Class of '97

6. Hatred

December 19th1996 12:23 am

"Okay," said Kyleas he pulled the laces on his boots, "here's the plan."

Doom smiled inexcitement as Kyle slung his emptied school bag over his shoulder.

He sighed and lookedDoom in the eye. "So, we're going to rob my uncle."

Doom laughednervously.

"But it's my money."

Doom pushed Kyle onthe shoulder in a friendly way. "You don't have any money, poorboy."

"That's where youare wrong, Doomie," Kyle said triumphantly. "I have money savedfor me, and lots of it. In fact, I have six-thousand and four hundreddollars in savings."

Doom's mouth droppedopen. "For what?"

"For me."

"For what for you?"

Kyle was tense. "It'sfor me, for my future. But I won't need to save that anymore, ourfuture is sealed."

"A college fund?"

"No...it's..."Kyle rubbed his eyes, "it's for when my ma dies."

"Oh." Doom wasquiet.

"Yeah, oh. Mygrandma and grandpa made it for me when I was little. It's in myuncles safe."

"Why isn't it in thebank?" Doom asked

"Because mygrandparents survived the depression."

Doom stood straight."Well, that only makes it better for us then."

"Better? It'sfucking perfect!" Kyle remarked.

"Do you know thecombination?" Doom asked hopefully.

"It's my birthday!"Kyle laughed.

"You're birthdayisn't till next summer," Doom said confused.

Kyle threw down hishands. "The combination, genius, the combination is my birthday!"

"Oh!" Doomlaughed.

"Haven't theyteached you anything in them retard classes of yours?"

Doom pushed Kyle."Hey! It's called learning disabled, I'm not retarded. Oh, and bythe way 'genius' it's 'taught' not 'teached'."

"Yea, yea, don't geta big fucking head there smart one."

"Don't be getting onme! Haven't they taught you anything in those advanced placementclasses."

Kyle smirked. "Shutthe fuck... Come on, let's get going before my ma wakes up."

The two of themsneaked out the back door into the dark alley behind Kyle's house.They were camouflaged into the night in their black garb. Kyle wentahead of Doom, leading the way. He shimmied around corners and duckedaround signs and bushes. Doom walked slowly behind him, unamused byhis games.

"Stop, Kyle," hewhispered harshly into the dark.

"Stop what?"

"Pretending to be aspy...this is why we get bullied."

Kyle snorted.

"Be quieter!"whispered Doom loudly.

"Doom," Kylereplied in his normal volume, "in my neighborhood, people sneakaround at night all the time. No ones gonna call the police."

A screen door slappedopen and a man in his boxers stepped out. Kyle and Doom flattenedthemselves to the ground, the cold grass tickling their faces, andthe misty night air cooling their nervous sweat.