In Parched Gardens: Book 2

Chapter 9: The Mist of Likely Light

The air was crisp and clean. An early October sun streamed through the trees onto the sidewalk around Fin. He kept his jacket unzipped. The day was especially beautiful for this time of year. There was no wind, no somber gray clouds, no stirring of rain. There was only the soaking sun to pour its flares of yellow and red and orange into the lolling leaves.

Soon, Fin walked up to the house on 3rd Street. Knocking, he thought he heard the buzz and hum of music sounding against the door. After a few moments, Zipper opened the door unashamedly. It was fairly early in the morning, and Fin figured there was the same chance that Zipper had just gotten up as there was that he had never gone to sleep. Either way, through bleary eyes and a welcoming smile, he greeted Fin happily and allowed him into the front room of the shared house. Amused, Fin wasn't sure if Zipper had any ideas who he was.

"Is Isaac home?" Fin asked him as he stepped fully into the room.

Zipper looked at him dazedly. The loud music coming from the living room seemed to make it difficult for him to think. "I'm pretty sure," he said. "Hey, Jimmy!," he almost screamed toward the living room.

Another young man popped his head into the room with Fin and Zipper. "What's up?" he asked.

"Is Isaac here?" Zipper asked him.

The other thought about it as if this were a great and weighty question, rubbing his chin slightly. "Probably," he finally answered, half-shurring. "Why don't we go check?"

Zipper nodded in staggered agreement. Together, the two almost bounded up the stairs. Fin watched them as they went, not wanting to venture far into the house. He heard one loud knock on a door upstairs, and then muffled yelling, and then water turning off abruptly. Within a minute, Zipper was standing in front of Fin again, nearly out of breath.

"Yep, he's here," he told Fin.

"Did you tell him I was here?" Fin asked him.

"Fin's here!" he screamed toward the staircase, trying to carry his words beyond the music.

"Thanks," Fin said, nodding somewhat awkwardly.

"No problem at all," Zipper answered. "Anyway," he continued, "I'm gonna get somethin' to eat," he said, motioning with his thumb over his shoulder. "See you later."

Soon, Isaac was walking down the stairs, saw Fin, and together they walked briskly out of the house. Running his hand through his hair, a spray of water fell to the ground from Isaac's head toward the sidewalk beneath them. "No where's safe there," he told Fin, sincerely. "No where's sacred. Not even the shower." Fin laughed in reply.

"So what's up?" Isaac asked him.

"I was pretty sure you said you weren't working today, so I wanted to see if you wanted to go get something for breakfast," Fin said.

Isaac looked at him, smiling slightly. "You really do hate to text about anything, don't you?" he asked.

Fin nodded. "Never really liked it," he answered.

"Oh, I know," Isaac said. "Trust me, I know... Anyway, yes, breakfast sounds good. The Diner?" he asked.

"Figured," Fin started, "if that works for you."

"It always does," Isaac answered, and the two walked west on 3rd Street toward Allbrook Circle.

Stepping into the Diner, they found a booth in a corner and fell into the cushions facing each other. They left the laminated menus in their clip behind the condiments near the edge of the table. Neither had any need to look. Isaac drank his coffee and Fin his orange juice and the two talked, waiting for their food to come. Around them, many of the seats were taken. The cooks were busy behind the counter and the wait staff hustled this way and that, carrying orders and checking on tables.