Dweller - Jeff Strand [33]
“When are we gonna get there?” J.D. asked, as they walked through the forest three weeks later. It was a slow process now that there was snow on the ground, but it hadn’t snowed in the past few days so Toby’s path was still there, making it easier.
“In a while.”
“I swear, if you’re dragging me out here to go all homo on me, I’m going to tell everyone.”
“Just shut up until we get there.”
“Why are you being such a dick? You’re the one who wanted me to come with you.”
“Look, we’ve been enemies for long enough. I think it’s time we should try to be friends, that’s all.”
“You already said that,” J.D. noted. “You’re a creepy little bastard. Did anybody ever tell you that?”
“Come on. You’re slowing down.”
“I’m going to stop is what I’m going to do. I have way better things to do than let you lure me into the woods in the freezing cold and then whip it out.”
“It’ll be worth it when we get there, so quit whining.”
“I’m not the one behaving like a elementary-school kid. ‘Waaah, we should be friends, let’s go out and play, waaah!’ What a complete waste you are.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because I’m curious about how much of a loser you are. You’re probably taking me out to see your art collection. Ooooh, robots and monsters and fairies and shit!”
Toby couldn’t wait to watch Owen bite into this jerk. He hoped Owen wouldn’t kill him on the first chomp—Toby would have to somehow encourage him to start with the extremities.
Scream loud, J.D. We’ll be too deep in the woods for anybody to hear you.
He stopped walking.
What the hell was he doing?
“Go back home,” he said.
“What?”
“Go away. We’re done.”
“Seriously? You dragged me out here for nothing?”
“Yes. Fuck off.”
J.D. snorted in disbelief. “I can’t believe you. You are a creepy, nerdy, zit-faced little freak. Go back to the circus.”
“I will. Fuck off and die.”
“God, you’re a loser,” J.D. muttered as he walked back the way they came.
Toby knew he was a loser. He was fine with that. But the fact that he was ready to feed another classmate to Owen scared the hell out of him.
CHAPTER TEN
1963. Age 18.
Toby tossed his graduation cap high into the air, hoping it would get caught in a wind stream and sail away, never to be seen again. It didn’t, it landed on the grass right in front of him, but that was fine because school was over.
No more school! No more books! No more teachers’ dirty looks! No more cretins who test your resolve not to commit the act of murder again, or at least lead them to their violent deaths!
Mom and Dad watched proudly from the bleachers. They would’ve been prouder if he were going to college, but Toby had no interest in that. It was hard to believe that there was an era when he didn’t consider school a waste of time. He’d applied to a few universities just to play along, and been accepted into two of them despite his lackluster grades since freshman year, but that wasn’t where his life was headed.
He wasn’t sure where his life was headed, exactly, but it wasn’t more school. Without Orange Leaf High hogging up all of his weekdays, he could get in a lot more hours at work, make a lot more money, and get his own place. No dormitory with a roommate for him. He was headed for freedom.
“And that’s it. I never have to see that place again. I mean, I guess I have to drive by it sometimes, but I never have to set foot in that stupid, awful building ever again. It’s a day of celebration. Now I can finally figure out what I want to do. I guess you’re supposed to figure that out in school, but I think it’s one big distraction in your life. It doesn’t leave time for anything else. But now it’s all over!” He did a merry little dance with his arms folded, like he’d seen some Russian dancers do on television, then frowned. “What’s up, Owen? You don’t seem all that excited.”
Owen had appeared happy when Toby showed up outside his cave, as the monster always did, but his eyes were