Chapter 10
I wake up before light out because someone's shaking me. Guess what? It's a police officer. Apparently, being a hobo is illegal.
"Sir, why are you sleeping on a bench?" he asks.
I yawn and wipe my eyes away from sleep. "I got kicked out of my house." I tell him.
He rolls his eyes. "Find somewhere else to sleep."
I sit up and walk over to the playground. I wake my sister up. It can't be past three and she's exhausted. I pick her up and carry her. I don't know where I'm going, but I keep walking. I wind up at the Tyler's house. I stand in front of their porch wondering if I should ring their doorbell and wake them up so we could have a warm place to sleep, or if I should find another hobo spot.
There is no way I'm going to them for help.
I walk away from their house and head down the street. It's dark, I'm tired, and I don't know where I'm going. Nor do I care. I end up at the library right as the sun begins to rise. I yawn and lean up against the wall. Kayla is sleeping in my arms and I hold her as I sleep.
I wake up when I hear the sound of children. I open my eyes and see a bunch of kids walking with their parents to school. I wake Kayla up and she stands up.
I give a small smile to her. "Have fun at school."
She hands me my jacket and I put it back on. My arms are covered in Goosebumps and I think my toes have frostbite. I stand up and hug her before setting off to the library.
When I walk in the library, I feel the nice warm air welcome me and I sit on the couch for about an hour, just getting warmed up. Then, I head over to the books and grab the whaling book.
I see the familiar stationary and feel slightly relieved.
"Shane –I'm not telling you which Shane I hate, but it certainly isn't Shane Gray. He's the best member of Connect Three. And as for my name… make fun of it one more time and I'll track you down and kick your ass. What happened with Greg Meanie Pants?
- M.D.T.
PS – which Shane are you?"
I write back.
"M. Demetria T.,
Last night, Gregory locked us out of the house and wouldn't let us back in. We ended up sleeping at a playground like hobos and then getting kicked out and sleeping near the library. And about my last name… wait a while and I'll tell you. What's your first name?
Shane whose last name is a secret."
I leave the library and head back to Hell. When I walk down the street, I notice that my dad's car is there. Why would his car be there?
I attempt to open the door, and to my surprise, it is unlocked so I step inside. The evil smile of Gregory isn't greeting me, so I begin to get worried. Or relieved. I can't tell which. "Hello?" I ask, hanging my coat up. "Anyone here?"
No one answers.
I look around the house. "Hello?" I ask again.
Then I see Gina sitting on the couch, crying.
"Gina?" I ask, walking to her.
She looks at me and tries to hide the fact that she's crying. "Oh, hey Shane," she says.
"What's wrong?" I ask. Sure I hate her, but I can't deal with crying.
Gina shakes her head. "I just really wish your father would stop drinking."
"Why are you home so early?" I ask.
"There was a giant blizzard coming our way, so we were forced to evacuate," she explained, standing up. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a phone. My phone. The one my dad took from me a month ago. "I'll give you this if you help me with something."
I shrug. "What?"
"I need you to help me find all the bottles of beer and get rid of them."
"Sure."
She hands me the phone and I turn it on. I have two hundred text messages and thirty voicemails. That's what I get for not having my phone for a month. But I told Gina I would help her destroy the alcohol, so I put the phone in my pocket and grab all the liquor bottles in the usual places: Cabinets, under the sinks, in his desk, under his bed, and behind the toilet. Yes, he hides his beer behind the toilet.
I take the bottles outside and chuck them at the tree with anger.
I'm letting out all my anger. All my feelings. It's all going out. We used to be a happy family, my mum, dad, Kayla, and me. We would eat dinner together every night. Mum had a job. Dad had a job – well he still does, but he's probably gonna get fired soon. My band was just getting started and we weren't famous yet.
My parents loved each other. My mum and my dad would hug and hold hands – which I thought was gross, but now I miss it. Mum would make dinner every night for us. I was able to focus on music and Kayla could play Barbies without me screaming in pain downstairs. Dad never came home drunk and smelling like barf.
But then my mum got in a fight with my dad and got divorced. And then dad got pissed. And started drinking. And then one day when she was coming to pick us up and to take her to her house, my dad was driving drunk. And when my mum was crossing the street…
Bam. The second crime.