Sing Today Die Tomorrow

Chapter Five

Ryan took the sketch. Sloan drew a ripgrot behind Chase, meaning he saw proprietaries and only angelkins saw them.

Chase needed to learn about the ripgrot somehow and he looked hurt already. That meant a lucifedor wanted him to be oblivious to danger.

Ryan gave Sloan the sketch. "Do you see anything else on anyone?"

"No," said Sloan, ripping it quietly. "Do you know what it is?"

"I think so."

The bell in the corridor rang and everyone hustled out. Ryan took a piece of paper from his notebook and crumpled it up.

Mr. Connelly scanned a stack of papers at the table and Ryan tossed the paper ball past the trash bin. It bounced on the floor beneath the chalkboard and Mr. Connelly glanced at it briefly as Ryan hurried toward it.

Ryan swiped the piece of chalk in the tray and picked up the paper ball, tossing it in the bin.

---

Chase sat behind Ryan in Algebra and Ryan asked about his two days off. He grumbled without much of an answer.

Mr. Bailey gave Ryan Chase's graded quiz from the other day. Ryan handed it to Chase and he reached for it stiffly, dropping it on the floor. Ryan stretched for it and Chase leaned in one beat too early, grazing him on the arm.

"Sorry," said Chase awkwardly.

Ryan paused. He saw a vision in color in his mind of Chase walking with Troy through a construction site. Chase stepped in wet cement. It hardened fast and he stood there in agony, struggling to lift his foot out.

"Do you walk home?" asked Ryan.

"Yeah," said Chase.

"Don't go to the construction site."

"Why are you saying that?"

"There's wet cement . . . somewhere."

"Okay," said Chase, shifting his gaze. He rubbed his thumb over his finger agitatedly. "There was no wet cement there this morning."

"It's there now."

Chase grimaced and shook his head. "Why's that - red cock?"

"What did you call me?" asked Ryan angrily, waiting for the rebuttal.

"A red cock," he said quietly.

"Walk in cement, Chase - do it. I like my red cock just fine."

"Ryan," said Mr. Bailey condescendingly. "I don't want to hear that language in my class."

"Chase said it too," said Ryan.

"That's enough," he said sternly. "I'll send both of you to detention if I hear it again."

Chase kicked Ryan's chair hard.

---

In the school cafeteria, Luke sat at a table with Chase and Troy. The three boys ate lunch like they attended a funeral.

Ryan watched Chase, but he barely looked up from his beef stew and peach cobbler.

Dolores stopped by and gave Ryan a clean, coffee filter filled to the rim with packs of soda crackers.

"I had extra," she said, leaving with a proud smile.

"Hey," said Kent loudly from the table across the way. "I think we should chip in and donate to Ryan's food drive."

"Ryan, my mom has cans of creamed corn left over from Easter," said Wes. "I can bring them in if you want."

They chuckled and Ryan grimaced at them, sliding the crackers to the center of the table.