Numb on the Pavement

A Chapter by Alyssa

Chapter 10: Numb on the Pavement

“Damn.” George grumbled. I saw his lightly lit body get up from the chair at the table, and walk towards the hall.

My eyes still adjusting to the lighting, I look down at Cody in front of me whose looking ahead at his father.

“Well, there goes watching TV.” Jack breathed.

All was quiet except for the pouring rain; Anne was still at the table, the pale blue light from the screen door touching half of her face. It made her look eerie, her face was blank.

“Maybe I should call my dad.” I whisper down to Cody, who was still sitting on the floor in front of me, his back against the couch I was resting on.

“Yea.” He whispered, and handed me my phone.

“Thanks.”

I dial and he picks up on the first ring.

“Des, are you alright over there?”

“Yes, I’m fine… we just lost power but Cody’s dad George is taking care of it.”

“Yea we lost it over here too. June bug isn’t so happy, she was outside playing and the rain came along… but we are making soup for lunch and we got the candles out.”

“Good.” I say and I see George walking back with a lantern, a couple flashlights, and an arm full of candles. He sets them loudly on the table.

“Hey dad I’ll try and get home when the storm ends… tell June I say hi.”

“Alright sweetheart I’ll call later to check up on you.”

We say goodbye and George and Anne set up the lantern on the coffee table. George lights the candles around the house, one on the kitchen table, a few at the counters and in the bathrooms. And leaves the flashlights on the table.

We are all gathered in the living room, Jack and Anne are talking about when the storm will end and Cody has turned around to me, his elbow propped on the couch cushion with his head rested on his hand. We talk about our love for thunder and lightning storms… how much we love cheese, and meat, and how people are crazy for being vegetarians, even though we respect it in a way. We then got to the topic of school, and after school…colleges we want to go to, what we want to do. What’s our dream home, place to live and so on. I could talk till forever with Cody.

Cody says wants to get into construction and architect. And I told him I wanted to get into photography or become a writer of some sort.

“How bout cards, anyone in?” George calls over the conversations.

We all agree and we play a few games. I bring myself to the living room floor.

I talked to Anne, George and Jack about the werewolf thing, since they brought it up. I was thinking about bringing it up, but I chickened out. They seemed very cool about me knowing, and it seems as if they trust me that I wouldn’t tell a soul, which I wouldn’t. George said he could show me what they can do when it’s nice out, like running and things like that. Anne made sure he meant everything but the sphinx and mountain lion business; she said it would be straight up moronic, and I don’t blame her. Jack on the other hand, insisted that he would show me how strong he is, and how scary and intimidating he says he looks as a wolf, especially when he “growls”.

“Jack your such a hot head.”

“Thank you.” He responds almost immediately, as if he knew I was going to say that.

A couple hours later, after Anne cooked us grilled cheese masterfully in the dark, the rain came to a slow, and the power came on at around two o’clock. Dad called and I told him I was on my way, and I changed into my fresh-out-of-the-dryer clothes that smelled of lake and dreary rain, my ankle wasn’t as bad… It was fine enough to just limp on now. Cody was worried I wouldn’t be of driving capability, which was ridiculous. I convinced him nearly enough to be able to drive, but he still wanted to come to make sure.

“Nice Jeep. It’s kind of old, but it’s nice.” Cody said as we started riding our way up to my cabin. This was his first time in my car. I’ve always gone to his house and then went home, or he picked me up. I’m not sure why that is. The air was thick and the sun was just beginning to show.

“Um, thanks… I think?” I laugh. “And you shouldn’t be talking, your cars pretty old too ya know.”

He chuckles. “I’m quite excited to see your house for a change. I’ve only seen the outside.”

“Yeah I know… I hope you can handle the spiral staircase, the marble floors, and the very sufficient butler we have awaiting you.” I say in a whimsical voice.

“No, I don’t think I can handle something like that. Turn around!” He teases.

“Too late!” I pull into the dirt driveway next to the house.

The grass is puddle with mud as we walk towards the porch. When we get inside Dad is on the couch and June is sprawled on the floor with Bo, reading a Dr. Sues book I’m guessing she found in one of the old drawers.

“Hey.” I call when I enter the room. I see Cody looking around curiously in the corner of my eyes.

“Hey Des, Cody.” He smiles over to us.

“Hi!” June says looking up quickly from her book and back down.

“This is the kitchen and living room.” I tell Cody, his scanning eyes then rest on my refrigerator.

“I like your fridge. Vintage.”

I look over to my 50’s style fridge proudly. “Thanks.”

I lead him into my and June’s room. “Here’s my room, and well… Junes.”

Cody looks around and then closes his eyes. “Mmm.”

“Huh?” I asked curiously.

“It smells so good in here… like familiar, I can’t put my finger on it.”

He sniffs around, reminding me of a dog. I try not to laugh from the irony.

He gets over to me, grabs my shoulders and bends his head down, so his nose is barely touching my neck.

“Ah of course, that’s what it is, its you!” He flashes an accomplished smile.

I give him a weird look. “Well… that wasn’t weird or anything.” I laugh.

“Your going to just have to get used to my-“ He lowers his voice. “Canine nature.”

“Yea your right. It’s funny, because your room smells like you too.”

He squints his eyes. “It doesn’t smell like wet dog does it?”

I chuckle. “No. You smell like the lake…the pine. It smells good.” More like the most amazing smell ever next to cinnamon roasted almonds and honeysuckle.

The corner of his mouth turns up. “You know what you smell like?”

I exhale with a smile. “What?”

“You smell kind of like… sunscreen, and melon…” He sniffs again.

A smile uncontrollably spreads on my face; I try to pull it back. “Oh.” I simply say and sit on my bed. Cody comes over to join me.

My dad comes in, his eyes boggling, a little stunned. “I’m going out to get food for dinner later.”

“Alright.” He leaves and A few moments later and I hear the car pull out of the driveway.

“Oh crap.” I say aloud.

“What?”

“I got to do laundry, my dad needs his jeans for tomorrow. He only brought two.”

“No problem, I’ll help you.” Cody offers willingly.

“It’s okay I’ll just do it later.”

“Come on.” He stands up making the bed squeak. “Where are your washer and dryer?”

I sigh and grab his soft hand. “Follow me.”

We go downstairs into the basement, which is not a very pleasant place. It’s full of spiders and darkness, with one light bulb so you can see what your doing. It smells of musk and damp earth. I told him when I was June’s age I always got scared and thought that Freddy Cruiger was going to snatch me from behind. Cody told me a story when he was little and always thought the boogieman was under his bed. And one night Jack went under his bed and grabbed him by the leg while he was lying down, he screamed bloody murder and transformed into a wolf to defend himself.

“That’s something I still gotta see.” I say as I open up the dryer door.

“Huh?”

“You transform. That’s got to be insane.”

“I’ll show you when I get the chance.”

I pulled out all the dry clothes, put them in the basket, making sure there weren’t any of my under garments that might create an unpleasant awkward or embarrassing moment. Seeing it was all clear we started to fold.

“But, not when I change back… see my clothes rip off when I change, and well you know what I mean.”

“Hey its not like I haven't seen you naked before." I tease.

"Hey now, thats not funny. And you know you liked it."

I felt my face get hot as I was grabbing the laundry detergent. "Yea sure Cody sure." I said trying not to sound like I was bluffing.

After laundry June left to go over Kaitlyn’s cottage, which was only down the road I found out. Cody bugged me to get a hammock, reckoning they were heaven to nap in. So we both split the cost and got a nice hammock at the corner store. We perched it up between two trees next to my cabin. Tired from tying the rope around tone of the trees thirty times, I crashed onto the hammock and Cody started pushing me.

I closed my eyes and relax. But Cody’s pushing got harder so I look up to a fast swaying sky.

“Codes slow down.”

He only pushes harder. I look over at him and he’s smiling.

“Hey!” I shout annoyed. He stops and then I slow down, but I see him flying towards me, he lands on the hammock, surprisingly not flipping us over, but I was yelling because I thought it would and also, because Cody was squashing my whole body.

“Get off!” I giggle, pushing his tough back off me to the side.

“Sorry.” He chuckles and situates himself next to me.

We stare at the sky for a moment. His arm was pressed against mine and I could feel his muscles contracting when he pulled the rope to rock us.

“Ever wonder about how everything started?” Cody asks.

“As in the universe?”

“Yea I mean, the big bang theory sure… But how did that particle of energy get there?”

“Yea…” I sigh.

“And, I know god too but I just can’t believe in one theory.”

“Me either. I’ve always wondered about aliens, and how there are probably a million earths out there in different galaxies, ‘cause we can’t have the only planet that has life, you know?” I say.

“I know! There are so many other galaxies. And they could have the same solar system as us, or similar, or not. Who knows there could be so many humans on different planets like earth. OR, there could be a planet that has all these freaky looking monster creatures.”

I laugh amusedly. “Exactly! And like if there were other humans in other galaxies, I wonder if they’ve made similar progress. Like have they discovered electricity or did they create a whole new invention we never thought about? Or are they more advanced, and have visited here? Some planets might be new, and live in the stone age.”

“Yeah! And would they have the same way of transportation? Or theory of time, or even holidays? Would they have thanksgiving? Or the fourth of July? Or-”

“And the shape of the land and percentage of water might be different.” I cut in.

“Wow, there are too many things we don’t know about.” Cody exhales overwhelmed. “I wish there was a big book with all the answers, and it fell right on my lap right now, so we would know everything.”

I smile. “Yea, but we shouldn’t know everything.”

“Why?”

“Because, then what is the purpose of life after that? We know everything, there’s no discovery, there’s no learning. If we knew everything then there would be nothing to look forward to.”

He does a small laugh. “Des you’re like a breath of fresh air.”

“You too.”

“You know how awesome a movie that would be, about what we just talked about.”

“Oscar winner.” I chuckled.

“Ha ha. We should be the directors. Ehm Cut! Miss Aniston don’t smile, this is serious! You are meeting someone from another world!” He says, impersonating with an odd French accent.

I chuckle some more. “We are going to be French?”

“No, I really don’t know why I did that. Aren’t most directors French?”

“Probably not.”

My dad called us in for dinner, and June just got back from Kaitlyn’s cottage.

My dad was happy to show off his cooking abilities, and Cody sure enjoyed the meal, and of course, he had his fourth helping of the chicken rice, and three helpings of pirogues. He couldn’t have more than one helping of the steak because there were only four of them, one for each of us.

Cody and I were walking downtown after our full bellies to get some ice cream for dessert. We asked June to come but her stomach didn’t feel good, so dad is home taking care of her.

I changed my clothes into jeans and hooded plaid flannel top. It was a little chilly after the storm this morning.

As we are walking by the public library he stops dead in his tracks.

“Damn it all.” He breathes.

I look at him startled. “What?”
”Cat.” He drops his head back and scratches his head.

My heart drops to the pit of my stomach. “Where?”

“Down by the park.”

“Oh…” I say, completely stunned.

“You stay.” He says bluntly before I could even get the idea.

“But Cody I-“

“Sorry Des. I just can’t risk it… and you don’t want to see something like that, or see me like that.” His face looks pained.

I thought about it for a moment. I hate gore, and seeing my best friend tear a mountain lion to shreds was not something I could handle or want to see either. “Well... I just won’t look at that part. You can hide me up in a tree or something.”

“Des- they’re gonna smell you.“

“Cover my scent up then, just please, please, don’t leave me here.” I say with as much desirous tone as I could. I didn’t want him to leave me here, I didn’t want to stand here, knowing Cody, my best friend, was in the woods risking his life… and the fact I missed the opportunity to see him change. This was a big part that I was missing of who he was. I stared hopelessly into his eyes. He was staring back with an unidentifiable expression.

“No.” He ordered. His dark eyes grimly staring into mine.

I looked at him for a long moment, he looked desperate, and me going with him would be his worst nightmare.

“Okay.” I understood, unwillingly at that.

He looked at me for a moment, put his hands on my shoulders and the corner of his mouth lifted.

“I’ll be fine. I promise.”

“I know.” I fake smiled back.

He gave me a warm hug and started walking away but stopped and walked back towards me.

“Des, can you hold my ice cream?”

I couldn’t help but smile at that. It made me mad. “Yeah, sure.”

He gave me one more reassuring grin, waved, and disappeared into the woods.

I felt strangely like one of those army wives leaving their husband who goes off to war. My heart felt like it was ripped in two and he was carrying the other half away with him. I don’t know why I am being so dramatic, what is wrong with me? I’m never dramatic.

I mean, Cody wasn’t even scared; he is never scared to go off and fight sphinxes with his pack. It’s like a sport to him, so why should I be scared?

As usual when Cody leaves me to go off and fight crime, I have absolutely no clue of what to do with myself… I was standing there frowning with two ice cream cones in each hand. Cody’s ice cream was his favorite, mint chocolate chip, and the top of the cone was already bitten. Mine was caramel swirl, there was still a scoop on top remaining, and it started dripping onto my hand. I had to find a garbage can so I walked into the bar called “Cats Pajamas.” Hey, why not. Lets see if I get kicked out. I doubted it in a town like this.

I walk in and the smell of beer and whiskey smacks me in the face. It was a quarter to eight and people already were wobbling around and laughing. The room was dim and filled with bikers, jazz musicians, scruffy billiard players and some hikers. The air was thick of smoke from people’s cigarettes. I throw the ice creams away in the garbage and decide to go sit on one of those high stools by the bar, and fiddle with my fingers, I kind of felt like staying inside.

“Young Lady.” I hear a raspy, tobacco-induced voice in front of me. I suddenly get anxious and I lift my head up. She’s probably going to kick me out.

“Would you like anything?” The lady has flaming red hair in a weird Persila Presley bee’s nest thing and bright, crazy blue eyes. Her name tag printed, “Mabel.”

I would reluctantly admit, alcohol really did sound good right about now. Like she would give me any.

“Um.” I feel my pockets. Nothing.

“No thanks.”

She eyes me like I’m clueless. “Tonight the Irish Whiskey Cocktails are on the house, it’s our big special… in the neon sign right before you walk in.” She mutters annoyed.

I stare at her; she thinks I’m the dumb one? Or she might just not care. I could see that.

“Um, sure.” She smiles artificially and turns to make the cocktail.

While doing so, I sit there and contemplate what I’m doing… and how this isn’t really smart. But I really don’t care right now. Anything to get my mind off of Cody possibly getting ripped to shreds by a mountain lion is well worth doing.

As Mabel gave me my cocktail, I can already smell how sweet it is. It made my nose wrinkle.

“Hey what are you doin’ here?” I hear a familiar, soft voice behind me.

I turn and it’s Nick, the performer at the carnival who I met from the mountain lion catastrophe.

I tilt my head surprised. “What are you doing here?” A fourteen-year-old kid shouldn’t be in a bar.

He smiled brightly. “I asked you first.”

I laugh embarrassed. “Uh... I don’t know.”

He jumps up onto the stool next to me, and his hair was the same as last time, crazy little dark brown curls sprouted everywhere. He had a gray short-sleeve dress shirt on with a navy blue bow tie, and a pair of blue dickies to match. He looked adorable.

He eyes my cocktail confused. “Why do you have that?”

I shrug innocently. “I don’t know!”

His eyes get wide. “You shouldn’t be drinking that!”

I just laugh.

“It’s not funny, it’s bad for your liver.”

I laugh even more; he is so cute and innocent.

He looks at me suspicious. “Are you drunk?”

“No, I’ve only drunk a couple sips.” I say still amused. “So what’s a fourteen year old doing at a bar?”

“Hey I got reasons… Me and my street gang come here every night to knock some fellas out!” He says animated and punching his hand.

I laugh. “In a dress shirt and bow tie?”

“We like to do it in style.” He smiles shyly. “Naw I’m performing here tonight.”

“That’s cool. When you going on?”

“In 10 minutes. I was out here looking for my mother, she said she was going to try and make it tonight.” He says while is eyes flew over to the front door.

“So how is that Cody guy? Did you find him after the carnival?” He asked.

“Yea he’s fine… perfectly fine.” I hope.

“What’s his last name again?”

“Howell.” All of a sudden I hear a smash of glass hit the floor, we both look over and Mabel is bent over aggravatingly cleaning up her mess and cussing under her breath.

“Yeah that’s right, this might be strange, but my grandmother says she’s seen him once running around naked in the woods.”

As I’m sipping my cocktail I inhale, the sweet fluid goes down the wrong tube, and I start choking and coughing.

Nick quickly pats his hand on my back to help me out and I regain being capable to breathe.

“That’s weird.” I say.

His face falls a touch. “Yea but don’t worry… my grandmother has Alzheimer’s so she kind of doesn’t know what she’s talking about a lot.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, its been happening for months now. At least she has me and my mother to help her, although… she doesn’t really remember us very much anymore.” He shrugs with a thoughtful frown. “Oh! I got 5 minutes, see ya!” He says and takes off down the room.

I’ve gotten half of my cocktail down and was starting to feel a little dizzy. And when Nick got on stage I was surprised at how enthusiastic I was.

Nick sings a cover of Jimi Hendrix, “Hey Joe.” And I find myself singing along. After the song I am as happy as can be, and just think Nick is the most amazing thing ever.

He sang his next song, and he said it was something he wrote. And it was really good. It was a mid tempo beat with a lot of feeling and rhythm. Some people were dancing, and I finished my cocktail, so I somehow got in the crowd and danced too towards the middle of the song.

After Nick says his thank yous I try to make my way back towards the stool without falling over. My mind felt fuzzy and my legs felt like noodles. I managed to sit on the stool and I was so exhausted. I looked over to Mabel and she was smiling at me in a odd way.

“You tired sweetie? Go ahead and sleep, I’ll call your friend to pick you up. What’s his number?”

I was confused at why she assumed it to be a boy but I told her anyways through numb lips, my blood felt like it was boiling under my skin, I felt almost sick, and then turned limp as I immediately fell asleep with my head rested on the counter.

I woke up shivering and with a painful headache. My eyes were aching too, and were reluctant to my opening them. When I did I was looking up at a dim sky, song birds flew by, whizzing through the air. I was outside, and by the sky I assumed it was dawn. Disorientation over came me, I was lying face up, underneath me what felt like small rough rocks, it pinched at my bare shoulder blades and agitated my skin. I turned my limp head to the right of me, seeing a large rusty green dumpster against a weathered cemented wall. Next to it was a shut, aged peach door, the sign on it was fuzzy at first, but when I focused my eyes the bold red letters read Cat’s Pajamas Employees Only. I realized then I was on the pavement behind the bar. I gasped and sat up abruptly. The chill of the morning slithered over my arms and I realized my warm flannel was off and I was just wearing the white tank top that was underneath. My jeans were still on, and everything else I came to find which relieved me.

Panic rose in me like a flame, I was completely discombobulated. What happened to me? How did I get here? I started crying, my tears were hot running down my face, the only thing that felt warm, comforting. All I wanted was Cody or my dad. They would comfort me; make me feel safe, that it was okay. I jerked my head around, my head feeling like a cement block. The woods was behind me, and all I could hear were the happy chirping birds, and cars driving by the busy road ahead. I was so out in the open, like a hawk could easily spot me as its target and circle around me in the sky, ready to dive.

“Des.” I hear a relieved and exhausted familiar voice say behind me.

“Cody!” I cry as I turn around and see a shirtless Cody running from the entrance of the woods to kneel down beside me. He puts his arms around me, and they are warmer then my tears.

“What happened to you? After the fight I came back and figured you went home. But then your dad called me last night wondering where you were, I’ve been looking for you all night.”

“I don’t know. I- I’m sorry Cody… the lady at the bar gave me an Irish cocktail and-“

“Lady what lady?” He asked shaking my shoulders lightly.

“Her- her name was Mabel, and she-she said she was going to call you and told me to sleep till you came to get me.”

“Desiree you were drunk?” He asked infuriated.

“I’m sorry Cody I’m sorry” I cried, my tears were falling faster now.

“How could you be so foolish?!” He yelled more concerned then angry.

“I’m sorry… I just wanted to think about something else after you left. I didn’t want to get that drunk.” I said full of shame, my nose was getting stuffy, and I could taste the salt from my tears on my tongue.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” He said with his arm around me. I looked up at him and he looked disturbed, his hair was windblown from wind and his skin was a shade paler than his beautiful caramel color.

He helped me up and held me so I looked straight into his eyes.

“I’m going to bring you to my house, you can clean up, and we can try to make up a story so you don’t get in trouble with your dad. He’s looking for you right now around town so we got to go through the woods.”

I waterfall of guilt weighs me down like an anchor when I hear my dad is looking for me.

“Okay.” I say with a shaky voice and he picks me up and runs into the woods.

When we get to Cody’s house I started freaking out. I couldn’t think of one excuse that made sense, or didn’t infuriate him. How could I lose my shirt innocently?

“I can’t say I slept here, I mean come on…” I motion the absence of my flannel.

“He already looked over here anyway, he seemed positive you would be here.” He snorted. “He even looked in my room, and under my bed.”

“Oh my god.” I mutter to myself as I pace his living room nervously. Everyone is still sleeping in the house since it is only 5 in the morning. Cody was watching me pace, sitting on the arm of the couch with his shirt still off.

“You should put a shirt on at least!”

He sighs and runs to the dryer to throw on a long sleeve gray thermal.

“Um, so maybe after you left, I went into the woods, and tried to find a shortcut home, but I got lost and went to this nice ladies house and she let me sleep there.”

Cody snorted again. “Yeah like there’s a kind lady who lives in the middle of the woods.”

“Ugh we got to hurry I can’t stand thinking my dad is still looking for me.”

“Just tell him the truth, worst thing is he won’t let you drink… and why would you want to after what just happened.”

“Your right. Where’s the phone?”

“No lets go to your house first. He’d be mad if he knew I brought you here first.”

“Okay.” I say and once we get outside his house he stops and looks at me as if he’s holding back excitement.

I look at him skeptically. "What?"

“You want to run with me?”

“Run?”

“Yea, it’s the fastest way to get you house, and, well... how are you going to think I'm a werewolf if you haven’t seen anything yet?" He grins intoxicatingly; my heart beat doubles in speed.

I look up at him flustered and surprised. Excitement was building inside me.

"Uh, okay." I say with a smile and he turbs to face away from me, bending over a touch.

“Hop on.” He says, and I run and jump onto his back, he grabs under my knees and I wrap my arms around his neck, intertwining my hands to sturdy myself.

“You ready?” He breathes mischievously.

“Yes!” I say with motivation.

And then he started running. As soon as I knew it, we were in the woods.

He ran so fast I heard the wind hit my ears and make that noise the wind makes when your driving in a car. I saw the trees run by and I was guessing we were going about 40 miles per hour… and that is far past normal. The fastest track runner on record was in the Olympics for Jamaica, Usain Bolt. His top speed was 28 miles per hour. And while Cody is doing this, he is not even breathing heavy. He is breathing like he was just standing still.

I finally felt like it was really true, that Cody wasn’t normal person like everyone else. Even though he seemed like a normal human, this showed me he wasn’t. I rested my head on his shoulder as he kept running.

It was maybe 5 more minutes and he came to a stop. My arms were soaring up from holding on so tightly. Cody lets out a few laughs of my crazy windblown hair doo and we go inside to call my dad.

He sounded so relived when he answered. I told him to pay attention to the road because I could hear loud honking in the background. I told him Cody found me and brought me home. And he found me outside of the bar and I mistrusted someone under the influence. He was furious.

When he got home and gave me a huge hug but a stern look. He thanked Cody, and when Cody left my dad gave me a long lecture about alcohol and trust. June nodded in agreement with crossed arms in her sponge bob pajamas and fuzzy slippers.

When I told him I knew what I did was wrong, which was true, I would never do that again. We all went back to sleep. Since my poor dad and poor June were up all night because of my stupid, stupid self. I was so angry with myself, and I was confused at why she took my shirt. That was my favorite shirt. Before I could sleep I thought of what might of happened if it was even that Mabel who did it. It made me terrified.

I fell asleep crying.

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