The Incredible League of Goth Pizza Haters (RH)

Part 29

---Sylvia---

We all got out and unloaded our shit. Not literal shit, that would be disgusting, but our bags. Some of the other people in the parking lot glared at us and I turned to see an elderly woman staring straight at me with a repulsed expression. Like I said before, white hair and piercings. And my tattoos were visible today. I was wearing black shorts and a slightly see through black sweater. Beneath that, my bathing suit which was a two piece.

I had a portrait of a cat I'd had when I was younger on my right thigh. He was wearing a steam-punk hat and the tattoo was laid out like a portrait, with the edges of it inked to look like the frame of a picture. It was my biggest and most detailed tattoo and I was proud of it. I also had one on my left knee of an eye in the center with designs fanning out around it. I had a few smaller ones on my arms; a rain cloud containing several eyes in it raining into a tea cup; a bottle containing flowers growing out of a heart; a gas mask; a cracked grave stone; a moth in a light bulb... etc. Just little things like that. None of them were obscene or gory, but they seemed to be disgraceful enough to upset granny.I realized that my friends hadn't really seen my tattoos either. I always wore a long sleeved shirt or elbow length gloves. As for my legs, I always wore skinny jeans or black patterned tights. Comparing my tattoos, piercings and clothing type to my friends', I really didn't look too weird.

***

"How do you like your burgers?" Chris asked over the sound of sizzling meat.

"I'm not hungry." I responded, observing my surroundings. To my left was a dense forest with thick towering trees and winding trails disappearing a few meters in. Next to that was a huge lake where people sunbathed and children splashed and swam. We were under the shelter of trees not too far away where the grills and benches were.

I wasn't hungry cause I'd pigged out on a box of frosted cheerios during the drive. Ricky nudges me.

"Chris makes great burgers. Try them at least."

"In a bit." I walked down by the water, not by the sand bank where the people are, by a deserted part where a few fallen branches went out over the water. Comforted by the fact that my phone was safe in the car, no where near the water, I stepped out over the branches and tentatively sidled out over the water.

The water lapped softly at the wood as the wind rustled the leaves in the trees and everything swayed with the gentle motion of a world both chaotic and peaceful. I stood shakily on the log ascended over the water and took everything in. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of this place and it left me wondering how we could ever take this all away.

It took me to a place deep in my mind where everyone was dead and the world was left to be beautiful and lonely. Where the only cruel words ever uttered were dropped by the wind and left to be untouched and forgotten. It took me to a place so serenely mangled-

"Hey. Watcha doin'?" Ryan asked as the log dipped under his weight. My legs trembled as I struggled to keep my balance. I shrugged as he pointed in the water. "Dead fish." I looked over to see a skinny fish about the length of a medium potato floating on top the water. I broke off a stick and poked it.

"Dead fish indeed." I said as Angelo walked over.

"Dead fish?" he asked.

"Dead fish." Ryan said.

"Maybe dead fish can be our always." I slapped it with my stick.

"I have an idea." Ryan said as he grabbed a pointier stick. Ten struggling minutes later we were carrying a dead fish on a stick up to the cook out. Balz sat closest. Unsuspecting. Unprepared.

Once Ryan, who was carrying the fish kabob, got close enough he flicked his wrist which flung the fish from the stick, sending it slapping against the back of Balz's head. He stood up, hand against the back of his head and turned around.

He saw Ryan first.

Then the fish.

I didn't know Balz could hit a high note.