Zib's Kid

Chapter 8

Zib sat alone at the cofee shop. He saw Atlas coming and walk past him with Mordecai in tow.
They sat at the booth right behind him and started talking bushiness.
He didn't want to know what was going on, so he didn't pay any atention; he could hear their voices but he couldn't understand what exactly they were saying.

Then he noticed that Mordecai's voice sounded a little odd. Restrained? Like he was... about to cough or holding his laughter. He listened more closely.

"here. Congratulations on your first gun" said Atlas. Mordecai giggled.

What?

Zib turned arround to look behind him.
It wasn't Mordecai. It was Rocky.

He was lying in bed, on his side.
6 year old Rocky slept curled with his back against Zib's belly.
He didn't want to sleep anymore, so he got up, careful not to disturb the bed nor the kid

the sky was just starting to become less darkened. He sat at the window with a cigarette and his legs crossed and watched the street, listened to the calmness, left his mind blank.

At some point Rocky woke up and slipped out of bed to sit next to him. He absentmindedly passed an arm arround him.
The sky slowly became clearer and clearer. There was more motion in the street, more noise, more light. Zib felt Rocky's body become more slack against his side as he started drifting back into sleep. He started huming

"I look at you all
see the love there that's sleeping
while my guitar gently weeps

I look at the floor
and I see it needs sweeping
still my guitar gently weeps

I don't know why nobody told you
how to unfold your love
I don't know how someone controlled you
they bought and sold you

I look at the world
and I notice, it's turning
While my guitar gently weeps

with every mistake
we must surely be learning
still my guitar gently weeps..."

Rocky sat at a stool at the bar on the little daisy cafe and Alex tutored him between tasks while he didn't have anyone to atend to.

They had decided to focus on teaching Rocky better penmanship and reading skills, while using diferent subjects for him to practice with, scept for math, that would have to be adressed separatedly.

As it was, Zib found that he could have some time for himself while Rocky was under the tutelage of Alex. He decided to go for a walk. Maybe he could get some more paper for Rocky to draw and practice his writing... that reminded him of the poetry book
it was about time to return it, and now he knew for sure Rocky wouldn't be returning to that school.
Was he even being honest when he admited to taking it from thet library?

When Zib found himself holding the little red book on his hands, he felt kinda reticent all of the sudden. It felt so familiar by now, but they hadn't made it throu the whole thing, and there were some poems that where so sweet he kinda wanted to read them again.
This was the thing that had him conect with Rocky for the first time, to have him recognice the artist in him. Rocky loved to hear rimes.

For a moment he thought of Rocky's reaction next time he asked to be read rimes and was told the book was gone. Sure, Zib could improvise some song, but it wouldn't be the same

then he had an idea

"so how's class going?" he asked when he returned "did he do good?"
"oh yes, I think he'll be a good student. You just have to know how to engage him, you know? Of course we have an advantage: it's way easier when you only have one kid to focus on"

Zib noded at Alex, then turned to look at Rocky "well, if that's so then maybe I have something to celebrate" he sat next to him and pulled out the little red book, handed it to him "recognice this?"