Jonah Havensby (32 page)

“Dude, you’re not an alien freak,” Eric said. “Okay, so you are kind of an alien,” he corrected himself as he turned off the microscope and unplugged it. “But you’re not the freaky kind. I mean, you don’t have two heads or anything.” He crossed back to the door and opened it.

“So what am I?” Jonah said quietly.

“I don’t know…space dork?” Eric said, with one foot out the door.

That seemed to snap Jonah back to reality. He slowly raised his head and looked at Eric who was grinning from ear to ear. He was off the bed and after him in a flash, but Eric was already on the stairs.

Jonah caught Eric at the last stair by the collar of his t-shirt, the forward momentum sent them flying into the door jamb of the entrance to the living room. Jonah grabbed Eric’s arm and twisted it behind his back, holding him against the wall.

“Mom, Jonah’s rough housing,” Eric called while trying not to laugh.

“Jonah, no rough housing,” Mrs. MacIntyre called from the kitchen.

Jonah immediately let go of Eric, stunned that he would put him in an even worse position in front of his mother. “Seriously?” He asked is a loud whisper.

“Relax, you’re fine,” Eric said, waving it off and heading into the kitchen.

Mrs. MacIntyre had separated the bag of microwave popcorn into three bowls and there was a can of soda next to each. She picked up her bowl and soda and started toward the family room.

“Thank you, mom!” “Eric said, in an overt attempt to be nice.

“Thanks, Missus MacIntyre,” Jonah followed suit.

“You’re welcome boys,” She said with a smile and went into the family room.

The boys picked up their bowls and sodas and followed her.

When his mother took the opportunity to choose a movie at night, Eric knew it was going to have people singing and dancing or girls falling all over themselves about boys. Sometimes it was both. It was a rare thing when Eric would sit through the whole thing and he’d find an excuse to go to his room about halfway through.

The ones he did like were old black and white movies about private detectives or spies. Fortunately, this was one of those times. It was about an American guy in London who gets framed for murder by enemy spies because they think he’s a spy; guys with hats, trench-coats and guns running around an old foggy town.

Mrs. MacIntyre had taken the over-stuffed chair by the window under the reading lamp. Eric dropped onto the identical chair and put his popcorn and soda on the end table that separated the two chairs. Jonah sat on the sofa along the wall and put his popcorn and soda on the long coffee table in front of it.

Almost half-way through, the popcorn was done, Mrs. MacIntyre was wrapped up in a blanket and Eric was still on the edge of his seat watching the movie. Jonah had slid into a prone position on the couch and was having trouble keeping his eyes open. He was always way too comfortable here. He hadn’t realized he had drifted off to sleep until Eric kicked the sofa twice.

“Dude, time to go upstairs,” he said.

The television was already off and at some point Mrs. MacIntyre had put her blanket over him. He could hear her in the kitchen, probably washing the bowls from the popcorn.

Jonah stood up and folded the blanket and put it on the sofa.

“You really passed out,” Eric said. “Mom was going to leave you there, but I think you should hear what Devlin said today.”

The three of them met in the foyer on the way upstairs. Mrs. MacIntyre said good night, kissed Eric on the head and closed her door.

When the boys went into Eric’s room, Eric opened the closet door and started rummaging. He brought out the sweats that Jonah was becoming all too familiar sleeping in. Jonah was still half asleep when he turned and went to change in the guest bathroom.

When he came back, Eric was changed and sitting on his bed and had rolled out the sleeping bag at the foot of the bed.

“Get the door,” Eric said. And Jonah closed it behind him.

Eric slapped the light switch that was near his bed and the overhead lamp went dark. The only illumination in the room was a small reading lamp on the end-table next to the bed. Jonah got into the sleeping bag and sat up, leaning against the baseboard of the bed.

Eric began the story where he left off before the boys got sidetracked with the blood test. He told Jonah that it looked like he was just going to change gradually, like the red skin was just going to continue across his body, but then the transformation stopped and he melted like a snowman. Eric offered the idea that Jonah should use the video camera and record himself changing so he could see it for himself.

He left out the parts where he was scared senseless, but he included everything after that. He told Jonah that the others knew about each other and knew kind of what Jonah was thinking and feeling most of the time. He listed off all the facts he could get from Devlin, including the fact that he was a wisecracker. He also noted how interesting it was that they all knew their names like they had them forever, even though Eric and Jonah had just named them minutes before.

“I felt that though,” Jonah said.

“Felt what?” Eric asked.

“I kind of felt like each time we picked a name, that it kind of fit. Like it was the right name,” Jonah said. “Does that make sense?”

“I don’t know,” Eric replied. “I guess if they know what you’re up to there’s gotta be some small way you can know them. It kind of makes sense.”

Jonah’s eyes were heavy with sleep. He wouldn’t stay awake much longer, even though his mind was spinning with more things to talk about.

“Good night, Hell Kat,” Eric said, as he threw a pillow at Jonah’s head and buried then himself in blankets.

“’Night, Danger Man,” Jonah replied, and was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Jonah woke up early. He stretched in the sleeping bag and sat up. Eric’s alarm clock said that it was seven in the morning. The sun was just coming up. Jonah knew Eric wouldn’t wake up until eight. He stretched again and wondered if he should go back to sleep, but knew he was wide awake. But then he thought maybe he should bail before Mrs. MacIntyre woke up.

He slid out of the sleeping bag and went and changed in the guest bathroom. When he came back, he gently put his pillow on Eric’s bed and tried quietly to roll the sleeping bag up. Then it occurred to him that he wouldn’t be able to walk all the way back to the tree-house. Besides taking hours, it was also too cold outside to think about.

“Hey Eric,” Jonah said, just above a whisper. “Eric?” He shook Eric’s leg, to no response. “Eric?” He said, just a little louder. Then he picked up his pillow and threw it at Eric’s head.

“What?” Came the muffled response from under the pillow. Eric hadn’t moved.

“Can I borrow your bike?” Jonah asked.

“Take my mom’s,” Eric said from under the pillow.

“Thanks,” Jonah said. “See you in a couple of days?”

Eric rolled just enough so he could raise his arm and give a thumbs up and then dropped it back down.

Jonah walked softly out of the room and closed the door, then walked just as softly down the stairs and to the front door. He opened it as quietly as he could and walked outside.

There was an icy cold breeze this morning and the dew on the lawn had frozen over. Jonah hiked up the hood of his coat and zipped the coat as far as it could go. He kept his head down until he got to the bike. Fortunately, it seemed the breeze was blowing down the hill, which kept his hood from blowing down while he rode and kept the wind off his face. 

He took a far more leisurely pace than they did last night. He drove down the hill and took a left towards Main Street. It was still quiet while the sun was coming up, but there were a few cars going to and fro. He was riding down the sidewalk, which was still empty at this hour, when he had to come to a stop when the door of Red’s Diner swung open.

Emma Wong was just coming out of the diner holding a steaming cup. She was dressed in her fur-lined coat with the hood up. She had on black jeans and the fur-lined boots that matched her coat. She was followed by a tall Chinese man with black hair dressed in a gray overcoat over a white shirt with a red tie and black slacks. He was holding a large Styrofoam cup as well. Jonah assumed this was Emma’s father.

“Jonah?” Emma asked.

“Hi, Emma,” he replied.

“You’re out early.”

“I was at Eric’s last night.” He said, with a point towards the hill. “Headed for school?”

“Yeah,” She answered. “I’m on the decorating committee for the dance. We have meetings every day before school, so my dad drives me on his way to work. Oh, dad, this is Jonah.”

“So you’re Jonah, huh?” Doctor Wong asked. “You’re the Jonah who’s taking Emma to the dance at the end of the week?” He extended his hand.

Oh crap, Jonah thought. The dance is this week. He’d completely forgotten about it.

“Yes, sir,” Jonah said, a little unsteady. “Nice to meet you sir.”

“Thank you, Jonah.” Doctor Wong said. “You know, you’re not supposed to ride on the sidewalk, don’t you?”

“I, um…” Jonah stumbled. “Just dodging traffic,” Jonah said, even though there weren’t that many cars on the road.

“Don’t worry, Jonah. I won’t turn you in… This time.” Doctor Wong said conspiratorially. “I don’t believe I know your family, Jonah. Emma’s told me you’re not in school?”

“Dad, I told you Jonah goes to school at home,” Emma said, as if the question thoroughly embarrassed her.

“Ah, that’s right,” Doctor Wong said. “And what’s your last name Jonah?”

“Havensby, sir.” Jonah answered.

Doctor Wong looked as though he was scanning an internal rolodex. “I don’t remember your family ever coming into the clinic,” he said.

 “My father works at the college. I see a doctor over there,” Jonah said. The lies about Colton were certainly piling up, Jonah hoped he’d be able to keep track.

“Oh, I’m over at the hospital a lot actually. Who do you see over there?” Doctor Wong asked.

“Um…” Jonah had no answer and didn’t think it was a good idea to make one up.

“Enough networking, dad. I’m going to be late.” Emma chimed in as she walked towards the car.

Doctor Wong looked at his watch. “Oh,” he said. “So am I.” And he followed her.

Doctor Wong walked to his car and put his coffee on the roof as he searched his pockets for the keys. “Jonah, you should have your parents give me a call at the clinic. We can always use more chaperones for the dance.” He said as he pushed the button on the key chain to open the car doors.

“I’ll try,” Jonah said.

“Dad, he doesn’t even go to my school, his parents aren’t going to chaperone a dance there,” Emma said from the passenger’s side and rolled her eyes as she opened the door. “Bye, Jonah,” She said with a captivating smile.

“Bye,” he said, not noticing that he was smiling as well, or that he had put his hand up and given a small wave, before looking at his hand and dropping it quickly.

He watched them drive away in Doctor Wong’s silver car and then continued on towards the tree-house, deciding to ride in the street and getting off the sidewalk.

XIX

Eric woke up precisely at eight o’clock to his alarm and had slapped the snooze button twice. At eight-ten, his mother knocked on the door and ordered him up. She had decided she was going to drive him to school before she went to work because she thought it was too cold to wait for the bus. On days when he heard that, he immediately woke himself up and started getting ready. He loathed the school bus, as did most of the kids who rode it. If he wasn’t ready precisely on time, his mother would threaten to leave him behind and he’d be forced to take the bus. He never tested her on it. It was bad enough he had to ride the bus to its stop near the mall after school, which was about all he could take of it.

After he showered, dressed and rummaged for a sweater in his closet, he grabbed the last of his books from his desk and shoved them in his backpack. That’s when he noticed the microscope.

It was off and unplugged, but the boys had forgotten to throw away the slide with the blood sample on it. He picked it up to toss it in the trash can, but he stopped when he looked at it. The sample wasn’t red any more, like it should have been. Instead, it looked almost like black ash.

He quickly plugged in the microscope and turned it on. Fortunately, the microscope’s software program was still running, so he quickly adjusted the sight and snapped a picture of the sample.

Instead of looking anything like blood cells, the sample was just a series of octagonal-shaped threads.

His mother called up the stairs to alert him that breakfast was on the table. He turned off the microscope and left the image on the computer, but turned off the screen again. He’d check the internet after school to see if there was a match somewhere for what these new cells looked like.

It would certainly explain why police couldn’t find any physical evidence at the places Adam, the Ape-Man, had broken into. Even if he was harmed during the robbery, by the time the authorities reached the scene, there would just be this ashy compound. No one would be looking for that, even if it stayed together and wasn’t blown away like dust.

He wanted to tell Jonah about it immediately, but he remembered the walkie-talkies didn’t reach the tree-house. He’d have plenty of time for research since he wouldn’t see Jonah for three days.

He ate breakfast too fast and was ready to go at the exact same time as his mother.

When he got to school, he found Emma Wong waiting in the hall at the entrance to the school. She had been talking and giggling with a group of popular kids but when she saw him come in, she immediately came straight at him. He kept walking without even acknowledging her. She kept up next to him.

“Did you decide if you’re going to the dance?” She asked. “You’re going, right?”

He stopped and looked at her. “Why would I go to a dance?” He asked.

“If you don’t go, Jonah won’t go. And it’s too late for me to find anyone else,” she explained. “Please?”

“The only thing I want to do less than going to a dance by myself is going to a dance with you and Jonah,” he said.