34: Stray Dog

Hellbent

Chapter 34

Stray Dog

Jaclyn lay asleep that night as Maxx slept on the floor. They were alerted to a loud thumping.

Maxx: “Jacky-baaaaabe! Stop thumping your big feet all over da floor!”

Jaclyn shot up from her bed, throwing her book at his head.

Jaclyn: “Big feet?! How very dare you!”

She rasped.

Jaclyn: “It’s not ME you moron!”

She huffed and glanced out her window to the Nuklear Intoxikation house, spotting a glow coming from the window. Jaclyn narrowed her eyes into slits.

Jaclyn: “Get up, Maxwell! Go be a man and check it out!”

She commanded.

Maxx: “NAH-AH! You do it, Jacky-babe!”

He whined.

Jaclyn: “You would put your damsel in danger?!”

She gasped, cupping her mouth.

Maxx: “Alright, alright! I’ll go check it out… if I get to check out your boobies.”

He grinned widely at her. Jaclyn locked her glare on him.

Jaclyn: “UGH! YOU SWINE!”

She shrieked, picking up her shoe and throwing it at his head.

Jaclyn: “Forget it. I will go investigate myself!”

She huffed, rising from the bed.

Maxx: “Okay, baby!”

He grinned and turned over to go back to sleep. Jaclyn gaped at him and stomped her feet.

Jaclyn: “Oh, woe is me, a beautiful damsel to wander the streets alone at night…”

She sighed.

Maxx: “Pfft, take a torch with you.”

He scoffed dismissively. Jaclyn glared at him.

Jaclyn: “FINE! But if strange men in the dark kidnap me, it’s YOUR fault, Maxwell!”

She sighed dramatically, wiping her eyes. Maxx snapped his eyes awake and leaped out of bed.

Maxx: “NAH-AH! YOU’RE MY LADY BABE!”

He whined, shooting up from the floor. Jaclyn smirked.

~

Maxx and Jaclyn arrived at the abandoned party house, standing outside the door. Jaclyn cleared her throat at Maxx.

Maxx: “Ladies first!”

He grinned at her. Jaclyn glared at him.

Jaclyn: “Excuse me?! No, I shan’t enter first! YOU are to enter first!”

She commanded him, kicking him to the door.

Maxx: “Alright, alright, geez!”

He huffed, bursting through the door.

Maxx: “OWWWW! MAXXY MALONE OF SEX BEEST IN DA HOUSE!”

He hollered as he entered. Jaclyn slapped her forehead.

Jaclyn: “Moron.”

She huffed. The house was ransacked with graffiti on the walls. A torch was in the corner of the living room with a pile of blankets and cushions.

They both froze when someone staggered to their feet off the floor, rising from the pile of blankets.

Jaclyn: “YOU!”

She shrieked.

Maxx: “NAH-AH!”

He pouted.

Craig: “OI! GET THE FUCK OUTTA MY HOUSE, CUNTS!”

He snapped at them, groggily waving his arms around them. Jaclyn narrowed her eyes into slits.

Jaclyn: “Not for long…”

She chuckled darkly.

Jaclyn: “Enjoy it while it lasts.”

She smirked.

Jaclyn: “Come along, Maxwell.”

She grabbed his ear and dragged him out with her like a boarding school nun.

Maxx: “OWW! OWW!”

Craig watched them go and huffed.

Craig: “What the fuck is THAT supposed to mean?!”

~

The next morning, Craig was snapped out of his slumber by a thunderous smash. A wrecking ball swung through the wall of the living room, missing him by inches.

Craig: “HOLY FUCKING SHIT!”

He screamed and hastily scrambled to his feet. He bolted down the hallway to get away from the destruction. He tripped over a pile of bottles and fell to the floor with a hard thud. He hastily panted, observing his old bedroom before his eyes. He felt an overwhelming sense of melancholy as his fondest memories came flooding back to him.

Craig: “What’s there left to live for now? I lost everything… I have nothin’ left.”

He trembled. A loud smash snapped him out of his daze as another wrecking ball swung through the wall. Craig jolted with a fright and saw Makayla’s old bedroom, feeling overcome by fury and anguish.

Craig: “SHE RUINED EVERYTHING!”

He rasped, slamming his fist on the floor and staggering to his feet. Another wrecking ball smashed through the house, drawing nearer. Craig leaped out of the way and ran through the back door. He jumped out of the house and rolled across the back lawn as if he were in an action movie. He panted and lay on his back as he watched his home be demolished before his eyes.

A demolition man approached him.

Demolition Man: “HEY! YOU! What are you doing here, you bum?! Get out of here!”

He snapped at him. Craig pouted.

Craig: “Oi! Fuck you, mate!”

He cried, shooting up to his feet and running off through the neighbourhood.

~

Craig sprinted through the streets of Selene Valley in tears. He had the speed and finesse of a cheetah but the heart of a broken mouse. He ran to the end of the street, sprinting through Heathervale Lake Park until he could run no more. Craig panted and collapsed to the grass, defeated amongst the tall pine trees encircling him and making him feel small.

Craig: “ARRGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

He let out a mighty, defeated roar of pain. He fell to his knees and buried his head in his hands.

“Craig Medeiros?”

A gentle voice called out to him from the woods. Craig raised his head to see Ashley standing over him with a basket of freshly picked sunflowers. Ashley wore an orange lantern-sleeved shirt with sun faces on it and a brown paisley bandana around their neck with brown velvet bell bottoms. The sun beamed around them like a warm glow.

Ashley: “What happened? Why were you screaming? Why are you crying?”

They observed him.

Craig: “I wasn’t crying!”

He pouted and looked away from them.

Craig: “I just… got bit… by a… spider!”

He huffed. Ashley knit their eyebrows.

Ashley: “Oh dear! Where?! Show me! I can help!”

They gasped, looking through their basket of flowers and herbs. Craig shifted his eyes.

Craig: “Ah, just my hand! Don’t worry about it, mate!”

He waved his hands around. Ashley observed his hands and frowned.

Ashley: “Hey! There’s no spider bite! Why did you lie to me just now?!”

They pouted, planting their hands on their hips.

Ashley: “And aren’t you supposed to be away on that Metal-orgasm tour?! Why are you still here in Selene Valley?!”

They pressed him, stroking their chin.

Craig: “Metallogazm!”

He corrected them with a huff.

Craig: “And it’s a long ass story…”

He twisted his mouth and folded his arms across his chest.

Ashley: “Is that why you were crying?”

They tilted their head.

Craig: “I WASN’T CRYING!”

He pouted.

Ashley: “Is it because Makayla ditched Nuklear to make some band with Borealis… Brad?”

They pressed him. Craig twisted his mouth.

Craig: “She fucking betrayed me for THAT fat whale! No offence!”

He huffed, throwing his arms up.

Ashley: “What? Because I’m fat or because he’s my cousin?”

They pouted. Craig laughed bitterly.

Craig: “I guess you’re here to rub it in my face, huh? Outta all the cunts I could have ran into, I ran into YOU!”

He huffed.

Ashley: “Maybe it was fate?”

They replied half-jokingly. Craig scoffed and laughed.

Craig: “Fate?! More like punishment ‘cause the world hates me!”

He whined and hugged his knees. Ashley reflected on their upheaval in Swanton where they asked the very same thing.

Ashley: “The universe doesn’t hate you; it’s trying to guide you in a better direction!”

They beamed and spread their arms out.

Craig gaped up at them.

Craig: “Direction?! WHAT direction?! I got NOWHERE to go! I got kicked out ‘n my house is GONE! Nuklear is DEAD! Veronika ‘n Kurt are done with me ‘n Makayla betrayed me ‘n ran off with some fat loser!”

He snapped. Ashley knit their eyebrows.

Ashley: “I'm so sorry… if it makes you feel any better, you're not alone! I lost my house in a fire, and Makayla betrayed me, too! I also kinda lost my old band, too!”

They assured him, patting his shoulder.

Craig: “Huh…”

He stared off into space.

Ashley: “But don't worry, it gets better! You will meet someone better and find better!”

They sighed, thinking of Lazaros.

Craig: “How can being HOMELESS be better?!”

He huffed bitterly. Ashley knit their eyebrows.

Ashley: “Why can't you stay with your parents?”

They asked.

Craig: “FUCK NO!”

He blurted, tensing up defensively. Ashley tilted their head.

Ashley: “Aren't you like the ‘golden child’ or something?”

They asked, remembering Makayla’s story, but now they didn’t know what to believe. Craig gaped at them.

Craig: “Golden Child?! Fuck no! They're all the way in Koala State ‘n I don't have a car anymore…”

His voice trailed off.

Ashley: “Oh, I see… me and Blake are from Koala State too...”

Their voice trailed off.

Craig: “No shit. We went to school with your fucking cousins! That's where Makayla met that fat fuck! He ordered a fucking pizza to class and she fell head over heels for him!”

He huffed and groused. Ashley laughed awkwardly.

Ashley: “Oh, really? She never told me about him, haha.”

Their voice trailed off.

Craig: “No shit, you're his cousin!”

He scoffed.

Ashley: “...How would she have known that, though? I haven't seen him since I was a kid, and I didn't even know he was alive until now.”

They pondered and kept thinking about how Blake didn't try to find their other family in Koala State when their house burned down.

Craig: “Oh, were you in that fruity cult thing, too?”

Ashley froze.

Ashley: “It wasn't a cult…”

They pouted.

Craig: “Whatever. That explains why you're a fuckin’ weirdo.”

He scoffed.

Ashley: “Whatever. Lazaros loves me for who I am!”

They beamed, clutching the clothes he bought for them.

Craig: “Nobody loves me for who I am.”

He pouted. Ashley sighed and pursed their lips.

Ashley: “Maybe if you were nice to people…”

Their voice trailed off. Craig turned to gape at them.

Ashley: “You can’t make people love you, dude! Andreas has moved on! He’s with my brother now! You gotta stop harassing them and getting into fights with Blake!”

They scolded him firmly but gently. Craig pursed his lips and bowed his head like a puppy being scolded for tearing up the new sofa.

Craig: “Don’t worry, mate… I’m done with that now!”

He waved his hands around.

Craig: “I don’t wanna be like… her.”

He frowned and spoke with disgust and hurt in his tone. Ashley’s eyebrows rose surprisingly, and they knew who he spoke of.

Ashley: “You know, it’s funny… I used to think you were mean and scary… but it turns out Makayla is worse.”

Craig knit his eyebrows and recoiled. He then shifted his eyes with a scoff.

Craig: “...You were scared of me?”

He laughed. Ashley sighed and nodded.

Ashley: “Uhh, yeah, you followed me to our house and got in a punch-on with my brother…”

They blinked mutely. Craig bowed his head.

Craig: “Sorry ‘bout that…”

He frowned.

Ashley: “And you made fun of me!”

They added, recalling their previous encounters at Voyage Burger and Craig’s house parties.

Ashley: “But… you were right. I’m not a man.”

They laughed a bit. Craig’s eyebrows rose surprisingly, recalling their encounter at Voyage Burger last year.

Craig: “No shit, sherlock!”

He scoffed and laughed. Ashley smiled a bit and laughed.

Ashley felt a drop of rain hit their shoulder, and they glanced up at the cloudy sky. Craig recoiled at the clap of thunder and hugged his knees. Ashley’s eyebrows rose surprisingly at Craig. He’s just a scared and lost lion. He needs help, but he’s too prideful to ask. I have to help him, I can’t just leave him out here, they thought.

But… I thought Maxx was a lost circus clown, and look what happened… Am I bringing in another storm? What if he’s lying to me, too? They thought. The rain grew heavier, pouring down on them. Craig cowered and trembled at the clap of thunder.

They saw the desperation and sadness in Craig’s eyes and how it differed from Maxx's. They thought of how they were in this same position when Lazaros helped them when they were stranded and abandoned in Swanton.

Ashley: “Come on, let’s get out of the rain.”

They offered, holding their hand out. Craig’s eyes widened.

Craig: “R-REALLY?! Even after bein’ a cunt, you wanna help me?! WHY?!”

He gaped at them. Ashley nodded.

Ashley: “Because you need it.”

They sighed.

Craig: “...What about Andreas ‘n your brother?”

Ashley pursed their lips.

Ashley: “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it…”

~

Later, Ashley arrived home with Craig. Blake and Andreas both stood there with their jaws open.

Blake: “WHAT WERE YOU THINKING BRINGING THIS TRASH HERE, ASHLEY?!”

He roared. Ashley bowed their head.

Craig: “HEY!”

Ashley: “Please! Hear us out, Blake! He needs help! He’s got nowhere to go!”

They knit their eyebrows. Blake gaped at them and scoffed.

Blake: “Where have I heard this before? OH, right, THAT CLOWN!”

He snapped.

Craig: “OI! I’M NOT LIKE THAT CLOWN!”

He fired back.

Andreas: “No, you’re WORSE!”

He fired back at him and turned to Ashley.

Andreas: “He harassed me and fought your brother, Ashley! How could you do this?!”

He snapped at Ashley with hurt in his tone. Blake glared at Craig and turned to Ashley.

Blake: “He fucking tricked you into coming here for Andreas and you fell for it!”

He scolded them.

Blake: “You learned NOTHING from Maxx! You haven’t changed at all! You’re still the same naive fool!”

He snapped. Ashley recoiled with hurt across their face.

Craig: “I ain’t doin’ that anymore! I’m not here for that! I saw ya at the festival ‘n I left ya alone!”

He waved his hands around.

Blake: “Oh, wow. You left us alone. Congratulations on not being shitty. Do you want a medal?”

He clapped his hands.

Andreas: “Why else would you be here, Craig?”

He huffed, folding his arms across his chest. Craig shifted his eyes and bowed his head.

Craig: “You’re psychic, you tell me, duh!”

Andreas groaned and shook his head at Ashley. Ashley shrank down, feeling small, wishing Lazaros were here.

Lazaros came out and surveyed the area and saw Craig.

Lazaros: “Hello, everyone. Who is this? Is this your new friend, Ashley?”

He smiled and gestured to Craig.

Ashley: “Lazaros!”

They gasped, rushing up to him and wrapping their arms around him. Lazaros hugged Ashley back.

Blake: “Meet Maxx 2.0!”

He quipped bitterly. Lazaros swung his gaze to Craig.

Craig: “OI! I’m NOT that fuckin’ clown!”

He huffed. He turned to Lazaros.

Craig: “Sup, I’m Craig!”

He greeted Lazaros.

Andreas: “Craig is my stalker ex and Ashley’s crazy ex-girlfriend’s brother.”

He gestured to Craig. Lazaros cupped his chin.

Andreas: “He was just leaving.”

He hissed at Craig. Craig knit his eyebrows.

Craig: “Come on, Andreas, you wouldn’t toss me out into the rain with nowhere to go!”

He pleaded with him and recoiled to the clap of thunder.

Andreas: “What, scared of a little thunder?”

He countered, looking out the window. Craig gasped and shifted his eyes.

Craig: “N-no!”

Ashley knit their eyebrows and stepped in.

Ashley: “Let’s just sit and talk over a pot of tea and some cookies!”

They waved their hands around. Blake rubbed his temples.

Blake: “NO, Ashley! This isn’t a children’s cartoon!”

He snapped.

Ashley: “Communication is key, Blake! Let’s just sit and talk and resolve this!”

They pleaded with them.

Andreas: “Talking over some tea isn’t going to resolve this, Ashley.”

He huffed and folded his arms across his chest.

Lazaros: “I think what Ashley suggested is a capital idea! Let’s hear Ashley’s new friend out!”

He nodded. Ashley’s eyes lit up at him. Blake and Andreas gaped at him.

Blake: “...What?!”

He growled.

Lazaros: “He seems like he wants to extend the olive branch, so I say we hear him out.”

He nodded. Ashley beamed and nodded. Craig grinned at him.

Craig: “What the magician said! I just wanna set shit right! I don’t wanna be like… Makayla.”

His voice trailed off. Ashley gave him a look.

Lazaros: “I’m a chef, not a magician, but I did want to be one when I was a small boy!”

He nodded. Ashley smiled at Lazaros. Andreas’s eyebrows rose.

Andreas: “Magician, huh?”

He stroked his chin.

Craig: “Oh yeah, can ya turn this water into beer?”

He picked up a glass of water from the table.

Lazaros: “Hehehe, no.”

Andreas rolled his eyes at Craig, feeling his ire soar.

Andreas: “Can you turn Craig into a fly so he will fly away?”

He quipped. Blake and Lazaros laughed. Craig pouted.

Andreas rose from his seat and locked his glare on Craig.

Andreas: “So, you had your ‘Tower’ moment, and now you have nothing and no one left.”

He folded his arms across his chest.

Andreas: “I warned you, Craig, but you didn’t listen to me! This is your own damn fault!”

He snapped at him. Craig pursed his lips and knit his eyebrows.

Blake: “Tower moment?”

He quirked an eyebrow. Andreas drew a breath.

Andreas: “Last time Veronika dumped him, I drew that card for him. I told him her involvement in the band would come crashing down and blow up in his face! What was it you said, Craig? A piece of cardboard can’t predict your future?”

He stroked his chin. Craig bowed his head and shifted his eyes.

Blake: “And water is wet.”

Andreas: “Touché.”

He nodded.

Craig: “Yeah, well, MAKAYLA ruined it, so HA!”

He pouted. Andreas shook his head.

Andreas: “It was already ruined before she left! She put it out of its misery! YOU should have been the one to pull the plug, Craig!”

He rolled his eyes. Craig furrowed his eyebrows. Blake shuddered, thinking of her new band with Borelais.

Blake: “Ugh. I’d take Veronika’s awful guitar over Borealias's fat gut.”

He groused. Andreas nodded in agreement.

Andreas: “Nuklear Intoxikation was already dead. It died with us, Craig. After I left, you lost your passion! Otherwise, you wouldn’t have allowed Veronika to destroy it. I don’t know why you held onto it?!”

He threw his arms up and shook his head at him. Ashley recalled what Makayla had told them about Craig learning guitar for Andreas.

Ashley: “Maybe he was holding onto hope you’d come back?”

They sighed. Andreas and Craig both froze. Andreas twisted his mouth and turned to Craig.

Andreas: “Well, all his efforts went in vain because I was done and never coming back!”

He glared at Craig and draped his arm around Blake.

Andreas: “I’ve moved on now, Craig… I want you to move on, too.”

He urged him. Blake nodded and kissed him, locking his glare on Craig. Craig sighed defeatedly.

Craig: “I know, I know! I’m not here to bother ya about that! I just need… help.”

He swallowed hard and admitted in a small voice, bowing his head. Andreas’s eyebrows rose, and he softened.

Andreas: “I know how hard it is for you to ask for help…”

He sighed.

Andreas: “But I already tried to help you, and here we are now. You didn’t listen to me then, so why would you listen to me now? I gave you so many chances! Your chances are up! I TOLD you I wanted NO part in your storms anymore, Craig!”

He snapped at him, and the thunder roared outside. Craig flinched and embraced himself. Ashley knit their eyebrows.

Ashley: “Donut worry, I will help him! He can stay in my wreath room!”

They offered to Craig. Craig’s eyebrows rose, and he grabbed Ashley, pulling them into a big hug, crushing them in his big arms.

Craig: “THANK YOU! THANK YOU!”

He exclaimed. Ashley was taken by surprise at his reaction. Maxx had never thanked them like this, let alone thanked them. Blake and Andreas gaped at them.

Blake: “NO! He is NOT staying here!”

He snapped at Ashley.

Ashley: “He needs help, and he’s got nothing and nowhere to go, Blake!”

They pleaded with him.

Blake: “THAT’S NOT YOUR PROBLEM!”

He snapped at them.

Ashley: “When I was stranded in Swanton, it wasn’t Lazaros’ problem, but he helped me! When someone needs help, you help them!”

They cried, wrapping their arms around Lazaros. Blake drew a breath.

Blake: “He doesn’t deserve help after what he did to Andreas!”

He snapped at Craig. Craig bowed his head. Andreas pursed his lips.

Andreas: “I’m very disappointed in you, Ashley.”

He sighed and stormed off. Blake shook his head at Ashley and went after Andreas.

Craig: “Don’t worry ‘bout them, mate, you did the right thing! You’re a legend!”

He assured them, patting their back. Ashley knit their eyebrows, conflicted with guilt, and glanced up at Lazaros.

Ashley: “Did I? Or did I do the wrong thing?”

They asked Lazaros, embracing themself. Lazaros smiled and shook his head.

Lazaros: “No, you didn’t. I don’t know all the details, but it seems Andreas will never warm up to Craig, and… he doesn’t have to. That’s his decision, and we can’t force him to change his mind.”

He said genially. Craig bowed his head. Ashley nodded.

Ashley: “I know… this isn’t about Andreas. I didn’t mean to upset him, and I feel awful about that. I’m not trying to make him like Craig. I’m just trying to help someone down on his luck, and this is my house, too!”

They sighed.

Lazaros: “Then… you help him. Don’t rely on Andreas or Blake to help you. If you feel this is right in your heart, you do it, Ashley.”

He patted their head and smiled. Ashley smiled up at him.

Ashley: “R-really? You’re okay with this, Laz?”

They asked him.

Lazaros: “Why wouldn’t I be?”

He smiled back at them and kissed their head. Ashley purred and smiled up at him, kissing his cheek.

Ashley: “Thank you, Laz.”

They sighed softly on his chest.

Craig: “Cheers, legends!”

He grinned, standing between them, putting his arms around them.