Something Off

Chapter 18

Dave spent hours telling Trent and Bobby stories of his past exploits, but even he grew tired of talking eventually. He grew tired in truth, not just of talking. Unlike everyone else, he hadn't spent the morning recuperating from the night before. Even Trent had been able to get a little more rest with Sandy after his fight with the dog.

Trent asked Bobby what time it was in a voice thick with the effects of the weed after Dave wandered to his pallet in the corner. Bobby looked hard at his wrist, blond hair swinging around his head like a broken halo. Trent swung his head in time with the blond mop, mesmerized, as Bobby figured out what his watch said.

Bobby looked up, “I ain't got a watch.”

The two of them stared at each other for a full five seconds before bursting out laughing. Their laughter disturbed Dave only so far as to cause the older man to roll over on his pallet. They giggled a little quieter, unable to keep their mirth in check.

“I'm sposed to get Lex at the end of his shift. Then we're goin' over to Crazy Pete's.” Trent fought his way out of the dilapidated sofa and nodded sagely.

Bobby looked at his friend in an attempt to appear a little less bewildered than Trent did. He only succeeded in matching Trent's confused expression.

“So you're goin' through with it?” His voice came out weaker than he had intended, but he didn't bother to repeat himself.

“I have to Bobby.” Trent mumbled as he entered his room. Bobby didn't hear him, and Trent was too stoned to realize how quietly he had spoken.

Some part of him found his idea for making a living reprehensible, but the biggest part said he had been forced into the situation. Trent couldn't bring himself to think about why he didn't like what he was going to do, though. He had grown far too adept at avoiding thoughts that would force him to question his actions over the years. It was the only way he could avoid facing the life he left behind and the things he had done since.

He shook his head, refusing to hear the thoughts creeping up on him, and warily turned toward his clock. It wasn't blinking at him. It wasn't trying to tell him the time in Hong Kong, or flipping the bird in alarm clock speak. It actually had a time he thought could be right displayed in happy red numbers.

“Thanks, little clock,” he said amiably. The clock blinked in acknowledgment, and Trent walked into the living room feeling good.

“We got about five minutes before Lex gets pissed 'cause we left him at Charlie's for half an hour.” Trent said to Bobby as he strode purposefully across the living room. “We gotta go, man. Get your purse and get in the truck.” Bobby giggled his way up out of his chair, then stopped, realizing what Trent had said.

“Wait, what?” Trent laughed at the confused look on Bobby's face as his friend followed him out the front door. “That ain't right.”

Trent kept walking and ignored his friend's grumbling.

“S**T!” Trent yelled as he winced at the still bright sun. He turned toward Bobby and leveled a finger his way. Bobby stared at the finger like it was a gun, hands half-raised in defense.

“What'd I do?”

“Remind me to get some damn sunglasses.”

Bobby didn't start walking again until Trent was half a block away. He was confused by his friend's actions, then again he was always confused by what Trent did. The guy was every bit as unhinged as anybody Bobby knew, but he was to smart enough to not just let everyone see it. Bobby knew to watch out when Trent's moods started spinning. There was no telling where they would end up.

Trent didn't feel sad at the sight of the nearly empty buildings, or the lack of people in what had once been a prosperous part of a bustling city. It felt like he owned this forgotten piece of civilization, with its crumbling stonework and cracked streets. All the projects and structures that were condemned years before, and then had the papers ripped off the door as squatters moved in. Before long, the squatters learned why the places had been condemned and they ran off.

The was a place he felt like he belonged. No matter how empty it became, this was his place. People caused complications, and he avoided complications like the plague.

Bobby watched Trent stroll around a corner into the parking lot Charlie's Diner. Then watched him fly back around the corner as if a cord had yanked him back. He looked back at Bobby and waved him over as he flattened himself against the wall.

Bobby hurried to catch up. After what happened with Charlie, if the big man saw Trent things would get ugly.

“What's up?” Bobby asked. “Lex out there?”

Trent nodded, but motioned his friend around the corner and stayed rooted to the spot. Bobby shrugged and walked around the corner; no one wanted to attack him.

He immediately understood why Trent had sent him around the corner instead of going himself. Lex was there alright, but so was Erin. Smoking a cigarette and fully prepared to tear into any unsuspecting Trent that wandered along. Of course she was standing there. She would want to rip into Trent even if they weren't together anymore. Trent had been her punching bag for so long that she wouldn't want to beat on anyone else without good reason.

Lex and Erin both jumped when Bobby got close. Apparently they had been engrossed in something before he interrupted their whispering. He smiled at having taken them by surprise.

“Sup, y'all.” He drawled smugly.

“Where's Trent?” Erin snapped. Sometimes she was just downright rude. It made Bobby sick, the way she acted.

Bobby looked at Lex in mild reproach. He had tried to lure Trent into an ambush? Lex just shrugged in response, and Bobby shook his head and snorted lightly. He wouldn't do something like that, even with Erin trying to threaten and wheedle him into it. Erin had just made the obvious assumption that Trent would show up if Lex was waiting around.

“How the hell should I know? Probably back at the apartment or somethin'.” Bobby turned away from her, tired of putting up with her. She was no longer with Trent, so Bobby had no reason to put up with her crap. “Ready to go?”

Lex studied Bobby as if he had never seen him before, then glanced back to see how Erin was taking to being ignored. Her glare was spread equally between Bobby and Lex, but only Lex squirmed under the pressure. Bobby would stand up for Trent before he allowed Erin's displeasure to bother him.

She turned her glare completely on Lex. If Bobby wasn't going to budge she had to find someone to get after.

“Are you goin' with him?” Her voice made it sound as if it would be a crime to do so.

Lex swallowed nervously, and Bobby felt his face reflexively twist in disgust. How had Lex allowed Erin to gain so much control over him? Normally Lex was the one that wrapped girls around his finger, not the other way around. This was Erin, though, and sometimes general rules had to be suspended where she was concerned.

“I sorta promised.” Lex mumbled under his breath. Erin's eyes grew dangerously hard, and Bobby waited for her to blow up. That was how she had always been with Trent; displease her and die. Bobby frowned, a queasy thought entering his head.

“Hold up...Is this what I think it is?” He addressed Lex, and didn't give Erin the attention he would pay a lamp.

Lex looked at him uncertainly, then steadied. “Whaddaya mean?” His voice was a little stronger, and he looked at Bobby as if this was a problem he could solve. He couldn't deal with Erin, but Bobby was a lot less formidable.

Bobby looked at his friend curiously, wondering why he was acting like Erin's boyfriend. It was an unbelievable thought, but Erin was acting the same way with him that she had with Trent. It was the only explanation that made sense, even though it didn't make sense. Erin had never gotten upset with Lex while Bobby was around, or at all from what Bobby knew. Now all of a sudden she felt like she could talk bad to him.

“Look,” Bobby started, thoroughly confused, “I'm leavin'. Ya wanna come along, then let's go. If not, stay here. I don't give a s**t.”

He turned and stalked away, knowing that something was wrong. The odd couple whispered quietly as he crossed the littered parking lot, but he didn't want to catch the conversation. When he rounded the corner, Trent was leaned against the brick wall with his eyes closed, but Bobby was sure his friend had listened intently to every distant word he could catch. Either that or he had fallen asleep.

Bobby walked closer, searching for signs of movement, and Trent startled him by speaking before he moved, “Is he comin' or not?”
Bobby acted like he hadn't jumped, “I dunno. But I told him if he wanted to stay he could. Erin was layin' into him, and it only looked like it would get worse.”

Trent coughed out a laugh, “Yeah, sounds about right. Without me around she's gotta yell at someone. May as well be Lex.” Trent looked around. “Well, we ain't gonna get anywhere near Crazy Pete without him. So--,” Lex skidded to a stop when he sprinted around the wall and nearly fell over his two friends.

Bobby thought he looked guilty, but Trent didn't seem to notice. If Trent didn't see it, then it was probably his imagination.

“Hey!” Lex gasped, grimacing at the sight of Trent.

“Damn man! Didn't think you'd be able to get outta there. I thought ya got off work half an hour ago. What happened?” Trent took off toward the alley that wound between the buildings toward Crazy Pete's. Nearly the entire walk could be made using the alleys.

Lex nodded and followed along. Bobby didn't start walking until the two of them had taken ten steps. Something just didn't seem right, but his stoned mind couldn't figure it out. He shrugged it off, but decided to keep an eye on Lex for awhile.

“Erin cornered me. 'Bout Sandy.” He smiled, and his voice had a lot more bounce to it than it had that morning when he stalked out of the apartment.

Trent laughed harshly. The sound crackled in the thin alley, but it sounded more forced in spite of the echo. “Yeah, I guess she'd be upset about that. But what the hell, she wanted to walk out. I'm not going to feel bad for disappointing her by not being heartbroken. So let her cry as much as she wants.”

Bobby trailed along behind them, listening to the inane turns the conversation took as they meandered down empty alley after empty alley. He was stoned, and didn't really care to talk. They were headed for Crazy Pete's apartment building, and he was interested to see what it was like. It would be an adventure, and talking about the dog at Trent's apartment, or California lighting a one of his dreads on fire, would just take away from it.

If Erin had known where they were going, she would have been even more upset. Now that Trent and Bobby weren't around for her to yell at, Lex would catch everything she decided to throw at him. Bobby chuckled quietly, amazed at how he had stood up to her. He'd acted like she wasn't even there, and she hadn't been able to do anything about it. He had found a way to beat Erin!