Powderfinger

POWDERFINGER

Benjamin Dickson

Copyright 2010 by Benjamin Dickson

Smashwords Edition

CHAPTER 1

A loud, annoying home phone rings in a pitch black room. Ring, ring, ring, repeating itself until an answering machine finally picks up the obnoxious phone call.

A deep male voice sounds from the answering machine: It’s Brandon, I’m unable to answer at the moment. Leave your name and number after the tone.

Following the high-pitched tone, a younger voice slurs drunkenly, Yoo... Shrugs, it’s Norm. Wake up, man, I need ya... Uhh, I’ve kinda been arrested and need your help.

An annoyed groan is heard and the phone is knocked off its base. As it slams to the ground, the battery compartment breaks open, nearly knocking them loose. The bedroom light snaps on in response to a clap with a plain room being revealed, empty except for a bland, queen-sized bed found in the center. Crisp, clean clothes are neatly arranged in an open closet to the right of this bed. A police uniform hangs from a hook attached to the closet door’s outer side. From this bed, a shirtless man who was once at rest, immediately throws the blankets from him while reaching for the phone that now lies on the ground.

Son of a bitch, the man utters as he picks up the phone from the hardwood oak floor. Yeah? What happened now? he asks, putting the phone to his ear, eager for a response. There’s a short pause while the man listens to Norm speak on the other end of the line. Stay put, I’ll be right down, he snarls into the phone in response to Norm’s plea. He puts the phone back on its base and jumps out of bed, wearing nothing but a pair of striped black and white boxer briefs.

The man runs to the nearby bedroom closet and slips his legs into a pair of grey sweatpants, tying them tightly around his slim waist. As he stands shirtless searching for a t-shirt, it’s easy to tell this man is in great shape from his ripped body. This man’s name is Brandon Thomas, but he’s better known by his nickname Shrugs.

In short time, Shrugs finds a white t-shirt, throws it on, then dashes from the room. He is a respectable twenty-six year-old, who fits the description of tall, dark, and handsome. Shrugs has always felt a profound love for the town he’s grown up and still resides in: North Braddock, Pennsylvania.

North Braddock is a small suburb of Pittsburgh that once was full of life, but could currently be considered a war zone. Thirty-odd years ago, the town thrived from the surrounding steel mills. Nowadays, more than three hundred abandoned homes are scattered throughout the town. Many of the remaining occupied homes are run-down and have been turned into public housing for the poor. Shrugs has been working as a police officer in this town for almost two years now, but is beginning to lose interest in a quick fashion. As a child, he had always shown interest in police work, knowing that when he came of age, that’s what he wanted to do with his life. Toy police cars, scanners, the whole gamut--that was Shrugs. After graduating high school, he skipped college and jumped straight into six months of hell in the city’s police academy. Once making it through the academy, due to his inexperience, Shrugs struggled to find a decent job, leading him to work in his hometown where his roots grew strong.

North Braddock Police Station - Summer 2008

The sun’s rays start to rip through the night’s black, beginning a beautiful summer morning. Sumac tree leaflets sprout from the cracks of an old, moss-covered stone wall that surrounds the police department of North Braddock. The streetlights lining the sidewalk outside the police station black out as the sun rises. Shrugs, still dressed in his sweatpants and white t-shirt, is showing signs of fatigue as he exits the front door of this small police station, followed by a young adult. This young man is dressed in a fancy pair of jeans with a blue button down, and happens to be Shrugs’ first cousin, Norm Thomas.

In the Thomas family, Norm is seen as more of a drifter or fuck up. At 23 years of age, he still works a seasonal job in a Catholic Cemetery, barely raking in two dollars over minimum wage. Oddly enough, Norm carries a bit more of a cocky attitude and tends to be more hot-headed than his cousin, but there’s no doubt, the two share similar looks. Norm’s hair is dark like his cousin’s, yet grown out in a Jim Morrison style. At this time, Norm is still showing signs of intoxication as he follows his cousin towards the car.

You know, there’s gonna come a time when I’m not going to be there to help you, you understand that, right? Shrugs mumbles to Norm while walking in a sort of rage, eventually reaching his black Ford Mustang that is parked alone in the run-down parking lot.

Norm quietly shrugs his shoulders as he approaches the passenger side of Shrugs’ Ford Mustang. As he glances toward his elder cousin, he blurts out, I really appreciate all you do for me.

Yeah, yeahhh, replies Shrugs, as he unlocks the doors and they both get inside.

The black leather interior of the Ford Mustang shines brightly as if it’s still wet, showing it’s well cared for. A low rumble sounds from the car’s exhaust as Shrugs starts the vehicle. He then backs the Mustang from its parking spot and exits the parking lot.

Once out of the parking lot and driving down a crime troubled street, Shrugs turns to Norm with a very annoyed look on his face. So, are you going to tell me what happened?

Norm starts to laugh, blowing off the fact that his cousin is entirely pissed with him at the moment. Well, I went to Fairway’s for a few drinks... And then I met up with this broad, who eventually takes me back to her place.

Where’d she live? Shrugs questions, clearly in no mood for another one of Norm’s bullshit stories which come too often for his liking.

Norm replies, East Mckeesport, then continues with his story. Well, she starts to show me around the house, and then her bedroom... So we’re goin’ at it a bit and as I’m getting her clothes off, what happens!? The door downstairs slams shut.

Whaaaaaat, says Shrugs, keeping his eyes completely focused on the road ahead of him while Norm continues his story.

Yeah, dude, it gets crazy. So it’s mass panic, this girl’s rushing to throw clothes back on, hides me in the bedroom closet. I’m posted up in this closet like, ’Oh, okay.’ As I chill in this closet, I peek through the crack of the door and see her man enter the room. This guy was huge, I’m talkin’ Andre the Giant huge, he would have killed me. Sooo the two start to bang it out and what not. I was stuck in the closet for over an hour before the two settle down and go to sleep. Keep in mind it was around one o’clock when this all started, and I was hammer drunk. So I decide it’s time to make my move and get the hell out while I could... I slowly open the closet door and start to sneak by the bed while this girl lies and stares me down the whole fuckin’ time. Eventually get out of this house, didn’t even close the front door. As I’m walkin’ back to your place, police get me for pissin’ on the side of route 30, and that was that. Norm’s fashion of storytelling is intense and overly dramatic.

Right after Norm’s story, Shrugs hysterically laughs out loud. Holy shit! That’s one hell of a story right there, cuz! Man, are you lucky you didn’t get caught.

Norm shakes his head, while letting out a sigh of relief. Yeah, learned my lesson there.

As Shrugs drives through his hometown, they pass old, run-down homes. The streets are mostly empty, with parked cars scattered on the sides of the streets.

So I go on shift at six, I’m going to drop ya off, shower and whatnot, then go, says Shrugs. I’ll drive you to your car when I get off, alright? He makes a right turn down a bumpy, narrow alley, taking a shortcut toward his house.

Yeah, that’s fine, thanks again, Norm says to his cousin, showing he’s grateful.

Not even a minute later, the black Mustang pulls into the driveway of Shrugs’ two-storied brick home and the cousins go inside.

North Braddock - Summer 2008

A light rain falls on the gloomy summer day as a police car passes by old, rusted steel mills whose white smoke shoots to the sky. Shrugs cruises the streets, dressed sharply in his police uniform. A white Dunkin’ Donuts coffee cup sits inside of a cup holder in the car’s center console, with steam rising through the hole in its lid. The eerie silence is broken occasionally by static from the police scanner. The road Shrugs travels is in disrepair, showing it’s rarely used much these days. Weeds grow wild from the road’s edge. As the drive proceeds, no cars are seen other than the few parked across from the steel mill. Once Shrugs’ police car reaches the end of the stretch of steel mills, it makes a stop at a lone stop sign. Suddenly a woman’s voice shatters the eerie silence of the police car.

I have a report of a 211 in progress at the corner of Palace and 4th Avenue. The woman’s scratchy voice sounds from the scanner, informing Shrugs of a robbery in progress.

Hearing this, Shrugs grabs the microphone, placing it to his mouth and replies to the dispatcher, 10-4, I’m on my way.

Shrugs flips on the police car’s siren and lights. Red and blue lights flash as the car quickly turns left, speeding through an ancient stone tunnel that looks on the verge of crumbling down. The police car speeds up a bumpy road through what once was a heavily populated neighborhood. Known as The Hollow, the area is now nothing but woods and empty lots of land. The police car eventually reaches the end of The Hollow, entering an organized housing plan where older-styled homes stretch in even rows. The red and blue lights bounce off the homes as the police car speeds along.

On one corner sits a red brick building with a red, white, and black sign over the door that reads X Graphix. In front of the building, a black van sits alongside a black suburban, both with matching red and white X Graphix decals on their doors. The sirens continue to roar from Shrugs’ police car as he quickly approaches the building. The cruiser pulls up to the side of X Graphix and parks while the red and blue lights continue to go wild on top of the car. The lights remain active as Shrugs kills the engine. He exits the car, walks to X Graphix’s front door, knocks and patiently waits. After a short pause with no answer from inside, Shrugs decides to pound on the door once more. Yet again, no answer. This annoys Shrugs and he turns his back on the building. Just as he’s about to return to his police car, the front door of X Graphix flies opens and a man rushes out in an awkwardly energetic fashion.

I’m here, I’m here! the man shouts out loud as he rushes to meet with the only responding police officer on scene.

Shrugs looks at this man, whose appearance is trash for being in his forties. The man wears ripped jeans and a white X Graphix polo shirt with a few visible stains. His beard and hair have grown wild while white residue is visible around the rim of his nose.

Sir, what seems to be the problem? Shrugs asks, focusing directly on the white powder under the man’s nose.

The man immediately notices where Shrugs’ eyes are focused and he rubs his nose as he gives a jittery reply. Yeah... Yeah they fuckin’ robbed me! Got me good and took all my money!

Shrugs gives the man a sly look, sensing something fishy with this so called crime scene. "Who robbed you?"

The man is almost too quick in his response. These two fuckin’ spooks, man! Took all my money... The fuck am I gonna do!?

Shrugs watches the man fiddle with his nose once again, then asks his name.

Larny Mizak, the man tells Shrugs while sticking his right hand out in attempt to shake the cop’s hand.

Okay, calm down. What happened? Shrugs asks, ignoring the unstable handshake Larny has offered.

Here, I’ll show ya, Larny says, inviting Shrugs inside of the X Graphix company building.

Larny storms inside with officer Shrugs following closely behind. Rolls of colored decal paper and stacks of dirt bike tires neatly fill the garage.

I was in here workin’ ya know, and... These two pricks, man, barge in and hold me at gunpoint! I’m like, the fuck!? Then they-they took all my money, like what the hell was I supposed to do? Scared shitless, ya know? Larny explains frantically, using random hand gestures. Shrugs can tell by the man’s quick tempo of speech that he is obviously high as a kite. A short silence follows Larny’s story while Shrugs stands in place, glancing around the garage.

What’s back there? Shrugs asks as he nods at an open door toward the back of the Larny’s garage.

Larny instantly panics and tries to steer Shrugs’ interest away from the room. Ahh-ahh nothing! Nothing! It’s just a storage room!

Shrugs seems suspicious and heads straight toward the door. When he switches on the bright overhead light, he sees shelves lining the walls, littered with decal items. His eye is drawn to a table in the middle of the room, where a mound of white powder is carelessly piled on top. Suspecting the white powder to be at least a pound of cocaine, Shrugs feels a storm inside himself grow.

What the hell’s this? Shrugs asks, heading straight for the table.

It’s nothing! Leave it alone! Larny forcefully answers in panic. Ignoring him, Shrugs dips his pinkie finger into the white powder, then raises the finger to his mouth to taste test.

Larny urgently tries to squeeze between Shrugs and the table, but failed as Shrugs forcefully grabs Larny by the shirt, easily manhandling the drug addict.

You’re under arrest! Shrugs shouts, turning Larny around and slamming his head down onto the table, nearly too forceful for Larny’s liking.

Larny cries out in frustration and panic as Shrugs takes handcuffs from his belt and constricts Larny’s wrists together.

Larny continues to annoy Shrugs as he attempts to talk his way out of this perdiciment. Awe, c’mon man, I wasn’t bothering anyone! What’s this hu-

Not having a single part of this small talk, Shrugs rudely interrupts in a very stern voice. Get on your fucking knees, now!

Shrugs’ order strikes fear into Larny, who abrubtly gives up the battle and drops to his knees. Once in control, Shrugs then returns his focus to the table, where he finds three more pounds of packaged cocaine on a chair