22.10.08

around the bend

Chris felt a might uneasy about this. For one thing he had to leave without his shirt. Never did he go anywhere shirtless. He wanted no one to see him for what he was. It was just a code of his. And he felt a little intimidated without his shirt. He was still bleeding a bit from the snake bite. It did really hurt, but there was no point telling Dayton this.

Actually, Chris was beginning to think it might not have been a great idea taking him in, after all. It was putting a toll on their friendship. He believed now. Especially, when Dayton asked him to do shit like this. In all it was just a prank, he guessed. But wasn't enough enough when it came to Bex?

Poor girl. He knew what it was like to be her now. And he seriously wondered if Dayton would pull this kind of crap on him ...if ever....

No. No, Dayton hardly thought it meant much, anyway. So go figure, he thought. Just go figure and well, it hurt more than the snake bite, but he'd suffer through it. Not that anything better would ever come along. Hadn't yet.

He pulled in front of Bex's house then.

"All right, goddamn it. We're here. Now what?" It was settled. He'd be just as gruff as Dayton. That's the way he wanted it. That's the way he'd get it.

So he let Dayton get out. Do his thing.

He waited in the pickup truck, chewing at the inside of his cheek. No one ever said it would get better than this. Of course, Chris was never able to follow directions at school. They'd sent him to special ed right away because he intimated his teacher. He obviously couldn't listen, either. Reading was a bastard. So was staying on task. All he was ever good at was telling a teacher when she was pregnant and what she might have. He had no idea why he was good at this. Perhaps it had to do with a mother who just kept having kids. But then there was shop, and that's what had saved him. He loved to make an engine work. And when he got a motor running that hadn't ran in eight years, that's when somebody decided to teach him everything they knew about being a mechanic.

He wished he was in his gray jumpsuit right now. At least he could hide in the pickup. Hopefully, this would be over soon. He kept staring at the house. Next thing he knew, someone was saying hello at his passenger side. It was a man.

Just with one glance, Chris thought long and hard what to say. He wasn't even sure he was breathing. He couldn't take his eyes off him, yet he couldn't look him in the eye, either. Chris just ate at his upper lip.

"Any reason why you're at my sister's house?"

"This, uh, you have a sister?" Bex had a brother. "Uh, I think I might be lost. I just wasn't sure, uh. I must be in the wrong place." Chris just nodded starting up his truck then.

"That's all right. Maybe I could help you."

"No." Chris shook his head. "I'm-"

"Well, here's my card." He handed him a Serenity Church card. Chris just looked at the name. "Just call me Bro. Max."

Chris couldn't speak, he nodded, put his truck in reverse.

Bro. Max just smiled so beautiful as if he might miss something wonderful if he didn't come to Serenity.

"Maybe I'll see you at church."

Chris squinted to show no expression. He pulled out of the drive way, driving slowly away. He looked in his review mirror and finally smiled. He just couldn't help it. He had too.

9 comments:

BiLLiON $$$ said...

u know ur title sounds kinda like a song from Pochanhantas(if that is how u spell it)it is called just around the river bend anyways enough of my pointless comments :)

Anonymous said...

Max to the rescue. Snap.

Wonder what Chris is going to do now...

Yesha said...

i hope Chris would feel guilty for bringing Dayton there. hmf. lol.

Natalie said...

I love Chris's character, too. He shouldn't have given Dayton the snake idea :P Hmm, I wonder if he'll take up Max's offer to go to the church?

BiLLiON $$$ said...

yah it sure is :)
oh btw i had to ask my cousin what poignant or watever u wrote was .lmao. i wasn't sure what it meant

Unknown said...

ha, wow. i should read this story more...

Justkyut said...

Hey Cait! Thanks for dropping by at my blog. You are welcome. I'm still catching on my reading. I had to start from the beginning, you know =)

Have a great weekdays!

Sydney said...

chris is great.

i like that he doesn't like to go around shirtless.

you know, not show off himself?

keep going! loving it!

dawn said...

haha! what a perfect way to introduce guilt when you're already feeling ambivalent about what you're doing....in a smiling church goer! great!