Nothing Left | Ray Hall ~ Panic

TWO

Saturday, June 25 - HEIGHTS

          Ray had tinges of regret tug at him for going through with kissing Elianna the week before. Although, he couldn't help but think of a future with her- that is, one where Hell 'froze over.' He had been dreaming of making that very decision for years and no other girl seemed to settle his craving.
          He was at his third beer and managed to chain-smoke five cigarettes in the few hours that he had been awake. He had no regret in entering the challenge, but maybe some for letting El do the same. He couldn't bear to chase after daydreams and compete with them at the same time. Ray came to the conclusion that he had to choose between the two.
          A nice piece of ass or sixty-seven grand all to himself?
          His elder brother would kill him if he dropped out of the game. His classmates would degrade him. Ray, of all people, had odds stacked in his favour for winning. He feared that El had even better chances.
          His only weakness to Panic was his claustrophobia. Hers was drinking more than she could handle- yet she could out-drink him any day of the week if she truly wanted to. She was nearly fearless- more than he could say. If she had any genuine, deep-set fears, they remained ones he didn't know about.
          Ray paced the living room of his house, causing the floorboards to squeak repeatedly under his weight. He took a shaky draw of his cigarette and cringed at the heat that licked the back of his throat. He looked at the cigarette between his index and middle finger and saw that the lit cherry had reached the filter. He quickly put it out in the full ashtray that sat on the edge of an unfinished cedar coffee table.
          Thoughts of Elianna's father crossed his mind and he began to worry for her sake. Her father got just as violent as Ray's grandfather when they drank- but he doubted she could take her father's beatings.
          He had learned to fight back, getting him in worse trouble at home but leaving him with less and less bruises to show for it. He made his way to the kitchen and opened the fridge to grab another beer. He was met with thin air. Ray let out a heavy sigh and grabbed his keys, prepared to make an illicit beer run at ten in the morning.
         He shut the fridge and made his way outside, ignoring his brother who was passed out on the dock. Ray's red and black truck grumbled to a start and he drove down the twisting and turning road that was the only way to get to his house with a vehicle and it was surrounded by trees on both sides.
          As he pulled onto the main street, he considered his options. He couldn't decide. That was his plan. Somehow, he would both win and get the girl.

          Elianna had had a rough week. Her father sold off their couch for booze money while she was working overtime to keep up with bills. She still couldn't afford luxury items, like perfume, good makeup, a car, and anything that wasn't microwavable. She was always exhausted and used cigarettes and stale coffee to stay awake.
          She couldn't wait for the first challenge that would bring her one step closer to leaving her heaping mess of a father and leaving Carp in her rearview. That is, she'd buy a cheap, used car so she could move faster that her own two feet could carry her. Elianna could almost taste the flavour, that she imagined because she could never afford the luxury, of lobster and expensive wine.
          They didn't own an oven to use if she even wanted to cook. She didn't feel hungry in their house anymore ; the constant smell of body odor and unwashed clothes that never managed to fade away stole her appetite years ago. A plug-in hot plate, to make coffee, sat in her room, where she always kept the door locked when she was asleep or absent (to prevent her father from selling off her bed or desk without having the courtesy to leave a note), as ants were all over the kitchen.
          She crept on her toes around the house, trying to see where her father was around the house and whether or not he was passed out. She hopped around spots on the floor that she knew creaked and looked into her father's open bedroom door. He was passed out in his boxers with an unfamiliar woman beside him. She was only covered by the sheets she hugged to her chest.
          Elianna carefully pulled the door shut, succeeding in not waking the man who claimed to be her father and a girl she had never met before.
          She made her back to her bedroom, still watching her every step, to make sure the sound didn't make its way through the cardboard-thin walls. She changed her clothes to a t-shirt and knee length shorts. It was finally cool enough that she could wear any outfit comfortable and not have to worry about heat stroke. She took up the opportunity, knowing it wouldn't last longer than a few days.
          Quickly, she packed a bag with her wallet, smoke stuff, a bottle of cheap booze, and her phone. Just as Elianna closed the front door behind her, her cell buzzed. Intrigued, as the only people with her number were Dodge Mason and her dealer, she took her phone out. A text from an unknown number let her know that the next challenge was at the granary tonight.
          Her breathing sped. She deleted the text and replaced her phone in her bag, still too caught up with her current plans to overthink Panic. She started walking through the woods right by her apartment. She had no need to run this time as there was no one waiting for her.
          The tree house came into view and she impulsively smiled at the sight of it. Elianna could only hope that the wooden beams hadn't rotted much over time. She looked to the forest floor, watching her step as to not trip over fallen tree limbs or thick roots. With a head full of hope, she approached the rope ladder and eyed the wooden rungs that hadn't been used in years. She gripped both ropes and tugged hard to test the strength.
          She looked up at where the rope was tied in thick knots to the support beams as she placed a steady foot on the bottom rung. She waited a moment to see if it would give away at her weight. She grinned, making her way up the ladder to the top.
          Younger Elianna had done a good job screwing the planks into place and making sure everything was secure, surprising, as she was only eleven when they had built it. Ray did most of the work of looking for two by sixes around town and carrying them back to the tall tree they had decided to use. They found the rope behind the local hardware store and twisted the lengths twice over to ensure stability. They were quite proud of the progress and had ideas to expand the tree house but never quite got around to doing it.
          Elianna opened the hinged trapdoor with a good shove and poked her head up to look inside. Shelves sat crookedly, high on one wall. A mason jar, with all values of coins filled halfway, was in the corner. She recalled how Ray and herself had saved up all of their spare change to buy ice cream and sodas. A case of said sodas remained unopened but covered with cobwebs on the top shelf.
          She pulled herself up and thanked her upper body strength for assisting her task. She pushed herself back so she could shut the door and put her bag on top of it. Cut up, faded tarp was nailed to the outside of the makeshift windows, empty spots in the walls, to keep the rain and snow out. Seems she did a good job, no water damage appeared to affect the inside of the fort.
          She grabbed a cigarette and lit it. The walls blocked most wind, which made it a fun smoke space. She leaned against a wall, rolling up a nearby tarp so she could get some light.
          Elianna noted that she could see the main road from this window. She felt her mind turn to mush at the unmistakable sight of Ray's truck speeding from her right field of vision, to her left. She hadn't talked to him since the Jump, only sharing knowing smirks as they passed each other on the street.
          He was going to be at the challenge. There was no way he would drop out. His reputation depended on it and she doubted he would give it up for anything. She also had no idea what he had planned for her. He promised that their late night kiss was just a small taste of the meal he would serve. Her body shook with delight and the fact that she smoked one cigarette in less than a minute.
          She had a headrush that she liked to call a nic high and it numbed her senses, clouded her vision, and made her feel good. She enjoyed it for the few seconds it lasted, lighting up another cigarette with the butt of her old one before tossing it out the 'open' window. She looked over to the shelves and curiosity took over her. She stood and her hairs brushed that ceiling of the tree house as she pulled the twelve-pack of cola down. She wiped off the dust and webs with the back of her hand to open the case from one side.
          Elianna sat back down with her legs crossed and moved her cigarette back to her mouth. She grabbed a can and opened it slowly. Somehow managing not to spill anyone of the fizz on herself in the process, she held her cigarette between her middle and ring fingers as she took a small sip of the soda. She hummed, surprisingly not bad for warm, expired soda. Although she didn't care about the expiration date, she sipped in cautiously. She pulled the case from her lap to on the floor beside her.