Authors: Kevin Anthony
“
You’re sixteen. There isn’t much you can do.”
Maxim nodded. “I know and that’s why I need to stay here until I can find a decent job and place.”
“
I don’t mind you staying, but first you have to tell me what happened back home?”
Maxim stalled with his words. “Well, do you know why my dad’s in prison right and why the family hates him?”
“
Yeah, he’s a slasher.”
Ford refused to become his uncle.
Maxim rubbed the back of his neck. “Ford, you love me no matter what, right?”
Ford nodded. “Sure.”
A tear streamed down Maxim’s cheek. “Promise me.”
“
I promise.”
“
I’m a slasher.” More tears flowed as Maxim cried. “I told my mom and she didn’t understand. She kicked me out.”
Ford couldn’t sit here and watch him suffer alone. “So am I.”
Maxim looked up at his big cousin. “Wait, what?”
“
I’m a slasher.”
Maxim smirked and wiped his tears. “And this is why you’re my favorite cousin.”
“
I’m your only cousin, fool.”
Maxim chuckled. “Ford, can you imagine the possibilities now. We can slash as a team, become famous among those like us. They will all envy the targets we slash and want to be like us. Movies will be produced about us and the other slashers will treat us like royalty. Ford, let’s do this.”
“
No, Maxim, I’ve chosen a new path. This is a slash free household.”
Maxim stood from the couch and shrugged. “But that’s stupid.”
“
Trust me, the idea of slasher fame seems great now but it isn’t. If you’re gonna stay here you can’t slash.”
“
But it’s who I am. I can’t change who I am.”
There was a knock on the apartment door. Ford raised his index finger to Maxim and stepped away. He opened the door to discover Lu and Jace standing arm-in-arm. The couple both wore jeans and white t-shirts. Lu’s shirt read ‘I’m With Him’ with an arrow pointing towards Jace and his read ‘I’m With Her’ with an arrow pointing towards Lu. The wide grins the couple wore made Ford squirm.
“
Hey,” Lu exclaimed.
“
How’s your mom,” Jace asked.
“
She’s on an anti-biotic.”
“
Listen,” Jace stated. “We thought it would be nice to take you out.”
“
It’s like a triple-date,” Lu explained. “And no, it won’t end with a threesome.”
Ford was not in the mood to play the role of third-wheel. “I’m kind of busy.”
Lu grabbed him by the arm, pulling him out his apartment. “Busy doing what?”
“
I have to look after my little cousin and then head back over to my mom’s later.”
Jace looked at Lu. “I guess it’s just me and you then.”
“
We’re going to get our names tattooed on each other,” Lu exclaimed.
Ford forced a smile. “Have fun with that.”
The couple kissed and in unison said, “Bye Ford.”
Ford shut the door and turned to find Maxim packing up his stuff. “So, you’re going to leave?”
Maxim slipped on his backpack. “I’m just not ready to change. I want to enjoy being who I am.”
Ford stepped aside and opened the door. “The day you stop slashing you can return.”
Maxim brushed passed Ford and left.
Ford knew his quest to become slash-free would only be more difficult with another slasher under his roof living the opposite lifestyle. Ford took a seat on his couch and flipped on the television.
“
That kid knows how to live, but I’m glad he’s gone. He watched way too much porn,” Rubble said.
“
Hopefully he comes back ready to change, but for now I have other issues to worry about.”
“
Who was the blonde guy with that Asian chick?”
“
You know Lu’s name and the guy was Jace. As you could see, they’re madly in love.”
“
How can he love her,” Rubble responded in disgust. “She looks trashy.”
Ford got up and grabbed a backpack from the hallway closet. “At least she has all her limbs.”
“
And I bet she does disgusting things with them.”
“
Whatever, I’m going back to my other-mom’s.”
After packing some overnight items and clothes into his backpack, Ford returned to the living room to spot a ‘breaking news’ banner displayed across the bottom of the television. His mind raced as waited for the blonde anchor to start speaking. The breaking news could be related to his mom’s whereabouts, a discovery of a new illness that his other-mother possibly contracted or another slashing.
The anchor reported on the discovery of a body found in a porta-potty near a local construction site. She explained the corpse was discovered with a knife driven into the heart. They showed a clip of a weeping, elderly woman holding the photo of the victim, pleading for the cops to catch the murderer. Ford recognized the victim. The deceased was a member of the slasher support group.
“
Shit,” Ford hissed.
“
What’s wrong,” Rubble asked.
“
I knew her. Actually, I knew all of the victims of this slasher.”
“
I’m lost, there’s a serial-slasher on the hunt?”
“
Yes and so far all the victims are from my slasher group.”
Rubble burst out laughing. “This is classic stuff.”
“
I could be next Rubble.”
“
Then slash this genius before you’re six feet under.”
“
I don’t slash anymore.”
“
I would like to hear you say that when there’s a knife darting at your heart.”
Ford slipped on his backpack. “I could be wrong, maybe all the deaths are a coincidence.”
“
And now you’re in denial, you definitely want to die.”
The truth only frustrated him. “Please, stop talking.”
“
You’re right; I’ll save my words for your eulogy.”
“
Rubble,” Ford screamed. “Shut…the…fu-”
His cell phone rang. He quickly answered. “What?”
“
Ford, it’s me Valarie.”
A deafening beep and static cut the caller’s words short.
“
Mom, your signal is horrible.”
“
I…”
“
I can’t hear you, but please come home. Harriet is sick.”
“
Coming…”
“
Mom, I miss you,” He spoke loudly into the phone.
His ears were met by the dial tone.
Chapter 13 - Foodie
Bravo sat on the stoop of his parent’s brick townhouse rapidly tapping his right foot. He checked the clock on his cellphone for the third time in the last five minutes and dialed Sidnee’s phone number. His call went directly to voicemail. Bravo cussed under his breath and put his phone away. He stood, faced his parent’s door and raised his fist to knock. Bravo just stood with his fist rose staring at the red door.
Bravo turned away and sat back down. “I can’t do this.”
Sidnee’s car pulled up before the row of connected townhouses.
Bravo rushed from the stoop and met Sidnee halfway. “What took you so long to get here?”
“
I went to pick up Ford, but he’s busy with his mom. She’s still not feeling well.”
“
Damn, well at least you made it.” Bravo started back toward the townhouse. “I cannot survive my parents alone.”
Sidnee followed after him. “I think your dad is funny.”
“
I just wish he would be serious sometimes especially when my mom does her signature meltdown.”
Bravo made his way up the stoop and knocked on the door. His mother Larisa opened the door wearing a hot pink cooking apron and a brown dress. Bravo and Sidnee’s noses were met by the scent of garlic. Larisa let out a loud squeal and threw her arms around Bravo.
He stood stiff as a board. “Hey, mom.”
Larisa squeezed his rear. “You’re so skinny. No ass for those boys to grab onto.”
“
Delivering pizzas from door-to-door for eight hours burns a ton of calories. Stairs are my enemy. “
Larisa stepped back and looked over his shoulder. “Sidnee, my African princess.”
“
I’m from America, but hey Mrs. Presley.” Sidnee waved. “You look cute, daring hair.”
Larisa ran her hands down her red, micro-braided hair. “This style tightens my facial skin, hides the wrinkles.”
Sidnee fanned her hand in the air. “Oh please, I’m sure you had none to begin with.”
“
Sweetheart I’m fifty-six, I have them.” Larisa stepped aside. “Come in, come in.”
Bravo and Sidnee entered the neatly kept home. The living room was decorated with merchandise from his father’s favorite football team the Carolina Tigers. Larisa led them to the den where the walls were decorated with all of the books his mother read throughout her life. A world map was painted on the hardwood floor and all the locations his they had visited were colored in.
Bravo stopped and stared down at the map. “You guys went to Spain, without me?”
Larisa stepped over Spain. “Just for a week.”
“
I wanted to go to Spain since I was a kid.”
Larisa shrugged. “You’re not a kid anymore. I figured you got over it. Anyways, where’s Ford?”
“
Not in Spain,” Bravo mumbled out.
“
He’s taking care of his mother. She’s really sick,” Sidnee said. “He really wished he could be here tonight though.”
“
Valarie or Harriet,” Larisa asked.
“
It’s Harriet,” Sidnee said, “But I don’t think things are going too well with Valarie either.”
“
Hopefully everything works out then.” Larisa nodded toward the dining room. “Let’s go eat.”
She led them to the dining room where Bravo’s father Harrison was setting down a bowl of salad on the table.
Bravo pulled out the chairs for Sidnee and Larisa. “Dad, how’s it going?”
“
Everything is great. Your mother and I went to Spain. Hey, Sidnee.”
Sidnee took her seat. “Hi, Mr. Presley.
“
What fruit would keep the doctor away? There’s an app for that,” Harrison joked.
Sidnee burst out laughing.
“
Dad, I think that one made my ears bleed.”
“
You know your father has a wild humor,” Larisa said as she exited the kitchen carrying a bowl of chicken.
“
Why did the chicken cross the road,” Harrison blurted.
Bravo sat down. “Dad, how about we just eat?”
Harrison took his seat. “Because it had to get back to its car.”
Sidnee laughed. “Cute.”
“
Just in case anybody wants to know, we’re having garlic chicken and greek salad,” Larisa said as she sat down.
Bravo sat back and watched as everybody started to plate their food. His father was basically drooling for a piece of chicken and Sidnee danced in her seat a bit as the chicken juices rolled around her tongue. Bravo formed a phony smile as he grabbed a piece of chicken.
Larisa sighed. “Nothing has changed.”
“
What are you talking about,” Bravo said.
“
This is why we didn’t invite you to Spain,” Larisa said. “The food was amazing but of course you wouldn’t care.”
“
Mom, you know what I prefer.”
“
Are we really going to have to talk about this again,” Harrison said.
“
I’m a cannibal mom.”
Larisa curled her fingers as she pulled her hands towards her chest. “Just eat and like the chicken.”
“
I don’t dislike food mom, I just don’t enjoy it as much as everybody else does.”
Sidnee raised her fork. “If it’ll ease any tension at the table I think it’s delicious.”
Harrison tapped his wine glass. “I know what’s wrong, we’re not drunk. We never argue when we’re drunk.”
“
As a cook and foodie it just ticks my nerve that my son only likes human flesh.”
“
The universe is sometimes unfair mom, it’s mad, but we can’t always have this argument when we eat together.”
Larisa stood. “I know, I’m sorry, I’ll go get the wine.”
They were served drinks and one sip was followed by another. Bravo knew he had too much to drink when he laughed uncontrollably at one of his father’s knock-knock jokes. His parents went to bed and Bravo and Sidnee decided to sober up on the living room couch before driving home.