Daylight seeped between the curtains, waking Russell from the pink couch. He raised his head, squinted at the window, then lowered his cheek back into his own slobber. He didn’t lie in it long because he heard high heels clicking across the kitchen floor and sprang up like a frog on a boiling pond. Then he marched around the corner where he bumped into Tsara as she left the kitchen. “Russell, I didn’t know you were up.”
“Now you do.”
“Why are you so uptight?”
“Why do you think?”
“Let me explain.”
“Go head.”
“A friend needed my help last night. You’ve been going through rough times so I knew you would understand — at least I thought you would.”
“Well things just got rougher. The Awakers have a contract out on me.”
“How do you know that?”
“’Cause they tried to kill me last night. If it weren’t for Sheridon, I’d be dead. He said not to leave here til’ he finds out what’s going on.”
“He’s right. Those people are dangerous. But why are they after you?”
“Can we talk about it after I eat something?” He reached into his pocket. “Here’s your twenty bucks back,” he said un-crumpling the note. “Use it to put some food in this place.”
“I have plenty of money for food,” she said, pushing away Ben Franklin’s creased face. “I just eat out all the time.”
“So, there’s money in that big container?” he asked, shoving the twenty back in his pocket.
“What container?” she asked, eyes growing wider.
“The chrome one in your bedroom,” he replied, before Tsara darted past him.
“Slow down I didn’t steal anything!” he said, walking behind her. “How could I with a lock like that on it?” he mumbled.
Russell limped in behind Tsara who stood near the bed examining the room. “What are you talking about?” she said, ”I don’t see any container.”
“I must be going nuts or something,” he said scratching his head. “I swear there was a huge chrome container right there,” he said pointing at the floor.
“Maybe you dreamed about it.”
“No way. This was real. Life is getting weirder by the minute,” he said, still scanning the small area.
“It sure is. I heard on the radio this morning that some weird stuff happened in Mallyview last night. Some lunatics attacked the Alee family, then blew themselves up.”
“No way!”
“Do you know the Alees very well?”
“Sort of. I know Treen Alee.”
“Well, she’s in the hospital.”
“What happened to her?” he asked loudly. “Radio didn’t say.”
Russell began to pace and run his fingers through his hair. “I gotta go see her.”
“Are you nuts? The Awakers are looking for you. Stay here like Sheridon said.”
“No way. I’m goin’ to see her. Are you gonna help me get to Mallyview or not?”
Tsara moved closer and kissed his lips. “Of course I’ll help.
You seem to care a lot about her.”
“She’s a good friend that’s all.”
Tsara pulled her purse from the table. “I’m going to get you some food. When I get back, we’ll figure out how to get you to Mallyview.”
For the next half hour, Russell paced. He wasn’t claustrophobic, but it certainly felt like the walls were closing in:
“Why are the Awakers trying to kill me?”
“What happened to that chrome container?”
“Am I going crazy?”
His whole life was in bits and the only person that ever really listened to him was lying in a Mallyview Hospital bed. He had talk to her — and soon.
Tsara returned with a greasy brown bag from the Drop Dead Breakfast House, a Grevelton restaurant famous for causing gunfights and high blood pressure. But the last thing on Russell’s mind were clogged arteries; he opened the Styrofoam container and quickly hogged down the scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage links, pancakes, and grits. He even used his pinky to scoop out the syrup hiding in the corners of the empty tray.
“How was the food?” asked Tsara, joining Russell on the pink couch.
“Great, but you didn’t eat anything.”
“I don’t have much of an appetite today. I’m really worried about you going to Mallyview.”
“Well don’t. Just tell me how I’m gettin’ there.”
“I bought this,” she said handing him a white plastic bag.
Russell opened it and removed the contents: A red baseball cap, sunglasses and, “Some kinda animal.”
“That’s a wig, silly. Believe me, you’ll need it when the bus pulls into Mallyview.”
Suddenly, a pounding on the door echoed throughout the apartment. Russell took the disguise and hurried into the kitchen.
“Russ, open the door!” Sheridon shouted. Tsara moved quickly to let him in.
“Where you been all night?” he asked, walking through the doorway and straight past Tsara.
“I stayed across town to help a friend.” Suddenly, Russell walked out of the kitchen.
“What is that on your head?” Sheridon asked, grinning. “It’s a wig,” answered Russell.
Sheridon chuckled. “Why you wearin’ a curly wig?”
“Because I have to go to Mallyview.”
“Boy, are you crazy? Every cop in that city is lookin’ for you — and not just ‘cause you ran away. I got a friend in the Grevelton station who told me about some serious stuff going on.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Russell.
“A Grevelton cop got beat to death last night and they dragged him from a ditch this morning. His body wasn’t hard to miss since he’s six foot seven and was found wearin’ only his boxer shorts. But here’s where it gets funky: Last night in Mallyview, some whacked out family called the Newberrys, busted into the Alee’s house and tacked ‘em. When the cops went to search the Newberry’s house, guess whose fingerprints they found on an ashtray and a can of Pavaloo?”
“Whose?” asked Tsara.
“Mallyboy — better known as Russell Wellbay.”
“No way!” shouted Russell, yanking the wig off, “I wasn’t even there last night!”
“You ain’t got to convince me. I was with you, remember?”
“Did you tell that to your police friend?”
“No man, she doesn’t know I know you. But somebody’s trying to set you up big time. You must’ve been in trouble before if the cops had your prints on record in the first place.”
“Yeah, I was,” he said quietly. “I gotta to get to Mallyview and talk to Treen about all this.”
“If you’re going to make it, the bus is leaving soon,” said Tsara. “Sheridon, come with me,” said Russell.
He shook his head. “Can’t do it man.” The Awakers will kill us if I don’t find out what’s goin’ here on and try to fix it.”