Cogent

FOUR

"Still want me to drop you off at school?" Leon asked, tilting his head to glance sideways at the front passenger seat.

"Just take me home." Noah replied, hugging his stomach. He still felt sick and his head was reeling. The only place he wanted to go now was right back to bed.

Leon nodded and took an exit, getting off the highway. When they pulled up in front of his house, Noah grabbed his pack out of the back seat and got out of the car. Without saying a word to Leon, he started up the front walk toward the front door.

"Goodbye to you too." Leon called through the window as he slowly rolled it up. Noah ignored him, reaching into his pocket for a key. "It's a shame." Leon muttered, the window pausing halfway up. Noah frowned and stopped a few feet from the steps. He turned and gave the man a look. "You almost did something good with your life." Leon replied. "I was really rooting for you, kid." He finished, rolling the window up completely and pulling away from the house.

Noah listened to the sound of the engine as the car drove down the street, concentrating on that instead of the unpleasant emotions Leon's words had inspired. He was talking about going to school. He had to have been. Leon didn't know anything about the plans Noah had made. He'd kept them a secret. He'd had to. But even though Leon was ignorant of it, he'd hit the nail right on the head. Noah had been close, like Leon had said. Too close for his hopes to flee painlessly. Noah stood on the front step for a moment, squeezing the silver key against his palm until it left tiny red indentations on his skin. He'd been so close to normal. And not just today.

Three weeks ago his life was going in a different direction. Before Lenny died, everything was going to change. Noah used to want a future that didn't include using the darkness inside him. Now that she was gone, that future was too. All he had left was the power he'd never asked for.

Noah took in a long breath, tossing his head back and gritting his teeth. The sky was gray and dull. Without the sun everything else looked gray too; his house, the neighborhood, the trees along the road. In a few hours, the sun would rise and the scenery would look different. But the reality was that nothing would have changed. Not really.

Noah pulled at the screen door and inserted his key into the lock. He turned the doorknob with slow accuracy, carefully making sure it didn't produce any noise as he pushed the front door open. Tucker rushed at him, wagging his tail and drooling. He ran his hand over the Labrador's back, bending down to receive a face full of excited licks. Satan came trailing in, his claws clicking against the plywood floors. He stood staring at Noah for a second before baring his teeth.

Noah froze. "It's just me." he whispered, glancing around the alcove that enclosed the entryway of the trailer to peek at the living room couch. He saw a twisted blanket hanging over the edge, along with several pillows scattered across the cushions. His mom was gone. The indentation left behind from where she slept was still there, along with several pieces of stale popcorn.

"You left."

Noah flinched and turned toward the kitchen. His mom was standing in front of the stove, a cigarette between two fingers, smoke trailing out of her mouth and nostrils. She tossed a small plastic lighter onto the countertop next to the sink as she stared at him, seemingly waiting for his reply.

"I had to go out." He said, remaining still until Satan backed away and trotted into the kitchen to sit at his mom's feet.

She raised an eyebrow, slowly lifting the cigarette to her mouth and taking a short drag from the filter. "I'm out of Menthols. Pick some up next time you leave." She said.

Noah nodded and pushed passed Tucker, heading toward his bedroom at the back of the trailer.

"Noah."