Redemption Road (5) (825 hits)
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Submitted by Jack McCallum (View user info) at 2006-03-28 19:19:42 EST
Redemption Road
Redemption Road (1) http://www.ubersite.com/m/79291
Redemption Road (2) http://www.ubersite.com/m/81591
Redemption Road (3) http://www.ubersite.com/m/81716
Redemption Road (4) http://www.ubersite.com/m/82332
5 -Tim and Robbie in the Dark
The bus was rolling down the road and the air inside was hot and moist. The only ventilation on the bus came from small glass panels above each window, and only half of them would slide open.
Tim was driving with the door open, constantly looking in the convex mirror that let him see the down the aisle. He was paranoid that Robbie would get close to the door and fall out even though she was sitting a few rows back, beside Julianne.
Even with the door open the air was muggy. There was an emergency door in the back of the bus but it was stuck shut.
The interior of the bus didn't cool down until Whippet happened to look up while sucking warm water out of the Colman jug and let out a whoop.
"Hell's bells, we got a hatch up there!"
He hopped up on a seat and slammed at the plastic hatch cover with the heel of one hand until it popped up on four metal struts.
The cover only rose a few inches above the roof, but that was enough. Air started moving through the bus and everyone but Garvin cheered.
Whippet climbed higher, bracing his boots on the backs of adjacent seats and straddling the aisle. He fiddled with the hatch cover and released one side, laying the age-yellowed plastic square on the roof of the bus. He took off his hat and stuck his head up through the hatch, shook out his hair in the rush of wind and howled like a dog.
"This is living, people!"
Addison chuckled, finding Whippet a welcome distraction and a source of harmless fun.
Garvin muttered, "Goddamned fucking redneck," and stared sullenly out the window.
Robbie leaned close to Julianne and whispered, "Why is he so mean?"
"Because he's an asshole, honey," Julianne whispered in reply.
Whippet started singing loudly, and Robbie clapped her hands with glee when she recognized the song.
"Hello, world, here's a song that we're singin',
c'mon get happy!
Robbie was delighted. "That's the Partridge Family song!"
"That's right, darlin'!"
Whippet continued to sing. Garvin began cursing, his words as short and sharp as the sound of breaking twigs
A whole lotta lovin' is what we'll be bringin',
we'll make you happy!"
"—eet suffering Je—"
"We had a dream we'd go trav'lin' together
We'd spread a little lovin then we'd keep movin' on!"
"—ucking crazy cun—"
"Somethin' always happens whenever we're together
We get a happy feelin' when we're singin' a song!"
Addison slid next to Garvin and growled in his ear. "How do you think that crazy hayseed will react if you upset the little girl, huh?"
"Trav'lin' along there's a song that we're singin',
c'mon get happy!"
"Yeah," Garvin spat back, "the kid is your first interest here, huh?"
Addison was speechless.
"A whole lotta lovin' is what we'll be bringin',
we'll make you happy
We'll make you happy,
we'll make you happy!"
Whippet ducked down into the bus and bowed, and Robbie clapped again.
From the front of the bus Tim shouted, "That was awesome!"
"A little blast from the past," Whippet said. He poked his head outside again and took a deep breath of warm, clean air. It had been days since he'd had a drink or a smoke or a hit. This was the first moment since he had arrived that those cravings hadn't been eating at him like an itchy bit of skin under a plaster cast.
Garvin sneered and whispered, "Listen, you back the fuck off or I'll give everyone on the bus a blast from your past. How would you like that, Jonah Addison, or should I say, Jonathan Teague?"
Addison didn't want to get into the same old argument once again, so he took a seat across the aisle fro Garvin.
Richard Allen had been watching all of this in silence, and when Robbie glanced in his direction and grinned he smiled in return, ignoring the pain as his still dry lips cracked and began to bleed.
Julianne held her own smile in place, but the joy she had gotten from watching Robbie clap and bounce up and down in her seat was replaced by... what? Something about Allen bothered her.
"Hey, writer man," Whippet called down. "You ever figure what that eye-watering squiggle is up there in the sky?
Whippet was referring to what Addison had christened 'the defect.'
They had all seen it by now, that odd patch of sky overhead that wavered and blurred and made your eyes water if you looked at it too long. IT looked like a kid had drawn a circular squiggle with a soft lead pencil, tossed it up into the sky, and set it spinning.
"Not a clue," Addison called back. And that bothered him. A lot.
Whippet looked at the defect, obscured now and then by a passing cloud.
"Damn," he said. "That thing is way up high."
Inside the bus, Robbie spoke softly to Julianne. Addison overheard what she said, and he felt his skin creep.
"I think it's an eye."
"An eye?" Julianne asked. "Who's eye, sweetie?"
"It's God's eye," the little girl said, as if stating an accepted fact. "He's watching us to make sure we do what we are supposed to."
These kids, Addison thought, recalling Tim's summation of why they were all here. We're being punished, and now God is keeping an eye on us. Jesus, that's creepy shit.
"Holy mother, boys and girls," Whippet shouted into the hatch. "Lookit what's up ahead!"
The bus swerved to a stop when Tim saw it. Garvin closed his eyes and bowed his head. Allen blinked and rubbed his eyes.
The land was a bit greener here... which resulted in more scrub brush, and not much else. There were a lot of plants that looked like tumbleweed that was about to hit the road, the seeds almost ripe and ready to be spread when the plant freed itself from the soil and let the wind carry it along.
Among this dry but not desiccated rocky soil and the waist-high plants was something else. Something that did not belong there. Something that didn't belong anywhere.
It was a Coke bottle, the old-fashioned kind with a slight greenish tint to the glass. The bottle was lying on one side, at an angle, the glass cloudy with windblown dust. Half of its length was buried in the earth. And it was huge.
Tim and Robbie got off the bus, and stared at the Coke bottle, Robbie walking carefully since she was still missing a shoe. Addison and Whippet followed.
"Gentlemen," Whippet said putting on his cavalry hat, "What in the f... heck is that?"
Robbie looked over her shoulder and Whippet winked at her.
Addison shrugged and replied, "It's just another thirty foot long Coke bottle. Nothing to get excited about."
"I think it's neat," Robbie said.
Tim turned and said, "How can this be possible? I mean. I saw some real weird stuff when I was alone... and it keeps happening. For a while I thought, maybe it was just me, and if I didn't say anything I'd stop seeing that stuff."
"No, that thing is definitely real," Whippet said. "Which begs the question. Where in hell are we?"
"Interesting choice of words," Addison said.
Whippet tipped his hat back. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Do you believe in God, Cullum?"
"Well now," Whippet replied with a smile, "That's between me and the Lord, sir. I just wish he'd get a move on with the whole saving my soul routine before I kill myself with my excesses."
Tim laughed at this. Addison turned to him.
"And you, Tim? Do you go to church?"
Tim shrugged. "Just on holidays."
"What about Jesus, sonny," Whippet asked. "You believe in him?
Tim looked down and kicked at the earth, embarrassed. "Yeah. I guess. My mom and dad don't, though. Didn't, I mean."
The boy quickly looked away and Addison gave him a reassuring pat on the arm. "It's okay."
"And how bout you, writer man?" Whippet crossed his arms, curious. "I've found that most artsy folk who live near the coasts don't truckle to God."
"I never did," Addison said, "But something happened a few years back that changed my mind. It made me realize that there had to be a God, and therefore I had to believe in him. Before I knew it, I was committing an act of faith."
The men and the boy thought on this a moment, then Addison spoke again.
"And we know Robbie believes, because I just heard her mention God to Julianne a while ago."
Tim looked around at the mention of the little girl's name, spotted Robbie's pink t-shirt and blue jeans in the distance and then broke into a run.
"Oh Christ," Whippet said.
Robbie was standing by the mouth of the massive Coke bottle, looking down into the shadows inside.
Tim called out to her. Robbie waved, grinning.
"This is neat!"
Something dark, thick and curved reached out of the darkness and clamped down on Robbie's arm. She shrieked as she was yanked off her feet and down into the massive bottle.
Tim reached the mouth of the bottle just in time to see a pink sneaker and a white sock disappear from view, down into the dark.
The dark.
Tim looked over his shoulder. Addison and Whippet were moving too slow.
Tim swallowed and his throat made a dry click.
Robbie screamed again and he threw himself into the mouth of the bottle headfirst.
When the men reached the Coke bottle, Addison new he was going to be of no use here. He had no illusions about the size of his gut, the result of too many years spent sitting in a chair and exercising nothing but his fingers and his imagination.
Whippet figured he just might fit, and then rapped his head hard against the glass rim simply bending over to look inside.
"Christ almighty!" He rubbed his forehead with two fingers and said, "At least we know this ain't no fuckin mirage!"
Robbie screamed a third time, and Tim shouted, "No!"
"Damn, man," Whippet said, "Gimme a leg up!"
Tim had slid downward for only a moment before hitting hard packed earth. It was pitch black and he wanted to curl into a ball, but he heard Robbie crying and a sound like a whole bunch of sticks scratching and tapping at the ground.
He forced himself to close his eyes and count to ten.
When he opened his eyes he could see. Just a little. Just enough. Too much.
The bottom of the Coke bottle had broken out long ago, and beyond hard pack and rubble and shards of glass of every size there was the opening to a wide tunnel there that arced downward into blackness. Within the small level area inside the bottle, a space not much bigger than the interior of the bus, a struggle was taking place.
A black ant at least seven feet long was pulling Robbie toward the tunnel, thick curved mandibles closed tight on her slender arm. Another slightly smaller ant that appeared dark gold or bronze in the dim light was attacking the first insect.
The claws of the ants were scratching and tapping at the hard earth.
Robbie screamed and Tim saw the faint glint of blood where the ant's jaws had clamped down on her pale skin.
He grabbed a rock in one hand and a shard of glass in the other, and threw himself at the black ant, hammering and stabbing at the thick chitinous skull.
Whippet was still trying to get into the mouth of the bottle and realizing the toll the last few years of partying had taken on his body, when he heard Tim's voice.
"Just climb, Robbie."
"It hurts," the little girl said.
"I know. Just get up there a little and I can push you. Now go."
A moment later Whippet pulled himself out of the mouth of the bottle, reached inside, and drew Robbie out into the sun.
Julianne was there then, examining Robbie's arm and carrying her to the bus.
"There were giant ants," the little girl said, sobbing and hugging Julianne. "It was scary. But Tim killed them.
Whippet and Addison pulled Tim out of the Coke bottle and set him on his feet. The boy had scratches on his arm and forehead and a bad cut on the palm of one hand, but otherwise he seemed okay.
Whippet leaned forward and looked the boy in the eye. "You okay?"
Tim nodded, still trying to catch his breath.
Addison looked into the darkness. "What was down there, Tim?
Tim held out one hand, showing then a dark, curving thing nearly a foot long. It looked like a weapon made out of black bone.
Addison could only stare. "That's... a mandible."
Tim nodded, and then shuffled toward the bus.
Addison began to follow, looking up at darkening clouds overhead, when Whippet grabbed him by the arm.
"Now wait a minute. Just hang fire. You trying to tell me that boy killed off some giant ants all by himself, but our pretty-boy waiter got himself killed by drowning in a pitcher of water? What the hell, man?
"Indeed," Addison said.
Fifteen minutes later the bus was back on the road.
Tim and Robbie were resting in back and had Julianne watching over them. Whippet was wired and behind the wheel, and as the first raindrops came down out of a darkening sky and spattered on the cracked asphalt, Addison began to realize there was only one place they could possibly be.
User Reviews
Submitted by wookie (user info) at 2008-05-09 17:53:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by St_Jimmy (user info) at 2007-11-06 20:08:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by FuckTheArmy (user info) at 2006-04-17 20:35:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
For all its religious themes, this is good writing.
I want to see more of this.
Perhaps a cynical disproof of the ordinary notion of 'God' would flame my interest even further.
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2006-04-10 14:53:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
more.
Submitted by jack11058 (user info) at 2006-04-10 14:12:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
whippet reminds me a bit of eddie dean.
i love this.
Submitted by Falconer (user info) at 2006-04-09 09:29:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
More.
Submitted by nrduncan (user info) at 2006-04-03 16:22:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2006-03-29 22:29:58 (#)
Ranking: 2
More.
NOW.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2006-03-31 08:55:43 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I really like the setting you've created here. You've set up a situation with a lot of possibilities and mysteries. There's so much you can do, here.
Cool stuff, man.
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2006-03-29 22:29:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
More.
NOW.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-03-29 17:02:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
very LAND OF THE GIANTS
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2006-03-29 12:07:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-03-29 11:44:41 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2006-03-29 11:35:11 (#)
Ranking: 0
Well, THIS went over well.
What the fuck happened to all the people demanding more?
------------------
you gotta fan the flames, you can't wait months between posting.
and I have been sucked into an ETS vortex of stupidity.
-
I guess I picked the wrong time to start working on another chapter of Cherries, then.
Submitted by indoninja (user info) at 2006-03-29 11:44:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2006-03-29 11:35:11 (#)
Ranking: 0
Well, THIS went over well.
What the fuck happened to all the people demanding more?
------------------
you gotta fan the flames, you can't wait months between posting.
and I have been sucked into an ETS vortex of stupidity.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2006-03-29 11:35:11 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Well, THIS went over well.
What the fuck happened to all the people demanding more?
Submitted by Falconer (user info) at 2006-03-29 10:12:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Good as usual.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-03-29 08:41:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2006-03-28 20:22:36 (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Quint (user info) at 2006-03-28 19:22:29 (#)
Ranking: 0
No Comment
_________________________________________
Yo, Quint. I read all your posts, and you are awesome, dude!
you cannot ignore me forever.
alright maybe you can but why?
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-03-28 21:44:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
i'm too tired to say anything witty or mildly observant.
this was good.
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2006-03-28 20:39:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Yeah, if I could jerk off my cigarette and put my. . . :D
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2006-03-28 20:36:38 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Note to readers...
This afternoon I was outside the office having a smoke and doing a quick (and likely unsuccessful) proof-read of this chapter. I had a smoke in one hand, a pen in the other, got confused, stuck the pen in my mouth and nearly put the cig in my pocket. Thankfully I burned the living Christ out of two fingers before I could do anything stupid.
Fiction: Hazardous.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2006-03-28 20:33:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
I do pull them out of the woodwork, huh Bubba?
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2006-03-28 20:22:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Quint (user info) at 2006-03-28 19:22:29 (#)
Ranking: 0
No Comment
_________________________________________
Yo, Quint. I read all your posts, and you are awesome, dude!
................................
Jack, this was cool. Please continue.
Submitted by Quint (user info) at 2006-03-28 19:22:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
No Comment