Drudge by Jake Walker (story reading txt) 📕

a vice grip on his shoulder.

“Turn around, Ian! She’s probably outside!” Ian was angry that I tried to stall him and tried to throw my hand off, “C’mon, man! This way! She’s probably outside!” I tried to sound reassuring, but I wasn’t even convincing myself. Ashley broke in, heaving her weight (which was slight) towards Ian to push him forward.
“She is!” Ashley screamed above the noise, “She went outside to call her mom!” Ian, who didn’t seem to hear, kept trying to fight at our shared resistance. The staggering accumulation of people behind us, however, prevented him from going back, and the group of bodies pushed and pushed until we were finally squeezed out. It was akin to going through a filter. I felt like I was reborn, the squeeze was so tight.
Our entire crew fell out of the way of the door, to allow for the other party goers to exit as well. Ian still didn’t know that Lauren was outside, “What the hell, y’all?” he was near tears and sounded pathetic, “Y’all just left her, man. Y’all just left her!”
I ignored him and hurried towards the truck, Katie in tow. Nathan and Ashley were behind us keeping in step. Marcus had lifted Ian from his pitiful position and tried to comfort him. Around the corner, we saw Lauren, and Katie reached out to grab her. “What’s going on?” she had asked, blissfully unaware to what had caused the mind-dizzying chaos. She was still on the phone. Katie led Lauren with a hand on her back to quicken her pace, and reached out and clamped the phone shut. “Hey!” Lauren protested, “That was my mom. She’s going to be worried.”
“Sorry. No time. We gotta go.” Katie stonewalled.
Ian ran towards us, seeing that Lauren was in our midst. He came up and clutched her around the waist, hugging her to himself firmly. He was whispering, “Thank God. Thank God. Thank God.”
Nathan broke through us, hurrying ahead, “Hey, can we hurry up?!” The tone of the question made it a demand. He was pointing fiercely behind us. We turned to follow his finger and saw blinking blue and red lights were making their way over the rise in the distance. It was a busy intersection so even if the cars pull out of the way, they would have a hard time getting through. It was already heavily congested back there. We didn’t know if those lights were headed here or elsewhere, but we didn’t want to wait until the vehicles materialized to find out. We should’ve already been gone.
Just as we were loading up, the sirens were getting audible. They were low and off in the distance, but growing. We peeled out of the parking lot, taking a side street so as not to be out and in the open where the cop cars may see us. Ian, driving though impaired, booked it.
Lights flew passed us. Buildings flew passed us. Other vehicles flew passed us. Katie and I were peering out of the back window to see if there were any pursuers. There was a quick second of concern because we couldn’t see Nathan’s SUV. Katie told Lauren to call Ashley. A rushed call secured the information that Nathan had taken another route, perhaps thinking that it would be best if we split up.
Perhaps. Perhaps not. Ian was weaving his way in and out of traffic with a mean, stony face, leaning over the wheel with grit and determination. Katie and I were still checking to see if anyone would follow. My pulse wouldn’t slow. My adrenaline was pumping faster than I could manage it. My breath was heavy and wouldn’t let up. After several minutes, Katie remarked, “OK, Ian. I think you’re good to slow down now.” Another glance behind us helped to melt the worry. There was still no one following.
We waited several minutes longer to feel at ease. Ian, leaning back and relaxing, took out a cigarette and puffed to ease the tension and the shakes we all were sharing. He threw the pack back to me and I split a smoke with Katie. We all seemed to heave a collective sigh. All was right with the world. Well, right enough at least. Another quick call informed us that Nathan, Marcus and Ashley were in the clear, too. They were altogether. Alone. With no one in pursuit. Man, that was such a relief.
The rest of the ride was smooth and easy. Ian punched a button on his car stereo to play some jams. From the start, I was enthralled by the music. I was even feeling a little giddy again. Before, we were all scared sober, but now the tension eased and the music, some mixture of reggae, punk, and ska was a perfect fit for the mood. “Man, this is so good,” I exclaimed.

Ian turned his head, smiling at me, “You like it?”
“Yeah, man, this music is so good,” I repeated. I was at a loss for words. The beat seemed to pluck at my heartstrings and I was awestruck by it.
“Nah,” he sneered, “it ain’t that good. You’re probably just way high.” That I was. That I was. But that didn’t change my opinion about it at all.
“So what? Who is this?”
His smile broadened, “Sublime,” he said.
And that was how I had fallen in love with Sublime.
Katie and Ashley were both staying at Lauren’s house for the night, so with a call, we made sure to rendezvous when we dropped them off. We exited out truck once we got to the house, and Nathan, Marcus and Ashley jumped out of the SUV parked alongside the curb just in front of us.
Before Katie left with Lauren and Ashley, she leaned in close to me. I wasn’t sure what to expect so I just stood there. Her eyes narrowed and I could tell that this was the prime moment of opportunity to make a move. She wanted a kiss. Was leaning into it. Was fully expecting it. I held my hands and head back, “Whoa, whoa, whoa.”
I could tell that she wasn’t used to being dissed, because she immediately tried to storm off, pissed. I spun her around with some difficulty, her body hardening to my approach. Her mouth was pursed and her arms were crossed. Her expression was that of indignation with a tint of hurt. I tried to calm her.
“Listen, listen,” I began, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Yeah, so you played me all night just to diss me? That’s hurting me, Vance!” her words were rife with ire.
“Listen, Katie. I’m sorry but this isn’t my style. I’m not used to this.”
“Uh-huh, whatever,” she dismissed my claim.
“Quit being like this,” I pleaded, “I want to see you again. How about we just exchange numbers for now?”
She stood there, cold and distant, arms still crossed.
“Please?” I said, “Do you wanna see me again?” I pulled a scrap of paper out of my pocket and scribbled my number on it, “please?” I said again. I was letting myself appear weak, and it felt awkward but I knew I had to be myself. She let down her guard and took it.
“Ok,” she smiled, “but don’t reject me like that again.”
“Promise,” I said. She wrote her number down and gave it to me. Right before she left, she hugged me tight. I returned it.
The guys came up and joined me as I saw Katie off. Marcus punched me in the shoulder, “So what’d you think about tonight, nucca?”
I shrugged, “I dunno. It definitely had its ups and downs.”
The guys laughed. Nathan put his arm across my shoulders, “I envy you, man.”
“Why?” I asked, “You got Ashley.”
“I ain’t talking about that, man,” he blurted, “I’m talking about your first drug binge!”
“Oh…well, what’s so special about my first drug binge?”
Nathan looked at me like I was crazy, “Are you kidding me, guy? This was an awesome night for you. I wish my first forays were like this. My first couple of times were just by myself alone in my room, until I just fell asleep.”
“That’s sad,” Ian snickered. We all sort of snickered at that.
“Shut up, Ian!” spat Nathan, “The point is our boy Vance here had a good time. Adventure, man! That’s what I’m talking about. Adventure!”
“What about Jay and the dude with the dreads?” I asked. I felt it was a rather just question, “What about them?”
“Who’s Jay?” Marcus and Nathan asked in harmony.
Ian said, “Hey, Vance. There’s something you gotta understand. Jay and them—everybody there—know what they’re getting into. They’re big boys. It’s a risk they take. It’s a risk we take.”
I sat in silence for a second, thinking about what Jay had told me. I said, “We’re drudges, man?”
“Drudges?” the guys asked in unison.
“Yeah,” I said, “we’re all drudges. Doing the dirty work. But I’m not sure I want a part of it, man, ima be honest.”
“You’re quitting everything?” Marcus asked.
“I’m mos def cutting the white stuff. I didn’t know it was so dangerous. For now, I’m just gonna go with what you said, Ian.”
“What did I say?”
“Shallow waters. Remember?”
Nathan broke in, “How do you feel about the green?”
I wasn’t sure, “I dunno, man. It seems alright. I mean it feels really good. But this whole atmosphere is too harsh.”
“Well,” Nathan said smiling. He held up a little baggie. Inside sat nice, neat little nuggets of herb, “I copped this from the card table as everyone was running out.”
“More for y’all,” I said.
Ian reached out and grabbed it before Nathan could react, “Let’s say we ditch this place and head to my house.”
That was a no-brainer.
We left, Ian and I in his truck, and Nathan and Marcus in the SUV. The night was almost overwhelming for me. I sat in silence, reflecting on everything that had happened. Ian must’ve noticed that I was thinking something. He patted me on the shoulder, “It’s gonna be alright, man,” he said, “It’s gonna be alright.” His smile did bring some reassurance. I smiled, too, and shook my head vigorously. I was getting a little tired.

“Hey,” I commented, “let’s play some of that Incubus or Sublime or whatever that you got!” Ian punched his radio, and I was lost in the positive, upbeat reverberations of the miraculous music.
“Maybe shallow waters is a good idea,” Ian remarked.
“God help us,” I said, almost to myself, as I began to nod off. My eyelids were getting heavy.
“God help us all,” Ian added.
And at that moment, I knew in my heart, that God does help us. He helps us all. The sky was void and black. Trees flew past us on either side. The headlights lit the empty road ahead of us, bringing into view out of the darkness lightning fast, yellow strips that licked the underside of Ian’s truck as we flew past. As the suburbanites across the land slept, and the night cradled each carbon copy house in its arms, I knew that it was all God’s creation. It was all his doing—it was all his work. I knew as well that He had taught me something important that night. My only prayer was that I would have the proper sense of mind to remember it. That was my last complete thought before the radio’s lullabies lulled me to my dreams.
My dreams were calm, cool and wavy. I slept, enjoying the shallow waters.