the engine. Karen got in beside him; Eric slid beside her and closed the door. Gary allowed the truck to idle, its heater warming them.
“Let’s go over it one more time,” he said. “I don’t want any mistakes after we split up.”
Karen withdrew a Marlboro Light from the pack in her purse and stuck it between her lips. Her shaking hand could not strike a match. Gary held her wrist steady, allowing her to light the cigarette, and Eric unrolled his window a crack.
“Sorry,” Karen said, exhaling.
They ran through their story again.
“Remember,” Gary said. “We’re all in this together. If one of us sinks, we all drown.”
Eric and Karen nodded, and Gary shifted the truck into gear.
The truck prowled Main Street, deserted except for a few cars parked outside the bars. Listening to the steady sound of the windshield wipers, Eric gazed out the window at the gazebo in the town square and saw his reflection staring back. It took only nine minutes to reach his house, but it felt like forever. Passing the driveway, Gary pulled over to the side of the street, behind a dormant apple tree.
Eric studied his home, an uneasy feeling in his gut. His mother had left the outside light on for him. He pictured the Death Mobile idling in the driveway just that morning, when Johnny had picked him up.
“You waiting for an invitation?” Gary said. “You don’t need one.”
Karen looked at him, her lips trembling. “Take care of yourself, Eric.”
“You, too.” Eric got out and closed the door. Crossing the driveway, he heard the truck recede behind him. As he unlocked the front door, he scanned the neighborhood. Snow-covered rooftops reflected moonlight at the falling snow. He entered the foyer and closed the door as quietly as possible. His mother had also left on the upstairs hallway light. He hung his coat in the front closet, then crept upstairs. Tiptoeing to his room, he anticipated his mother’s voice even before he heard it.
“Eric?”
His heart skipped a beat. “Yes?”
“Did you turn off the front light?”
He didn’t remember. “Yes.”
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
In his room, he peeled off his sweater, then went into the bathroom. A pale, haggard countenance stared back at him in the mirror over the sink, and he brushed his teeth so hard his gums bled. He spat a mixture of blood and toothpaste, then ran water over it.
Water, rushing …
He shut off the tap, cut the light, and returned to his room, where he undressed in darkness. The streetlight cast a silver rectangle onto the ceiling as he crawled beneath the covers and buried his face in his pillow. A car passed outside, and the Death Mobile drove through his mind.
Johnny
…
His chest convulsed and he choked up; tears burned his eyes and mucus clogged his nose. He pounded his pillow, and the bed squeaked as he sobbed.
Johnny!
Karen felt queasy staring at the dark windows of her house as Gary pulled into the driveway. “My mother won’t be home until after midnight.”
“You want me to come in and wait with you?”
She blinked. Was Gary trying to hit on her after everything that had just happened? “No.”
“Are you sure? I don’t think you should be alone right now.”
He seemed sincere. “No, thanks. My mom would freak. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Call me if you need to talk.”
She opened the door and jumped out, cold air awakening her senses like smelling salts. She crossed to her front door, bathed in the headlights. The truck didn’t move and she felt Gary’s eyes on her backside. Taking out her keys, she unlocked the door and stepped inside. She flicked the switch to the entry hall light and flinched when the bulb blew out, her heart jumping. She closed the door anyway, leaning against it as she pulled off her gloves. The headlights pierced the curtains and slashed the darkness, angling across the ceiling. Her knees buckled and she slid down the door, sobbing again. She heard Gary drive off, the
“Let’s go over it one more time,” he said. “I don’t want any mistakes after we split up.”
Karen withdrew a Marlboro Light from the pack in her purse and stuck it between her lips. Her shaking hand could not strike a match. Gary held her wrist steady, allowing her to light the cigarette, and Eric unrolled his window a crack.
“Sorry,” Karen said, exhaling.
They ran through their story again.
“Remember,” Gary said. “We’re all in this together. If one of us sinks, we all drown.”
Eric and Karen nodded, and Gary shifted the truck into gear.
The truck prowled Main Street, deserted except for a few cars parked outside the bars. Listening to the steady sound of the windshield wipers, Eric gazed out the window at the gazebo in the town square and saw his reflection staring back. It took only nine minutes to reach his house, but it felt like forever. Passing the driveway, Gary pulled over to the side of the street, behind a dormant apple tree.
Eric studied his home, an uneasy feeling in his gut. His mother had left the outside light on for him. He pictured the Death Mobile idling in the driveway just that morning, when Johnny had picked him up.
“You waiting for an invitation?” Gary said. “You don’t need one.”
Karen looked at him, her lips trembling. “Take care of yourself, Eric.”
“You, too.” Eric got out and closed the door. Crossing the driveway, he heard the truck recede behind him. As he unlocked the front door, he scanned the neighborhood. Snow-covered rooftops reflected moonlight at the falling snow. He entered the foyer and closed the door as quietly as possible. His mother had also left on the upstairs hallway light. He hung his coat in the front closet, then crept upstairs. Tiptoeing to his room, he anticipated his mother’s voice even before he heard it.
“Eric?”
His heart skipped a beat. “Yes?”
“Did you turn off the front light?”
He didn’t remember. “Yes.”
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
In his room, he peeled off his sweater, then went into the bathroom. A pale, haggard countenance stared back at him in the mirror over the sink, and he brushed his teeth so hard his gums bled. He spat a mixture of blood and toothpaste, then ran water over it.
Water, rushing …
He shut off the tap, cut the light, and returned to his room, where he undressed in darkness. The streetlight cast a silver rectangle onto the ceiling as he crawled beneath the covers and buried his face in his pillow. A car passed outside, and the Death Mobile drove through his mind.
Johnny
…
His chest convulsed and he choked up; tears burned his eyes and mucus clogged his nose. He pounded his pillow, and the bed squeaked as he sobbed.
Johnny!
Karen felt queasy staring at the dark windows of her house as Gary pulled into the driveway. “My mother won’t be home until after midnight.”
“You want me to come in and wait with you?”
She blinked. Was Gary trying to hit on her after everything that had just happened? “No.”
“Are you sure? I don’t think you should be alone right now.”
He seemed sincere. “No, thanks. My mom would freak. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Call me if you need to talk.”
She opened the door and jumped out, cold air awakening her senses like smelling salts. She crossed to her front door, bathed in the headlights. The truck didn’t move and she felt Gary’s eyes on her backside. Taking out her keys, she unlocked the door and stepped inside. She flicked the switch to the entry hall light and flinched when the bulb blew out, her heart jumping. She closed the door anyway, leaning against it as she pulled off her gloves. The headlights pierced the curtains and slashed the darkness, angling across the ceiling. Her knees buckled and she slid down the door, sobbing again. She heard Gary drive off, the
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