Joe (35 page)

The bait was out, and like the one animal did to Chaka, he was going to get that bait without getting caught. The primal was unarmed, he was probably the one who would call in the forces.

So, quickly, with barely a ruffle of sound, Chaka shot to the primal, hitting him on the head, and rendering him unconscious.

He sought out the pet.

Jenny adjusted her bra and her breasts within the cups so they didn’t drag on the ground. While she positioned herself on her hands and knees. She heard the ruffling sound and cocked her head.

“Christopher?” She called out and debated on taking off her blindfold. That was until she heard the snort. Jenny smiled. “I got you aroused didn’t I?”

What was it the pet was saying? She spoke words, unlike any other pet.

Chaka sniffed. Her flesh smelled sweet, as if she were doused in something to hide her woman scent.

That was ok with him.

The pet was positioned ready. Hands not tied. She wasn’t scared or fighting like any pet he’d encountered.

He inched closer looking down to her. The only thing that was bound were her offspring food source. Probably to keep Chaka from getting any.

That was fine with him.

The slight movement of her rear end caused him to get confused, almost like he was invited.

Was it a trap? Perhaps there was some sort of explosive device tucked within the pet.

He placed his humongous hands on her. One on each of her hips.

She giggled. “You’re gonna have to cut those nails you beast.”

Her rear wiggled again, and Chaka purchased a hold, widening it for examination. He’d give a good look and would be able to sniff out any explosive device.

She made an un-frightened noise again.

And Chaka deducted there was no explosive. In fact, he was pretty certain in this new world, pets were willful. She moved back into him.

It could have been the moment, who knew, but he didn’t think he should wait.

Jenny wiggled her bottom. Trying to entice Christopher. She had to admit, her stomach fluttered with a tad of excitement. Yes, some people would think it was freakish, but Jenny was curious.

What would it be like? Christopher certainly was probing around, not that Jenny minded. But she was primed and ready to go. She felt his hands tighten, his presence behind her.

“Come on Chris, take me,” Jenny said. “With hands that big, I have to wonder . . .”

Jenny gasped. Under her blindfold her eyes popped wide when she didn’t have to wonder anymore.

After a brief moment of adjustment, she smiled.

****

Hal should have known. Robbie took Roy in as a roommate.

Jess was working, Robbie was out, and Roy was with Elliott. Hal began his search.

He would start with Roy’s room first, then hit every other inch. If it wasn’t there he was going to go up to the old trailer where Roy used to hide.

It was all easier than he thought. Of course, why would things be too hidden. Who would look?

A black sack made of material Hal had never seen was perched between the top shelf in the closet and the wall.

Hal pulled it down. It wasn’t heavy.

He took it to the bed to check the contents.

Two items fell out.

One was a black square item with a digital label that read, ‘History Lesson 5-14.’ The other a book.

The book was entitled, ‘The Black Parade by Danny Hoi’. At first Hal was thinking maybe Roy was collecting until he opened the book. The paper was different and more o the publication date was nearly seventy years in the future.

It was a simple flip to the center of the book that told Hal everything. One read of a paragraph and it was evidence. Evidence Roy brought to show a world and what happened with Joe alive.

Hal closed the book grabbed it, the disk and put them both in the sack.

He was going to approach Robbie. There were two reasons for those items.

One, Roy brought them to show why Joe had to die. Or two, when Joe had to fake his death.

Hal was wagering on the later, but he had final person to confirm it.

He sought out Robbie.

****

It didn’t last long, actually not long at all. Just at the height of Jenny’s demented enjoyment it was done.

She plopped down with a gasp.

“That was wonderful.”

What was this reaction Chaka was getting? The pet didn’t move. It was then he finally noticed her eyes were covered.

He was preparing to leave when she rolled onto her back.

He inched back when she moved her legs.

“Would it be too much to see if we can get you to get aroused again? Huh?”

Chaka said nothing. He watched her legs open and he took hold of them bringing himself closer.

Jenny smiled and lifted the blindfold

When she saw him she knew it wasn’t Christopher, she knew by the looks of him that he was unmistakably part of the LEP family.

They ate people. Devoured them. Were carnivorous.

Jenny was ready to fight, scream for help, try to get away, but her intelligence took over.

Surely if he was going to hurt her he would have done so. He only wanted his way with her.

What happened to her life was much more important than what happened to her vagina.

So with survival on mind, Jenny closed her eyes and just laid still.

****

Robbie, in such Joe fashion, rocked back and forth in Frank’s desk chair. It wasn’t a typical Joe chair, it was high back leather.

“You’re like super cool with this chair, Frank.” Robbie smiled.

“I love that chair, so tell me again why you were here.”

“Oh, we were . . . I was looking for maps, I thought you had them of the bowman area so we can search for that future thing.”

“File cabinet.” Frank pointed. “Out of my chair.”

With a snicker, Robbie stood.

A single knock on the door.

“Yeah,” Frank called out.

The door opened, Hal popped in his head. “Frank have you seen . . .” His eyes shifted to Robbie. “There you are.”

“Here I am.”

Hal shut the door. He looked at Frank, then at Robbie. Just looked. From one brother to another.

“What?” Frank asked.

“Are you in on this too?” Hal asked, stepping in.

“In on what?”

“Is he?” Hal asked Robbie.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Robbie replied.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. Do you know? Frank? Do you?”

“I probably do.” Frank shrugged. “There’s not much I don’t know.”

“I thought so.” Hal moved to the desk. “I’m giving you one chance to be honest before get pissed.”

Frank cocked back with a laugh. “What the hell Hal? What’s wrong?”

Hal tossed the black sack on the desk.

“What the fuck?” Robbie asked. “Were you in Roy’s things?”

“What is it?” Frank asked.

Hal spoke directly to Robbie. “So you know about that.”

“Yeah, I do, you have no right . . .”

“Me? No right? Fuck you, Robbie.”

“Whoa!” Frank called out. “Stop this.”

“Where . . .” Hal spoke hard. “Is our father.”

Frank fluttered his lips. “Oh, I can answer that. He’s in the cemetery. We just saw him.”

“Ha, ha, ha.” Hal said. “Robbie where is he?”

Robbie spoke slyly. “I think he wants a different answer. Well, Hal, depending on what you believe, he can be in heaven or . . .”

“Knock it off!” Hal blasted and grabbed onto Robbie. “You know. Where is he?”

“Hey!” Frank pulled Hal back. “What the fuck is this shit. Calm down!”

“I refuse. Robbie, do you know what’s in there?” Hal pointed.

Frank lifted his hands in surrender. “I don’t know what’s in there. I’d like to.”

Hal dropped the contents on the desk.

“Whoa,” Frank said. “Danny wrote a book.”

“Sixty years from now,” Hal said. “That’s from the future.”

“Did you look at it?” Robbie asked.

“A page.”

“Well, you know what? We aren’t supposed to see it.” Robbie quickly gathered it. “It tells of shit we shouldn’t know, and stuff we can make worse. Leave it be.”

Hal laughed in sarcasm. “Make worse?”

“Yes, if we knew.”

“Robbie this is bullshit. If this is cover for him, so he can’t make the same decision twice . . .”

“Who?” Frank asked.

Hal continued. “There’s no need.”

“Who?” Frank asked.

Hal kept going. “He doesn’t have to hide anymore.”

“Who?”

“We just don’t let him make any decisions. We leave it up to Frank.”

“Who? George?” Frank asked. “Who are we talking about?”

Robbie shook his head. “Hal, you don’t get it. That stuff is so we make our own decisions on our own. Roy brought it to prove that when Frank makes a certain decision that is supposed to differ from Dad’s that we stand behind Frank.”

“So he brought it to show why Dad had to die?”

“Yes.”

“Not why we had to hide him?”

“Hide who?” Frank asked.

“Yeah, hide who?” Robbie questioned.

“Stop it!” Hal barked. “Then tell me. Have you figured out yet, Robbie, why Dad killed himself.”

Frank said, “Dad didn’t kill himself, Hal, Ralph did.”

“Really?” Hal said smugly. “Then why were Dad’s fingerprints on the detonation device, the bomb, and the timer?”

It was almost as if a pause button were placed on Frank. His mouth opened slightly.

“Robbie got a match on the prints. Dads. Prints matched everything.”

“What” Frank stumbled back.

“Yes.”

“No.” Robbie argued. “Bullshit.”

“It’s not bullshit, Robbie, you know it. I saw it. The prints matched.”

Frank questioned. “Robbie, the prints matched Dad’s?”

Robbie nodded.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Frank questioned.

“I don’t know. Scared at first.”

Hal stepped forward. “Why would Dad kill himself? If you aren’t hiding it. Then you have to have a theory on why.”

“Look at the book. To save the future.” Robbie said calmly.

After a nostril breath, hands on his hips, Frank nodded. “I think I can accept that.”

A quick look at Frank, and Hal stared at Robbie. “I’ll ask you again, little brother, and this time I beg you to be honest. We can make sure things don’t happen. We know now. So tell me. Where . . . is... our father?”

Robbie swallowed. “Well, Hal, being that we’re Catholic. I’m almost scared to say, after committing suicide he’s probably in purgatory or . . .”

Crack.

Hal’s hard right fist sailed into the side of Robbie’s face, and Hal followed suit. “You son of a bitch!” He dove on this brother, revving up, to hit him again. He did.

“You can’t face the truth, Hal!” Robbie argued back, defending himself both physically and verbally.

Hal, prepared for the third blow. Frank, with a blasting “Hey”, jumped into the mix up, reaching for the brothers trying to break them up.

Robbie swung at Hal. Hal swung at Robbie. Frank got hit. Flailing fists and shouting voices, furniture crashed about. It was mayhem until a short, high pitched whistle, brought an immediate halt and silence to the room.

It was followed by a slam of the side office door and a scolding, fatherly, “Enough!”

Quiet.

No movement.

Robbie lifted himself straight. Then hung his head low.

Hal and Frank were both facing Robbie. Neither moved.

The only sound was the clicking shoes against the hard floor.

Slowly Hal turned around.

His breath escaped him. “Oh, my God.”

Frank looked. “Fuck.”

Robbie shook his head. “Fuck is right.”

Joe approached the three of them. “Are you happy? Satisfied. Had enough goddamn it? Look at you three, killing each other. Over what?”

Frank fluttered out. “Actually, over you going to hell, I was just in the middle trying to break it up. This is really fucked up.”

Joe nodded. “Yeah, it is. So this is your reaction, Frank.”

Frank bit his lip. He looked to Robbie. “Do you see him?”

Robbie nodded.

To Hal, “Hal?” Frank asked. “Do you see him?”

Slowly, in shock Hal nodded. “Yes, Frank, I see him.”

“Fuck.” Frank turned to Joe. “Is it true?”

“Yes, Frank,” Joe answered. “It’s true.”

“Fuck. You know what this means don’t you?”