Before I realized it, Jack, Mush, Specs, and Bumlets got up and started to clear the table. Dinner was over so soon? It felt like it had just begun. Whoa, Nelly, was I getting soft to this crazy place already? I couldn't be. It was probably just the good, hot chicken dinner talking. I'd wake up tomorrow just as pissed off at Grassy Knolls as when my parents dropped me off.
"Hey Kid, come on," David called to me. "We're going to the living room to play some games."
Games? You have got to be kidding me. I'm not twelve. I don't play those kinds of games. If only I had valium, I could take a couple and go to bed. But no, these crazy addicts are trying to get me to play Candy Land.
But, since Dr. Eckhart had taken all of my lovely drugs away, I was stuck. Better get there fast to call dibs on Princess Lolly. Begrudgingly, I followed David and the others into the area they christened the living room.
It was through the doorway they had come before dinner. Looking around, it felt like déjà vu from my childhood in the '70s. There were three couches framing an ancient television on the far wall, one plaid and the others, dark mustard yellow. By the windows on the right, were about four folding tables, complete with their own folding chairs. On the opposite wall, dark wooden bookshelves piled high with games, cards, and a few weathered books.
Everyone took a seat on the couches or pulled up a folding chair.
"Since this is you're first time, we'll let you sit on the couch," Mush said as he beckoned me to an empty spot next to him.
"Usually, only the old-timers are allowed on the couches. All you newbies and middle-aged folks get the folding chairs. It's the closest thing to government we have around here," Race told me.
From that, I could conclude that the old-timers were Jack, Spot, Race, Mush, Blink, and David. They were the closest to being done with their three weeks. All the rest of us were the underclassmen of Grassy Knolls until those old-timers left and we were left to fill the spots.
"What are we playing tonight?" Skittery called out.
"Clue?" Snipeshooter asked.
There was a collective groan. "We just played that last week, Snipes!" Swifty said.
"But Kid Blink hasn't played it before!" Snipeshooter reasoned.
Jack laughed, "Don't worry, Snipes, I'm sure the kid's played Clue before."
He turned to me, "Am I right, kid?"
I nodded, "Not for a while, but I still remember the basics of it." But I'd sure as hell rather play Clue than Candy Land. Then my worst nightmare came true.
"How about Candy Land?" Dutchy suggested.
"Just because you're flaming Dutch, doesn't mean everyone else is!" Race told him.
I stared back and forth between Race and Dutchy, but both were grinning. Thank God, I thought some trouble might have been starting. Kind of wish it would have. I would have liked to see something exciting happen around here.
"So what game is it gonna be tonight?" David interrupted.
"Let's let the new kid decide," Jack decided. And since he seemed to be the leader, no one objected.
"So, Kid, what's it gonna be?" Mush prompted me.
Oh God. Me picking a board game. If I had been in any other situation, it wouldn't have been a big deal; I would have been half drunk and probably just said strip poker. But, since this hell hole was sans women, I'd have to go with, "Pictionary."