“I’m sure this model would suit you quite well, ma’am!” The man gestured toward a humongous flat-screen LCD television. Mary was unconvinced. “And it’s free? No strings, no contract?” Richard was still smiling enormously. “Of course! Just walk right out with it! We can even have someone help you carry it out.”
“I suppose I’ll take it, then,” the woman cheerfully chimed. “It won’t blow up or anything, will it?” She guffawed obnoxiously, and Richard broke into laughter of questionable authenticity.
“I would sure hope not,” he chortled, patting her on the shoulder. Two men appeared from nowhere and helped her lift the set to carry it to her car. “Enjoy, and come back soon!” She looked back at Rich to return the formality but stopped when she met his eyes. He was smiling a little too enthusiastically, waving feverishly, and something in his eyes seemed to be hinting at something other than the friendliness he was expressing. Something malicious.
Mary shook her head and continued walking. Nonsense. Richard was simply a nice man running a fine electronics establishment showing a little gratitude. She looked at him one last time before she got in the car. Nothing out of the ordinary; he was smiling and showing another customer a few smaller plasma screens arranged on a shelf. She drove away humming a jaunty tune, blissfully unaware of the odd rattling sound coming from the television in the back of her minivan.
***
The Honda rounded yet another corner on the side street, winding unpredictably through the apartments district, and Lee was having a hard time keeping track of it. He ran up a few spare planks and took point on top of some concrete tubes lying around the construction site, squinting into the distance for any sign of the car or its bizarre driver. Sara and Brann caught up a few seconds later, inquiring about the car all at once.
“Did you find him yet?”
“Where’d he go, dude?”
“Come on, Lee, you got this.”
Lee held up his hand and muttered something, then spun around and shouted, “I-found-him!” He started pointing vigorously with both hands. “He’s-turning-on-to-Oak! Let’s go!” He jumped down from his perch and darted off toward the car. Brann muttered something about “wild goose chase horseshit” but followed nonetheless, and Sara almost did until noticed that Trevor was nowhere to be found.
“I’ll catch up in a second, guys!”
Brann looked back and gave her a quick running thumbs-up. She stood up and jogged back a few blocks, where she found Trevor’s legs hanging over the roof of a subdivision. She sighed and pushed her hand against her face.
“Trev?” she called up.
“Uh, hey, Sara! What, uh, what’s up?”
“Well, I noticed you weren’t with us anymore so I came back to find you.” She made a face and put on her best “idiot voice.” “‘What, uh, what’s up with you?”
“Oh, yeah, I’m just, uh, enjoying the view. That’s all. Looking out and seeing the sights, y’know?”
Sara laughed. “Oh, yeah. The sea of apartments must be breathtaking. How’d you even get up there, you dork?”
Trevor’s arm poked over the edge to point at a fire escape. “Climbed up the dumpster, hopped to the crates, climbed the ladder. Platforming skills.” He chuckled weakly. “I’m like Mario... or... some shit...”
“I bet.”
Sara did the same, clambering on to the dumpster and jumping to the crates stacked under the ladder. A few flights of stairs later, she was on top of the building staring down at a very pale-faced Trevor Wells. She smiled and sat down next to him, letting her legs dangle over the edge as well. He greeted her feebly and returned his gaze to the ground a few stories below. They sat in silence for a while, then Sara finally asked, “You can’t get back down, can you?”
He made a sound that was half-chuckle, half-whimper. “Nooooot really.”
“Trevor,” she murmured, “are you afraid of heights?”
His eyes remained locked on the ground below. “What makes you think that?”
Sara was amused but sympathetic. “Awwww! Are you okay?”
Trevor’s voice was quiet, somber, almost monotone. “Yeah, I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?”
“Come on, let’s get you down from here.” Sara grabbed his arm and tugged. He didn’t budge. “Trevor, are you coming?” Hs head turned slightly to the left. “Can’t. Came up here to find the car, didn’t find it, can’t come down yet.” His head slowly rotated back to the sidewalk. Sara sighed. “Trevor, I can tell you’re scared. I get that you’re trying to be macho, but stop bluffing and get up, okay? You’re fine, I’ve got you.”
“Nope.”
She sighed again and sat down. “Trevor, it’s getting dark. We have to go. “
“Still can’t.”
“It’s getting cold, too…” She trailed off, not knowing what to do next. “At least stop looking down. It’s just going to scare you more.” He didn’t respond. She huffed and grabbed his head with both hands, turning it to face her. He relaxed a bit and sighed. “Thanks.” His eyes dropped, embarrassed. “I, uh. That was…” Sara smiled. “It’s okay. I get it.” She hugged him for a few seconds, let go, then changed her mind and hugged him again. He hugged back, a rare occurrence for the self-proclaimed “Inventor of Awkward,” and for a moment they stayed like that. Then, Sara sprung to her feet and beckoned for him to follow her. “Come on, let’s get you down.”
Trevor hopped up and cautiously made his way down the fire escape, sliding down the ladder and jumping off of the crates. He made a “sweet ninja sound” and landed in one of his so-called “sweet ninja poses” before standing up like nothing had ever happened.
“Are you alright now?” Sara chuckled.
“Of course! Temporary moment of weakness,” he boasted. “You’ll never see it happen again.” He grinned deviously and pointed at Sara, his finger an inch from her nose. “I can guarantee it.”
“Yeah, alright, we’ll see.” She giggled a little and put on her “idiot voice” again. “Oh, I’m just enjoying the sights, hurr hurr hurr!” Trevor frowned and kicked the dust. He was about to say something when one of the apartment windows shattered out into the street. He and Sara bounded out of the alley just in time to see red-speckled glass tinkling on the pavement. Sara gasped, and Trevor peered into the window and retreated almost instantly, his face pale and gaunt. Sara huddled up with her fists under her chin. She gulped. “What’s in there?”
Trevor’s stare was blank, his reply dry and uninspired. “Dead people.”
