Mila Santos Is (Not) Dead

vi: orion

MALACHI'S NEW BOY SCOUTS TROOP consisted of a whole host of characters. There was Josh, who still openly picked his nose. Little Jake, the shorter Jake, and Big Jake, the taller Jake. Nick, who carried Hot Wheels in the front pocket of his back-pack. Carter, who was severely asthmatic and always had an inhaler in his hand. Tony, who really liked frogs. And then there was Drew, the troop leader's son.

Drew wasn't loud and aggressive and rambunctious like the other boys. Malachi thought Drew got along with them fine, he was just more soft-spoken. When they started getting rowdy, he'd take a step back and watch them, laughing at their dumbassery but not getting involved. He was really good at science and knew a lot about space and volcanoes and rocks and dinosaurs.

His neat blond crew cut was gelled up in the front. His skin still had a summer tan, making it look golden. His blue eyes twinkled when he laughed and dimples formed when he smiled. He looked strikingly like young Luther in The Umbrella Academy, Malachi would realize years later with an appropriate amount of repulsion and horror.

When Malachi got to the first meeting, the troop leader, Mr. Holland, passed him his uniform out of a cardboard box. Malachi followed the other boys to the bathroom to change. They laughed and shoved each other, too engrossed in their horseplay to even notice him. Well, other than Drew, who smiled back at Malachi as they walked.

Back in the classroom, they formed themselves into a lopsided circle on the ground while Mr. Holland watched from the corner. They took turns interrogating Malachi, but they didn't wait for his answer, and he barely said two words by the end. He wanted nothing more than to disappear.

Eventually, Nick's dad showed up to help Mr. Holland drive the troop to a hiking trail not far from the school. Malachi ended up in Mr. Holland's minivan. Tony, Little Jake, and Carter sardined themselves together in the far back while Drew and Malachi sat in the middle row. The boys in the back played music from Little Jake's iPod and yelled at each other over the bass. Drew and Malachi sat in silence. Drew looked out the window at the passing trees, while Malachi stared at the headrest in front of him, too scared to move.

Drew leaned over the armrest to talk to Malachi over the din. "We're having a troop sleepover at my house Saturday. If you want to come or whatever. That'd be cool."

Malachi wanted nothing to do with the troop sleepover. Just being with them for this long had been agony. But he nodded. "Oh. Sure."

Drew grinned. He pulled a Sharpie and a sticky note from his bag and wrote his address down, passing it to Malachi. "Everyone's coming at six. I got this new video game we're all gonna take turns playing. It's gonna be sick."

"Cool." Malachi hoped he sounded cool. For some reason, he wanted to impress Drew. He didn't care what the other boys thought of him. He'd already made up his mind he hated them.

"You don't talk much. You scared of us?"

Yes, Malachi very much was. "I talk when I want."

"Then want." A mischievous grin spread across Drew's face. "Go on. Say 'penis.' Loudly. I double-dog dare you."

Malachi knew only pussies backed down from double-dog dares, and he knew a pussy wasn't something he wanted to be. He made a face. "Why?"

"It'll be funny! C'mon. Just do it."

That was reason enough for Malachi. "Penis," he whispered.

Drew cupped his hand over his ear, his mischievous grin turning to a shit-eating one. "What was that?"

"Penis," Malachi repeated in his normal speaking voice.