[post] mortem Chapter Three: Angst Rockets

[ashleyleigh]

 

“Thanks for coming with me,” Jamie said as he and his teammate Andrew stood in front of his brother’s former home.

“Are you kidding?!” Andrew exclaimed. “Look at this place!”

“It’s just a house Andrew.”

“Correction, it’s your house,” he said.  “I can’t believe I know someone who owns a house. At our age you’re lucky if you own an iPhone.”

“Technically until I’m 18 it’s my mother’s.”

“Details, details,” Andrew said. “Let’s see this place.”

Jamie cleared his throat and affected the best English accent a la Robin Leach he could muster before announcing, “Welcome to my dead brother’s house.”

“There’s nothing in here,” Andrew said as he looked around the large foyer.

“Yeah, he didn’t really know what to do with this room,” Jamie said with a shrug.

“Is that a stripper pole?” Andrew asked.

“It’s a fireman’s pole,” Jamie answered. “Didn’t I tell you this is an old firehouse?”

 After a few slides down the pole Andrew said, “I have the best idea. You need to have a party.”

“What?”

 

“After tomorrow’s game when I know we will kick the Knights’ asses, you need to throw the biggest, craziest party of the year at this house,” Andrew said. “You will go down in history!”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Come on,” Andrew said. “You need to get out the funk you’re in.”

“My brother died,” Jamie said. “It’s more than a funk.”

“Okay, wrong choice of words, but from what you’ve told me about Chuck, I think he’d love it,” Andrew said.

Jamie had to admit, “Yeah, he probably would.”

“So it’s settled then,” he said. “Tomorrow night we are going to become legendary.”

Jamie nodded along, but something kept nagging at him that this was a terrible idea.

________________________________________

Meanwhile, Ray and Delia were killing time while they waited for their clothes to dry at the laundry mat. Well, Delia tried to kill time, but Ray wouldn’t let her. As she tried to look over some work papers, Ray got up in her face forcing her to engage him in conversation.
 

 “You’re embarrassing me,” Delia said through clenched teeth.

“What else is new?” he asked.

“Well, you’re embarrassing yourself,” she said.

“Again, what else is new?” Ray said. “Just say you’ll go and I’ll leave you alone.”

 “Give me one reason why I should go with you to a Police Officer picnic,” she said.

“First of all, it’s a Family and Friends of the Force Fun Day,” Ray said. “Second of all, look at what you’re doing right now.”

“What am I doing?”

“You brought work to the laundry mat.”

“So? I like to read while I wait.”

“Most people bring magazines, maybe a book,” Ray said. “You bring your work everywhere you go.”

“I take pride in my work, and you can’t make me feel bad about that.”

He sighed and said, “I’m not trying to make you feel bad. I just want you to be happy.”
 

“Who said I wasn’t happy?” she asked. “I’m happy.”

Instead of responding, Ray merely looked at her.

“What time does it start?” she asked with a sigh.

Big smile on his face, Ray said, “It starts at ten but you can come late if you want.”

“I’m sure I will,” she said. “Please go away now.”

Ray gladly walked off, not willing to ruin a good thing. But he couldn’t resist a fist pump.

________________________________________

In his apartment, Max spoke to Phil on the phone.

“How’s Chuck doing?” Max asked.

“He hasn’t decided to have my eyes for lunch...yet,” Phil answered. “Please tell me you have some news.”

“I haven’t come up with anything yet,” he answered. “If anyone knows anything, they’re not sharing.”

“Please hurry,” Phil said. “I don’t like feeling so unsafe in my own house.”

“He hasn’t done anything strange has he?”

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly know,” Phil said. “I haven’t spoken to him all week.”

“Phil!”

“I don’t see what the problem is,” he said. “I’m feeding him and he’s got a very nice room…in the basement.”

“You’re the one always going on and on about how new vampires need guidance, and you’re letting someone who really needs your help slip through the cracks because you’re afraid?”
 

“Where the hell have you been?” Phil snapped. “I need your help!”

“I’ve been calling, e-mailing, and visiting every witch, wizard and mystic I can find!” Max yelled. “I’m doing all of this while watching all my real work pile up.”

“And you think I’m just sitting around all day doing nothing?”

“That is exactly what I think.”

“Well…I…have you called Vanessa?”

“I’m meeting her when I get off work in the morning,” Max replied. “Your move.”

After a long period of silence, Phil mumbled, “I hate you,” before hanging up the phone.

Max was so perfect it made Phil’s cold blood boil. Sometimes Phil wished he could be like him, but that could never happen. He wasn’t that kind of person. He wasn’t really a person at all anymore.

However, even though he could never be Max, Phil could do a much better job being himself. He didn’t have to take vampires into his home. He chose to do it because he’d been around long enough to know all the mistakes young vampires made that created problems for themselves and in turn other vampires. He didn’t do it out of the kindness of his unbeating heart. He did it because it served vampires well to keep a low profile. Abandoning Chuck could very well come back to bite him in the ass big time. That’s why he hated Max. Along with being perfect, he was also almost always right.

If only Chuck was as simple as his books. James St. Cloud always got his man.

________________________________________

Early the next morning, so early the sun was just starting to rise, Max stood outside a cemetery waiting for Vanessa to arrive.

“Of course she’s late,” he mumbled. “I’m giving her five more minutes and I’m going home.”

He didn’t know she was walking up behind him until she called out, “I’m here!”

She said, “Sorry I’m late.”

“Whatever,” Max said before stomping off.

As she followed him, Vanessa tried to make small talk.

“So, how is work?” she asked.

When she got no response, she asked, “Are you dating anyone? You know, I really liked that last girlfriend you had. What was her name? Kelly?”

“Her name is Shelly, and I am not talking to you about my love life,” Max said.

“I don’t see why not,” Vanessa said. “Don’t friends talk about such things?”

“They do, but we’re not friends.”

“I disagree,” she said. “We are definitely friends.”

“No, we’re not.”

“Yes, we are.”

“No, we’re not.”

“Yes! We are!”

Max spun around to face her and snapped, “Nessa! Stop!”

“Fine, I’ll stop,” she said with a pout.

The pair walked in silence until they arrived at Chuck’s grave.

“Holy crap,” Vanessa said.

Towering weeds overtook his grave, leaving the tombstone barely visible.

Vanessa asked, “Are you sure this is the right one?”

Max nodded and asked, “Have you seen anything like this before?”

“Yeah, in books,” Vanessa answered. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Not much,” Max said. “Just that the vampire who rose here was probably turned after he died.”
 

“Max!”

“What? He’s been perfectly harmless so far.”

“Whoever brought that man back worked some serious mojo,” she said. “I doubt he’s perfectly harmless.”
 

“But he could be,” Max said. “We both are out of our element here.”

Vanessa nodded and asked, “Is he staying with Phil?”

“Where else?”

“I guess we could keep him sedated until we figure this all out,” she suggested. “I’ve got some stuff in my car that’ll do the trick.”

Seeing the disgruntled look on Max’s face, she said, “That is, if you want my help.”

“At this point, I’d take the devil’s help,” he said.

“So you want me to call Mom then?” she asked.

Max stomped off instead of answering.

“Guess I went too far,” she said.

________________________________________

A few hours later, Delia stood in the middle of the city park glaring at her brother as he played football with his co-workers. She hoped either he’d notice her discontent or that looks really could kill. Whatever happened first.

“Hey Delia!”

“Huh?”

Max said, “I need another person to play this. Want to join?”

“Play? Uh…I don’t know.”

“I guess you could just stand there, but I promise this will be more fun,” he said.

With a sigh, she walked over to him.

“Didn’t expect to see you here,” Max said.

She only shrugged in response.

“I can tell you hate being here,” he said. “I don’t care for this kind of thing myself, but it’s part of the job I guess.”

“What exactly do you do anyway?” she asked. “I’ve worked at Stern and Lockwood for three years, and I’ve never cross-examined you before.”

“From what I hear about you, I’m glad,” he said.

“What did you hear about me?”

“Play the game and I’ll let you know.”

“I see what you’re trying to do and I’ll have nothing of it,” she said.

“Fine, you don’t have to play,” he said.

“I’m going to play because I love to win,” she said. “But I won’t be having any fun.”

“Who says you’re going to win?” Max asked. “Do you even know how to play this game?”

“No, but that’s never stopped me before.”

About thirty minutes later, Delia did a victory dance.

“How did you do that?” Max asked.

“I told you, I love to win,” she said. “Now what did you hear about me?”

He shrugged and said, “That you’re a shark, and you don’t sleep.”

“I do sleep,” she said. “And at least they don’t call me a bitch.”

“Well…”

“You know what? Forget I asked.”

“No problem,” Max said.

With nothing to say or do, the pair fell into awkward silence.

“Rematch?”  Delia suggested with a shrug.

“You’re on.”

________________________________________

Meanwhile, Phil tip toed down the stairs to Chuck’s room.

 “Brought you your morning blood,” Phil said. “O negative, your favorite.”

“You said it would stop being weird, but it’s still weird,” Chuck said.

“It’s only been a week,” Phil said. “Give it some time.”

“I do have forever, don’t I?” he commented with a sigh.

Phil really wanted to run from the room as quickly as he could, but he kept thinking about what Max said. Chuck obviously had a lot on his mind.

So Phil asked “Do you…want to talk about something?”

“I’ve been thinking, and how is it fair that I get this second life, and I can’t share it with anyone from my old life?”

“It’s not fair,” Phil answered.

“Not the answer I was expecting,”

“Just think of how hard it’s been for you to accept who you are,” he said. “It would be even more difficult for everyone else to accept that the man they buried last week is back and likes to drink blood.”

“But that doesn’t mean they can’t,” Chuck said. “They have to miss me. Maybe they won’t care how I came back as long as I’m back.”

“But you won’t be able to go out into the real world as you are,” Phil said. “You would have to forget about your career, a social life, relationships.”

“And what am I doing now?” Chuck asked. “I haven’t left this house since I…you know…came back.”

“In time you can have a life,” Phil said. “There’s a great big vampire world out there.”
 

“In time, huh? How much time?”

“Just time,” Phil said with a shrug. “Drink up. You’re going to need it.”

Phil walked back up the stairs, satisfied with a job well done.

________________________________________

"So, you're really serious about this huh?"

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Jamie said.

"And you really like it?" Chuck asked.

"Yes, I do," he said. "It doesn't hurt that I'm good at it too."

Chuck sighed, still unconvinced.

"I'm not going to give up art forever you know," Jamie said. "I'm sixteen. I am allowed to try new things."

"I know, I know," he said. "I'm just...adjusting."

"Think you'll be adjusted by my next game?" Jamie asked. "I would really appreciate it if you came."

"If this is what you love doing, then I'll be there," Chuck said.

Jamie walked out onto the field with that conversation running on loop in his mind. He often thought about his brother when he played. Even though Chuck didn't understand why Jamie felt this need to play baseball, after that day, he came to every game, even the away ones. For those three weeks, he was his brother's biggest cheerleader.

Jamie looked to the sky, wondering if Chuck was up there, watching his game. He wouldn't call himself religious. Until Chuck died, he hadn't stepped foot into a church since his father's funeral ten years prior.  But he liked to think Heaven existed. He liked to believe that those who left you were still there in some way. He really needed that to be true.

The sound of the announcer calling out his name as he introduced the players cut into Jamie's thoughts. Whether Chuck could see him or not, he had a game to play.

 ________________________________________

Back home from a long day at the park a few hours later, Ray walked into his sister's apartment without knocking. He was used to her sitting at her desk working, he panicked when he turned around and didn’t see her there.

“Delia!” he called out. “Delia!”

“I’m in the bathroom!” she called out.

She soon walked out and sat down at her desk like usual.

“Um…what are you wearing?” he asked. “And did you straighten your hair?”

 “I’m going out,” she said.

“What? Seriously?”

She sighed and said, “I made plans weeks ago to go to this concert. You know I love The Angst Rockets.”

“Are you going with someone?” Ray asked.

“Nope. It’s just me.”

“Well that’s depressing.”

“You want to go?” she asked. “I’m sure I could get you a ticket.”

Ray was about to go on a long rant about how much he hated that band, but he stopped himself. Delia didn’t have very many friends. She probably wasn’t going alone completely by choice.

“Sure,” he said. “I’d love to.”

“We’re leaving in a half an hour,” she said.

Ray couldn’t see it, but a small smile spread across her face as she said it.

 ________________________________________

Not long after nightfall, Chuck eyes snapped open. He was so used to waking up sprawled out on the floor, finding himself there again didn’t even faze him. How many times had he fainted in the last week? Honestly he couldn't remember the exact number, but five seemed like a good guess. And how many times had someone bothered picked him up so he could wake up somewhere comfortable? That would be a big fat zero.

When he tried to sit up, his head felt so heavy and he could barely see straight. He felt…hungover. But how could that happen? He then saw the cup Phil brought to him early that day. He wouldn’t? Would he?

Well, Chuck had barely heard a peep from him in a few days and then suddenly he showed up ready to chit chat. And he made sure Chuck drank his blood.

“He drugged me!” Chuck exclaimed.

He didn’t know why, and he didn’t care. He was too angry to think straight. All he knew was there was no way in hell he was going to listen to what Phil had to say anymore. If he didn’t think it would be a good idea to get reacquainted with his old life, Chuck planned to do the exact opposite.

And he knew just how to start.

________________________________________

 At the city amphitheater, Ray and Delia were waiting for The Angst Rockets concert to start when they noticed Max walking to his seat.

“You again,” Max said. “What a coincidence.”

Max and Delia chatted about the band, completely shutting Ray out of the conversation. Not that he had much to say on the subject, but the last thing he expected when he did his sister a favor by coming that he’d end up being the third wheel.

And it only got worse after the concert started. Ray couldn't hear their conversation anymore, but what he heard instead, the music, pleased him even less.

“Excuse me if I’m being presumptuous, but you don’t seem like you’d like The Angst Rockets,” Max said.

Usually Delia would give such a comment the side eye, but she was in a giving mood.

So instead she said, “An ex-boyfriend introduced me to them. He was always making me these mix CDs of his favorite music, and this is the only band I liked. I really like how they work with so many different artists. Their duet with Kanye is amazing.”

“You have that?” Max asked. “I thought it was only available on vinyl in Japan.”

“I know someone in Japan,” she said with a shrug.

“The ex-boyfriend?” he asked.

“Uh…no,” she said. “He’s…he’s not anywhere really.”

Before Max could get any clarification on that statement, his cell phone rang. When he saw Phil’s name on the screen, he angrily stomped off to answer the call.

“I told you just give me one day without drama Phil,” he snapped. “One day.”

“Well, I’m sorry, but Chuck’s run off,” Phil said.

“What?”

“And that’s not even our biggest problem.”

________________________________________

 Meanwhile, Jamie drunkenly staggered out the backdoor of Chuck’s house. The entire night he drank to ease the tension he felt every time someone got to close to his brother’s things with their drunk teenage hands. Now he was probably drunker than all of them.

It took him awhile to realize he was standing right next to those damn fire stairs. The same stairs he discovered his brother at the bottom of over a week ago. He ran away as fast as he could, but he only made it to the pool before throwing up.

“Don’t even think about it,” Max said as he and Chuck stood behind a big oak tree about fifty feet away from the pool.

“How did you find me?” Chuck asked.

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to look for someone at their own house,” Max said. “Now let’s go before anyone sees us.”

“I am so sick and tired of everyone tell me what to do!” Chuck exclaimed.

He lunged at Max, hoping to knock him over and run. But he was no match for the police officer, who quickly knocked him down on his butt.

“You bit me!” he yelled as he clutched his bleeding neck.

“I can promise you I won't do it again,” Chuck said. “Your blood tastes like ass!”

“That's what you're concerned about?” Max yelled. "You shouldn't have bit me in the first place!"

“Why does your blood taste bad?” Chuck asked. “What are you, like vampire kryptonite or something?”

Tired of his questions, Max kicked him in the head, knocking Chuck unconscious.

He spat, “I’m Max.”

 

Comments

[ruindestruction.blogspot.com]

I am really liking Max a lot. Does he realize that his friend knew Chuck when he was alive? He seems to know a bit about Chuck if he knows where his old home was. And that last shot is very interesting. Is he possibly a werewolf?

Delia is gorgeous. That shot of her when Max asks her about her ex-boyfriend is heartbreaking.

[ashleyleigh]

My mind changes all the time about how much Max knows about Delia and Chuck. I will clarify that down the line though. And as for knowing where Chuck lived, he is a cop. He can look that sort of thing up.

Is he a werewolf? Well, he's something.

Thanks for reading, and I appreciate your comment.