IA: Initiate (14 page)

One thought led to another, and it suddenly came to him. It wasn’t the lock on his door that gave him his newfound privacy in his bedroom, but him standing up for himself,
well, standing up for Meri,
he thought. He would reflect back on that day four weeks ago when Miss Tracey tried to take Meri’s phone by force during Meri’s mythical call to the nonexistent Haven. He recalled those three words he used to make Miss Tracey stand down.
Let … her … go,
he thought, as the whole scene almost made him laugh out loud.

As he walked into the bathroom and closed the door, he was careful not to disturb the silence. All the windows were closed in the house on this cool October morning, effectively muting the familiar sounds outside to which he’d grown accustomed. He resisted turning on the light and relied instead on the sparse light that shone in through the bathroom window and on his own night vision.

As he gazed in the mirror, he could just make out the main features of his face. The hairs on his chin seemed not to have grown a lick and were nonexistent in the scant light. He could see that the hair on his head had grown a little more, and it occurred to him that Miss Tracey had not mentioned a haircut.
A wonderful thing, this standing up for yourself
, he thought. He wondered how else his life could be changed just by the simple act of speaking up when the situation called for it. Life was good. Everything was fine, but something was missing. He wondered if he put himself out there and spoke up more often, could life be better? He wasn’t having any fun, and he was getting restless. The last time he could remember anything exciting happening was that first day of school with Ham.

The images then flashed through his mind: how Gruff held the knife against Naz’s throat and pierced the skin, and how well Ham fought but ultimately went down with a knife wound to the stomach. But he was relieved he hadn’t seen those boys since they came into MeeChi’s the end of that first week, and he was fairly confident they wouldn’t recognize him now, even if they did see him again.
Imagine me, in a gang
, he thought.
Why in the world would they want me anyway? They must’ve thought I was the biggest coward … the way I just stood there … and did nothing. But even after that, they still came for me at MeeChi’s. I’m just glad it’s over.
He thought about splashing water on his face, but again, he didn’t want to disturb the perfect silence.

One thought connected to another, and when he had finished in the bathroom, he continued down the hallway thinking about Ham.
Naz was glad Ham was OK, but he hadn’t been looking forward to his return to school for some reason, and his return more than justified Naz’s apprehension.
Since Ham’s return to school the week before, he and Naz hadn’t talked. Naz only had one class with Ham, and that happened to be Coach Fears’ last hour health class. He overheard someone at lunch one time say that Fears always made sure his ball players ended up in his last hour class. That way he could make sure they were keeping their grades up and staying out of trouble. Naz wondered how he ended up landing in Fears’ class. Then came the stares that coincided with the return of Ham—stares that signaled something had been said about what Naz had or hadn’t done in the knife fight in the Exclave. What kids said about Naz didn’t bother him, or at least it hadn’t in the past. But something was changing inside of him. He didn’t quite understand it and wasn’t sure he liked it.

In his mind he was accomplishing his goal as he continued on to Meri’s room. He was changing his mindset, and now as he arrived at Meri’s room, he placed his fingertips on the door, closed his eyes, and turned his head to listen. He wasn’t sure if he could actually hear it, or if it was just in his imagination, but it was almost clear to him. Her phone was on, tuned to her favorite station, the oldies but goodies,
just like momma
, he thought. He shook his head to clear the thoughts that triggered the nightmare. He didn’t know how she did it, but she could sleep with music playing all night. She had slept that way for over two years now,
ever since ….
Listening more closely, Naz realized it wasn’t her phone he could hear, but Meri humming or maybe actually singing, barely audible:

“You may not understand me,

But I know these words you’ll hear.

You’ll never have to worry.

You’ll never have to fear.

No way

I want to tell you this

Just before you fall off to sleep.”

It was a song, a lullaby their mother used to sing to Meri, but it was even more familiar to him than that.
Not again,
he thought, his mind returning to the nightmare.

As he made his way back to his room, he wondered if she were awake and thinking about her test in the morning. Was she nervous, or did she even care? He had promised to take her to the festival downtown after the test if she did her very best. They hadn’t gone in over two years.
But how will I know if she did her best? Dr. Gwen won’t know how she did until Monday,
he remembered. But he had a feeling she would do her best because all she ever did was her best. Meri wasn’t as tied to Higginbotham or her friends there as much as she was to the Exclave itself. She had been to as many different schools as he had, in as many different years, so she hadn’t put down any permanent roots either.

As he got back in bed, he decided the easiest way to avoid the nightmare would be to stay up the rest of the night. It was only a few hours before he would get up anyway. They needed to get an early start. The test was scheduled for nine o’clock in the morning. They would have to take the Helix: an automated, winding, elevated train that connected many parts of the Exclave to the suburbs and downtown. It would be an hour-and-a-half ride to International Academy. They had both been on the train a few times before with their mother, but never to the suburbs. His eyelids slowly grew heavy as he thought about how he and Meri had taken the Helix downtown to the festival with their mother.
Yesterday would’ve been Momma’s birthday. We always went to the festival on Momma’s birthday,
he thought.

“She loved to go to the festival,” he said as he drifted in and out of consciousness. “Momma loved to go to the festival,” he mumbled. As he gave in to sleep, one thought linked to another, and he was back in the nightmare—and, of course, he didn’t realize it.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

NIGHTMARE

“Hey
, Ma,” said Naz, as his mother came through the front door. “Are we still going to the festival today?”

Camille had only worked half the day just so she could go to the festival. “Yes, but you need to hurry up, both you and your sister. I told you to be ready when I got home.”

“I am ready.” Naz took off his guitar and threw it on the sofa.

“You know how he feels about you leaving things lying around. Where’s your sister?”

“How would I know? Am I my sister’s keeper?”

“Yes … you
are
,” she said pointedly "When I’m not here, you
are
your sister’s keeper … and you need to stop trying to quote the Bible … or whatever you think you heard in Sunday school, you little heathen.” She laughed.

Naz laughed as he grabbed his guitar and ran up the stairs.

“Hey, Ma!” called Meri as she passed Naz on her way down the stairs. “We still goin’?” She ran and gave her mother a leaping hug.

“My goodness, Meri. Of course … I guess I don’t have to ask if you’re ready … dressed like a little tomboy. We’re gonna have to get you some pinks and some yellows and some …”

“I won’t wear ’em!”

“I know you won’t, but it’s a nice thought.”

Camille’s expression changed as she heard a familiar sound. She moved to look out the front window. Her greatest fear was realized. It was her husband, Bearn, home from work early. She had promised him she wouldn’t go to the festival anymore, but she couldn’t stay away. She figured she could take a half-day off here or there, and no one would be the wiser. She didn’t think she had to worry about Naz or Meri letting the cat out of the bag because they knew the ramifications all too well.

“Go upstairs with your brother.”

“But, Ma …”

“Now! What did I tell you about talking so much, Meri? Now go!” She tried to appear calm, but the urgency in her voice gave her desperation away.

Meri ran up the stairs to find Naz looking out the window in his room.

“What is he doing here?” Naz asked. “He never gets off early.”

Meri joined him at the window. “And he doesn’t look happy either. Why is he just sitting there?” she asked.

“Because he’s thinking.”

“Thinking about what?”

“It doesn’t matter. When he gets done, it’s not gonna be anything nice. He must’ve found out we’re going to the festival.”

“So what? What’s the big deal about going to the festival? He can go with us.”

“No, he can’t!”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know, but he can’t!” And then it came to him. He looked at Meri suspiciously. “You told him.”

“He already knew. He called home an hour ago and asked what time we were leaving.”

“He didn’t know, Meri. He tricked you. I told you. You can’t trust him.”

“He’s my dad.”

“I know but … I thought I told you not to answer the phone anyway.”

“I kept telling you the phone was ringing, but you were playing that stupid guitar with your headphones on, and I tried …”

“Wait!” He put his hand up to stop her from talking. “He’s getting out.”

A native of the Exclave with no hope of parole, Bearn Slaughter was by any measure a giant of a man. He easily stood at six-foot-six and tipped the scales at a whopping three hundred-plus pounds. He had thick, wavy, jet-black hair that he always wore in a single braid down his back. He failed at almost everything he tried, but was a master manipulator, and this skill often got him in, or back in, whatever game he had set his sights on. Word had it that he used this skill of manipulation to ensnare Camille during a time of uncertainty. In Naz’s opinion, Bearn was a bully and a fiend, and he wondered what his mother ever saw in him. He wondered if his father could’ve been anything like “him.” His physical stature was matched only by his temper, which was in full force today as he made his way into the Slaughter house.

“Maybe we should call somebody,” said Meri.

“Who? Momma has nobody else … but us.”

“The police.”

“Like the last two times? They never came anyway,” he said, shaking his head.

“Well, we’ve got to do something!”

“Shhh ….”

The door opened and shut. They could hear Camille say, “
hey, honey,”
and that was all. There was a crack that resembled the sound of a lone firecracker on the Fourth of July. Meri immediately bolted down the stairs.

“Meri!” Naz called. He swore and then mumbled to himself, “I am my sister’s keeper,” as he shot down the stairs after her.

“Daddy!” Meri screamed as she flew down the stairs.

“I told you not to call me that!” Bearn yelled as he turned to put his huge finger in Meri’s face.

“Get your hand out of her face!” Camille yelled. She was holding the side of her face where Bearn had just struck her.

Bearn was holding Camille’s wrist, and in swift retaliation for her command, he struck her again with his closed hand, on the side of her head, this time sending her crashing to the floor like a rag doll. Knowing Camille would run, he never let go of her wrist.

Meri screamed and covered her ears.

“Shut up, brat!” shouted Bearn at Meri, but she kept on screaming.

“Let her go!” pleaded Naz.

Bearn ignored Naz as if he wasn’t even in the room.

“Let her go, Bearn!” Naz shouted again, as Meri kept screaming and crying.

With blood now streaming down the side of her head, Camille had already made one attempt to get up, but dazed, she fell back to the floor, half dangling as Bearn maintained his vise-like grip around her wrist. Meri continued to scream and cry frantically.

“I told you to shut up!” said Bearn as he made a motion to hit Meri with his free hand.

“Leave her alone!” Naz implored.

“And I told you not to go there anymore, didn’t I? You’re not going anywhere … again … ever,” Bearn threatened Camille.

What does that mean
? Naz thought.

“I’ll go anywhere I want!” Camille managed to shout back in anger. She was still dazed and trying to get to her feet.

Naz saw the look on Bearn’s face, and he knew his mother was about to die if he didn’t do something. He looked for something—anything—to hit Bearn with, but there was nothing lying around. When Bearn reared back to hit Camille again, Naz ran into Bearn with everything he had. He knocked the giant back and managed to free his mother.

“Run, Ma!” Naz screamed.

Meri stopped screaming and ran over to Camille.

“Come on, Ma. Get up,” she said, helping Camille to her feet.