Death Whispers (Death Series, Book 1) (40 page)

CHAPTER 26

I
woke up with something pressing into my rib cage, I pushed it onto
the floor where it made a clunking sound. What? I looked at my floor,
blurry-eyed, and saw that it was the book, which would normally have
been cushioned by the fall with the clothes all over, but we had
cleaned for cripe's sake, so now it had fallen like a bomb.

I lay back, groaning, my hand flung over my eyes.
Suddenly, Onyx was there beside my bed his wet nose pressed against
my face. A single lick. Gross.

The Boy seemed sad about something... the Dog
restrained himself and gave the Boy a single lick, right after
stuffing his nose on his Boy's face, inhaling the fragrant Boy smell.
He would wag his tail and the Boy would notice and tell him the Good
Word... he was sure.

I
didn't want to hurt Onyx's feelings so I didn't wipe the dog-goo off.
“That's a good dog, Onyx,” petting his soft head. That got his
tail wagging, echoing on the wood floor. I laughed. “Okay, boy,
okay.” and
thought,
you're
a good dog.

The Boy had put the word-smells in his head and
it sounded like the Good Word. The Dog wagged.

If Onyx wagged any harder it would take his butt
off.

I
swung my legs around and put them on the cold floor. Geez, maybe I
needed a rug. Onyx stood, wagging. I searched the floor for something
to wear. Looking around, I realized a crucial fact: being organized
meant I couldn't find anything. Finally, in a drawer, I found one
pair of clean socks. Eureka! I sighed, looking at the dirty clothes,
which were now actually in the dirty clothes hamper (John's fault). I
sorted through the thing, silently thanking Mom for not getting me
anything white anymore, sorting colors was for fools. I mounded a
huge pile of dirty clothes in my arms, Onyx rushing ahead. I stumbled
down the steps, looking around the mound in my arms to keep my
footing.

“What are you doing... oh! Laundry? Miracles
never cease,” Mom exclaimed with
mucho
sarcasm.
“Don't forget to take Onyx out.”

Like he'd let me. I glanced at Onyx patiently
waiting by the back door.

I heaved the whole bundle on the laundry room
floor and opened the wash basin. Getting soap, I threw what I thought
was the correct amount in. Who knew? I couldn't remember between
washings.

Mom rounded the corner. “Did you remember how
much soap to put in?”

Busted.

“Ah... I put in this much.” I made a space
about two inches wide with my index and thumb apart.

“No! You're going to wash the world, honey,
scoop some out.”

Geez.

“Okay.”

I scooped, setting the knob to on.

Running to the back door, I let Onyx out.

I watched Onyx running around the “potty area.”
It was the lamest name for it in the world. But the lady from the
animal shelter (Arlene? Barbara? Whatever) said calling the place
where he did his “business” the same name as the shelter used
would keep things “consistent” for Onyx. I think he would have
taken a growler just about anywhere, being as it was his absolute
favorite thing to do. As I thought this he did the old hunch-back,
laying a steamer there on the gravel. A prize to be scooped up later,
by me, of course.

Opening the door, Onyx rushed in ahead as I closed
it behind me. I could smell the pancakes cooking, Dad was on his
pulse-top reading boring news or looking at stocks (a fresh hell of
unspeakable proportions). I plopped down in my seat, whipping my
pulse out to say good morning to Jade. I pressed my thumb to the pad:

Initiated
:
Hey Hotness,-
CH

Hi!
grins
Whatcha doin'?
JLeC

Just
sittin' here waiting for the deelish pancakes!
CH.

Jealous
!
Are they fruit pancakes?
JLeC

Profanity-block!-no!
They're regular.-
CH

What
do you have against fruit, it's good for you!
JLeC

That.-
CH

What?
That it's good for you?
JLeC

Yeah,
laughs.-
CH

Okay
resigned.
What's
the plan?
JLeC

I
want to show you the new place.-
CH

Are
we being careful here?
JLeC

Always.-
CH

Okay...
what time?
JLeC

Say...
three o'clock, I'll pick you up.-
CH

Idk,
do ya think it's good for you to come to the neighborhood?
JLeC

Yeah.
Are there more problems with your dad?
CH

Not
atm but he goes off in random rages, he's definitely not
predictable.-
JLeC

thinking
...doesn't
matter, I won't hide.-
CH

I
know, that's why you're so special.-
JLeC

You're
special too, ya know.-
CH

smiles
thank you, see ya later.-
JLeC

See
ya.-
CH

“Who's that?” Mom asked, putting a stack of
pancakes down in front of me.

“Jade.”

“No more pulsing at the table,” Dad said.
“What are you guys doing later this evening?” Dad asked, putting
his pulse-top down, walking over to the kitchen table.

Third degree. “Ah...we're just going to walk
around and stuff.”

They looked at each other, parental radar
detection system on line.

Mom started in, “You two are welcome to be here
at the house.”

“I know, we just want to walk around, it's warm
now,” I said.

“Yes, school's out...?” Dad queried.

“Friday,” Mom said. She was the
keeper-of-the-social/house-stuff-in-order goddess.

“Right,” he did a mondo swallow. “The summer
stretches before one, shimmering in its ethereal beauty...”

Mom and I stared.

Dad shrugged. “Just waxing poetic.”

“
Well...
don't
,
Dad.”

Mom burst out laughing, batting her eyelashes.

Dad smiled back.

Geez.

I stood up, giving Onyx a secret wad of pancake.

The Boy handed the Dog some wonderful food
stuff, full-of-life and not the dead food that he was accustomed to
eating from the building-full-of-dogs. It was because he was a Good
Dog. The Boy's word-smells filled his head and the Dog was happy and
wagged his tail.

Onyx did a subtle wolf-down of the pancake and
wagged his tail. He was a great dog. Dad caught the whole food thing
and gave me the look that Mom should NOT find out. I nodded. Mom
turned around and saw my plate in my hands, the milk cup with my used
fork inside.

“Use the gray water,” Mom said.

“I know.” Like I'd forget that.

“Just a reminder.”

I
headed for the bathroom to complete the shower hassle. Although, I
had gotten used to being clean and didn't like the grimy feel
anymore. Not that I would admit that to the Js or anything. Dudes on
hygiene...
no
.

I stepped out of the shower, did a swish over the
mirror, closely examining my face. Jade would be
up-close-and-personal. No zits, check, no unsightly man-hair on the
face, check, hair in face... check. Wait a sec, I leaned in,
critically looking at my hair. I needed a haircut.

I exited the bathroom telling Mom the dreaded
words: “I need a haircut.”

“I'll give you a buzz, son,” Dad volunteered.
Ya see, that was what I was afraid of.

“Okay. Can you not make me look like a retarded
nerd?”

“Caleb...” Mom started.

“That's an oxymoron, it's not technically a
put-down,” I said cleverly, using yet another vocab word.

Dad tried not to grin and failed.

“I guess I'll give you that, but you understand
I loathe the whole retard talk. I thought we had moved past that.”

“Apparently not!” Dad howled, slapping his
leg.

“
Okay...
not
funny! You goons do the male bonding thing,” Mom huffed out of the
room.

“Nice Dad.”

“Once in awhile I have a moment of clarity,”
he said, all teeth. “I'll have to sweet talk her later.”

The buzz lasted for what seemed like forever. Dad
said he needed to “taper” it for styling. I just itched and my
feet got hot.

“What about the little hairs getting all over
and inside your clothes?” she asked, moving back into the room and
surveying the pile of hair growing on the floor.

I shrugged. I'd get through it somehow. Didn't
want to repeat the whole shower routine.

“Done!” Dad exclaimed.

I got up, brushing hair off, looking at the
“creature” on the floor. Onyx went over to the pile and gave it a
sniff, whimpering.

The Dog smelled the Boy, who was standing and a
part of the Boy was also on the floor. It was confusing for the Dog.
Was the Boy hurt? The Dog looked up at the Boy, the rest of the pack
seemed untroubled by the pile of Boy-smelling stuff on the floor. The
Dog backed away.

“It's okay, Onyx,” I said, toeing the pile.

“Let me get a broom, don't move that, it'll get
all over the house!”

Dad looked after mom running to get cleaning
stuff, “Go check it out in the mirror.”

I
looked bald. I hoped Jade liked short hair. It made me look older and
taller. That couldn't be all bad. I hated hair cuts
.
The top of my head felt like a million soft needles, poking my palm.

Mom was cleaning up the mess, Onyx looked like
part of me was getting taken away and buried. He looked seriously
troubled by the hair; funny.

I
thought at Onyx,
it's
okay, good dog.

He looked at me and began to wag his tail. This
connection thing was pretty frickin' awesome.

Dad looked at me expectantly, his skill wasn't in
haircuts. I didn't want to hurt his feelings. You couldn't be great
at everything, famous scientist or not.

“Thanks Dad.”

“You like?”

“Yeah... it's alright.”

“What do you think, Hun?” he asked Mom.

She looked critically at my nearly bald head.
“It's... short!”

“Come on Mom, you're always bugging me about my
hair,” I said, defending Dad's skills.

She nodded. “That's true. You won't need one
again soon.”

Dad folded his arms, looking satisfied.

I took off to my room, Onyx on my heels. I threw
myself on my bed and Onyx jumped on it too, settling at the end. I
pulsed the Js and told them what Jade and I were doing:

We
need the zombie work force, Caleb.-
MJ

I
don't normally agree with all of Jonesy's ideas, but he's right. A
zombie in there could take care of the tunnel issue right away.
John Terran.

We
can't talk about all this stuff on pulse.-
CH

You're
right. Let's meet later.-
John
Terran

No,
sighs
...
you guys, I need to be with Jade tonight.-
CH

We
have nights now? Nights? It's like
profanity-block!
joint custody or something!
MJ

laughs-
John
Terran

Okay
guys, okay. You jerks don't have gf's so you don't get it. Payback's
a Profanity-block!
CH