CHAPTER 44: Moving
Lucas hunted around his room, throwing his clothes and bedding into a large duffle bag. His room wasn’t very large. There was a narrow desk on one wall. Above the desk were a few DIY shelves with boxing trophies from years of competition and used boxing gloves. The punching bag in the corner had gotten a lot of use, but this room was really too small to even attempt a decent punch.
The desk had never gotten much use since he wasn’t even able to pull the seat all the way out before it hit the bed behind it. The dresser, sized for a smaller kid, had already been rooted through and anything worth wearing was in the duffle. The drawers could barely hold four of his shirts. He already knew the clothes in the closet had no purpose going forward.
Overall, his room was just a monument to a past that Lucas had moved beyond. Boxing really held no more purpose to him. It was the way his dad forced him to be tough enough. There might be trophies from tournaments he won, but no pictures to attribute the cups and plaques to him. They could have just been bought from any sporting shop. When he was younger they held meaning to him, a hope that he was more than the people around him. That everyone should respect him. Now, they represented a lost child desperate for some consistent people in his life. People that he finally felt would stick around, as long as they kept their lives; lives that he would help protect.
“Aren’t you a little old to be running away?” a gruff voice asked. There was an edge to it that was always there. It brooked no back talk or perceived disrespect.
Lucas had known his dad was in the doorway from the moment the lighting shifted. Yet, he didn’t feel there was much to explain. Slowly, so as not to knock things over, Lucas turned to him.
“At my age it’s called moving out.”
“Oh? I suppose you have a nice swanky place to live lined up? A kid like you thinks he can do better than his old man? Is that how it is, boy?”
Lucas watched the man’s eyes for a minute. There was the constant anger and disappointment there. It didn’t matter if it was towards himself or people who had wronged him in the past, Lucas’s dad saw the world through it. No one escaped from it. Lucas knew it was impossible to talk it down, but this time Lucas didn’t care.
“That’s how it is, pops,” Lucas said casually. No matter how he answered it would have escalated things. Giving in to the man’s assumptions would just speed things along.
Lucas looked down at his dad’s clenching hands. The man was a grizzled army vet. He was good in a scrap and compared everything to the closeness and respect of the men he had served with. With Adam’s group, Lucas was finally able to understand his dad’s longing for those times and people.
“You think it’s easy to provide for people? You think what I give you isn’t enough? There is no way a shit like you can do better! Getting kicked out of schools, always in fights, causing trouble to no end. You’ve been a headache for me but I’ve given my all to provide for you and done a damn fine job of it, even if you can’t appreciate it.”
Lucas sighed. He knew how this was going to go down. There was never an intention to sneak away from his father. He always intended to directly tell him he was moving out. As coarse and rough as the man was, Lucas had never held a grudge against him. Until meeting Adam and his family he didn’t know there was any other way to be. It was just too hard reasoning with the man’s world view.
“Pops. This isn’t about you. My group got some rooms to stay in and it’ll be good to be closer to them so we can respond to issues faster.” Even with how unreasonable his dad was, Lucas knew that in a few days he would put aside the emotions and might be able to understand.
“Your group? What group. Sentinel Army? Yeah right! Just a buncha kids playing at soldiers. You know nothing of real soldiers or war.”
Breathing in Lucas did something he wouldn’t have in the past. He centered himself and relaxed. His friends had earned his respect, even if other didn’t give it. Whether it was Brandon standing up after getting his guts cut out, to Joseph the slacker going out to do even more to contribute, to Carlos allowing himself to be the butt of the jokes, to those three prissy girls doing their nails before going in to battle.
And then there was Adam. Willing to wade through bodies and blood, often his own, to ensure everyone that mattered to him was safe. Yeah, Lucas no longer needed respect from others. He was respected by his own company.
“I get why you’d think that, pops. I’m still going. Thanks for looking out for me since mom left. Let me know if you want me to get you a place too.”
The anger started to build in his father. Lucas could see his face getting red and his fists failing to stay down. This was the normal outcome. His dad tried so hard in his own mind to be calm and reasonable, but the truth quickly stepped over him.
Before it escalated, Lucas reached his arm back. While maintaining eye contact with his dad, he threw a light jab at the punching bag. A loud pop occurred as the back of the leather bag exploded, spraying its sand all over the walls.
His dad froze, eyes bulging out as he stared at the shredded punching bag. Lucas gently put a hand on his dad’s shoulder while shifting him to the side. Duffle bag over his shoulder he left the room.
“I’m not leaving you, pops. I’m just joining my own comrades.”
***
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Alissa hadn’t been to her mom’s place in weeks. It had been more than months since she slept there. For a moment Alissa even wondered if she still had anything that mattered to her in the apartment, but this time she needed to talk with her mom.
After knocking on the door, the voices started.
“Greg, who is it?”
“I’ll go check, Claudia. You expecting anyone?”
The yelling cut off as Greg opened the door. He stared blankly at Alissa and then his face brightened with recognition, mostly after his eyes inspected up and down her body in a wholly uncomfortable way.
“Alissa!” Greg smiled brightly while projecting welcome and warmth. He rested a hand on her back and beckoned her to come in. As she walked past him the hand slid from her shoulder blade down to her lower back just above her butt. Revulsion almost made her shudder, but she just continued forward to the small round eating table next to the stove.
“Look, Claudia,” Greg crowed, as if she wasn’t already looking at Alissa. “Alissa came back! Maybe this time she can stay for good. I’m not really sure why she doesn’t live with us. Kids need consistency.”
Claudia stood with a smile and hugged Alissa, frowning for only a heartbeat when she saw Greg’s hand still on Alissa.
“Have you come to stay, dear? I do miss my little girl so much,” Claudia gushed, adding a kiss to Alissa’s cheek. Suddenly Alissa had to stifle a giggle as she thought of how awkward Adam was with all the touching. She couldn’t wait until he spent time with her mom.
“Mama, we need to talk.”
“Oh, it’s one of those visits,” Claudia said, her shoulders slumping a little in disappointment, but keeping the smile on her face for her daughter.
“Of course, Alissa,” said Greg. “Whatever you need to talk about we’re here for you.” His hand started rubbing in circular motions on her back. Each circle brought it slightly lower.
“Actually, Greg,” Alissa said as she stepped away and caught his wrist before he could touch her again, “This is between me and my mama.”
“Don’t worry, love. Anything you want to say to her you can say to me,” said Greg soothingly, trying to pull his wrist back without seeming like it. Alissa again wanted to giggle as Greg couldn’t move it at all, much like what Adam did to Carlos before Andrea tased him. “We’re all family here.”
Alissa scoffed and Claudia frowned again before putting a smile back on her face.
“Yeah right. We’re family like this is just a mild leg spasm,” said Alissa as her shin flew up between Greg’s legs with all 22 points of strength she had. As she made contact with his unmentionables there was a snapping sound and he popped three feet into the air, bent over, and passed out before he hit the floor. His eyes were rolled back in his head and spittle was coming out of his mouth.
Claudia gasped in shock as Alissa turned to her. She looked at Alissa who seemed very nonchalant, as if she hadn’t just crippled the man for life. Quick glances at Greg showed her that several different colored bodily fluids were pooling in his pants, soon to be all over the floor.
“You wanted to talk, dear?” Claudia asked hesitantly.
“Yeah, mama. I’m moving into a nice apartment with my friends. You remember Andrea and Abbey. It’s a super nice place and we’ll be living across from our boyfriend.”
That got Claudia’s attention.
“Boyfriend? Our boyfriend? As in more than just you?”
“That’s right. He’s a great guy. We’re going to have kids together,” Alissa said proudly.
“You’re pregnant?!” Claudia shouted in shock. Alissa had been born when Claudia was only two years older than Alissa was now. While it was a hard time to get through raising Alissa, with support she knew it was doable. It just came as a shock to think of her own baby already having more. Plus, age 36 felt awfully young to be having grandchildren.
“Not yet, but I’ll make it happen soon. I want at least two kids.”
“Um, dear, it takes more support to raise children. Is this boy going to be ready for it?”
“Don’t worry, mama. Adam is super responsible. He cares a ton. He’ll totally kill to protect us. I can feel his love wherever I go. Plus, his own mom will make a wonderful granny. I bet she’ll love them so much.”
“Are you going to be able to afford this apartment? I believe you’re still in high school.”
“Well, high school doesn’t matter much anymore, and besides, Adam just got a ginormous amount of money. He has a place and built a huge set of luxury condos on it. All his friends are moving into it today. We were even told units would be given to our family if we wanted.”
“Oh! That sounds rather amazing. So this boy is rich, is he?”
Claudia glanced down at Greg. Things were starting to smell foul. He needed an ambulance.
Quickly she grabbed her purse, making sure her phone was in it, and then hooked arms with Alissa. A new smile crossed her face as the two stepped outside the apartment.
“That’s wonderful, dear. How about you show me where you’re going to live. I think I’d love to live close to you if a nice apartment is available. I can’t wait to meet your future husband. Tell me, does he have any single friends?”
“Well, there is this police detective he works with. I think he’s single…and can probably clean up nice…”
***
Randall and Joseph approached the home that Joseph grew up in. It was by the edge of a forest, trees obscuring it. There were no neighboring houses within view. To find this place would be impossible without intending to and having someone guide you down the dirt and gravel roads. As far as he knew they weren’t on any mailman’s delivery route. His dad had to use a PO Box and was constantly being called because it was overflowing.
The house itself was old. Ugly side paneling, roof shingles that were probably rotting, broken down and dismantled cars all around the place. Inside wasn’t much better with the shag carpets, 70s wallpaper that had been peeling off the walls his whole life, and mildew and mold growing rapidly. Joseph lived there with his brother and father and whatever girlfriend or prostitute was stoned enough to crash there at any given time.
“Can you believe that we're going to get our own places?” Randall asked for the fifteenth time, shivering as he remembered the years living with his hellion sisters. Joseph didn’t answer, knowing that Randall wasn’t paying attention.
“The places are even nicer than anything we’d ever be able to afford. Man, Adam is amazing. Such a great guy. We are so lucky we jumped him that day!” Randall continued.
The two walked towards the house. As they got close the smell of mold and dead leaves got stronger and they stopped, staring at the door.
“Do you need clothes?” asked Randall.
“Nope,” answered Joseph. “Adam is buying out the local stores. I’ll grab clothes from that.”
“Bed stuff?”
“Nope. If that police nerd doesn’t bring it in with the mattresses and furniture, then I’ll grab a sleeping bag from the winter supplies Adam is getting us.”
“Pictures or personal stuff?”
“Nah, it’s all moldy.”
“Then what did we come here to pack?” Randall asked as he held the box of large garbage bags they brought to put stuff in for the move.
Then he noticed Joseph staring at a shed. It was in surprisingly good condition. Much better than the house. It was where Joseph’s father kept everything of value; a TV and VCR, recliner, any drugs he had bought, as well as decades of dirty magazines. Randall frowned for a moment before he realized.
“Porn?” he asked.
“Of course! What if the aliens kill the internet? We need to preserve human culture.”
Randall couldn’t fault that logic as they headed towards the shed to clean it out. He just hoped they brought enough bags.