When Friendship Followed Me Home (13 page)

37

FLIP'S EYES AND THE LAST GOOD-BYE

I went up the Molds' porch steps and sat on the top one and put Flip in my lap so we could see into each other's eyes. I saw my reflection in his, and I was all warped. “You'll be safe here, boy. That's all I want, even if I can't be with you. You'll be happy.” It was cold and he was trembling so bad now. I hugged him one last time and tied him to the door. He cocked his head, and I know he was waiting for me to say it. The thing I said every time I dropped him off at the Molds'. That I was coming back. That I promised. I turned away fast, and he barked, and I ran to the corner and called Chucky.

“Coffin, what the freak? You know what time it is?”

“Chucky, you hear Flip, right? He's downstairs. Let him in. Bye.”

“Ben, wait—”

I did wait too, until he came down and picked up my dog.
He looked around the street, but I was hidden pretty good between the cars. Flip saw me, though. His eyes were on me and he was barking like crazy as Mold brought him in.

I went around the corner and puked and sank down against the side of a building behind a stupid dumpster again. My head ached. I just needed to close my eyes for a minute and catch my breath, except I fell asleep.

38

THE WORST TIME TO GET THE FLU

It was hot when I woke up, way too hot for fall. It was like in the middle of summer. The street stank from all the garbage bags out at the curb. The sun wasn't too high yet, but the air was like it got late in the afternoon, no breeze. The sunlight was way too bright. Everything glowed mean. I pushed myself up from behind the dumpster and went to the corner. I peeked around it to see the Mold house. The curtains were pulled back, but nothing was happening in the windows. The avenue was busy with school buses and delivery trucks rushing around—the traffic was loud, lots of horns and sirens.

I waited until Mrs. Mold came out with one of the girls. She put her on the bus. Flip came out and slumped down on the porch. Mrs. Mold limped up the porch steps and sat and pet Flip. His tail flicked a little. He'd be okay in a few days, I was pretty sure. That made me feel good, and good and lonely too. Mrs. Mold scooped him up and kissed him and took him in.

My stomach twisted up again. I didn't puke this time. I had to eat. I went up the avenue to Dunkin' Donuts and got a sandwich and iced tea, and after that I only had four dollars left. The lady at the counter was looking at me weird. “You okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

She gave me a hot tea with lemon and a bunch of napkins. “Clean yourself up. Your nose is running.”

How could I have a cold on such a hot day? But she was right. My nose was a mess. I was shivering a little too, and the air conditioner made it worse. I went out to the street and looked for a quiet place to eat. It must have been a hundred degrees out there. I caught sight of myself in a store window. I looked rough, like I'd slept outside, which of course I did. My hair was greasy and plastered to my head, and my clothes were grimy and wrinkled and soaked with sweat. One of my eyes was pink and puffy the way it can get when you have a fever. It would pass. I didn't get sick often, and if I did, it was never that bad, or this bad. I stopped to take a bite of sandwich but, even though I was starving, the thought of eating made me want to hurl. I walked for a while, and I kept bumping into people. I was having a hard time keeping my head up. I made my way to the boardwalk, to our spot—mine and Halley's and Flip's—except it wasn't our spot anymore. An old man was sleeping on the bench. Luna Park was stock-still, empty. The beach was empty too,
with everybody at work and school, I figured.

I went down to the sand and sat in the shade under the boardwalk. Boy, I was really shivering now. I couldn't even get myself to nibble the sandwich crust. The smell of it made me retch. Yup, I was sick for sure—the kind of sick you can't cure on your own. The kind you need to go to a doctor for. I fed the sandwich to the seagulls, and then I curled into myself and hoped nobody found me before I died, because then they would call the cops, and they would take me to the hospital and I'd get better, and then what would I do? Where would I go? I didn't want to be anywhere anymore. Not without Flip. Without Halley.

Except suddenly I wasn't without Halley. She was shaking my shoulder. “Get up, Coffin.” She looked awesome, like she did the first time I met her, way back nine months ago, over winter break. Her wig this morning looked like her real hair, long and loopy, light brown. She was kind of tanned too. She held my hand and her fingers were nice and warm.

“How'd you find me?” I said.

“I'm always keeping an eye out for you. Hey? You can't give up. We have to finish our novella.”

“We're friends again?”

“Like we ever weren't? I have to make sure you get to see what's inside the magic box, right? The Greatest Treasure. You're so close to figuring it out, Ben. You just have to keep going. It's right around the corner. We have to get you all
better. The Read to Rufus kids are depending on us. We can't leave Brian hanging. Right, Mom?”

“You'll break his heart, Ben,” Mrs. Lorentz said, hurrying up to us. “Mine too. You poor baby. Come here, sweetheart. Let me check your temperature.” She brushed back my hair and kissed my forehead and said, “You're burning up. Here, let me hold you.” She hugged me and held me the way she did at Rosh Hashanah, when she didn't let go. She rocked me a little and hummed some lullaby or other, the way Mom did that one time when I got sick last winter. Halley joined in too, hugging and humming. There we were, the three of us, in the shadow of the boardwalk, holding each other really tight, and we were safe. The vibrations from their humming went into me, and I felt buzzy and better, and I would have smiled if I didn't feel so bad about Flip. “He'll be mad I gave him up,” I said.

“Oh, he could never be mad at you, Ben,” Mrs. Lorentz said. “He loves you no matter what. Look.”

Flip was pawing at my leg, begging me to scoop him up. “I've never seen his tail wag so fast,” I said. “I don't even think that's humanly possible, right? Not humanly. You know what I mean.”

But they didn't. They couldn't. Halley and Mrs. Lorentz were gone. The waves were frozen still. There wasn't any movement anywhere—the seagulls hung midair, and their wings weren't flapping. They weren't squawking. There was
no sound. Nothing. Everything was fading away, the heat, the light, and I was alone, and it was cold and dark and silent, except for one thing, Flip's whimpering. And it wasn't fading either. It was getting louder. So loud I could have sworn that little mutt was crying right in my ear.

• • •

I woke up where I'd passed out, behind the dumpster. Flip crawled into my armpit, and he was licking my face like I was ice cream. I opened my eyes wide, and it was still night. My phone was buzzing with half a dozen texts from Chucky.

CM: Flip got out. Get back here and help me find him.

I looked around the corner. Flip had dug through that cardboard Dr Pepper box taped to the hole in the peekaboo window that ran alongside the Molds' front door.

I texted Chucky not to worry, that Flip was here with me, and he was. He really was.

39

COUPONS, MOVIES AND PROMISES

Flip and I went to the all-night McDonald's and split a burger. Then I bought a toothbrush and some water from the all-night drugstore. The people who were out at this hour all looked like me and Flip. They looked suspicious, like they were expecting something bad to happen any old minute now.

I went to where I picked up my coupons and brushed my teeth in the alley. The sun started to come up and Flip and I huddled and waited. My boss showed up in his van. “Earlier than usual today, Coffin. You don't look so good.”

“Thanks boss.”

“You all right?”

“Could I borrow ten dollars?”

We delivered the coupons, and Flip was his old self, trotting right alongside me, head high. Every time I looked at him, he did a little spin and nipped at my sneaker. Then it was more
McDonald's until the movie theater opened. “Shouldn't you be in school?” the guy at the ticket window said.

“I homeschool.”

“They let you watch
Planet of the Apes
for class these days, huh? You have it pretty good.”

“Don't I know it,” I said. School. It was the last thing on my mind. The bullying, eating lunch under the stairs, Angelina's stupid tricks, gum in the water fountain, Ronda's shoves—they all seemed so
nothing
now, so far away, as far away as the idea of going to college with Halley or going to school at all anymore. I was becoming one of them, the kids who disappeared.

Once I settled into the back of the theater and the lights went down I snuck Flip out of the backpack and he slept inside my hoodie. I set my phone to buzz me awake a little before the movie ended, and then I snuck into another movie and did the same thing, and then another after that, until three o'clock, and then we had to go. Even if Halley wasn't into being friends with me anymore, I wasn't about to let down Mrs. Lorentz. I was going to keep my promise.

40

TRAVELER BRIAN AND THE TUNNEL OF LIGHT

“Ben, my Ben, what happened to you two?” Mrs. Lorentz said. “Those bags under your eyes. You look like you haven't slept in a month. What's that mark on your cheek?”

“How's Halley?”

“She was up crying all night. You didn't answer my question. That Rayburn character Halley told me about—did he hit you again?”

“It was a stop sign.”

She folded her arms and frowned. “A stop sign?”

“I'm so embarrassed. I was looking at my phone while I was walking, and I walked right into the stop sign pole.” I saw somebody do that once. “Aren't they waiting for us upstairs?”

They were too, the whole Read to Rufus gang, everybody except Halley. Flip gave out knuckle bumps and jumped up into Brian's lap. I had to keep this going, Flip and Read to
Rufus. It was the only thing that felt good now. The only thing that felt right. “What story are you going to read to Flip today, Bri?” I said.

“I forgot to pick one.”

I reached into my backpack. It was my last book, the one Halley had left on the table at Housing Works.

“Fee,
Feathers
?” Brian said.

“You're awesome. This is another one where the ending is sad but happy.”

“I better read it to Flip, then,” Brian said. “He's waiting for me.” And Brian read about the moments that last forever and ever. Hearing the words I almost felt like Halley was reading them to me the way she did the day before at Housing Works, when she was holding my hand.

And then suddenly she was. She was there, and not in a dream. She was a real-life angel this time. She sat next to me and rested her head on my shoulder and listened. She was wearing a soft gray beret, and it felt nice on my cheek. Everything felt perfect in that moment, being there with her and the kids and Mrs. Lorentz and Flip. I was so happy, I didn't worry about the future. It wasn't even on my mind.

• • •

We said good-bye to everybody, and then Mrs. Lorentz scooped up Flip and went downstairs to leave Halley and me alone. We hunkered in the safety of the nook behind the Dragonbreath bookcase. “I'm sorry,” we both said at the
same time. “Let's go walk Flip on the boardwalk and work on
The Magic Box,
” I said.

“Can't, stupid doctor's appointment again. Text me tonight, after homework. We can work on it then.”

“Thanks,” I said.

“For what?”

“Not firing me.”

• • •

I helped Mrs. Lorentz close up the library, sort of. I disabled the alarm to the alley door and left it unlocked. “You really do look pale, Ben. Here, take this for the ride home.” She gave me an orange and a trail mix bar. “How are things back home anyway?”

“You know, settling in.”

“Good,” her mouth said, but her eyes said, I'm not even close to believing you.

“I better get back to the house for dinner,” I said, before she could ask me any more questions.

“Watch those stop signs,” she said.

“Yeah,” I said, stumbling into the door frame on the way out, pretending to smack my face on it.

“My poor baby,” Mrs. Lorentz said. “Let me see.”

“I'm fine, I'm fine,” I said. “Thanks.” I headed for the train, faking like I was a little dazed. If I survived being a teenager, I was thinking I might have a shot at an acting career.

I waited behind the candy stand on the corner until she
left, and then I went into the alley and snuck back into the library. We were alone, me and Flip. We were safe. I read bits of lots of books. I think if there's a heaven it'll be my own private library. I walked along row after row of books and dragged my fingertips over their spines. In the twilight I felt the magic in them. They whispered to me,
Pick me. Do you want to know an awesome secret?

When the sun was gone for good I read by my phone light. No way was I turning on the lights. The streetlights lit up part of the first floor, and I went there and stared into the silkscreened picture of the old Luna Park parachute tower that rose up from the young adult section. I swear I heard the screams and laughter of the people on the ride.

I had two tins of dog food in the backpack, and it actually didn't taste that bad. I found unopened ketchup packets in the garbage and added hot water from the sink. It warmed me up. I checked my phone and ignored the stream of texts from Aunt Jeanie until I couldn't anymore. She was worried sick. She called the school. Mrs. Pinto called the police. They were so mad at themselves, Leo and Jeanie, she said. Why didn't she think to get the number of the nice woman who took me to the hospital after I had that asthma attack? Please, please, please call
the house.
I texted her,
I'm ok. I need time to think. I feel so bad I'm worrying you. I'll call you when I figure things out.
I thought about what else to say, but I couldn't think of anything except I love you, and
I knew that would just make her uncomfortable. I blocked her after that, because I really didn't think I could stand to read all the sadness she was about to text my way. I was okay there in the library that night. I was with Flip, and I felt like we were really safe there, and I didn't want to be bummed out. I texted Halley.

BC: How was it at the doctor's?

HL: Just a blood test. Next chapter of The Magic Box?

BC: OK. Rayburn has secretly boarded our spaceship, The Golden Tower of Light.

HL: I knew it! The dreaded Rayburn! And?

BC: Flip sniffed him out. He caught Rayburn in the storage bay, where he was trying to steal the magic box.

HL: Yay Flip! Rayburn runs to the airlock where he docked his sneaky invisible ship. If Bruce and Helen don't let him take the box, he's going to whip out his laser sword and cut a hole in the window, and the release of air pressure will blow apart our ship of golden light and everything in it. Do they let him go?

BC: They can't. They need to get that magic box to Tess. Helen tells Rayburn, “Wait! You need the key!” Rayburn checks the lock, and he's laughing, cackling. The box was never locked at all!

HL: Uh, NO, you sneak. Mercurious locked it with the key made of sparks!

BC: He only pretended to! He wanted Helen and Bruce to be able to get to the magic and save themselves in case things got
really bad,
LIKE NOW
. It's like he said, a truly great magician can never keep his magic secret. It's meant to be shared. So once and for all, what's inside the freaking box?

HL: Ask Rayburn. He's opening it!

I waited for her to keep going, and waited. Finally I texted,
And?!

HL: Rayburn's crying. “This is the Greatest Treasure? OMG it's completely worthless.” He totally passes out.

BC: What the freak? What's inside???

HL: Flip snatches the box from Rayburn's hands and sits on it and won't let Bruce and Helen look. Flip's not a biter, but don't push him. Now, how do Bruce and Helen take their revenge on Rayburn? I'll let you handle the gory part.

BC: I say they help him into a spare sleeping pod, pipe some awesome low-key rap into it and tell him to chill until they get to Mundum Nostrum. Once they deliver the magic, Tess will turn him into a half-decent humanoid.

HL: This is why I love you. You know there are no bad guys. OK, awesome story jam session, but—ahem—I didn't get any sleep last night. Must. Go. To. Bed. Gnight. ;0)

“I wish you could read, Flip. I'd ask you if you see what I see. The wink. She sent me the wink. Good joke, right, boy? Yup, ha.” I had to look over that last text a few times to be sure it really did say what I though it did. “She actually loves me, Flip—as a friend, I mean, but still.” He nipped my nose and did a wiggle worm into my hoodie.

We settled in on a couch in the back office, and I couldn't fall asleep, because I couldn't imagine what was inside that box. I cracked the window to let in some air, and it felt good. I breathed and breathed and breathed a little easier, and then I fell asleep.

I was only asleep a few minutes when Flip's growling woke me. The library was pure dark. The only thing darker was the silhouette of the very tall man standing over me. He drew something from his hip and aimed it at me, and then a thousandth of a second after I heard the click I was hit in the face by a golden tunnel of light.