Skurdulka's House (a LGBTQ chosen-family thriller)

Part 21: Rules

Storm reached for his phone at least seventy times in the next week before he realized it wasn't there. He told the others he didn't really miss it, but that was a lie. Chris didn't say much of anything about it, and tried to change the subject when it came up. Lee sighed and grumbled something about Skurdulka and paranoia. Heather was visibly, obviously, vocally upset. After a week, she pleaded again with Ari, promising to delete the pictures and never post again. Ari had already refused her twice, and the darkening impatience on their face made Storm glad Ms. Willow Clayton was there that evening. Nothing ever seemed to uproot her firm, yet easy-going sense of calm. He always felt better when he was around her; everyone seemed to, even Ari.

"I won't even post any pictures, I—" Heather attempted.

Ari's voice was flat. "You already made that promise and failed to keep it. No. This is the only way I can keep you safe. No phones. No social media."

"How am I supposed to talk to my friends?" Heather objected.

Ari frowned. "In real life. With your words."

"Are you going to take me to Los Angeles? Madrid? Buenos Aires?" she retorted. "Because that's where my friends are."

"They're not your friends if you've never met them."

"They are my friends! We talk all the time. You think any other transgirls live in this stupid town? Who the hell am I supposed to talk to?"

Standing at the kitchen archway, watching the exchange up until then, Willow tilted her head. "What about me?"

Heather stopped short of rolling her eyes. "Transgirls my age."

Ari hesitated, glancing at Willow, then looked back. They shook their head. "No. No phones. That's the rule. I'm sorry."

"It's not my fault you're eight-hundred years old and you don't know how the internet works!" Heather called back as she stormed upstairs.

Watching the scene from the living room, Storm glanced at Lee, then Chris, sidelong. "How old are they?" Storm whispered.

Chris and Lee studied each other. Both shrugged, shaking their heads, clueless.

Ari drifted into the living room and settled down at the sofa with a sigh. Their gaze was far-away. Sitting down next to them, Willow gave a sympathetic frown, rubbing Ari's shoulder.

"So... no phones? Still?" Chris ventured, throwing a daring look at Ari.

Storm held his breath. 

For a moment, Ari simply stared into space. Willow's gentle touch brought them out of their reverie. Taking a breath, Ari grabbed the TV remote and tossed it to Lee, either ignoring Chris, or not hearing them. "Can you find Work in Progress? I don't know what channel it is."

As Chris flipped through the stations, they landed first on the news. The anchor's monologue caught the edge of Storm's focus and pulled him in.

"...over $800 million was allegedly stolen directly from the bank, in a case that bears striking similarity to a recent string of high-profile thefts. The victim in this case, Allied Chemical CEO Martin Berman, claims this is a clear case of fraud. However, this, and previous cases like it, have investigators asking—how can a man be in two places at once?"

Storm focused on the smaller screen in the top left corner as Chris scrolled through the TV menu. Two surprisingly crisp and vivid security camera footage reels played, each showing the exact same time stamp. As two seemingly identical men entered the frame—both large, with sloping bellies and, unmistakably, exactly the same bearded face—the news anchor continued, "Security camera footage places Berman at the Top Flight restaurant at the time of the bank transaction. However, security footage from United Capital bank also shows Berman making the alleged fraudulent transaction."