sabina & garold (beginning only)

(first 1000 words presented here: full story in submission process) 

the iron dog

by east huxley

The past week, garold was up earlier than everyone else. Sabina knew why. There was a lot going on at school but garold was at the building. Sabina heard the porch door close and stretched. She got up and saw garold crossing the road toward the foot bridge. There was other movement in the house. She wondered if the mystery of the week was going to be real or fabricated. The last one was silly and childish and almost not worth the gossip. Sabina decided to dress blind today. She closed her eyes and crossed the room feeling for her dresser and closet. She listened for wind and guessed the outside temperature. She knew most of the clothing by touch. The fuzzy stuff felt best today. She looked in the mirror 'Ha!' resolving not to change a single garment. The house was quiet again. Barbara was yawning and wagged before going back to sleep. She rooted for left overs then left before her parents got up. The air was bright but the sun was still through the trees. She snuggled with her choices. The nip was just right. The morning trucks came barreling and rumbled past. There was a large gap allowing her to cross. The sun caught the top of the foot bridge. The reddish paint highlighted the rust underneath. The girl crossing the bridge was not her best friend, not even a tomorrow. The girl said ‘Yeah’ like it was a statement, question and threat. Sabina said ‘Hey Jody.’ Jody just glared, anger mixing with pain and boredom. Jody stepped with Sabina shoulder to shoulder. Sabina laughed but Jody seemed torn up frowning. Sabina hid her nervousness. Jody's head sank and swung as they walked. Jody asked ‘Where's your stupid brother?' It sounded affectionate. Sabina said ‘Somewhere’ and Jody found that funny. The school was close and Jody stopped and stared at it ‘Are you going to the school?’ Sabina said ‘I’m stopping off.’ Jody veered and angled herself toward the creek bank. Sabina said ‘Bye.’ Jody half raised a hand. Amanda had been watching from the tennis courts ‘I don't think she'll ever recover.’ Sabina asked ‘Her dad?’ Amanda said ‘They're still neighbors with the mother.’ Sabina asked of the dead guy?' Amanda said ‘Creepy.’ Sabina said ‘She seemed on drugs.’ Amanda said ‘Oh yeah. And the mom.’ Jody had since swerved from the creek toward the gas station. Sabina asked ‘Any mysteries yet?’ Amanda said ‘Just the new building on maple.’ Sabina said ‘That's not a mystery.’ Amanda asked ‘So it's definitely going to be tacos?’ Sabina shrugged not certain. Amanda said ‘Class is becoming a regular for you.’ (?now - what does this mean?) Sabina said ‘If it wasn't for you guys.’ Kids were coming from different directions. Some were lingering by the gas station. The school seemed forgotten but well built. The bricks had been laid out evenly.  One of the sporty kids held the door open. Sabina didn't think of herself as a student. The teachers didn't say anything. Garold was more absent. The hallway was filled with kids her age. One teacher did say 'Will we ever see your brother again?’ Sabina ignored her locker and headed for homeroom. It was alphabetical and garold's desk was empty beside hers. The teacher look ed at Sabina 'One less amber alert today.’ Sabina muttered ‘Not funny.’ Girls do go missing. So maybe the teacher wasn't being cute. Janny waved from the other side of the room. The principal made some announcements. No mysteries there. Sometimes kids made them up if there were none. Janny motioned they needed to talk. The teacher straightened the attendance and slumped down. The students started to chatter more. Janny hopped up and came over to Sabina. Janny whispered ‘There's going to be a murder.’ Sabina sat back and squished her face ‘That's silly.’ Janny shrugged and leaned in to Sabina's ear 'The Whites.’ It sounded horrible. Sabina said ‘Not funny.’ Murders had already happened in the village. Amanda was waving her hand through the homeroom window 'Did you hear?’ The rest of the class looked. Janny and Sabina braced themselves and ran out into the hall. The teacher waved them away. Amanda said 'Darra's back.’ Janny said ‘Didn't they sell their house?' Sabina said ‘Maybe just visiting. Amanda said ‘Back back.' Janny said 'It's been since nursery school.’ Sabina said ‘I wouldn't recognize darra.’ Amanda said It hasn't been that long.’ Janny said ‘I bet it's darryl now.’ Sabina said ‘Or dora.’ They giggled. Everyone's phone went off. The hall way paused. Sabina didn't mind not having a phone. Janny didn't either and they waited for amanda. She dismissed it ‘Amber alert but north of here.’ There was a sudden announcement. The principal crackled over the loud speaker. Janny stopped. The voice cleared ‘The movie theater will be open for a special halloween screening. Free to students.’ Janny said 'Oh right.’ Amanda shouted ‘The movie theater is reopening?!' Sabina said ‘My parents will be so excited.’ Janny said 'I've never been in it’. The locker doors started slamming shut. First class was about to start. Sabina headed for the exit. Janny said ‘You're leaving?' Amanda asked ‘What about class?’ Sabina said ‘The whole day? I just came to meet you.’ The sunlight was refracting off the exit glass. Sabina nodded 'Let's go.' Janny said ‘You came to meet us here because we're going to class.' The hallway was emptying out. Sabina stood in the middle and groaned. Janny said 'We're going to be late.’ Sabina slumped her shoulders forward and followed them. Janny laughed ‘It won't be horrible.’

Garold and Zohn removed their goggles. Zohn turned the blow torch off 'A fishtank for tourists.' They stepped back. It was a room within a room. Zohn laughed 'Ugly.' Garold laughed too. The door was closed and garold opened it ‘Vr with grow lights.' Zohn leaned in ‘Like being inside a tv.’ Garold laughed again ‘Like being inside a box.' Garold said 'Let's add the soil.' Zohn touched the piping with the back of his hand ‘And water.’ Zohn asked ‘What's this habitat called? Your mom's houseplants?’ Garold laughed ‘My parents' weeds.’ They had prepared buckets of rocks and dirt. Zohn said ‘Why don't we mimic the habitat of the building.' Garold laughed again ‘That's easy. We just leave the door open a couple of days.’ Zohn said ‘Record the squirrel hiding it's nuts. Voila.’ Garold said ‘The virtual can't be contained by the habitat.’ Zohn rolled his eyes ‘We can do anything.’ Garold said 'But to get to the virtual, you can't disturb the habitat.’ Zohn nodded ‘Oh, right. It can't be trampled.’ Garold said ‘It'll never be the same but as long as they are satisfied enough by the experience to appreciate the habitat from distance.’ Zohn said ‘And leave the sacred untouched.’ Garold stooped through the door and dumped a bucket of rocks in the corner. Zohn added another along the back wall. Garold checked the timer of the grow lights ‘I guess we should adjust it for daylight savings.’ Zohn said ‘I got some thing, a light meter with a switch. We can run the wire from the outside.’ Zohn grabbed his bag ‘It supports dimmers so it's gradual.’ Garold took the meter and turned it back and forth ‘We can mount it outside the second floor.’ Zohn said ‘That's what I was thinking.’ Zohn dangled a long wire ‘It also works with wifi.’ Garold grabbed the ladder and drill ‘Let's mount it.’ Garold and zohn handled the awkwardness of the ladder in the tight places. For a moment it seemed it was going to reach the sunny clouds before stopping at the second floor. They extended it so it almost went to the top. Garold said ‘Right by the camera.’ The ladder brushed against the inside tree letting loose a flurry of leaves. Zohn watched them scatter ‘This tree held out longer ' Garold said 'The growing season is longer under this roof.' Zohn said ‘Maybe the tree could be our environment.’ Garold agreed 'It is a weed.’ The multistory wall of windows reflected the yellowing branches. Garold pointed ‘Can you hand me the drill from above?’ Zohn took the drill and detector and ran up the stairs past the first floor. Garold had climbed the ladder and was beneath him close to the second floor. Garold confirmed ‘Under the roof, right?’ Zohn thought and looked up ‘Or outside on top of this roof.’ Garold turned on the ladder and looked down ‘If the tree is our habitat.’ Zohn finished ‘Then this is the right spot.’ Garold said ‘Yeah’ and reached for the drill. It was a simple screw and they had the right bit. They ran the wire down the corner post under the ledger. They had already set up the dimmer so the wiring was easy. Zohn climbed the ladder and covered the detector with his hand. The light by garold dimmed off. Garold said ‘Yes! Try it partial.' Zohn exposed half of it. There was a delay but the light brightened faintly. Zohn said ‘We should power it off solar panels.’ They added some more rocks and planters. Zohn said ‘I could sleep here. Garold said ‘Everything is like under the bridge for you.’ They laughed. Garold added ‘You can stay here again if you want.’ Zohn jiggled the keys in his pocket ‘My mom and dad talked and decided drugs are different now. My dad comes looking for me if i'm late.’ Garold said ‘Breaking family tradition.’ Zohn frowned ‘My brother's off to the farm.’ Garold was confused ‘That sounds like he died.' Zohn said 'Maybe he was close. They sent him to rehab.' Garold said ‘That’s good.’ Zohn looked sad 'Not if he doesn't want to go.’ Garold said ‘Your brother was always fun.’ Zohn said 'Not anymore.' Garold flipped the switch again 'Definitely less power.’ Zohn said ‘The power should be coming from the line and not the detector.’ Garold said ‘Something's interfering.’ Zohn said ‘Maybe it's the amount of light hitting the detector.' They both looked and saw the sun shining higher up. They shrugged and moved the ladder extending it. Zohn said ‘I do have good memories here. It was like living alone for a bit. Amongst your parents stuff. They never said anything?’ Garold shook his head ‘Never.’ Garold paused ‘As long as the place doesn't burn down.' Zohn added ‘Or no dead body.' Garold curled his nose 'Eh?’ Zohn didn't elaborate but fistbumped 'Forever.’ Garold climbed the ladder and Zohn ran back up to the second floor. This time garold was above him. Garold said ‘Duh. The detector.’ Zohn said ‘I got it!’ He lay down and leaned below. He was just able to reach with the drill in one hand and unloosen the detector. Garold was then able to reattach it directly in the sun. They met back in the basement. Zohn said 'Definitely brighter.' Garold said ‘Yeah, maybe even full strength.’ They moved in some potted plants they had prepared. Zohn looked at their booth and then at the back of the building 'Identical. Garold laughed ‘The goal is to resemble.’ Zohn said ‘It's a start.’ Garold said ‘Now we have to wait for it to grow.’ Zohn inspected the soil ‘Any insects yet?' Garold said ‘They're there and more will come.' Zohn said ‘Let's turn the camera on and see if the squirrel comes.' Garold nodded ‘Or the skunk or the opossum, raccoon, groundhog.’ Zohn added ‘Or the rat.’ Garold said ‘No rats yet, but why not.’ Zohn said ‘Let's show Sabina today.’ Garold thought about it. Zohn said ‘It'll take awhile to grow in.’ Garold said ‘She is better friends with the squirrel.’ Zohn looked up and around and started making clicking sounds.' Garold laughed ‘If that's a squirrel, they'll be extinct by nightfall.’ Zohn said ‘We’ll all be extinct soon enough.’