Dust Storm: Chapters 25 & 26

Bunger Hill Dining Hall, 6:44 PM, Monday

Chapter 25

Stress

“Good job out there in The Pit, you two.” I say to Tim and Elwell.

“But we didn’t win.” Tim says.

“But you played well. You guys didn’t win, but that don’t really matter. What matters is that you guys got one hell of an experience.” Connor jumps in.

We talk around the table. It feels like we’ve been here forever, it’s only Monday, and we leave early Thursday. Wednesday’s the last full day. It’s going slow, hours pose as days, days pose as weeks. Yet none of us can never get enough of the grub. Jorge said he’d stay here for another week just for the food.

“You guys really aren’t mad about that?” Elwell speaks up.

“Jerry. We are not mad at either of you.” I put my hand on his shoulder.

“We are proud you stayed in for as long as you did. Most new kids don’t last a minute. Don’t let that one loss get to ya.” Connor says.

We play with our cups as we wait for the call for food. The air feels dense, tight, like something bad is about to happen. It’s just…dead in the dining hall. People are talking but it all seems fake. My mind goes blank. All I’m focused on is what’s going to happen next. What crazy antics we’ll get up to in a matter of minutes.

We go to get our chow and I feel a buzz in my pocket.

It’s from an unknown number. I read the message.

Aquatic Center Pier, 7:35 PM. Be there.

…

Something bad’s about to happen.

Real bad.

I ignore it. I get my chow and sit down. I shove a biscuit into my mouth, trying to just continue on with life. Should I go? Is it who I think it is? What do they want? Who are they? My mind is flooding with questions. I just keep eating. Connor nudges me.

“Hey, man. You okay? You look like yer ‘bout to die, er somethin'.”

“I-I’m fine. I’s just worried ‘bout tomorrow’s games.”

“Ahh, don’t let it get to ya, Soggs.”

He goes back to eating.

I don’t.

I put my head down, and I feel a cold sweat run down my side. I shiver. I shed a solid tear. It runs down my face and hits the slightly dusty floor. It leaves a hole within the dust. I wipe my eyes dry with my thin shirt and I continue eating. My eyes feel red and my heart feels like it’s about to leave my chest and go back to Sacramento. I stick my fork in the pulled pork and slowly put it in my mouth. I savor every last bit of it, because it feels like it’s the last time I’ll ever eat. Vincent looks at me.

“What? What’d I do?”

“Something is bothering you, Brian. I can see it.”

“Ain’t nothing botherin’ me. I'm just stressed, ‘ats all.”

“No, you’re clearly upset about something.”

“I don’t wanna talk about it, Vin. It’s somethin’ I gotta deal with on my own.”

“Okay, Brian. Don’t get yourself killed. Or worse, don’t provoke them to kill us.”

“Har har. Very funny, smartass.”

I walk to the kitchen to put my tray away. I pull out my phone to see the message. It stares back at me, mere pixels on a screen making the last few minutes a living hell. I grab my pack from the table. I slam my hands on the table.

“Hey, if anyone’s a-looking for me, I’ll be down by the aquatic center. I needta clear my head.”

All of them nod their heads and say ‘okay’ or ‘alright’.

I walk out of the dining hall and as always, I breathe in the fresh, Oregon air.

I walk down the hill to the peninsula the aquatic center’s on. The sunset compliments the lake. The still, blue water blends with the blue, orange, and pink sky. Every step I take takes me closer to where I could get killed. Who could be waiting down there wanting to bash my head in? Leroy? The Frog? The Snatcher?

Who cares?

I’m not a pussy.

I’m Brian.

Brian Middleton isn’t a wimp, he takes care of the shits he gets into. If he starts a fight, you know damn well he’s going to finish it. I walk faster towards the aquatic center, anger within each step. I make it under the pavilions and set my pack down.

“Hey! Anyone here?”

Silence.

I walk around. I pass by the showers and the kayaks, resting on their racks. I rub my hand against their smooth, yellow, surfaces. I look around. No one’s here. I look out to the pier, which is shaded by a big tree. I see someone standing, waiting.

“Hey! Whoever you are, I’ll let you know I’m a strong guy, and you don’t wanna mess with me.”

Silence.

I walk closer to them, shouting “Hey! I’m talking to you!” I’m at the beginning of the pier, and they’re at the end. It feels like a duel, something out of a western.

“Who are you?” I shout.

They turn around.

And it’s her.

Liz.

Aquatic Center Pier, 7:30 PM, Monday

Chapter 26

Her

“Liz?”

“Hey, Bri.”

“How…how’d you get here? How’d you get in here?”

“I pretty much just walked in. I just told ‘em I was someone’s mom. These bastards are pretty damn gullible.”

“You snuck in? You could get caught.”

“Nah, they’re not gonna find out. Come on, sit.”

I’m… shocked. My mouth is agape and my heart is pounding. Liz sits on the edge of the dock. She looks back at me.

“Come on, dumbass. I ain’t got all day.”

I rush over to sit next to her. We stare out at the sunset. The water beneath us quietly moves around.

“I wanted to see you, Bri. I haven’t seen ya for a few weeks. I s’posed I could see ya here.”

“But.. wha..”

“Don't choke on your words, Bri.”

“O-okay.”

“How’d you get here, like it was around a six hour drive to get here.”

“Oh, I just left. Mom and Dad are on their anniversary trip in Vegas. I just kinda, left.”

“Well, I’m happy to see you. Very happy. Things have been… stressful to say the least.”

“Oh, you wanna talk?”

“Mhm.” I lean on her. She puts her arm around my shoulders.

“Come on. Talk to me.”

“It’s just… we entered this tournament for a game and it has so come back to bite me. I’ve nearly gotten kicked outta here, beat up, killed. Goddamn, Liz. That message got me thinkin’ of the worst. I could’ve gotten killed if it wasn’t you. And another thing, how’d you text me? You’re number’s in my phone.”

“Burner phone.” She pulls out a small red phone.

“Still, everything’s going well, we’re winnin’ games, Vin’s been kicking ass ever since he jumped into The Pit. I had to deal with a bastard from some dumbass pretentious troop wanting our asses gone. I’ve had to deal with a kid who got held at knifepoint. I knocked out an adult in our campsite. Jack’s leg is still wrapped up from an eight inch gash. I’ve glued that fat bastard from 457 to a bus seat. I just…”

“It’s okay, Bri. I’m sure everything will go well.”

She rubs my head while I just stare at my own reflection in the blueish-greenish water. I hug her, and tears run down my dirty face. I bury my eyes into her chest and I keep crying.

“Just let it out, love.”

“I-it’s so goddamn hard tryna to keep my shit together.”

“I know, I know. It’s hard for me too.”

She keeps rubbing my head. I just keep crying. I’ve been holding in stress all week, and even further back from Dad’s accident. It’s been building up since that day, and today is the day it’s all let out. I hug her, as hard as I can, my long arms wrap around her. I squeeze her, and I just melt, I go limp in her arms.

“Oh, Brian. You haven’t done that since finals when you were so stressed. I know when you do this, things are scary. It’s okay, it’s gonna be okay. I know this might be a stressful time for you, being the leader an’ all, but that’s why I came here. I knew you would get like this, and not seeing me for a few weeks got to you. It got to me as well.”

“I’m glad you came, Liz.”

“I’m glad I came too, love. I’m glad I came too.”

We stare off into the sunset, still leaning on each other.

“It’s pretty. Vin likes these, right? I can’t blame him, they’re…stunning.”

“Yeah, he’s probably staring out at it right now. Let’s just hope he doesn’t see you. You know how he loves to talk to you about whatever.”

“Oh come on, Bri. He’s a nice guy. He’s really opened up to me a lot. Haven’t you noticed he’s talked a lot more often?”

“Yeah, a little bit.”

“That’s my doing. I helped him figure some stuff out.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t want to speak for him, you ask him.”

“Come on, Liz. Tell me.”

“It’s his personal business. Talk to him about it.”

“Okay, okay. I will.”

“Thank you. Let’s just, sit and watch the sunset.”

We sit and watch. We watch the pink, blue, and orange blend together. It strikes my heart with pride, and some nostalgia. Something about seeing the sky creating something you could only see in a dream makes it feel…good. Really good. Especially with her. Her arm is around my shoulder and mine is around her’s. It’s just what we’ve always wanted. Just a quiet, peaceful, calm day. No talking, no horseplay.

Just

Plain

Silence

It seems boring, but sometimes, just some quiet time with your girlfriend is the solution to some of your problems.

“Well, I better get going. Don’t want Mom and Dad to come back early.”

“What? No, don’t leave. I don’t want you to go.”

“Listen, love. If I stay any longer, they’re gonna get onto me. I’ll see ya in a few days, you can wait.”

She kisses me on the head as she starts to walk away. I get up and cause after her. I grab her hand and she turns around.

“What? Bri, love, I have to go or else I’ll-“

I grab both of her cheeks and kiss her. I pull her in and kiss her over and over. I feel my face getting redder and redder.

“I’ll see you in a few days.” I say as I pull my face away.

“O-okay, love.”

Her face is redder than mine.

“Wooo! Hey, Soggs! Nice kissin’ ya goddamn sex on a stick!” Jorge shouts from a far.

“Ey, shut it, lardass!!”

Liz giggles. I pull her in for one last kiss and she runs off, giving the finger to the guys up at the dining hall.

I sigh.

“Tomorrow’s gonna be one hell of a day.”