MELANCHOLY [S.T. B. Hargrove]

7

Dustin lost his pet.

Why he asked if I knew how to fight.. still unclear.

"You don't have to keep following me, you know?" Dustin asks.

"I don't believe a word you said and your Max's friend. If something happened, she's be upset, so I'm here to stop that for her sake."

"Max talks about me?"

God, I hated kids.

"I mean.. yeah," I admit.

A blush rises up Dustin's neck and cheeks. I scoff at the audacity.

"This is Mike's house. I'm gonna see if he's home," he says and takes off running to the door.

I stay at the end of the driveway while he goes to the door. An older, white man answers the door and he and Dustin talk for a few seconds before Dustin is trudging back to me with a defeated look on his face.

"Why are adults no help at all?" Dustin asks, picking up his bike. "I mean.. I say two words to you and you're here to help me out but I ask a parent for help and they can't do shit!"

I chuckle at the young boy. "I think you lose patience and interest the older you get."

Dustin huffs and we continue walking- him pushing his bike.

"Have you met Nancy? Mike's sister?" Dustin wonders.

"No.. But, I think I got Will's brother in trouble and I haven't even met him yet."

"How's that?"

A car pulls up outside- a few yards from us.

"Apparently, Jonathan was supposed to go trick or treating with you guys the other night. I don't know the rest. But, Joyce seemed pissed when I told her about those kids scaring Will."

Dustin gasps as the driver gets out of his car.

It was a guy around my age. He had a bouquet of roses and a frown on his face.

"Follow me," Dustin hurries. "Or, turn back now and save your own life."

Dustin starts walking toward the guy.

I throw my hands up. "I already ditched work, so what the hell?"

"Steve!" Dustin calls. "Is that for Mr. or Mrs. Wheeler?"

"No.." the guy answers, looking at the flowers.

Dustin snatches the roses from the guy and goes to the car.

"Hey!" Steve yells in protest.

"Nancy isn't home."

"Where is she?" Steve asks.

Dustin opens Steve's passenger door. "Racquel, let's go!"

I look to Steve who looks me up and down. "Who are you?"

"I'm with him," I point- putting all the blame on Dustin.

"Steve, do you still have that bat?" Dustin asks.

"Bat?" I repeat.

"What bat?" Steve asks.

"The one with the nails," Dustin answers as if it were obvious.

"Nails?" I repeat- startled. 

"Why?" Steve questions.

"I'll explain on the way. Now, let's move it!"

What did I get myself into? No wonder Max was having such issues with these boys.

Steve and I fall in line together and walk to the car. I climb into the backseat as Steve gets in the driver.

"Steve this is Racquel. Racquel, this is Steve," Dustin introduces.

"'Sup," I nod my head to Steve.

Steve does a little wave before driving us down the road.

"So.. what's this about?" Steve asks Dustin.

"I found something in my trash," Dustin begins.

"The lizard?" I ask.

Dustin looks back at me. "First.. let me tell the story- it's rude to cut people off. Second.. how did you know?"

"Max told me. She said you had some gross, slimy lizard and all of you kept freaking out about it."

"Okay, so.. The thing is- that lizard has like quadrupled in size."

"How many times is that?" I ask.

"A lot," Steve answers.

"And I think he's dangerous. So, I lured him out of my room and locked him in our storm cellar."

"Okay, how big?" I question.

Dustin holds his fingers up. "First he was like this.."

I nod and Steve glances at Dustin while driving.

"Now he's like this.." Dustin continues, holding his hands out around a foot or so apart.

"I swear to God, man.. It's just some little lizard, okay?" Steve brushes it off.

"It's not a lizard," Dustin states.

"Max said it was a lizard. She said you made her hold it."

"Gross," Steve comments. "How are you so sure it isn't a lizard?"

"How do I know?" Dustin asks.

"How do you know," Steve repeats- confirming the question.

"Because his face opened up and he ate my cat."

The car goes quiet.

The thing Max told me about.. ate a cat?

"You ever see those lizards with the frilly stuff around their head that makes it look like a giant mouth-"

"It's not a lizard!" Dustin cries- cutting me off.

I tap my fingers on the leather seat. Steve does the same to the steering wheel.

"So.. alligator?" I ask.

"No!" Dustin shouts.

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

the most chaotic trio ever I love them