Red Rain

Silence, except for the pop and sizzle of the red heat.

“Almost done,” Daniel said calmly. “Ease up, boyo. I’m almost there. Ease up. Ease up. We don’t want to leave burns. We don’t want her to remember, do we?”

Samuel pulled the heat back. It was easier to harness it than to fire it up. He could feel his eyes cooling. His headache was gone. He gazed around the room and saw the principal slumped in her leather chair, a dazed smile on her face, arms dangling down the sides of the chair.

Ira and Ethan sat expressionless watching with silent awe.

Daniel still leaned over Mrs. Maloney, staring into her eyes. He patted her broad shoulder gently. He brushed a hand over her head, straightening her short hair. He lifted her hands and placed them in her lap.

“Did it work?” Samuel asked.

He grinned. “No doubt. No worries. Be happy.”

He dropped back into the chair between Ira and Ethan.

Mrs. Maloney shook her head, as if waking up from a short nap. She squinted at the four boys for a long moment. Then she smiled.

“I’d better make that announcement now,” she said.

She stepped around them to a table with a microphone and a stack of electronic equipment. She threw a switch. Cleared her throat. Leaned over till her mouth was a few inches from the microphone.

“Attention, everyone,” she said.

Samuel could hear her voice echoing from classroom to classroom all down the hall.

“Attention, everyone. This is Mrs. Maloney. I have a special announcement this morning.”

The speaker squealed. She jerked her head back. Then resumed:

“Our school has a new slogan I think you will all be proud of. It’s Up with Sag Harbor Middle School. And we have a new school symbol. It’s a wide blue arrow pointing up. Because we all want to move up, don’t we?”

A pause. She turned and flashed Daniel a grin.

“So I’d like every student to stop by the art room at some point before you leave today, and we will have the school arrow painted on your face. I want you to wear it proudly. Don’t forget. Everyone must stop in the art room and receive your school arrow today. Have a special day, everyone. Up with Sag Harbor Middle School.”

46

“Lea, please come away from there. You’re not even writing. You’re just staring at the screen. Please-”

“I. . can’t, Mark. There’s so much more to write. I’m sorry.”

“I’m going to pull you away. You don’t leave this room. We have to talk.”

“Maybe when it’s finished. .” She turned on the desk chair to face him, her face pale, eyes tired.

“I’ll take you to lunch in town. Where shall we go? We need to talk about the kids. The boys. How we’re going to deal with this arrow thing.”

She uttered a sigh. “The arrow thing. It’s so silly, isn’t it?”

“Well, yes and no. We need to figure out how we’re going to handle the twins. I mean when there’s conflict. You and I have been at each other’s throats.”

“No. We haven’t. We-”

“Yes, we have. You’re always the good guy, Lea, and I’m forced to be the bad guy.”

“But you are the bad guy.”

He stared at her. “Was that a joke? Are you serious? You’re joking, right?”

She shrugged. “I can’t do lunch today. I’m so sorry. I have to work.”

“But you don’t have a deadline, do you? You’re not even writing it as an assignment for anyone.”

She spun her chair back to face the laptop monitor.

“The kids are worried about you, Lea. Elena asked why you never talk to her anymore. The twins-well, you see they need some guidance, some care. You have to admit you’ve been neglecting them. And poor Ira-”

“Do you think he’ll always be called Poor Ira?”

“That’s not funny, Lea.”

“I’m not neglecting the twins. The twins and I have a special bond. Even if we don’t spend time together. .”

“You’re not making sense, sweetheart. Please get changed and come to lunch with me? It’s a beautiful day and. . and. . I love you. I want to spend time with you.”

She turned. Her eyes went wide. Her whole face constricted. He realized she was staring at the bed.

“Mark-why do we have black sheets? Black sheets mean death!”

“Huh? We’ve had those sheets for years. We-”

“No!” She jumped to her feet, face wide with alarm. “No! Black sheets are death! Death!”

“Lea-what are you doing?” He made a grab for her. Missed.

She dove to the bed. Grasped the end of the top sheet. Tugged it up. She gritted her teeth. Uttered an animal growl. And ripped the black sheet between her hands.

“Lea-stop!”

She ripped the sheet. Pulled hard. Ripped it some more.

“Lea-please.” He ran over to her. Grabbed her arm. “Please stop.”

She tore frantically at the sheets, growling and grunting. “Black sheets are death. Death. Death. Death.”

47

After school, Samuel could see how surprised Derek was when he and Daniel showed up at his front door. The twins knew Derek’s house because it was one of the first school bus stops.

Derek had a stack of Oreos in one hand and a smear of chocolate on his front teeth. “Hey, you two weren’t on the bus,” he said, blocking the doorway.

“We walked,” Daniel said. He eyed the Oreos. “After-school snack?”

Derek nodded. “Sorry. These are the last ones.”

We didn’t come for cookies, stupid.

“Nice house,” Daniel said, peering into the front room.

It is a nice house, Samuel thought. Big, with lots of tall glass windows reflecting the afternoon sunlight, at the top of a gently sloping front lawn, surrounded by leafy old trees.

“You want to come in?” Derek couldn’t hide his surprise at seeing them. The uncertainty seemed to change his personality. As if he’d momentarily forgotten to act tough.

He led them into the front room, all chrome and white-leather furniture, big glass tables, and a zebra rug on the light wood floor. Tall paintings of beach scenes, crowds in bright bathing suits, people swimming. High cathedral ceiling with a wide skylight.

Derek swallowed the last of the Oreos. He wiped his face with the back of a pudgy hand. “Hey, thanks.” To Daniel.

The twins were gazing around the bright white sun-sparkling room. They’d never stood in such luxury.

Too bad. Too bad.

Along with the anticipation, Samuel actually felt a little trepidation.

We walk into this clean perfect sunlit house, and what do we do?

Daniel finally turned back to Derek, who stood awkwardly, leaning on the back of a low, white couch.