The Birth of Bane Read Online Free Page B

it.” It was a warning. Shut the hell up or I’m gonna box the shit out of your
ears.
    “ Ok, sure.
Yeah,” he mumbled, straightening himself for a second time in as
many moments.
    He was about to
ring the doorbell when a tall, skinny (nearly emaciated) young man
answered the door. He was disheveled to the point of being
slovenly. Though it was early afternoon, it appeared as though
Jessie’s knock had aroused him from bed. His hair was long, matted,
pasted against the sides of his skull. There were dark circles
under his eyes and three days’ worth of stubble on his face. He was
wearing a worn flannel shirt and torn-up jeans. His feet were bear,
dirt-stained as if he’d walked around in that manner for some time
without showering. I can’t say he reeked, but there was a pervasive
oily smell about him, not quite full-blown body odor, but something
close to it. It smacked of something sweet.
    Back then, I
didn’t know the smell of an addict.
    “ Oh hey,
Freddie… How are you doing this fine afternoon?” said Jessie as if
it were a joyous occasion.
    Freddie grimace.
My mother’s friend was like a bazooka in his sensitive ears. He ran
a not-so-clean hand through his hair. “Why didn’t you tell me you
were bringing over buyers,” he demanded testily.
    It was Jessie’s
turn to reciprocate. “I did tell you, Freddie. Two days ago, I
called you and told you I would be bringing a good friend of mine
over to see the house on Saturday. Today is Saturday.”
    Freddie teetered
on unsteady feet, running his other hand through his tangled hair.
“Really?”
    “ Yup. I wouldn’t
lie to you, would I?”
    “ Naw, I guess
not,” replied the musty man before us. “Well, shit man, I wish
I’d’ve remembered. I’d’ve cleaned up the place a bit.”
    I could see a
formal dining room behind him. The large table was strewn with
pizza boxes, Chinese food containers, various wrappers and cups
from a myriad of fast food joints. There were as many on the
floor.
    And, there were
no chairs in sight, which was sort of weird.
    “ Don’t worry,
Fred, the house is going to need a lot more than a little
Spic-n-Span,” cajoled Jessie. Then he recalled we were there and
smiled awkwardly. I think he felt he’d said too much.
    Freddie nodded,
stepping back, the door opening wider with his retreat.
    My mother laid
eyes upon the room beyond, her breath catching in her
throat.
    Before us,
across the broad expanse of the chamber was the largest, stone and
mortar fireplace right out of a British cottage, deep in the
country. The thick mahogany mantle, still lustrous despite a heavy
coating of grime, added to the overall picture perfectly. Even with
my lustful thoughts of my newfound girlfriend swirling in my head,
I couldn’t help but appreciate the workmanship, the sheer beauty of
it. It was magnificent.
    “ Oh my,”
whispered my mother as she peered about the large front room to our
left, gazing through the windows on that side of the house. The
deck and a jumble of trees and other flora was visible
beyond.
    Jessie hung back
and let us explore a bit, though Valerie stayed by the door, still
wary.
    Eli let go of my
mother’s hand and began to walk around, a serious expression on his
face. He was so cute. To me, he looked like midget appraiser there
to assess the value of the property.
    Freddie merely
spun in place, his bleary vision barely able to keep up with our
languorous movements throughout the room. “You from around here?” I
heard him ask my sister, his voice suddenly husky. Maybe his lack
of focus had blinded him to the fact she was only fifteen. Or
maybe, it hadn’t mattered to him in the least. Maybe
fifteen-years-olds were right up his alley. Valerie was a looker,
and the slob was definitely looking.
    My mom hadn’t
heard. She was too busy peppering her one-time boyfriend with
question after question.
    In the end,
Valerie hadn’t needed any assistance. She could be the bitch
necessary to ward off your average,