Hellbent
Chapter 15
The Night Voyage
Ashley drove through Selene Valley as he thought of Andreas, Blake, and Maxx’s heads hovering around him echoing what they said to him.
Andreas: “The tower over them as the outcome means there will be a lot of challenges and chaos with unforeseen changes. If a tower is built on a weak foundation, it will fall. It needs to be built on a solid foundation.”
Blake: “Andreas KNOWS what he’s talking about and knows who that hootchie REALLY is, but you REFUSE to hear it!”
Maxx: “Nah-ah! You stay AWAY from McKayla, A-Rad! Don’t be a traitor!”
Ashley: “NO, STOP!”
He whimpered, clawing at the air to clear their talking heads away.
Suddenly, the red flashing neon sign that read ‘Voyage Burger’ caught his eye. He clutched his stomach as it growled in hunger. Ashley swiftly turned into the parking lot. Only a few cars were parked there, making him feel uncertain in the darkness alone, but the beaming lights of the diner were calling to him like a hungry moth to a light.
Ashley entered the diner and the vibe differed from when he came here during the day. At this time of night, the atmosphere was more peaceful and quiet, with fewer people and two different collectives: stoned teenagers looking for their munchies fix and middle-aged men looking down on their luck. Ashley sat alone in a booth between the two groups and glanced out the window, deep in thought. He gazed at the moon shining down on Hellbent Nightclub in the distance.
Ashley: “...Why are they so hellbent on keeping me away from Makayla?”
He muttered to himself, resting his head on the table.
Ashley: “Andreas never dated her, so, like, he wouldn’t know her like that… He’s not even into women! He’s into Blake! So, like, what would he know about women?”
He sighed.
Ashley: “Why does Blake get to be in love, but I don’t?! Why does he tell me to stay away from Makayla, but not Maxx?! I would if I could.”
He pouted, folding his arms.
Ashley: “And why does Maxx want me to stay away from her? Betrayal? Dude, you flooded our house and lost mom’s necklace forever! And you’re not very nice!”
His breathing hitched as he felt his fury rise. He then bowed his head as guilt and shame washed over him.
Ashley: “...But, you could have died because of me! I almost killed you! So you have every right not to be nice… I deserve it…”
He threw his head into his hands.
“What do you deserve?”
A tiny voice interjected from behind him. Ashley turned to see Yvette standing there with a menu in her hand.
Ashley: “O-oh, hey, Yvette! I… uhh-”
He stammered and waved at her.
Yvette: “I know what you deserve! A Viking Feast!”
She exclaimed. Ashley brightened a bit.
Ashley: “Haha… I’d like that.”
He said softly, rubbing the back of his head.
Yvette: “What do you want to eat?”
She pulled out her pen to take down his order.
Maxx's floating head hovered over him.
Maxx: “CHICKIE NUGZ!”
He screamed in his ear. Ashley jolted.
Ashley: “CHICKIE NUGZ!”
He blurted, startling Yvette who laughed with a confused expression. Ashley cupped his mouth when he realised what he just said.
Ashley: “No, no! I want a Ragnarok burger! Sorry!”
He exclaimed, waving his hands around. Maxx's voice scoffed.
Maxx: “Nah-ah, what about your rebel rocker diet, A-Rad?!”
He taunted. Ashley winced.
Ashley: “If I have to eat those frozen pieces of cardboard again, I'll scream…”
He muttered and rubbed his temples.
Yvette: “What kind of ice cream? Sorry, I didn't hear you well.”
She said meekly. Ashley snapped out of his daze and turned to her.
Ashley: “Oh, I'm so sorry! Uhh, yes, I'll have the ‘Chockorock’ storm sundae!”
He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. Yvette smiled and jotted it down.
Maxxy’s voice echoed in his head.
Maxx: “Fatty.”
He scoffed in his ear. Ashley pouted and waved his hand.
Yvette: “Okeydokey! Anything else?”
She asked.
Ashley: “No, no, that's all! Thanks!”
He waved his hands and sighed. Yvette glanced at him and turned on her heel.
Yvette: “Okeydokey, I'll be back!”
She nodded and skipped back to the kitchen.
Ashley glanced out the window and sighed at the ‘Banned’ posters on the window featuring Makayla and Craig on them. He thought of what Andreas said earlier.
Andreas: “In many ways, Makayla is like Craig...”
He stared at Makayla’s photo.
Andreas: “That said, she’s not as bad as Craig.”
Ashley felt hopeful but felt uncertainty creep up on him again when he noted her being banned from there.
Blake: “I told you she was bad news, Ashley.”
Ashley bowed his head and frowned.
Ashley: “That doesn't mean she's a bad person…”
He muttered to himself.
Ashley: “Maybe she just needs help…”
Yvette: “Who needs help?”
He snapped out of his daze to see Yvette returning to his table with the food. Ashley brightened a bit.
Ashley: “O-oh, I…”
He fumbled and shifted in his seat. Yvette gave him a reassuring smile.
Yvette: “If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask.”
She assured him as she placed his food on the table in front of him.
Ashley: “...Thanks, you’re so kind! But I’m totally fine!”
He forced a smile and waved his hands. Yvette gave him a look.
Yvette: “...Then why are you here in the fourth hour of the morning all by yourself?”
She tilted her head, holding out her braids. Ashley shifted his eyes.
Ashley: “...Because I was hungry.”
He said meekly, darting his eyes over to the food and his expression shifted.
Ashley: “Oh, I think you gave me the wrong order, I didn't order Freyja Fries and Odin Rings!”
He awkwardly scratched his head.
Yvette: “Shh! It's in the house!”
She held her finger up to her lips and shushed him. Ashley’s eyebrows rose.
Ashley: “R-Really?! Thank you so much!”
He beamed widely. Yvette smiled and nodded.
Yvette: “Yes, enjoy!”
She turned on her heel to skip back to the register
Ashley: “Wait, is it ‘on’ the house or ‘in’ the house?”
He scratched his head, munching on Odin Rings. Yvette turned back to him and glanced up at the ceiling.
Yvette: “Why would it be ‘on the house’ when we are inside and it is an inside secret?”
She giggled. Ashley smiled and nodded.
Ashley: “That makes so much more sense! My friend says it's ‘On da house’, but that doesn't make any sense…”
He pondered. Yvette laughed.
Yvette: “On da? What does ‘da’ mean?”
She asked.
Ashley: “Oh, uh, Maxx says ‘da’ instead of ‘the’ haha.”
Yvette: “...Why?”
Ashley paused.
Ashley: “I… don't know.”
He laughed and ate his burger.
Yvette: “Is his native language not English?”
She asked. Ashley laughed.
Ashley: “Uhh, actually it is… but it seems like I know more English than him, haha.”
He scratched his head.
Yvette: “Oh, what language do you talk?”
Ashley: “Sono parlare Italiano!”
Yvette beamed at him.
Yvette: “Atashi wa Nihon kara kimashita!”
Ashley: “Is that Japanese?”
He gasped. Yvette smiled and nodded.
Yvette: “I moved to Australia to study art at the university!”
She explained.
Ashley: “Oh! You’re an artist? Can I see?”
He brightened with curiosity. Yvette shifted her eyes with shy apprehension.
Ashley: “Pleeeeease!”
He pleaded to her with big dewy eyes. Yvette giggled at him.
Yvette: “Ok…”
She relented meekly, handing him the notepad she took orders in.
The notebook contained colorful doodles scattered across the pages featuring various exaggerated caricatures of Viking people. Ashley’s eyebrows rose surprisingly. Her artwork bounced off the page, full of life and charm.
Ashley: “Oh wow! These are SO good!”
He beamed.
Yvette: “...Thank you.”
She blushed, fiddling with her braids. Ashley paused and narrowed his eyes closer at the page.
Ashley: “Huh… wait, are they people from the diner?!”
He looked around the diner, observing the people around him and how they resembled the Vikings in her drawings. Yvette nodded in confirmation.
Yvette: “Yes, I study the people who come here… and turn them into Vikings!”
She explained.
Ashley: “Oh? Why do you make them all into Vikings?”
He chuckled, scratching his head.
Yvette: “Because I like Vikings and want to make life drawing fun!”
She exclaimed and pointed at the doodle at the top of the page.
Yvette: “That’s you.”
She pointed to a majestic Viking gazing up at the moon and the stars, deep in thought as his luscious long hair blew in the wind.
Ashley: “...Wait… That’s me?!”
He stammered and blushed all over. Is that how she sees me? As a handsome man?! He thought to himself. Yvette nodded and flicked back the pages.
Yvette: “Yes, there is also this one, too.”
She explained, gesturing to her drawing of a group of Vikings sitting at a table together. A gruff Viking warrior resembling Blake was battling a scrawny Court Jester resembling Maxx. A Viking resembling Ashley sat between them in a state of bliss, as the sun beamed around him from the window.
Ashley: “OH! That’s from that day I came in with my brother and Maxx, haha!”
He chuckled at it, feeling flattered and finding amusement in her imagination.
Yvette: “And… this one, too.”
Her cheery tone flattened. Ashley’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the doodle of a drunk Viking woman with large breasts dressed as a bar wench with hearts in her eyes at him.
Ashley: “...Is that me with Makayla?”
He blushed and smiled. He then frowned at the large drawing of Makayla being kicked off the Viking ship with a Viking man with big muscles resembling Craig.
Yvette: “They were always causing trouble here.”
She pouted and flicked back the pages to earlier drawings she did of them when they came into Voyage Burger over time. There were various drawings of Vikings resembling Craig, Makayla, and their friends drinking mead in the restrooms, swimming in the mote around the diner, sitting around the table with drums and horns, making loud music, and writing runes on the walls with their ‘Viking clan’ name ‘TOXIK VIKINGZ’. A Viking dressed in black with a crow on his shoulder representing Andreas sat in the background of them reading runes and looking annoyed.
Ashley’s heart sank when he turned back the pages to see the Viking resembling Makayla sitting with different Viking men and women with hearts in her eyes at them all. Most of them featured a barmaid Viking woman with pink hair. The last picture of them, featured them battling each other with swords.
Andreas’ voice echoed in his mind again.
Andreas: “Makayla always jumped into things without thinking them through… or getting to know someone.”
Ashley bowed his head and sighed, closing Yvette’s notebook and handing it back to her.
Ashley: “Thank you for showing me this…”
He forced a smile as his voice trembled.
Ashley: “I… should go. Thank you for everything!”
He nodded and rose, paying for his meal.
Yvette: “Oh, what’s wrong? Are my drawings bad?!”
She cried. Ashley turned back around to her.
Ashley: “Huh?! No, no! Your drawings are amazing!”
He knit his eyebrows, waving his hands.
Ashley: “It’s not you…”
He sighed.
Ashley: “You’re great! Thanks for everything! I’ll bake you some muffins sometime!”
Yvette brightened again.
Yvette: “Oooh! You’re a baker?!”
She beamed excitedly. Ashley froze when he realised what he just said.
Ashley: “...Not anymore.”
He bowed his head and sighed, thinking of how he could have killed Maxx with those cookies.
Ashley: “Do you like tea?”
He smiled again, shifting the subject.
Yvette: “YES!”
Ashley brightened.
Ashley: “Well, uhh, would you want me to make you some homegrown tea?”
He fiddled with his ombre tresses.
Yvette: “Oooh! I’d like that very much! My shift ends in ten minutes and we can go have some tea!”
She beamed and nodded. Ashley’s eyes widened.
Ashley: “Wait, you mean right now?!”
He swallowed hard.
Yvette: “No, ten minutes!”
She giggled. Ashley brightened.
Ashley: “Uhh, okay! Sure, why not?”
He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.
~
Ashley and Yvette emerged from the diner as the sun began to rise. The sky faded into a deep purple and a vibrant pink, capturing their gaze.
Ashley: “Wow! You should totally paint that!”
He remarked as they approached the Kingswood station wagon in the parking lot.
Yvette: “Hmm… Okay!”
She pondered and they climbed into the car together. Ashley started up the engine and reversed out of the parking lot, driving out onto the street again. They drove by the beachside, taking in the view of the tide rolling in and surfers eager to catch the first wave of the day.
Craig was pulled up by the beach, grabbing his surfboard from his roof racks, when the orange Kingswood station wagon on the road caught his eye.
Craig: “Well, I'll be damned.”
He smirked.
~
Blake furiously paced around the house, keeping his gaze fixed on the door.
Andreas: “Ashley will be back.”
He assured him, putting his hand on his shoulder.
Blake: “...What if something happens to him?!”
He exclaimed, gripping his hand.
Andreas: “What if everything happens as it's meant to?”
He smiled out the window as the Kingswood came down the driveway. Relief washed all over Blake and he barged out the door, marching over to the car.
Blake: “What the hell were you thinking running off like that in the middle of the night?! All this over a girl?! Use your damn head, Ashley!”
He scolded him, folding his arms across his chest. Ashley sighed and bowed his head, tuning out his ranting as he got out of the car. Blake paused when he saw the door to the car's passenger side open and saw a figure step out. He flicked his gaze over to Ashley and gaped at him.
Blake: “NO! You didn't! You brought HER here?!”
He snapped at Ashley.
Ashley: “I thought you liked Yvette?”
He gestured to Yvette as she stepped into the light. Blake's expression shifted and calmed.
Blake: “Yvette?”
He locked his gaze on Ashley. Yvette meekly waved, feeling on edge.
Blake: “My apologies, I thought you were someone else…”
He cleared his throat.
Andreas: “Who's that?”
They all turned to him as he emerged from the house.
Ashley: “Oh, this is Yvette! She works at Voyage Burger—”
He explained, gesturing to Yvette beside him. Yvette shyly waved.
Andreas: “Not her, that!”
He pointed at the headlights coming down the driveway. They all exchanged nervous glances. Ashley scratched his head.
Ashley: “Uhh, maybe it's the postman?”
He shrugged. Blake and Andreas froze when they saw the green Jeep. Blake gaped at Ashley.
Blake: “YOU LEAD HIM HERE?!”
He rasped. The tufts of hair on Ashley’s head slunk down like ears.
Ashley: “W-who?!”
He stammered.
The car slammed to a halt and the door burst open as Craig stepped out.
Craig: “Mornin’, cunts.”
He grinned. Ashley cupped his mouth. Yvette huddled behind him. Blake glared at Craig and stood in front of Ashley and Andreas.
Blake: “What the fuck are YOU doing here?!”
He hissed at Craig between clenched teeth.
Craig: “I could ask ya the same thing, mate. The fuck are YOU doing with Andreas?”
He huffed. Andreas rolled his eyes at Craig and stepped forward.
Andreas: “I can speak for myself.”
He held his hand up, placing it on Blake’s shoulder. Craig's eyes darted to his hand and his demeanor shifted.
Andreas: “It's over, Craig! I've moved on. I'm with Blake now.”
He declared, placing his hand on the wall of Blake’s chest. Craig’s heart sank.
Craig: “Y-You're with HIM?!”
He cried.
Blake: “That's right. He's with me.”
He stepped forward, protectively of Andreas and they locked their glares onto each other.
Ashley: “OH MY STARS! YOU GUYS ARE IN LOVE?!?”
He cut in and squealed, clasping his hands with stars in his eyes. Craig’s ire soared and he shoved Ashley aside, getting in Blake’s face. Blake glared at him with hot fury.
Blake: “HEY! Don't fucking shove him!”
He shoved Craig with hard force, making him stumble back.
Craig: “OI! Calm your shit, mate. I barely did anything’ to him!”
He huffed. Ashley tensed up uncomfortably. Yvette tended to him and froze turgid with fear. Andreas drew a breath.
Andreas: “Craig—”
Craig: “You call that a shove?! THIS is a shove!”
He shoved Blake with a hard force, slamming him into the wall with a hard thud. Ashley cupped his mouth.
Ashley: “BLAKE!”
He cried. Yvette huddled behind him. Andreas rushed over to Blake.
Andreas: “Are you ok?”
Craig pouted when he went over to Blake.
Craig: “Pfft, forget that weakling, Andreas!”
Blake rose to his feet, glaring at Craig.
Blake: “I'm fine.”
He assured them.
Craig: “Good! Come on ‘n fight me! We’ll see who’s the strongest ‘n worthy of Andreas!”
He braced his legs apart and held up his fists.
The door swung open and they turned to see Maxx emerging from the house in his G-string, groggily rubbing his eyes.
Maxx: “Da fuck is dis?! Asshole Wrestling?!”
He scoffed. Craig laughed at Maxx and smirked.
Craig: “Fuckin’ oath it is, Sex Bee. Wicked Sick Wrestling! How about YOU play this cunt’s entrance theme music?”
He laughed and pointed at Blake.
Blake: “Please don’t.”
He groaned. Craig reached into his car and turned up the volume on his radio, blasting a heavy thrashing ‘Nuklear Intoxiation’ track.
Craig: “Fuck yeah! Here I come! It’s Craig motherfuckin’ Medeiros ‘n I’m gonna kick your ass!”
He spread his arms out and marched in tune with the song, making a grand entrance.
Maxx: “Boooooooo! Boo! You suck!”
He hissed and jeered at Craig. Blake slapped his forehead and winced.
Blake: “What are you doing? This isn't some wrestling show. Get off my property.”
He pointed down the driveway. Andreas rolled his eyes at Craig.
Andreas: “I'm not a trophy, Craig, and he doesn't want to fight you.”
He folded his arms across his chest.
Blake: “That's right. I grew out of wrestling when I was twelve. Seems you never grew up.”
He rolled his eyes at him.
Craig: “OI! Wrestling is the BEST! Seems you grew up too much ‘n now you're an old stick in the mud!”
He fired back at him.
Maxx: “OHH! Burn! Are you gonna take dat, Doom ‘n Gloom?!”
Blake rolled his eyes.
Ashley waved his hands around.
Ashley: “Woah! Woah! How about instead of fighting in a ring, we should sit together in a ring? Let’s talk over some tea and feel the grass between our feet!”
He clasped his hands together with a big smile. Yvette relaxed her shoulders a bit and nodded in agreement. Craig gaped at him and laughed. Blake rubbed his temples and drew a breath.
Craig: “Are you fuckin’ serious?!”
Andreas stumbled over a laugh.
Andreas: “Yeah. Craig drinking tea?!”
He scoffed at Craig.
Craig: “...Is this fat lil drongo mocking me?! Do I look like a fuckin’ sissy to ya?!”
He huffed at Ashley, kneeling down to him, and getting in his face.
Ashley: “Huh? No, not at all!”
He stammered and waved his hands. Blake stood in front of Ashley, getting between them.
Blake: “Don’t you dare lay a finger on him.”
He bellowed to Craig and grabbed Ashley’s arm, pulling him away from him.
Blake: “Go inside and let me handle this, Ashley! I'll deal with you later!”
He commanded sternly, ushering him to the house. Yvette clung close to Ashley.
Ashley: “But, Blake! Violence isn’t the answer!”
He cried.
Blake: “Don't argue with me!”
He hissed. Ashley pouted. Craig snickered at them.
Craig: “Uh-oh, better do what your mommy says.”
He taunted. Ashley begrudgingly went back inside with Yvette. Maxx cackled and eagerly spectated on the veranda.
Maxx: “Owwwh! Get him Doom ‘n gloom!”
He hollered.
Craig and Blake: “SHUT UP!”
They both snapped at him in unison.
Blake turned back around to Craig and marched up to him.
Blake: “Get the hell off our property before I make you!”
He bellowed. Ashley emerged from the house again with a teapot of freshly brewed tea and Yvette enthusiastically sketched Blake and Craig as Vikings in a battle into her sketchbook.
Craig: “Pfft, what are you gonna do? You ain't even six foot ‘n you ain't got muscle on me.”
He condescendingly patted Blake’s head. Blake glared up at him.
Maxx: “Ohhh! He’s got you there, Doom ‘n Gloom!”
Blake rolled his eyes.
Blake: “No, but unlike you, I have a brain.”
He countered, kicking his ankles and knocking him down to the ground with a hard thud. Craig grunted and winced as his body hit the ground with a hard force.
Maxx: “OWWWH!”
Blake: “The bigger they are, the harder they fall.”
He folded his arms across his chest, glaring down at Craig. Craig glared at Blake and staggered to his feet.
Craig: “OH, now you’re gonna get it! The brainier they are… the harder they…they… ”
He shifted his eyes as he drew blanks. Andreas shook his head.
Blake: “Careful. Don’t want to hurt yourself thinking too much.”
He quipped. Craig’s ire soared.
Craig: “Fuck you! I’m gonna kick your ass! You’ll be sorry for crossin’ me!”
He clenched his fists and marched over to him, taking a swing at him. Ashley covered his face with his hands. Andreas gasped.
Andreas: “Blake!”
Blake swooped down, dodging his attack, sending his fist slamming into the wall.
Craig: “OI! YOU CUNT! STOP BEIN’ A SISSY ‘N FIGHT ME!”
He rasped at Blake, clutching his throbbing fist.
Blake: “I did and you lost.”
He huffed, reaching into Craig’s car and turning off the music.
Craig: “Nuh-uh! That’s NOT fighting! I didn’t get to punch you ‘n you didn’t land no punches on me!”
He countered.
Blake: “I didn’t need to. I used your size and idiocy against you.”
He shrugged. Craig glared at him.
Craig: “IDIOCY?! That’s it! I’ve had it with ya! You’re goin’ down!”
He marched over to him again. Andreas jumped in between them with his arms spread apart.
Andreas: “ENOUGH!”
He said firmly.
Andreas: “Stop this nonsense, Craig! It’s over! Even if you win this fight, that doesn’t mean you win me! You’re not going to “win” anything by hurting Blake!”
He stated. Craig pouted. Blake gaped at them.
Blake: “Hurt me? I can handle this idiot, Andreas. If anything, I hurt him and his big, stupid ego.”
He scoffed and glared at Craig. Craig growled at him. Andreas turned to Blake.
Andreas: “Don’t indulge in this!”
He scolded Blake. Blake bowed his head. Craig scoffed and laughed.
Craig: “Yeah, he knows you can’t take me ‘n will get ya ass handed to ya! Don’t get hurt, Blake! How the fuck is this weakling supposed to protect ya, Andreas? He can’t.”
He taunted Blake.
Something in Blake snapped and he turned on his heel, punching Craig in the jaw. Ashley cupped his mouth and Andreas stood there wide-jawed.
Blake: “I CAN protect him, you buffoon!”
He fired back at him. Craig recoiled, staggering back and rubbing his jaw.
Craig: “YOU CUNT!”
He rasped and charged at Blake, knocking him down onto the lawn with full force. The two of them tumbled and struggled against each other.
Maxx: “OWWWH! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!”
He chanted from the veranda.
Blake: “Get OFF me!”
He rasped as Craig pinned him to the ground with all his muscles, pressing Blake’s face towards the prickly bindii weeds in the lawn. Blake struggled against his weight, trying to fight against it.
Craig: “Eat fuckin’ bindiis, cunt!”
Ashley cupped his mouth.
Ashley: “Oh no! Not the bindiis! I can’t watch!”
He cried and covered his face. Blake winced and rasped as Craig pressed his face into the lawn, getting the prickly weeds all over his face. Craig cackled with amusement.
Blake: “Oh, grow up, you dumb asshole!”
Craig’s cackling grew more intense until suddenly he fell off Blake. Blake rolled over and saw Ashley standing behind Craig, tickling his sides.
Maxx: “Nooo! A-RAD!”
He whined.
Blake: “What the hell are you doing, Ashley?!”
He exclaimed.
Ashley: “Helping you with my ticklewondo!”
He stated, tickling Craig, sending him crashing to the lawn.
Craig: “WAHAHAH! OI! G-GET OFF MEHEHE, YOU LITTLE SHIT!”
He rasped between furious breaths of laughter as Ashley yanked his boots off to tickle his feet.
Craig: “NOHOHOOHOHO! FUCK OHOHOHOFF!”
He rasped, paralyzed on the ground. Ashley recoiled and stopped when he caught a waft of Craig’s feet.
Ashley: “Ohhhhh, eww! Your feet totally reek!”
He gagged and fanned his face. Craig raged between short breaths.
Craig: “WHAT?! Fuck you, fatty! I’ll kick your ass! My feet don’t stink!”
He panted and glared at Ashley, shoving him onto the lawn. Ashley winced as the bindii weeds pricked his bare feet.
Ashley: “ARGH! Noooo! Not the Bindiis!”
He cried. Yvette gasped and rushed over to Ashley, dropping her sketchbook to the ground.
Suddenly, Craig was knocked to the ground with violent force as Blake charged at him, punching him in the stomach and pinning him down on the lawn.
Blake: “I fucking told you NOT to lay a finger on him!”
He rasped, shoving Craig’s head into the bindii weeds.
Craig: “ARGHH! OWW! OWW!”
He cried as the weeds pricked his face.
Craig: “THAT FAT LITTLE SHIT SAID MY FEET STINK!”
He cried.
Blake: “THEY DO!”
He fired back at him, wincing at his feet.
Craig: “NO THEY DON’T!”
He cried.
Ashley: “It’s ok, dude. Your feet stink and I’m fat and little! We all have our unique qualities that make us special!”
He smiled and scratched his head.
Craig: “OH, PUT A SOCK IN IT, HIPPIE CUNT!”
He fired back at him.
Ashley: “Oh god, not your sock! Please don’t!”
He winced and waved his hands around.
Craig: “MY FEET DON’T STINK!”
He rasped and seethed.
Blake: “YES, THEY DO!”
He fired back.
“THAT’S ENOUGH! STOP THIS!”
A voice boomed and trembled, cutting through the madness. They all paused and turned to Andreas, rubbing his temples with frustration.
Andreas: “YOU, get out of here, NOW, Craig! Don’t ever come back here!”
He snapped, pointing towards the gate.
Craig: “B-But, they said my feet stink!”
He whimpered as he pulled bindii weeds out of his face.
Andreas: “So what?! They DO, Craig!”
He huffed. Craig pouted and bowed his head.
Craig: “No, they don’t.”
He huffed.
Ashley: “Oh! I make essential oils! Do you want some to put on your feet?!”
He offered.
Craig: “WHAT?! Fuck off!”
He exclaimed, shoving his shoes back on.
Blake: “DON’T be nice to him, Ashley! He’s our enemy!”
He hissed and glared at Craig, plucking the bindii weeds off his forehead. Craig glared back at him. Andreas drew a breath and held up his hands.
Andreas: “No. We’re not doing that. He’s just a nuisance and we mustn’t indulge in his nonsense. He’s not worth it.”
He huffed. Craig recoiled, looking hurt. Andreas turned to Blake and frowned.
Andreas: “I thought you were better than this…”
He frowned. Blake bowed his head.
Craig: “My feet don’t stink!”
He pouted and they all turned back to him. Blake rolled his eyes at Craig.
Blake: “Really? That’s your take away from all of this?”
He shook his head.
Blake: “Get out of here, Craig! Don’t you ever come back here! Leave Andreas, Ashley, and me alone!”
He warned him, standing in front of Ashley and Andreas. Craig glanced over at Andreas and recoiled at the look in his eyes that was full of hate where love once was.
Maxx: “OWWWH! And da winner is Doom ‘n Gloom!”
He chanted, gesturing to Blake. Craig clenched his teeth and his fists.
Craig: “Fuck the lot of ya!”
He pouted, slinking away to his car, kicking up dirt. He kicked up something that piqued his curiosity.
Craig: “The fuck is this?”
He bent over and picked up Yvette’s leather-bound sketchbook. He opened it up and pouted at her latest illustration of Craig and Blake as Vikings battling each other with axes. She drew Craig crying with huge stink lines coming from his feet as Blake stood over him, victorious. Ashley as a Viking was also drawn, tickling Craig.
Craig: “My feet don’t fuckin’ stink!”
He pouted and furious leafed through the pages. His heart sank when he saw all the unflattering drawings she did of Craig and Makayla.
Craig: “...W-what the fuck?!”
He gripped the pages, shaking with rage.
Craig paused at all the drawings of Yvette and Ashley together. He glanced up in Yvette’s direction as she sat with Ashley, pulling bindii weeds from his bare feet. Ashley yelped and giggled as she plucked them.
Ashley: “Hehehe! T-that kinda tickles!”
Yvette blushed and beamed at him.
Yvette: “Tickles, huh? Like this?”
She teased, tickling his feet with her fingertips.
Ashley: “HAHAHAHEHEHEHEHEEAHAHAHH HAHAH!”
He squealed with joyous laughter. A wry smirk crept on Craig’s lips.
Craig: “Nah, I’m the winner. You’ll all get what’s comin’ to ya!”
He clutched the sketchbook in his hands and got in the car with it, driving off.
TO BE CONTINUED.
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