The Shades That Prowl

Chapter 4: June '82: Student of Darkness

The next Friday, Dut and I could see the custodian, Larry, on the school's loading dock.

"What are you going to do?" Dut asked.

"I dunno. Talk to him."

"Sure, you could start with, 'Hey, excuse me Larry, how's trash? I was wondering if your dad used to paint disturbing pictures in a haunted house in Shookstown? You know, just curious.'"

"Hey Dut?"

"Yeah?"

"Take a hike."

But of course Dut stayed with me as I walked up to Larry. He recognized me; I often helped clean up after football games.

"Hey," he drew out, rubbing his dark hand over grey whiskers. I knew he didn't know my name. "What's up Kid?"

"Could I talk to you?"

"Sure," he said continuing to flatten boxes. "Go ahead and talk."

"I mean..." I looked at all the students walking through the loading dock doors. "Okay. I house sat for Mrs. Herron for a couple of weeks and..."

"Who?"

"Mrs. Herron the English teacher."

"Mrs. Herron?" Larry massaged his razor stubble.

"Uhh, yeah." I looked back at Dut who shrugged with his entire face without moving his body.

"She's in room 112."

"112? Why do you want to talk about room 112?"

I looked at him. "I don't. I wanted to talk about a painting I saw in a house in Shookstown."

Larry's brow snapped toward me. "What? Why are you asking me? I don't know anything about forty year old paintings."

"Larry, man. Relax," Dut said.

"I've got work to do." Larry left his boxes and went through the boiler room door.

"You going in there?" Dut asked.

I gave Dut a look. "I'm not getting suspended."

"It doesn't matter Matt; I don't think he knows anything anyway."

"Why?"

"He's nuts. Probably drinks. I mean, he's the night time custodian. He's in this place alone all night." Dut surveyed the school in an all-encompassing gesture. "I'd drink."

We walked into the building.

"He knows something, Dut. He got upset for a reason. I only mentioned one painting. He knew there were more, and he said they were forty years old. How old do you think he is?"

Dut rolled his whole head without taking his eyes off of me. "I don't know, like a hundred."

The day passed infinitesimally slow. After seventh period, I looked for a reason to stay late, but nothing was happening. Dut had to work, so I left to catch the bus. Larry would have to wait. The boiler room door hung open, but there was no sign of him.

"Hey, kid."

It was Larry around the corner.

"I didn't mean to bug you," I said. "I just wanted to talk."

Larry nodded his head. "Trouble is Kid, you don't know what you're talking about."

I looked at him, waiting for him to go on and realized he was waiting for me. He wasn't there coincidentally; his next shift was about to start. The silence lasted too long.