Chapter Eight

The dangers of pot

We’ve settled into our s****y motel. It’s been a day now, and I’m starting to get used to the scent of water damage on the old cracking wallpaper. This place looks better in the dark. I walk over to the sink located just outside the bathroom, and brush my long blond hair. I still have black make up smeared around my eyes from when I was too lazy to take it off last night, and I smudge the excess that’s protruding a little too far down my face. I throw on one of my three identical light gray pullovers that are a few sizes too big, and pull on a pair of deep blue jeans with the knees missing. I don’t mean to buy clothes that are too big, it’s just impossible to find anything my size. I'm small, way too short and thin for my age of fifteen. So I do what I can, and wear clothes a few sizes too big. I pull my hair into low side tail, letting it drape over my shoulder.

                I hear the shower shut off, and I collapse on my bed, exhausted before I’ve even had the chance to do anything.

                ‘Cori!’ Derek calls from the bathroom. Good to know he gives no f***s about the people in the rooms beside us.

                ‘Yeah,’ I call back. He walks out, wearing a black t-shirt, that fits, and jeans the same shade as mine, and is barefoot. He tries to dry his dark brown hair, but the towel is soaking wet, and not doing anything.

                ‘We were supposed to meet mom at the hospital ten minutes ago,’ he says, frantically pulling his socks on. I pull on my black all stars, and stand by the door.

                ‘Quit bitching I’m ready to go.’ I retort. He glares at me, still attempting to pull his socks on. I look away. ‘I’ll be in the car.’

                He shows up after a few moments of me sitting in the lonely pedophile van, wishing someone would break through the glass and kidnap me. And just like that, I’d never have to see dad again. The sound of the door opening startles me, and I realise just how much I’d miss my brother. Derek gets in the van, and I look up at him, tearing up just at the thought.

                ‘Derek, I’m so sorry. I’m such a b***h,’ I’m barely able to get the words out of my mouth. I don’t know why I'm crying. I feel like life just walked up and slapped me across the face. I burry my head in my hands, and feel him lean over and hug me. He stays silent, and the sound of my sobbing is quiet, but deafening at the same time. ‘I don’t want to see them. Please, don’t make me see them.’

                ‘I won’t Cori,’ he says after a moment of thinking ‘I know this is hard on you, but you have to understand, he was my father. He was around when I was growing up.’ The thought makes me cry harder. ‘Please, this is hard on all of us, even if it’s not for the same reasons.’

                For the first time since hearing the news, I wish he’d survive it. Not for mom’s sake, and certainly not for his, but for Derek’s. I don’t know if I could live with myself if I wished dad dead and he died, leaving Derek to lie awake at night crying softly like he did after dad left. I’d feel responsible, and I don’t know if I can take any more of that. ‘I know, I’m so sorry.’

                ‘Don’t be, you have the right to hate him,’ he says, ‘you’ve stayed strong for so long, thank you.’

 I wipe at my eyes, smearing makeup all over my sleeve, and smile, for the first time in god knows how long. ‘Do you want to get some ice cream?’

                ‘But we’re already late,’ I protest.

                He laughs, ‘I’ll tell mom you slept in.’

                ‘Hey!’ I laugh, the tears completely disappearing. We drive around for a bit, until we find a small ice cream parlor.

                ‘Just so you know your makeup is all crazy,’ Derek says. I look in the mirror, and it really is. Uneven patches on washed out black surround my eyes, and there’s a black smear on my cheek bone. The drive is filled with the usual bantering, and when we finally get there, he gets out of the van, and I do too.

                ‘I thought you were staying in the van, Cori,’ he says. I close the door. ‘Did you change your mind?’

                ‘No, I’m going for a walk,’ I say, ‘I need to collect my thoughts.’ The wind picks up, sending my hair flying in every direction.

                ‘Okay, but be back in an hour and a half.’

                ‘Okay,’ I want to say more, but Derek’s cell phone starts ringing, I could hear the yelling through the phone. It was mom, yelling like crazy. I hear Derek try to calm her down as I walk across the parking lot. I don’t stick around to find out why.

                Is that a hearse?

                I tear my eyes away from the pavement when I see a tall boy with mostly black hair, streaked with blue, purple, and green. His pants are crazy, with... peacock feathers? He jumps out of the hearse window, and starts walking towards me. I would normally look away and keep walking, but this guys appearance is too much for me to ignore. I think I’ve been staring for a bit too long, because he walks up, and looks a bit self conscious.

                ‘Excuse me, do you have a second?’ he asks, he’s shy, and quiet, the opposite of his outfit.

                ‘Yeah I have a second, what do you want?’ my response is a bit colder than I’d meant for it to be, but I don’t really want to talk to this guy.

                ‘My sister’s hurt. She blacked out and is in my car. Could you watch her while I call 911?’ his eyes are purple, his lips form into a pout. Does he take me for an idiot?

                ‘Sorry man, there’s a hospital right the f**k there,’ I lazily point behind me. ‘You can get her there yourself, can’t you?’

                ‘No, he has a broken leg and I can’t move him.’ He bit his lip a little.

                ‘He? You said your sister,’ I say, ‘look I don’t know what you want, but get it from someone else. Leave me alone.’ I start turning to walk past him, but he grabs my arm. His face twists into a sick grin, and I try to pull my arm away.

                ‘Don’t tell me what to do sweetie, nobody tells me what to do.’ He releases my arm and I make a break for it, but I feel something heavy break over my skull. I wince in pain, and fall to the warm pavement, drifting in and out of consciousness. I hear talking coming from the hearse, but I'm in too much pain to move. I curl up into a ball on the ground, and hear a new set on footsteps. They pick me up, and time slows down. I feel blood dripping down my face, and soon, I don’t feel anything.