The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter (27 page)

Okay now? asks Kimmie.

Sprised he get in the water at all, seein colored in it, says Talia. Kimmie hits Talia's arm. What? says Talia. Richard tryin not to smile. Carl look at Talia an Kimmie, then at Richard, then at me.

Here's the game, says Richard. See it?

Hey, where'dja get that? asks Talia. Richard holdin a rock painted bright orange.

I brung it.

Richard's an artist, Kimmie says.

Yeah, this a real masterpiece, says Richard.

I mean other stuff. He can paint you, and you really see yourself.

So's Dwight an artist, says Carl.

Yeah. Dwight's an artist alright, says Richard.

They're
both
artists, says Kimmie. Richard smiles at me, which everyone sees. An somethin else he make in his smile for only me to see, though I ain't clear what it is.

My mother gave Dwight an art book for his birthday. She says Dwight has real talent, real potential.

Carl facin away from me, I'm lookin at his back so hard to tell if he's smilin. An if I did see him smilin not sure I'd know what it mean.

Here's the game, says Richard. I drop the rock. On five, we dive. Got it?

Got it, says Talia, her swimsuit strap slippin down a bit off her right shoulder, an Talia's started developin a bit on her right side. Oh boy.

Richard drops the rock in the water: One. Two. Three. Four.
Five!

Everyone dives, me a little behine so by the time I'm down, Carl's already back up: I got it! I got it! Now everybody to the surface. Carl holdin the rock now notices Talia's slipped swimsuit, then Talia noticin Carl noticin her swimsuit. Talia let out a little squeak, plunge under to make herself decent.

Now me, goes Carl. One.

Kimmie join in. Two. Three. Four.
Five!
Everyone under. This time I spy the rock quick, but slow to decide whether I wannit. Kimmie snatches it, crash through. I got it! Everybody to the top.

Richard: Let's race. He turn to Carl. You an me. That big rock an back.

Kimmie referee, make sure they both at the startin line even if the startin line's invisible. On your mark. Get set. Go!

Carl's a strong swimmer, natural athlete. But so's Richard, an Carl's thirteen, Richard tall an fifteen. If there was such a thing as buildin up a sweat swimmin, Richard wouldn't even had.

The winner! says Kimmie. Richard barely smile.

Dammit, says Carl.

Awwww, say Kimmie an Talia, like they never heard a kid say it before.

Now you. Richard's eyes on me.

You did good, Carl, Kimmie says. Richard's tall.

Dam
mit!

Underwater this time. Why's Richard get to make all the rules?

Get in position, Talia says.

I don't think Dwight should have to do it, Kimmie says. Look at him panting, he's still scared from almost drowning.

I'm not pantin.

I'm standing right next to you, all I hear is ha-ah ha-ah ha-ah ha-ah.

Get in position, Carl says. Richard an me at the line. On your mark. Get set. Go!

Down. Everything slow motion. There's noise above the surface but it's some other universe. Richard pulled far ahead an I don't care, Richard already at the rock, me still yards away an here he come approachin on the return, he'll finish without ever havin to come up for air whilst I already surfaced for a quick refuel. The water crystal today, I see him clear like a winda. An think, When he passes I could cheat. Richard so focused on the finish line, I could make a U-turn never bother to touch the dang rock. He'd still win, jus less embarrassin my defeat, what's the difference? But I'm plagued with the curse of integrity, I trudge on the honest path an as we're about to pass I look over an see Richard stock still, starin straight at me. Muss be a good ten feet a distance between us but I see him clear seein
me
clear as he pull down his trunks.

Fly to the surface! coughin, chokin. Carl an Kimmie an Talia stare. Richard surfaces, finish line.

The winner! says Talia.

Now the girls race, says Kimmie.

Dwight didn't even make it to the rock! Talia cracks up.

Sure he did, says Richard. He touched it an was on his way back. Talia looks at me, Richard's lie make her face all frowny confused. Richard look at me an air it is again. Mystery smile.

Relay race! says Talia.

First the girls alone, says Kimmie, then Talia screams.

An there on the bank, starin at us stands a Blackface. Take me a sec to reckonize him.

Ew, says Talia, he's dirtier n usual. Richard giggle, Kimmie tryin not to. Carl smiles.

He got on at the mines.

I think we could guess that, Talia answerin me but her eyes still on the bank.

We
knew
that. People
know
that.

I
didn't know that, Talia correctin Kimmie. But I could guess it.

Dwight.

Everybody in the water go quiet, like startled a Blackface could talk.

What'd he say? Talia asks.

I think he called Dwight. Did he call you, Dwight? says Kimmie an I wonder Those girls suddenly go deaf? I don't even look at her, my eyes fixed on the figure starin at me from the bank.

Dwight.

You better answer him.

Talia clearly wa'n't talkin to Carl but here come his two cents: Why? No one invited him. Al Jolson. Everybody turn sharp to Carl but he seem to take no notice, laughin at his joke, divin under.

Get rid of him.

This time I decide to answer Talia, my eyes like stone. It's a public crick. He can be here if he wants.

Well I wonder if somethin's wrong with him.

Me too, says Kimmie.

Like maybe he's a little bit retarded, continue Talia.

He's
not
retarded. My voice quiet, my underwater hans tight, fists.

Whaddya gonna do, act like he's not there?

I try to act like
Richard
ain't there, but course he gotta go on: Pretend it's not your name he's callin?

Dwight!

I breathe deep before I swim toward shore, stayin far enough away I still gotta tread.

What.

You said Sundays off you an me.

I went to your house every Sunday, you were always too tired!

I said, Come back nex Sunday.

I
did
!

Not today.

Every other Sunday! Geez, Roof, maybe I got tireda always No. An don't look like you were off today.

They needed extra men to blast the new hole, me an Daddy went in, three more hours.

Stare at him. He stare at me. A fish plop but the crick behine me where all the human beins is ain't stirrin.

Come outa the water.

No!

Roof say nothin but gimme the steel eyes.

It's hot!

So make me yell crost the crick?

We're not yellin. An then I glance over my shoulder. Three. No tellin where Carl swum off to. I turn back to the shore. Come ere, I say, an swim to edge a the dock.

Roof breathin heavy, from where I'm treadin I can hear it, deep an fearful. Then he take a cautious step by step, inchin down the pier toward me. He stop well short a the front, a safe distance a the better part of a foot between him an the edge.

I looked everywhere for ya. Messengill's an D'Angelo's, the railroad tracks. Then I remembered. You goin to the crick one day. With him.

I said that lass summer! How'dju remember it now?

Roof starin.

Look, I'll come by an play later.

When?

I don't know! You need a bath anyway. Take a bath an by that time I'll be aroun.

Roof start coughin. The coughs are small. Then the coughs are big. Then the coughs are bigger, bigger, like an orchestra from Music Appreciation barrelin toward a huge cough crescendo.

You're startin to cough like your dad.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

A screamin banshee come sprintin, poundin crost the deck behine Roof. Roof swerve aroun, his face alight with the terror, losin his balance an fallin backward
splash!
Gone.

Everybody freeze. Cep the smilin blond boy banshee on the dock, who speak: Teach him to swim.

Seem like a hour but prolly not three seconds fore my wits come back, I'm bout to dive under searchin for him when he crash through, screamin for help. Wavin frantic, then back under, pop to the surface, fall under. I swim fast, reach him,
Grab on to me, Roof!
But his whole bein is panic, snatchin at me but slippin off. Richard an the girls now swum to the scene. Finally Roof manage to get close enough to the dock so the banshee standin atop can reach down an grab him under the arms.

Gotcha, says the rescuer an laughs.

Roof's head hinge back to look right up into Carl's face.

NO!

Roof throw hisself outa his deliverer's clutch, apparently choosin death over bein saved by Carl. The thrust send him flyin outa all our reach, and he paddlin wild, Drownin! Drownin! Drownin!

Swimmin.

Hey, says Richard.

Roof. Roof!
You're swimmin!
I yell it, catchin my breath. I yell it!

Yay! cheer the girls.

Toldja, says Carl.

Roof do the doggie paddle, Roof backstroke. Roof floatin face up on calm waters, Roof smilin, look at peace. Then freestyle to the dock.

Uh-oh, says Carl an jumps in before he gets jumped in. Roof pull hisself up on the pier, standin, lookin down at his audience in the water. Grinnin.

Yay, Roof! Kimmie an Talia whistlin. Me an Richard smilin. Carl smilin but his smile seem a little too much, or a little too little.

Niggers, says Roof. Dirty dumb niggers, all the goddamn lotta you.

Everybody still. The waters still the birds still.

How could I be friends with
niggers
?

What the
hell
? Richard all gapin.

Niggers
? say Carl. Well guess what
you
look like right now. Everyone turn to Carl, confusion. The dip in the crick cleaned some a the black off Roof's face, but not all. Thunder.

Make no mistake, Talia says. There's only one nigger here who'd call
you
a friend.

Why you gotta
be
like that, Roof? asks Kimmie.

Filthy Bartons, says Talia. That trash your friend, Dwight?

Nobody
colored
pushed you in, Roof, says Kimmie.

Roof's eyes on me: No. 'Twas Dwight's friend pushed me in.

Damn right, says Carl.

Trash Bartons, says Talia.

I pushed you, and I
saved
you. You can swim now, you got me to thank.

Dwight's best friend, says Roof. You all got badminton planned for today?

You need to go home an clean yourself up, I say.

This is the thanks we get for saving his life! If I hadn't been here, you'd
still
not know how to swim, you'd be
dead
! If I hadn't been here—

If your mama'd only
hop! hop! hopped
! better, says Roof, you
would
n'ta been here.

The sound that come outa Carl ain't nothin like anybody here ever before heard on earth, puttin us all to silence. Carl look at me, then back at Roof whose murder eyes still stuck on Carl. Then Roof turn aroun, walkin away.

You stinking piece of shit! Moron, you po white trash
nothin!
Then Carl dive under.

I toldja never to repeat that! I'm yellin but all I see's his back, him movin away, not fast, not slow.
You hear me, Roof?

Carl up from the water, rock in his hand. Hurls it but it go wild, missin Roof by yards. Stupid piece of trash shit!

CONSIDER U.S. NO LONGER FRIENDS, ROOF!

Roof jus keep walkin: Like we ever was, Dwight.

Piece of coal mining trash! Goddamn shame to the white race!

Like we ever was, Dwight, an Roof disappear into the woods.

Carl fly out the water, vanish where Roof jus did.

White boy fight! Talia gigglin.

He ain't gonna catch him, Richard says.

Way he tore outa this water? Yeah, Talia repeat, he gonna catch him.

He ain't gonna catch him cuz he don't
wan
na catch him.

Why Roof gotta be like that, Kimmie ponderin aloud.

Ain'tchu gonna go after him? Richard askin me. Ain't he your friend?

Yeah, ain't he your
friend
?

Shut up, Talia.

Talia glare at Kimmie. Don't tell
me
to shut up.

He ain't gonna catch him cuz it's a fight he won't win, an he damn sure know it. Then Richard dive under.

Talia holdin her arms like suddenly she cold. Somebody better go, make sure they're not killin each other. Then she scream, Richard come under her, pull her up on his shoulders, throw her off backward.

It sure is quiet out there, says Kimmie not to anyone in particular but I'm the only one leff to hear it. I sigh an slow move to the shallow. Step onto the bank, then stop cuz here come Carl walkin outa the woods.

I couldn't catch him. Carl starin at me. Everyone in the water quiet now, starin at Carl. Flock a geese screech overhead.

I'm going home, says Carl, and turn into the woods. I quick grab my clothes an his, jog to catch up.

Carl walk fast. I know he hear me comin up behine but he persist with the speed, don't turn aroun. Then I hear: I shoulda killed him.

I'm scamperin to keep up.

I shoulda picked up another rock, cracked open his skull. Then Carl pick up a rock, throw it hard into the trees. A twig snaps, falls.

He sure ain't no friend a mine no more.

Carl swing aroun so quick I near barrel into him, his eyes burnin me red hot. I owe him my attention but not long can I hold it. Look away, but I owe him explainin I catch my breath catch my breath.

He was talkin bad about you. Most an gen—
Usually.
Usually we don't say anything about you, but this one day. An I was jus tryin to say, you know, you got your problems too, your mother, you. He thought you was jus some spoiled rich boy, I was jus sayin other people's got their problems too, I was tryin to—