Graffiti Heaven by Marita A. Hansen

Author:Marita A. Hansen [Hansen, Marita A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 13070740
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2012-07-29T23:00:00+00:00

30

Ash

Friday, September 1.

For four days Ash had laid in the hospital bed exhausted, unable to do much more than sleep. Like Hunter, the doctor had said the drug had caused it, along with the hot flushes that added to the fever-like symptoms. But even though he’d been really sick the police still visited, and every time he told them the same thing.

Chaz did nuthin’.

I drank too much.

I can’t remember.

Then he would stare at the door, ignoring their other questions as he willed his mother to appear. He’d imagined her walking in and telling them it had all been a big misunderstanding, and to…

FUCK OFF!

By Thursday the police had stopped coming around and by Friday his exhaustion finally lifted enough for him to go home. On the car ride back, he’d remained silent until Hunter had mentioned that he was going to be his guardian.

Ash glared at Hunter as the car headed down Tiri Road. “I don’t need a guardian.”

“You need a place to stay and someone to look after you.”

“I already have a home and my mum will look after me.”

Hunter exhaled. “Ash, you hafta accept she’s gone.”

Ash looked out his window as they drove past Claydon High. He didn’t want to accept any of what he’d been told. Instead, he clung onto the hope that his mother would show up, telling him that the past week was a punishment for going to the pub. And that he hadn’t been drugged, but had gotten alcohol poisoning like Kelley O’Brian did a few months back.

Hunter turned into Pleasant Parade. “Denying things won’t make her come back.”

“I’m denying nuthin’,” Ash mumbled.

Hunter pulled into his driveway, parked the car and got out. Ash remained in the front passenger seat, staring straight ahead at the garage with its jammed up windows. Normally, he loved visiting Hunter’s, but today he wanted to go home. Needed to. He wanted to hear the twins fight, smell his stepdad’s cooking, and get told off by his mother for arguing with Dante … Dante was in one of his dreams. Ash screwed up his eyes, trying to block out the memory of his brother’s terrified face. His grandparents had taken Dante and the twins back to Dargaville so they could arrange the “funeral.”

A knock on his window made him jump.

“Ash, out.”

Ash quickly wiped his eyes, then got out, slamming the door shut on purpose. The Chevy was Hunter’s pride and joy, costing a bucket-load to import and modify.

“Ash!”

Ignoring his cousin, Ash walked across the lawn and stopped by the front door. Hunter followed, grumbling as he unlocked the house. As soon as the door swung open, Ash pushed past Hunter, heading through the lounge and into the dining-room. He grabbed the phone off the Formica table and dialled home.

“Who ya calling?” Hunter asked.

Ash continued to ignore him as the phone clicked over to the message system. His mother’s recorded voice answered, “The Ratas and Greenwoods are out at the moment, so please leave a message after the beep.”

Ash smiled at the laugh at the end, remembering how he’d pulled faces at her during the recording.

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