SKIPPING TIME

Chapter 14

Jess woke up to Shane tugging on his pants. He pulled his leg away a few times before prying open his eyes. Shane continued trying to drag him off the bed by his ankle. At the sight of him awake, the pup jumped down and ran to the door, wagging hopefully.

Jess groaned. "You gotta go out now, Shane?"

Shane scratched his paws against the door.

Jess flopped back. "Ugh."

Somehow, Cacee had ended up sleeping practically on top of him. She'd wrapped her arms around his neck and he was pretty sure she'd drooled on his chest. He wanted to wake up like this every day. Shane whined and Jess sighed. He tried to ease out from under Cacee. She let out a small sound of protest and tightened her hold on him. He kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I'll be right back. I gotta take Shane out."

That seemed to get through, because she let go and rolled over, sprawling out across the bed. He smiled, got up and grabbed the toothbrush and toothpaste they'd bought out of her backpack. He eyed the floor and slipped his shoes on.

Shane wagged eagerly.

"I'll take you out in a minute, buddy."

Jess opened the door to the bathroom and covered his nose. A rusted window let in just enough light for him to see the room clearly for the first time. Stained tile peeling up in various spots, black goop smashed in the corners, piss splashed on the side of the toilet. He grimaced. How would poor Cace take this bathroom? God, he wished he had more money. It would be nice if the next wallet was a little thicker. Jess pushed the thought from his mind and cleaned up quickly, anxious to escape the germ pit.

Shane waited at the door, his tail a whirlwind. Jess put his toothbrush and the toothpaste back and grabbed his cigarettes before opening the door and glancing around. When he didn't see anyone, he stepped out and motioned Shane to his side. He was happy to see that, other than a lingering soreness from yesterday, he was okay. His worst remaining injury was the gash on his arm, which was trickling blood again and hurt like a bitch.

He kept his head down and took the steps two at a time, trying not to breathe the dirt and sweat that suffused the air. At the bottom, he held the heavy metal door open with his foot, grateful for the overhang that blocked the steady rain. Shane trotted off to find a hydrant, seemingly unbothered by the downpour.

Jess shivered in the bruised dawn and lit a cigarette. This door led to the street behind the alleyway, but the view wasn't an improvement.Without even the neon as a disguise, the city couldn't hide its weariness. Paint peeled off buildings that slumped under the weight of steel grids. Graffiti was scrawled across crumbling bricks, lending dull bits of color to a world of stark browns and grays. Parts of New York tumbled and rushed, a never ending blur of colorful chaos. But here, on the outskirts of Shitsville, the city never did more than plod by. Right now it slept, lines of fatigue etched across its sagging face.

Shane returned, dropped a stick at his feet and pranced around, ever-hopeful for a game of fetch. Jess smiled and shook his head. "Crazy dog. Leave it." Shane whined but, when motioned to his side again, obediently followed him back up to the room. Jess slipped in the door silently and went to grab a towel from the bathroom as the pup rolled on the dirty floor, looking happily stupid. Sometimes he really envied dogs. He did his best to dry Shane off before brushing his teeth again so he didn't smell like smoke. After kicking off his shoes, he eased back into the bed. Shane jumped up and situated himself over Jess's ankles in a small pile of damp fur.

Cacee muttered something that sounded grouchy and got up. Jess watched her rifle in her bag for her toothbrush, slip her shoes on and stagger towards the door. She stumbled and almost fell more than once.