Page 29 of Heathens

“I am the army, bitch,” Ruby shouts as I head toward the staff room. I make it all the way to the exit before I bump right into Bobby, my last obstacle to some peace and quiet.

“Where do you think you’re going, Sof?”

Bobby always looks like he’s about two seconds away from punching someone’s lights out, which makes him perfect for the job. The fact that he was a Navy SEAL who can plug a vamp in the head from across a room is just a bonus. I’ve never seen this dude smile the whole year.

“I’m taking out the trash and having a cigarette, if that’s alright with you.”

“By yourself?”

He always sounds like he’s being inconvenienced.

“Yup. Got a walkie talkie to communicate with the bar, a gun,andyou’ll be right here.” I beam up at him. “Right?”

He looks down at his watch.

“You’ve got fifteen minutes before I haul your ass back inside. Clear?”

“Crystal.”

All I can see is my reflection looking back at me through his sunglasses, but I know he’s glaring at me, his lip curling as he slowly pushes the door open.

“Fifteen minutes.”

“You got it, Private.”

“It was Lieutenant.”

I wince. He’s gonna hold that against me forever.

As I slip out into the humid summer evening, the first thing I notice is the smell of trash and piss lingering in the air. It’s less refreshing than I’d hoped, but ‌it beats the gossip in the employee lounge. Probably.

I set my drink down on a rickety wooden crate, making my way to the trash bin as beads of sweat already begin to form on my hairline and upper lip. Even the few seconds of the open lid is enough for the rancid garbage stench to overwhelm me, and I gag as I slam it shut and double back. Before I have a chance to get comfortable with my drink, the walkie beeps and crackles, Ruby’s voice too muffled to really make out on the other end.

“Mission complete. The egg is in the eagle’s nest, over.”

There’s a brief pause before her voice crackles up again.

“The egg is– what the fuck does that mean?”

“It means I took the trash out, genius.” I pull my cigarettes out of my apron and grab one with my teeth, dragging it out and lighting up. “Bobby’s giving me fifteen minutes, saintly as he is.”

“Hey, take all the time you need.”There’s another brief pause, and I cringe as I can practically feel her trying not to be overbearing, and failing. Miserably.“But you’re standing by the door, right? Not too far out?”

“Yes, mom. I’m being good.”

“Actually I prefer dad– Oh! Or daddy!”

Ruby’s witch-cackle on the other end makes me smile.

“You’re such a shithead,” I chuckle along with her.

“I know, I know. Remember, just yell if you need backup.”

“Got it, boss.”

I sit down on the crate and take a sip of my drink, resting my gun beside me. The alleyway is shrouded in darkness, with only a slice of moonlight illuminating everything. I lean back against the wall. A wave of relaxation fills me all at once as a light breeze brushes against my cheek.

Silence gives way to old memories; an ache shooting through my chest as I think about the way things used to be. Sam and I would take Charlie down to the Boardwalk every Saturday and watch him stuff his face with mini donuts and cotton candy until he got sick. I always scolded him for it, but deep down, I loved it. He was gonna get the childhood I never had.

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