The Pain Eater by Beth Goobie

Author:Beth Goobie
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Second Story Press
Published: 2016-09-01T18:55:08+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Thursday afternoon’s English class was much the same – Kara was still absent and, once the class had moved into work groups, David again hovered half on and half off his desk seat, grunting the odd reply. Frustrated at his lack of participation, August snapped at him, but she didn’t go after Maddy, who continued to hunch, bump-on-a-log-like, without speaking. August, in fact, seemed to have claimed some sort of protective status over Maddy – though neither of them referred to it, Maddy could feel the other girl standing guard. Vince, at one point, said, “Ask Maddy, why don’t you?” and August simply shook her head at him. Vince got her drift – he left Maddy to bump along on her log without interference from him, from anyone at all.

And so Maddy wasn’t ready for it, she just wasn’t ready when, coming home from school, they jumped her again. It wasn’t that she’d thought it was over, but there had been nothing since the sticker on her locker two weeks previous. So when she heard the sound of bike tires behind her in the alley, she didn’t immediately take off. Instead, she turned to look, shading her eyes against the sun, and that gave them enough time to get close. She recognized Pete Gwirtzman first and whirled to run, but he ditched his bike and was on her, slamming her into a backyard fence. The wooden boards reverberated, giving off odd, muffled cries; soundless, Maddy cringed against them, one arm up over her face.

“Got her,” said Pete over his shoulder, as footsteps approached. Desperately, Maddy pushed at him to get away, but he shouldered her back against the fence.

“Watch it, bitch,” said a second voice – Robbie Nabigon, she knew without looking. “Where d’you think you’re goin’?”

“Nowhere,” sneered Pete. “Not until we say so. Got that, Mad-Mad-Maddikins?”

Wincing at the use of her family’s nickname, Maddy remained silent. Head down, she kept her eyes squeezed shut.

“So, Maddy,” said a third voice, and Maddy’s eyes flew open. Ken Soong – it was him, standing directly in front of her. Maddy closed her eyes again. “Peekaboo, I see you,” he said, his tone mocking, and Pete and Robbie snickered. “I’m still here, Maddy. You can’t see me, but I can see you.”

A hand shot out, grabbed her left breast and twisted it. Pain flashed through Maddy and she cried out. The hand let go. Maddy crossed both arms over her chest.

“What happened to the sticker we put on your locker?” asked Pete.

Maddy slitted her eyes open. The three boys were crowded close, leaning in on her, breathing open-mouthed. “Maintenance made me take it off,” she mumbled.

“Fuck Maintenance!” said Pete. “We put it on there, it stays there.”

“We don’t want to get into trouble with Maintenance,” said Ken. “Think of something else.”

“Her shoes,” said Pete. All three stared at Maddy’s scuffed runners.

“Nah,” said Robbie. “She’ll get new ones soon. And you don’t wear the same shoes every day.”

“School notes,” said Ken. “How d’you carry them?”

“A binder,” croaked Maddy.

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