Radium Halos (7 page)

Then my brain
decided to spin the house like a tornado. I pressed my fingers
against my temple and buried my head into my palms. Another
sensation pushed into my conscience – like Dorothy’s house in the
Wizard of Oz.

I realized what
was happening – a second too late.

Chapter
6

Rrrrr…Rrrrrr…

My phone
vibrated against my cheek. I must’ve rolled onto it in my sleep.
I’d passed out big time.

I opened my
eyes and nearly shit my pants.
Holy crap! What the hell
happened?
I lay on the top of the stairs. Well, sort of. My
hips and legs were on the landing, but my upper body lay splattered
down on the top two steps. The moments before passing out came
flooding back. How I hadn’t toppled down the stairs was beyond
me.

Slowly I
crawled backwards until there were no more steps.
Headache’s
gone, thank goodness.
Except my body still felt weak and shaky.
I crawled back to my room and dropped onto my bed, tossing my phone
beside me.

Stretching, I
glanced around my room. Five guitars rested peacefully on their
stands but my new one still lay on the floor beside the bed.
How
irreverent of me
.

A tingling in
my toes reminded me of more important things. I leaned to the side
and touched the wall. My fingers brought Nate’s room into focus,
even clearer than before.
Freakin’ awesome! I still got
it.

I punched the
bed in excitement, rolled off and stood barefoot on the hardwood
floor. An image of the dining room flashed in front of my eyes at
the exact moment the bottom of my feet touched.
My feet now have
eyes?
What’s going on with my skin? I gotta figure out how
to control this or I’ll go crazy.
Distracted, I nearly stepped
on my guitar. I caught myself and went to splash cold water on my
face.

“Holy shit!” I
stared at the reflection in my mirror, towel in hand. My eyebrows
hid under my hair, and my mouth hung open.
I’m surprised the
vision didn’t come from my jaw hitting the floor.
Moving
closer, it seemed as if my blue eyes had more specs of brown in
them. Or they were just bluer.
Nah… impossible.

Still gawking,
I spread my feet shoulder width apart. After seeing my face in the
mirror and the room below, I touched the wall. My freak skill
allowed me to see Nate’s room, the dining room and my reflection,
all at the same time. It took some time but by shifting my focus
slightly by moving my eyes, I figured out how to switch rooms. It
made my head spin so I dropped the toilet seat down and sat. I
could touch the floor and both walls.

I needed to
slow down or I’d throw up. Feet on the floor, I shoved my hands
under my armpits and worked on shifting scenes without getting
dizzy. Once accomplished, I added one hand, then the other. Soon I
could focus on what I wanted to see, and still see the other rooms
peripherally, like a computer screen that had different screens
which popped up by simply touching them. Pacing in my room, I
needed to figure out how to have the ability to see my normal field
of sight. I’d either never be able to move or crash into everything
if I didn’t get it sorted.

Dropping my
arms and shaking them, I gave my shoulders a few rolls and started
from my feet up again. First one foot I concentrated on the screen
views my brain gave me. Sweat broke out on my forehead but I knew I
was getting there. The dizziness disappeared as well as the nausea.
When I finally added a hand to the wall and manoeuvred around my
guitars without banging into anything I relaxed.
Easy as
pie.
Laughter erupted from my throat, and I did a Tiger Wood’s
fist pump, then nicely finished off with two long blasts from the
old butt trumpet.

A buzzing
stopped my victory dance. My phone slid a few inches on my sheets,
trying to get my attention. I picked it up and checked for
messages. There were three. Seth said he’d meet up and would stop
by Kieran’s place to see if he wanted to come. Heidi texted that
Zoe had sent her a message and she’d let Rylee know, and they’d be
there.

Zoe sent the
last one.

 
Sorry 4
not replying sooner. Mom’s freaking out since I didn’t call her
when I was at my dads. I’m walking 2 mom’s now and getting the
Beatle. C U at PHP. I gotta tell you something.



Poor gal, she
had no idea how to send a short text. I couldn’t help but grin.
I gotta tell you something wayyy cooler.
Unless she had the
same thing happen to her.
Something from the mine…

I replied:
L8er.

Tossing the
phone on the bed I then bent over and picked up Hangstrom, unable
to resist playing it. I settled onto the stool near the fireplace
on the far wall and ran my fingers over the strings, playing a few
odd chords. I’d always preferred fingers over a pick. Now, the
vibrations humming through my fingers were like magic, like I’d
never understood the sound until that moment.

I disappeared
into the melody as the notes rang out. Nothing else existed. There
was only the music. Not like before, so much more…deeper,
sensual.

The next time I
checked my watch, I stared in surprise.
Two and a half hours
gone?
It’d felt like twenty minutes since I’d come to at the
top of the stairs. Six o’clock and I still needed to shower before
heading out to PHP. Jumping from the stool, I carefully set the
guitar on her stand and raced to the bathroom.

The log cabin
exterior of Pool Hall Parlour twinkled with year-round with
multi-colored Christmas lights. A few old cars in the parking lot,
but none looked familiar. Once inside, I checked to see if any of
the gang had been dropped off. At home, I’d figured out when I wore
socks or sneakers, my feet were unable to get any X-ray vision. It
made driving a whole lot easier.

Running my
fingers along the wooden walls, I searched the eating and pool
table area, even the ‘Cowpokes’ restroom. I lifted my hand as I
passed the ‘Cowgals’. There were certain things in life a guy
didn’t need to see. Nobody was here yet.

Funny, I’ve
been here a million times but everything seems like I’m seeing it
for the first time.
Way clearer
. Maybe my focus is notched
just a little tighter.

Whoever
decorated PHP must’ve made some taxidermist rich. Stuff raccoons,
beavers, ducks, fish, and deer heads, plastered the walls over the
pool tables, bar, and video games. A huge black moose loomed over
the dart board, a couple of stray darts stuck to him. The one by
its nose was mine.

Aside from
never wanting to be here on your own with all those beady eyes
staring at your every move, the place had an awesome atmosphere. It
only added to the awesome food they served. Huge burgers which
tasted like proper outdoor barbequed, fresh cut French fries with
the skin still on, and sandwiches crammed with half a chicken.
Everything was greasy and salty. It was impossible to order the
wrong thing from the menu. My mouth watered from the menu and
smells coming from the kitchen. I glanced around and checked the
door.
They’d better be here soon, I’m starving.

The place was
dead for a Sunday night. A couple of people eating and four college
guys, summer strays as we called them, must’ve come up to Elliot
Lake for the last weekend before school. Completely wasted, they
were trying to play pool, in between cat-calling the waitress.
Poor Abigail
. One of them, tall with shaggy blond hair,
tried to swat her ass, but she sidestepped and strolled back to the
bar rolling her eyes.

I’d settled
into a booth near the far side, facing the front doors. Sort of
watching the entrance, interested in the hall more than anything
else. The stuffed animals on the walls kept watching my every move.
Or maybe watching the door as well.

“Dude!” Seth’s
booming voice made everyone turn. He smiled, but then grimaced when
he passed the kitchen and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Kieran strolled
right behind him, dressed in dark clothes and hands in his back
pockets. He surveyed the room with a bored look, shaking his head
at the animals hanging on the walls.

Seth dropped
into the booth. “Abi! Can we get a pitcher of Ginger ale over
here?”

“Ginger ale?
What are you, ninety?” I laughed. “You getting anything to
eat?”

“Naw, the
kitchen’s got a funky odour coming out of it.” He rubbed his nose,
as if trying to block the smell.”

“I never
noticed.” Kieran pulled a stool to the booth and sat down.

“Me neither.
I’m starving.” I grabbed the menu, already knowing what I’d
order.

Abigail dropped
the jug and glasses off and stood behind Kieran. “D’you guys want
anything?” Her tray rested against her hip.

Loud laughter
from the college boys muffled my stomach’s loud grumble.

Zoe, Heidi and
Rylee slipped around Abigail and scooted into the booth. Zoe sat
beside me, the other two by Seth.

Zoe grinned and
whispered, “I bet Brent orders the mega-burger.” She rested her
elbow on the table, hands covering her ears.

I stared at
her, trying to keep my eyes from wandering over her sun-kissed skin
and down her short white skirt.
If I touched her shirt, would I
be able to see through it?
Shaking my head, I took a deep
breath and forced my fingers to play with the napkin wrapped around
the cutlery. “Maybe I’m not hungry.”

She gave a
half-smile. “Liar. I heard your stomach growl.” Her cheeks turned a
shade of red that matched her low cut tank top.

How’d she
hear it?
“Fine, you win.” I turned to Abigail, my gaze roaming
once more over Zoe’s perky boobs before moving on to Abigail.
A
guy’s gotta look, right?
“Can I get the mega with a side of
onions rings?”

Abigail blew
her bangs, looking tired. “Anyone else?”

Kieran ordered
the mega too, and the girls got the nacho tray.

“Seth?” Rylee
said. “Anything? Or everything on the menu?”

He inhaled and
turned three shades of green. “Nah, I’m good. Wait. Maybe another
ginger ale? With a spoon for the bubbles.” He rested his chin on
his hand, his fingers covering his mouth and nose.

“If you got the
flu and gonna puke…” Heidi scooted away from him and closer to
Rylee.

“I’m fine…I
think.” Seth spoke from behind his hand. “Everything just smells
totally strong. Some of it’s nice, but some of it…” He gagged and
shuddered as he swallowed. “I think the mine poisoned my gut.”

Heidi and Rylee
jumped out of the booth. Heidi slid beside Zoe, who moved closer to
me. Rylee grabbed a stool and sat beside Kieran.

Seth smirked
and sat up, not sick or poisoned at all. “I’m fine now.” He
stretched a leg out on the bench and grinned.

“Bugger,” Rylee
said. “You just wanted the seat to yourself. I should’ve seen that
coming.”

“
Bugger
?” Zoe asked. “Where’d that come from?”

Rylee shrugged.
“Someone said it on Corrie Street or Queer as Folk or some other
BBC show I watched online. It’s a cool word.”

Kieran laughed
and crossed his arms over his chest. He winked at the girls sitting
by me. “Never had someone try an’ impress me that’a way. Thar’s a
first.” His accent made his r’s roll.
Great, more things to make
the girls ogle over him.

Heidi coughed,
looked at Zoe, and then me. “What’s going on? With all of us?”

Suddenly my
skill went from being cool to dropping a stone in the pit of my
stomach.
It’s wrong?
Wait. Do they have it too?

Abigail’s
arrival with our food stopped me from replying. Taking forever, she
finally walked set everything down and walked toward the pool
tables.

I stared at my
tower of onion rings, thinking about how to ask my buddies without
sounding out of my mind. I grabbed the top ring and popped it into
my mouth. The frown on Zoe’s face stopped me from reaching for
another. “What’s up?”

She nodded to
the college guys. “They’re saying things. Pretty disgusting stuff
about Abi. I hope Max’s kicks them out. They’re gross.”

“You mean,
Skinny, Dipshit, and Bleach-head?” Seth jabbed his thumb and
smiled, looking all proud of thinking up the nicknames.

I cocked my
head. All I heard was loud laughter. “How can you hear them?”

Zoe stared at
her nachos. All of us grew quiet – a weird, almost knowing silence.
She whispered, “I can hear everything.”

“Git out,”
Kieran said.

“There’s a guy
talking outside on his cell. He’s about to come in.”

We all turned
to the entrance and watched some guy walk in with a phone stuck to
his ear. I turned to Zoe. She covered her ears, as if trying to
drown out the noise.

“You’re ears
are wacked! My hands and feet—”

“These nachos
taste like a dirty ashtray.” Heidi cut me off. She pushed her plate
away, her face four shades of green.

Seth leaned
forward, oblivious to what had just happened. He sniffed. “They
stink a bit like smoke, but better than the lard stench coming out
of the kitchen.” He tried a nacho, then slid the plate in front of
him. “If you’re not gonna eat…”

“Time out, time
out, guys.” I made a capital “t” with my hands. Kieran eye’s jotted
over each of us.
He’s thinking what I’m thinking.
My head
ticked like the second hand on a clock at each of my friends.
Seth complaining stuff smells bad, Zoe can hear a pin drop,
Heidi’s taste is off and…

My stomach
tightened, and breathing became a challenge. “All of you been weird
since last night?” I scratched my jaw as each of them nodded.
All, but Kieran
. “Rylee, what’s your deal? Is it your
skin?”

She blinked.
“No. My skins fine but my eyes are super focused. Remember last
year when I had laser surgery? It was awesome ‘cause I could see
everything without my glasses.” She blinked, her eyes shooting
everywhere around the hall. “It felt like that again this morning.
Except now I can see the trees with five thousand leaves, their
veins and the bugs crawling on them.” She paused. “And watch the
sap running through them. I swear I could see
all of
it
.”