Go ahead, keep working. I’ll just watch, how about that? I
don’t even mind if you use the good tools, you know where they are. Duct tape
ain’t a bolt though, son. There are some things you can’t replace – like steel.
Good old steel. You take your strings and your gloop and Jesus Christ, son!
Put on a goddamn mask – smells like a fucking McDonald’s burned down!
You be careful with that soldering iron, son! Jesus
Calamity, boy, you’re gonna blow the whole fucking house to hell. I never
should have given you the green light on this. It’s made you crazy. You do know
that right? This is fucking bonkers. I
know, I know … she said you could. Your mother doesn’t seem to notice that
someone replaced your brain with a rutabaga.
You wouldn’t think a bunch of cardboard and scrap could smell
so bad. Smells like a hobo’s asshole, son. It really does. I’m not just saying
that to build up your self-confidence, either. That is one godawful,
shit-sniffing smell right there. God in heaven.
You know … you’re a weird kid. Just plain fucking weird. You
didn’t take after me, that’s for damn sure. When I was your age, I was chasing
girls and setting records on the field, the court, and the goddamn diamond. All you do is make your stupid
shit that never works and jerk off. Hell, I’m beginning to think you’re a
queer. Not that I mind. Lord knows, I tell your Mama all the time – that boy is
a fag or my name’s not Roy Pearson. She tells me we gotta love you no matter
what … and I do.
I do, son. I do feel that way about you, y’know? That’s what
makes all this so hard for me. I love
you, boy. Don’t you hear me? I worry
about you. Chemistry sets and textbooks ain’t no way for a boy to have fun.
You’ll be fifteen next year. I bet you don’t even know what pussy looks like.
It ain’t right, son. Get it now. Hell, your Mama and I been together longer
than Methusala’s beard … I’m lucky if she brushes up against me by accident. If
I were you, I’d get that Johnson girl from down the street and peg her ass
against the garage. She’s too young, so I’m not saying anything – just, if I was you – you seen
the tits that little bitch grew over the summer? Jesus, son. You could have your dick inside that little bitch right
now.
Oh, the look. Fine. I
know what you think, but it’s not like I’m the only one who thinks it’s weird. What
am I supposed to tell Frank Butcher? His boy is the captain of the football
team. What about Uncle Earl? Johnny’s broke every damn track record in the
state. So, what am I supposed to say? My boy built some weird shit
out of garbage again. Shit, boy, you’re
making a laughing stock of the whole goddamn family.
Save it. I know, I
know. You’ve almost got it right. I
get it. You think I don’t support you. If you’ll recall, I was the one that
bought you a chemistry set in the first place. I didn’t know it would turn you
into a faggot, though. Do you know what a faggot is, son? Or has your brain
melted from all them plastic fumes?
You won’t tell me what this thing is, huh? Some kind of big
state secret or something. Are you in cahoots with the CIA, boy? Hell, I let
you take over the garage and this is how you repay me? You just ignore me and
keep covering everything in airplane glue and foil? Tell me, goddamnit. What is it?
You really want to know?
I asked, didn’t I?
The boy looked up with a strange smile on his face. His
bangs were damp, hanging into his eyes. There was fever in his eyes. Something
that didn’t belong, but somehow looked the part regardless.
It’s a machine.
What’s it do?
It shuts your mouth, Dad. It shuts it right the fuck up.
Roy froze. A crazy disbelieving smile bloomed on his face.
He licked his lips wet and there were embers in his eyes.
Say that again, boy.
But he didn’t say it again. Instead, he raised two wires in
front of his face.
Bye, Dad.
And then the wires touched. There was a moment when they
both saw a spark leap between the exposed copper tendrils.
The explosion took out every building on the property. She
found it when she came home. A big black circle that had flattened everything.
She called his name, but she knew, deep down, that no one would answer.
They found debris as far as the edge of town. The smoke
drifted all the way to Garberville. They looked at the textbooks more
carefully, read his notebooks. They finally began to understand. Roy.
The boy hadn’t any choice, really.
I frikkin love this story. Damn straight I do. :)
ReplyDeleteWord. Thanks lady. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah. I saw that coming but it didn't take away from the impact. When we are abused we either lie down and become a nothing, we fight back, or we break and end it one way or another. You built it to that climax so well.
ReplyDeleteThanks, lady. Much obliged.
DeleteNasty story. But in a good way.
ReplyDeleteThank you, kindly.
Delete