The Big Boom [re-writing]

5:44 pm [updated]

"Tell me again how you know this place?"

Christopher bent down and picked up the best swine ya'll ever have! like the guy earlier said. "Well you know me. I like my meat fresh."

I nearly dropped the piglet in my arms.

He let out a single bark of laughter, the cigarette stump in his mouth nearly falling out. "I'm joking, Candice."

The piglet squirmed and squealed softly, reminding me of a wiener dog, except pink and plumper –and the obvious fact this one makes bacon. Its snout nuzzled against the inside of my elbow, oinking. Chubby barked back at it.

I hurried after him when he handed another pig to the man, who was the head of the barn.

"Why do you need these pigs? You're not going to...cook them, right?"

"No," He said, shaking his head curtly. "No, of course not. That dude over there, next to the cages, he's the cousin of this guy I helped out several months back. Before I get pretentious about it, let's say what I did for him changed his life forever –okay, so anyway –"

I smiled at him.

" –he virtually gave me an IOU card and told me there was only one way he knew of paying me back when I told him he didn't have to."

"Son," the guy said, stepping up to us, "I'm wondering what it is you're buying these pigs for? You don't look like a butcher of any kind."

I winced at the implication for these pigs. The piglet oinked again. Chubby barked back. I wanted to tell him straight up: Stop it, Chubby. You don't speak their language.

Christopher stooped his head lower to one of the piglets in the basket, running his hand down its abdomen. "I'm borrowing these drops of sunshine, Gary," He said, bringing up another one into his arms. "Right, Dasher?"

"What, you gonna name the other one Prancer?" Gary shook his head like he was driving away from the topic. "So what's the plan with you?"

Christopher took the cigarette out of his mouth and grinned. "We're going to break mayhem and wreak havoc on the campus of Sarah's university."

"We?" I repeated, my eyes widening. This time the piglet escaped my arms and scuttled away.

He turned to me, the grin widening. "Yep."

"George was right about you," said Gary, shaking his head again and smiling at him. "You one mischievous bastard."

"Christopher, it's my university as well. I can't afford to get kicked out!"

"You won't –didn't you hear him? I'm a mischievous bastard. You can trust me."

"Mischievous but not furtive. Unless I'm also guaranteed that."

"You are guaranteed whatever you want from me, Candice," He said cunningly, clapping his two hands atop my shoulders.

I wanted to smile at him. I also wanted to crease my brows, frown, and ask aloud what had happened to make his mood so much like a switch, but I guess I should have seen it coming; you told me about this before. And I didn't want to see his smile go away like the flick of the light.

He turned to Gary, combing his fingers through his hair. "So –what's the plan on how these pigs will be returned?"

Gary's eyes panned a foot wide. "Plan? What, you think you're so special that I'd be willing to clean up after you?"