was a gardener?”
“Don’t be so literal. So, do you have any thoughts on our paper at all?”
“I’ve been kind of preoccupied.”
“Look,” said Blossom. “I’ll bail you out on this one, as long as you stop shutting Morsixx and me out. You could learn a lot from him.”
“Oh, please. You have no idea who Morty really is. I’ve known him since kindergarten. All this death and dying stuff is just a stupid act.”
“I think you’re the one who doesn’t know him,” said Blossom. “Morsixx is like a burnt marshmallow. All dark and dangerous looking on the outside, but inside he’s just a softy. He’s very deep.”
“Yah, that really inspires my confidence—having a marshmallow as my bodyguard.”
“He should inspire you. I think he’s very brave.”
“If anyone catches me at home, I’m a dead man.”
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