Black Milk by Robert Reed

Author:Robert Reed
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781626814653
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2014-11-12T16:00:00+00:00

I was hunting for Cody after school, but her house personal said, “No one’s home, Ryder. I’m sorry.”

“Tell her I’m at the oak for a while?”

“I promise, and good day to you.” It was a summer-hot day, brilliant and dry. The dry white dust rose while I walked down the graveled road, taking my time, then out of the corner of my eye I saw one of Jack’s brothers. He was standing on the back porch, fingers cocked inside his belt loops. He was watching me, I realized, and I began to pick up my pace.

“Hey!” he shouted. “Don’t fucking run on me!” He waved and said, “Get over here, kid. Hey, I’m not going to kill you.” He laughed and said, “I just want to fucking talk a minute, okay?”

I turned and blinked, holding my ground.

“Yeah, you!” He was a tall, lean young man dressed like a shabby boy. He had Jack’s face and a weak beard and the Wellses’ wiriness too. Something about him made me feel cold. He smiled and waved and said, “What the fuck are you scared of, kid? Come here. Right now. I got a question to ask.”

I walked to the old fence encircling their yard—a thing built from wooden posts and hog wire and partly flattened by the vines and brush growing through it. He shuffled toward me. What could he do to me? I wondered. It was daylight and I was ready to run, on my toes and halfway leaning to one side. I almost wished he would make a grab for me, just so his intentions would become clear.

I was scared.

I was ever so alert.

“What question?” I asked, my mouth dry as the road itself.

He said, “I’ve got a friend,” and he coughed into his balled-up fist. His eyes were red and sleepless, but he spoke as if he was sober and straight. “The friend’s got a buddy who works maintenance out at the big house. You know. The mansion? Florida’s?”

I nodded.

“So I thought maybe you’d know, one way or another.” Jack’s brother blinked and said, “What with you and His Majesty being so tight.”

I waited.

“This maintenance guy? He’s been telling stories. Crazy things. He says people at the mansion are talking about something going on inside the moon’s moon. Some sort of wildfire burning.” He paused and looked straight at me, his tongue pressed against one cheek. He said, “I don’t know. Maybe Florida hasn’t said anything. But I figure you’re a clever kid. Aren’t you? Like my shit-for-brains brother thinks he’s clever? So tell me. How can a fucking fire burn in outer fucking space?”

I said, “It can’t.”

“You don’t sound too sure to me.” He breathed, his breath hot and sour. We were several feet apart, and I blinked when the smell hit me. He said, “What I was thinking…I was thinking maybe this moon’s moon is full of weird chemicals. It’s a comet, right? Comets are full of oils and that sort of shit. And Florida’s got all

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