Chapter 31
Brown beard swaying, Hank plodded into the room, shaking his head while looking about. “Where is it?”
Joe followed warily behind.
Mary rushed to them, thrusting the box into Hank’s chest causing him to draw back, palms out, hands high, eyes wide. “Be careful with that damn thing, woman! I don’t want it. I have to find a place first.”
Adriana began to smile, but then forced it away. The box was so small, and it was latched shut. What did they fear? What could such a box hold that was so dangerous?
Inside Out. Was it the name of a ghost? The spirit of a powerful woman who could rip them apart? Could it hold an evil Genie or fairy?
Mary’s arm hung in the air as though still expecting Hank to take it.
He walked around her and into the kitchen, opening all the drawers and cabinets, digging through spoons, forks, trash, food, clothing, linen, videotapes, magazines and books, cans of beer, cameras, walkie-talkies, radios, plates, pots, pans, clattering everything together and leaving half of what he dug through on the floor and counters. Now the entire kitchen area looked as if a tornado had whipped through it.
Adriana studied Cindy. She was still glossy eyed, not paying attention to the ruckus. Adriana felt worried for her friend, but at least the girl didn’t have to see this insanity.
Joe paced rapidly in the dinette area, rubbing his chin with one hand. Like a bird, Mary’s head jerked about, from watching Hank to Joe to spots in the mobile home to Joe and back to Hank to more spots to Hank to Joe, and kept going like that. Her right arm remained fully extended, the box on the edge of her fingertips.
Their strange behavior was making Adriana nervous. If they could get this crazy over a box, what would they do with her and Cindy?
This chaos reminded her of how she used to feel just before her father blew up. Those were terrifying times. She had been able to sense his anger building every passing minute, thickening the air, turning her father into a red-faced, trembling monster.
A Mockingbird chirped night songs outside the mobile home, but no one else seemed to hear. Only the mockingbird took pleasure in the washed mountains after the rainfall.
Adriana couldn’t see Hank now. Hidden by piles of books, trash, and other clutter, he sounded as though he were still searching through cabinets. Mary sobbed without tears. Joe’s hands animatedly shook and slapped against his pants as he paced the five-foot confinement of the dining area.
“Here! Here!” Hank screamed with glee, head rising above the clutter.
“Where?” asked Joe, hopping over piles of trash and bottles to get to him.
“In this corner, beside the bathroom door.”
“I already thought about that. It’s too exposed. Where I had it before was better, by the closet door.”
“Not a chance,” Hank disagreed. “It needs to be sheltered more than that.”
“My spot is a well protected place. How is your spot more sheltered?”
“If your place was so good, why did you call me?”
“I thought you would know of a better place.”
“And I’m telling you this is the best!”
Joe pointed both his index fingers at the closet door and slanted both his eyebrows in that direction. “What about that? It’s got two walls on both sides, it’s got the strongest part of the ceiling above it, it’s got reinforced—”
“—but it’s not concealed enough.”
“Just find somewhere, dammit!” Mary was shaking hard. “It feels like it’s burning through to my bones.”
The Mockingbird outside was joined by a mate. They sang and chirped in harmony together. Adriana would have loved to go outside and watch them instead of watching these crazy people.
“Quick.” Hank stood, feverishly licking his cracked upper lip. “Bring it.”
Mary walked unsteadily over piles of books and magazines and appeared quite relieved to hand the box to Hank. He took it carefully, then disappeared underneath a stack of toilet paper rolls and paper towels. “There. It should be safe.”
“Over a little to the left,” directed Joe. “It needs to go a little more to the left ... no ... too far. Go back more to the right, just a little past that crack ... that’s it ... not too far. Back a little. A little more. Now go—”
“Stop hassling me! I know where it belongs.”
“Just bury the damn thing,” hissed Mary.
“Hold onto it for a moment.” Hank extended it to Mary.
She took a step backwards. “Why? You found the spot, didn’t you?”
“Take it!”
She reluctantly accepted it. “It feels like it’s going to leak.”
Joe kicked the stacks of paper towels and tissues out of the way and began handing cans, books, and water bottles to Hank.
Mary found Saran wrap from the mess on the floor and began wrapping the little wooden box, layer upon layer, like a mummy. When she finished the whole roll, she taped the ends down. Then she put it into a garbage bag and tied the top into a knot. She dropped this bag into a high prison which Hank had made with stacks of bottles and cans.
He laid several twenty-four packs of bottled water on top of the hole. Mary got another roll of Saran wrap from the floor and went around the walls and top of the cell, layering them as though fearing something might slip between the cracks.
The Mockingbirds outside continued to chirp. Adriana focused on them. It made her feel better. Their songs were sweet and varied, never seeming to repeat.
The adults continued building this prison thicker for twenty minutes. They stopped when it stood five feet high and six feet wide, now blocking the entrance to the bathroom, which made her think how badly she needed to go. Would anyone be able to use the restroom now? Had the adults even thought about that?
Hank, Joe, and Mary all seemed very satisfied with themselves, smiling, patting one another on the back, and breathing sighs of relief. Cindy still sat zoned-out in the dining booth seat. The adults began walking toward the door.
When Hank passed Cindy, he belched.
The Mockingbirds became silent.
Adriana could swear that a dark shape leaped out of his mouth and shot into her friend.
Cindy fell back onto the bench, still as wood.
Adriana held her breath. After the adults left, she called, “Hey.”
Her friend didn’t answer.