A Million Little Pieces - James Frey [132]
Chapter 15
I hear my name. I feel someone kicking me. I’m not sure if it is real, I am not sure what to do. My name. A foot. Someone is calling me. Someone is kicking me.
I open my eyes. It is still dark, but getting lighter. Somewhere in the hour before dawn. I see outlines of trees and Lilly in my arms. Someone is calling me. Someone is kicking me.
I look up. Ted is standing above me with a blonde Girl in her late twenties. Both look tired, both have messy hair. Ted speaks.
I thought you were dead, you Little Fucker.
What are you doing here?
Saving your ass.
What time is it?
Time to fucking go.
I gently shake Lilly. She opens her eyes.
What?
We gotta go.
Who are you talking to?
A friend. His name’s Ted.
What time is it?
I don’t know.
We stand. I’m awake, but not completely. Lilly isn’t even close. She knows the Girl with Ted and they say hello. I kiss her good-bye and I tell her I’ll miss her. She asks when me we’ll see each other again and I tell her tonight.
Ted and I walk through the Woods toward the Trail. I ask him what he was doing and he says getting laid. He asks me what I was doing and I say talking. He laughs. I ask him if he’s been out here before and he says every goddamn night. He asks me and I tell him no, it was my first time.
We hit the Trail. He says be careful and get ready to run, if we get caught out here, we’ll be in deep shit. I haven’t run anywhere in a long time. I don’t have the lungs for it.
The Trail fades into the grass surrounding the Buildings of the Clinic. We make it inside safely and I go to my Room and I climb into bed. I wish I was still with Lilly. I fall asleep. I wish she was here.
When I wake up, Miles is gone, but there is a note on my nightstand. It is sitting on top of the Tao. It reads thank you, James, it made sense. The note makes me smile.
The alarm inside tells me I’m late, so I take a quick shower, brush my teeth, dry off and get dressed. Leave.
I hurry through the Halls to the Dining Hall. When I arrive, it is nearly empty. I get a donut and a cup of coffee and I leave.
More Halls. I hurry. I’m late to meet my Parents. The Fury is with me, but barely. It is still full from its feeding. I find the Room, open the door.
My Parents are sitting at the conference table with Daniel on one side of them, and a man I don’t know, dressed like my Father, but slightly younger, on the other side. My Mother is crying.
What’s wrong?
She shakes her head. I look to my Father.
What’s wrong?
He stands, speaks.
James, this is Randall.
He motions to the man, who also stands.
He’s an Attorney who works for the Clinic.
I look at the man.
Hello, Randall.
He reaches over the table.
Hello, James.
We shake hands. My Father speaks.
He’s been talking to the Authorities in Michigan, North Carolina and Ohio.
What’d they say?
Why don’t you sit down.
I sit down. I’m nervous and scared. They sit down.
What’d they say?
My Father looks at Randall, Randall looks at a file. My Mother cries and she stares at the floor. Daniel stares at me. I’m nervous and scared, starting to shake. The Day of Judgment has arrived. The Day of Judgment. Randall looks up.
I’ve good news and bad news. Which would you like first?
The good.
Michigan and North Carolina want Misdemeanor Possession. Your time in here will be time served. You’ll have some fines, a couple thousand dollars in each place, and your Record will be cleared in three years. The Courts in both places are overloaded and want this to go away. I’d recommend going along with what they’ve offered.
My Father speaks.
So would I, James.
I nod.
Okay. What’s the bad news?
Randall speaks.
You’re in a lot of trouble in Ohio. It’s a Small Town and they don’t see much like what they saw with you. They say that you caused quite a few problems there and made a number