The Pantheon (9 page)

“
Really? Like photographic?”

“
Everything. I don’t study anymore, I just do the reading at night and remember everything. It’s called eidetic recall.”

“
Lucky,” June wouldn’t have to work so hard, she’d have time to keep an eye on Zach if she had that ability. “I hate you so much right now.”

“
I can recite whole books I’ve read. Wanna hear
Harry Potter
?” Now she was just showing off. “The Dursleys of number four--”

“
No, we’re good! I’ve read it,” June lied. “Come on. I’ve got to get this done.”

Minnie lit the burner. She pushed the button on the stop watch. Thirty seconds passed. “Temperature.”

“
Sixty three degrees.” June marked the graph. “How long have you had this memory thing?”

“
About... well I’ve always had a good memory, but it went haywire about April last year. Gradually, not all on one day. It made finals a breeze.”

“
I can tell when people are lying,” June was trying to one-up the other girl. “Most people. There’s only a select few I can’t read.”

“
Zach?” Minnie asked.

“
Zach.”

“
Temp.”

“
Seventy two degrees.” June sighed, “Zach, Devon, Lewis. Those are the ones I know. Everyone else I can read like an open book. Freaked out Dr. Livingstone Friday.

“
Ooh, try me!”

“
Uh... okay. Tell me two things that are true and one that’s false.”

“
Okay, um. I have never met my mother. I wanted to join the army when I was a kid. I have a pet tarantula.”

June watched her for a moment, “You didn’t want to join the army.”

“
No, I did.” She really wanted to for the longest time. Of course she’d always planned to aim missiles, not run over a sand dune with a gun.

“
Okay then, the mom thing.”

“
Nope, never met her.” Her mother had hemorrhaged and bled out in childbirth. Minnie was totally a daddy’s girl. Her father spoiled her terribly.

“
Really?” June wrinkled her nose. “I could definitely see you with a tarantula.”

“
Ew, no! I hate spiders.” Minnie had forgotten the stop watch. “Oh! Temperature!”

“
Right, eighty-eight degrees.” June marked the chart again. It was still climbing fast.

“
So you can’t read me?” That was good to know.

“
Apparently not. Congratulations, you’re now one of four out of, like, a hundred people I’ve tested.”

Celene was lost in thought by now, trying to remember her undergrad psychology course and what they’d learned about human memory. Surely Minnie was exaggerating when she said she had a perfect memory. That wasn’t possible. But then the other week... Penny and that plant... No. That wasn’t possible either.

“
We’re done.” Celene looked up, startled. June stood over her with a lab worksheet in hand. “Thanks for letting me redo it. It was really easy. I think I was just preoccupied that day.”

“
Alright. No more do-overs. Pay attention in class.”

“
I will. I promise.” June darted for the door, off to football practice to supervise Devon and Zach.

“
Miranda--” Celene began.

Minnie was almost out the door behind June. She stopped by grabbing the doorframe and swung back into the room. She hung from her arm as she spoke. “Yes, Dr. Davis?”

What was she planning to ask? She’d be carted off in a straight jacket if she started asking her students about extra-human abilities. “Thank you.”

“
No problem,” Minnie said. She stood there for a moment, feeling awkward. She should have left right away, but now the pause was too long and she had to make small talk. “That yellow plant on your desk was really sorry-looking this afternoon. Did you use some fertilizer or something?”

“
Oh, no,” she lied, “I threw that one away. This one came from the lab table back there.

“
Oh.” Minnie frowned. “Okay then. See you tomorrow.”

Celene would have to be more careful about what plants she revived. Someone else was bound to notice.

“
Must not all things at last be swallowed up in death?”

-Plato

vii.

Two boys scrambled up a tree in a close race.

An enticing vine of violet grapes dangled

beyond their hands, out of their reach, above them.

It was a great game.

The younger boy was ahead of the other.

He glanced back at his friend with a cocky smile.

He was inches from the prize and gaining speed

until his foot slipped.

He fell back with his arm extended, reaching,

Time slowing in his mind as he floated down.

The older boy climbed half-way down the wrapped tree,

then jumped to the ground.

The younger boy lay with his body broken.

The twinkle of life in his eyes had gone out.

The older boy wept ‘til he could taste his tears.

Slowly, salt beads dripped.

A single tear splashed on the dusty gray ground

And one more just as clear on the dead boy’s face,

before the tear changed to a deep blood red hue.

Wine on a white cheek.

“
A bad beginning makes a bad ending.”

-Euripides

VII.

Every year Olympia Heights had a Halloween Carnival to raise money for the O.H.S.H. Athletics Department. This year the carnival took place the Saturday before the actual holiday, giving kids a second chance to wear costumes they might otherwise only get to wear once a year. The carnival was held just outside of town in a parking lot by the beach. The lot was unrecognizable during the days of the carnival between the ferris wheel, booths, and fences set up on the pavement. The lifeguard on duty at the beach was a formality. Nobody was expected to be down at the beach today. Most of the public stuck to the carnival because that only happened once a year.

The wealthiest family in town, the Wexler family, was a big sponsor of the carnival. Mr. Wexler was a retired state senator. His son, Theodore Jr., was supposed to be at the carnival at noon to set up but he’d been out late Friday night and overslept. He’d really overslept. Teddy arrived at the carnival by five, just late enough to miss all of the preparations.

Theodore Wexler Jr. was adopted. His mother had been the housekeeper at the Wexler home when Tommy and Lindsay Wexler were still in high school. It was a big to-do when she’d had a terrible accident and then died in labor. All the papers covered the puff piece on the compassionate adoption of her son by the Wexler family.

In truth, Miss Castellanos had been the housekeeper at the Wexler residence but she had not born the son of a deadbeat mechanic like they claimed. Mr. and Mrs. Wexler’s marriage had been strained for some time and Mr. Wexler had started up an affair with the beautiful young housekeeper. When Mrs. Wexler found out that the housekeeper’s baby was her husband’s son, she’d pushed her down the basement stairs. The housekeeper gave birth to Theodore and then died. An “accident.”

Teddy had his mother’s coffee-colored skin, dark hair, and full lips. He had her large, thickly-lashed eyes too, but they were a silvery blue like his father’s. Not too many people seemed to notice. Ignorance was a wonderful thing in a small town.

Teddy parked his purple Jaguar (a sixteenth birthday present) under a lamp in the lot to guard against vandalism after sunset. He was dressed in seersucker cargo shorts and a lilac polo shirt. Most teenagers couldn’t get away with dressing like such a WASP, but Teddy carried it with confidence. Besides, everyone wanted Teddy on their side. He always came through with the liquor.

Three spots away Jason Livingstone was trying to orchestrate getting his twins out of their car seats while his daughter ran circles around the old Buick. “Haley!” he shouted. “Haley this is a parking lot! Stay here. You’re going to get hit by a car.”

One of the twins started making crashing noises and banging his hands together like he was playing with invisible cars while the other laughed. Teddy was pretty sure he never wanted to have kids.

When Teddy entered the front gate nearly three hours late for setup, his adoptive mother started her raving. She had always taken out her anger on him, so he just zoned out while she yelled about punctuality and reliability.

“
Your father thinks that if we give you responsibility you’ll rise to the occasion. You can’t even get yourself out of bed before noon when left to your own devices!”

Teddy didn’t hear a word of it. She couldn’t tell that he had a pair of ear-buds hidden under his shaggy black hair, blasting French rap into his ears.

When she was done shrieking he went to his father and got a hundred dollars in spending money. Teddy made for the concession stand. He bought a burger and large slushy drink. He found a spot at an empty picnic table. Once he’d finished the last bite of his overcooked burger he lazily dipped his finger into his punch to stir it. Sloppy slushy bubbles rolled to the surface for a moment and then stopped. Teddy took a sip. It had kick now. It was probably about 20 proof alcohol by volume.

Theodore had been able to turn water into alcohol for six months now. It had been an accident when he’d turned his bath into vodka back in late April. Now he did it all the time. At first he’d been drunk twenty-four/seven, but the novelty had worn off quickly. He still drank a lot, not because he liked being drunk, but because he liked the taste. He preferred to get other people drunk instead. It was free entertainment. Needless to say, it was a dangerous ability for a sixteen-year-old boy.

Teddy sat and sipped his drink for a minute before he got up to wander around. He stopped by a booth selling novelty hats and masks. He decided not to wear his scary clown costume to the carnival because he didn’t want to spend the night trying to scrub white cream paint out of his ears with a Q-tip. He bought an alien antenna headband and a pair of lime green alien eye sunglasses. Teddy continued on through the fair, wishing someone interesting would show up so the party could really get started.

Teddy’s entertainment came from an unexpected place. It was like the answer to a prayer. Teddy found a dunking booth where you could dunk members of the Olympia Heights football team. The Thunder captain, Zach Jacobs, was in the seat now and, judging by the fact that he was dry, he’d just gotten there.

Zach’s girlfriend, June Herald, was far too icy for Teddy’s tastes. June was collecting tickets in a wool pants suit and a blond wig. She had a little American flag pinned to the lapel of her coat and Zach’s Bill Clinton mask tucked under her arm. Someone in a Luchador mask was hitting on her, leaning awkwardly close to her, his arm on the post behind her head. Teddy knew this could only lead to trouble so he found a bench to watch from. At last there was something to pass the time until nine o’clock when he could excuse himself and sneak off to a decent party.

After about ten minutes Zach had been dunked four times. It looked really easy. June was still trying to ignore the Mexican Wrestler- Wannabe. Frank Guerrero took over Zach’s shift and Zach, in a dripping wet swimsuit, came to hug June. She squealed and tried to push him away. “No, you’re soaked!”

Teddy wished he could hear what the Luchador said. It was muffled by his mask and wasn’t a shrieking harpy trill like Zach’s girlfriend. Zach turned suddenly and stepped in front of June. All of the lingering football players hurried to back their captain.

Zach reached out with quick hands, palming the guy in the forehead, and pulled off the spandex mask. It was Mark Alvarez, the Miami West Captain. This show just got better. Teddy got off the bench and tried to casually move closer so he could hear. The football team closed in on the trespasser, each ready to jump if Zach or Mark threw a punch.

“
Why don’t you go home?” Zach said.

“
I have every right to be here.” Mark snatched his mask from Zach. “I’m supporting the local schools.” He flashed a devious grin.

“
You overstayed your welcome when you moved on my girlfriend.” Zach’s hair seemed to be standing on end, like someone had just rubbed him down with a bundle of latex balloons.

Mark looked over at June, then at Zach again. His eyes scanned the wall of jocks behind their king and he seemed to realize just how much trouble he was in. Still, he couldn’t keep his mouth shut and walk away. He was far too impulsive, “What, this tramp?”

Zach’s whole body started to move. He was about to pounce on Mark and stomp him flat, but a booming voice broke through the crowd and stopped him in his tracks.