Page 7 of Jeremy
Theystep out onto the back deck.
“Whatthe fuck are you doing here?” I demand.
“Oh,you know, just out for a drive, taking in the autumn colors,” Justus replies.“We haven’t heard from you in weeks, fuck nugget. Why the hell do you thinkwe’re here?”
Gettingto my feet, I head inside. “As you can see, I’m alive, so you can go now.”
“Nope,”Justus argues, as they follow me into the living room. “You look like shit andyour house is gross. It’s intervention time.”
“I’mnot an alcoholic,” I scoff.
Tuckercrosses his arms and stares down at me. “No, but you’re wallowing in self-pityand that shit is about to end. We’re here to stay the weekend.”
Apart of me is glad to see them. As much as I hate to admit it, part of theproblem recently is loneliness. I’ve never been the type of person to enjoybeing alone. I needed it for a while, but it’s starting to wear me down.
“Fine,but you’ll have to buy your own booze. I’m almost out.”
“We’llhit the liquor store and party with you tonight, but then you need to dry yourass out,” Tucker warns.
“First,we got to do something about this house, and dude…soap…I’ve heard good things,”Justus says. “Go take a shower. I’ll call a maid service since there’s no wayI’m cleaning this dumpster.”
Forsome reason, pulling myself off the couch to shower doesn’t seem like as muchof a monumental task as it has been. Maybe I’m starting to come out the otherside of the pitch dark tunnel I’ve been trapped inside.
“Allright. Give me an hour.”
Justusscoffs. “You’re going to need more than an hour just to shave. I’m not enviousof your bathroom. It’s going to look like you groomed a dog.”
“Fuckoff, stripper.”
“That’smore like it,” he replies cheerfully.
Fuck.Maybe I did miss these guys.
Tuckerand Justus aren’t just friends, they’re my family. Along with two other guys,Landon and Dare, we run an underground organization called In Safe Hands, orISH. Tucker helps out when we need some muscle, but the rest of us are hackers,and we put our skills to use by hunting down child molesters, humantraffickers, and other predators. Most of the time we send an anonymous reportto the police. They’re grateful for the help, so they don’t look for us toohard. It helps that we have ties to another group, Striking Back, who have alot of cops, judges, and other officials in their pocket.
Therehave been times when a repeat offender has beat the system and we’ve stepped into take them out. None of us has any qualms about removing the worst of theworst from society, but we’ve steered away from that since the other guys nowhave families. And I don’t think I’d look good in orange.
Ican hear them talking, then the sound of my back door shutting with a thwack.They must’ve decided to wait on the back deck. Can’t say I blame them.
Theman I see in the mirror shocks me. It doesn’t seem like that much time haspassed, but the guys are right. I look like shit. My facial hair has alwaysgrown fast, but I’ve never let it grow out until now. Considering my face looksa little gaunt and thin, I decide to keep it and just clean it up a little.
Afew minutes with my trimmer does wonders, as does a long, hot shower. A haircutis a definite necessity, but otherwise, I look like a new person. My jeans area little too loose, and I have to tighten my belt. A few meals probablywouldn’t be a bad idea as well. The one thing I kept up in my drunken stuporwas exercising. Working out is so much a part of me it just came naturally, andhelped to work off the rage that came and went. That, coupled with notconsuming calories outside of a bottle, has given me a too lean look I’m notcrazy about.
Hidingand drinking myself into oblivion wasn’t what I came to Illinois to do. It’strue, getting away from everyone was part of the plan, but my ultimate goal wasto get up close and personal with the cult responsible for Frannie’s death. Theactual shooters may be dead, but their message lives on. I’m going to put anend to it.
Tuckerand Justus wait for me on the deck when I emerge from the bathroom, their eyestrained on something. They don’t even notice when I join them.
“Damn,Jer, you have a great view,” Justus says. “Just look at those peaks andvalleys.”
Mygaze follows his to the woman next door. She’s down on the dock, wearing a tinypair of shorts and a form fitting tee shirt, totally oblivious to the way she’sbeing ogled. An easel stands before her, and she is completely focused on herwork as she paints.
“She’smy neighbor. We share the dock.”
Tuckergets to his feet. “What’s her name?”
“Howthe fuck should I know? I’ve never met her. Are we getting out of here orwhat?” Now that I’m actually dressed, I can’t wait to get a change of scenery.I may be surrounded by beauty, but it’s been wasted on me. My sight has beenfiltered through a cloud of misery, grief and anger.
Theway I always dealt with my emotions before was simple. Ignore, and find awilling woman to sleep with. The thought just isn’t doing it for me now. If Ihadn’t been such an idiot, led by my dick, maybe Frannie and I would’ve—
