RotW&AotS Issue #2



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All characters are the creation of the author.

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The Shadows over Hammer Head Cove



Six



The front lawn of the Yuya household looked like a yard sale. So much so that neighbours would come and watch as Takeru riffled through the garage - moving every cumbersome item that hadn’t been touched in the months since his father had piled it all in at the beginning of Spring; An old chest of drawers that his mother kept meaning to have collected by Goodwill; the go carts that he and Hinata built for the derby at the Summer’s End Festival when they were nine; surfboard upon surfboard upon surfboard that they had collected over the years but never had the heart to part with. Shirtless and sweating - covered in the collected grime and dust of the untouched garage - Takeru was about to give up when he saw the glint of metallic black and red paint behind a fallen blue tarpaulin: Hinata’s Carrera Hellcat Mountain Bike.

With the bike resting against the side of the house it took Takeru another hour to return everything into the garage - the items going back in with less care than when they were taken out.

Takeru strapped his skateboard to his backpack and set off into town. With High Summer behind him - a cool wind blowing in from the ocean made him wish he’s worn a hoodie rather than just his t-shirt and shorts.

Riding along the esplanade - the ocean gently lapping it’s azure blue waves against the soft white sand of the beach to his right - Takeru revelled in the peace of a lazy Sunday morning. Sunday mornings in Halpin Hope were often a lethargic affair and few people made the journeys from their front door until mid-day. Aside from the occasional dog walker and jogger - Takeru had the streets of the town to himself. It was only when he had reached the Cool Vibes Cafe that he pulled the bike to a screeching halt when he saw Tony Irving with yellow smoothie in hand trying to flag him down.

Hinata! Hey! Hinata!” Tony’s strong arms reached out as he motioned for the boy on the bike to stop.

Takeru sat up on the bike and glared at the boy with all the warmth of a frozen yogurt.

Oh! Takeru. I thought you were Hinata. Why are you on his bike?” Tony asked accusingly.

Hi Tony. Yeah I’m good thanks… and you?” Takeru sneered at the red head and then quickly blew off his disdain for a more exhausted voice. “Hinata is away, I’m borrowing his bike. What’s the problem?”

Away? Away where? How long for?” Tony tugged at his olive green t-shirt and shuffled his feet - realising that he was coming across, to the object of his affections brother, with the manic panic of a flighty rabbit - he paused and took a sip of his smoothie through its straw.

He’s away visiting our Gramma in San Francisco. He’ll be back but he’s away right now.” Takeru sighed at the scowling face of the handsome red headed boy in front of him and wondered about the effect levels of attractiveness can have on one's ability to be unpleasant. “Just give it up will you Tony. Enough’s enough. He doesn’t want to see you OK. Show a little grace eh!”

I just wanna talk to him is all.”

You think that you’ve maybe been going about that in kind of an odd way?”

Tony’s face dropped - suddenly remembering all the times over the past month that he’d shouted at Hinata from across the street - the times he’d called the boy’s cell and the house only to leave garbled and vaguely threatening messages. The incident with the pickled onions he’d bought from the English Fish and Chips van at the pier.

I think you need to take some time out and think about things.” In the quick flap of a bird's wings - the look on Tony’s face suddenly made Takeru feel sorry for the boy - bully or not, he was hurting. “Maybe in time in Hinata will wanna talk things through but you being all Swim Fan isn’t gonna make that happen any quicker.”

You’re a fucking asshole!” said Tony under his breath. His mood shifting quickly.

Takeru saw the sudden dark clouds behind Tony’s eyes - where moments ago the boy looked on the verge of raining tears - now there was thunder - there was cruelty - and there was menace.

If it weren’t for you we’d still be together.”

What?” said Takeru taken aback.

You!” the accusation was loud and clear. “Whispering in his ear. You never fucking liked me. You hated me since that day I fucking creamed you in lunch hall for being a smart mouth bitch.”

Takeru remembered the beating he had taken - the punches to his face and the kicks to his ribs - he’d spent two days off of school until the ringing in his ears had stopped.

You fucking deserved it too. You remember what you called me? You remember that... Taki?”

Dude! We were eleven! I don’t remember much other than you rounding on me because you misheard something I’d said to Asher.” Takeru started to edge backwards with the bike - a very real and urgent fear that Tony was about to blow his fuse again. “You know this is why Hinata broke up with you right? These little psycho moments you have. He was scared of you Tony. Your fucking boyfriend was scared of you!”

That’s a lie! I never hurt…” Like a lightening strike Tony recalled an incident. A time mid Spring - the two boys were walking up the Riddermyer Road to Fort Howard, on the very Western tip of the Island. What had started as a joke on the side of the asphalt became rough housing in the dust - but something dark in Tony clicked and he’d grabbed Hinata by the throat - holding him there a little too tight for a little too long. It was only the boy’s wet eyes and panicked struggle for breath that had snapped him out of it. Neither Tony nor Hinata had told anyone about that incident.

Tony backed away when Takeru nodded over to the door of the cafe - he turned and saw his little brother Ryan watching with a clear plastic cup of purple gloop in his hand.

Hi Ryan!” called Takeru regaining a little confidence.

Hi Taki.” Twelve year-old Ryan Irving - all soft sincere smiles and sweet-heart eyes walked over to the boys and took a long sip from his straw.

What you up to Ryan? Breakfast with your bro?” Takeru knew that despite Tony’s current state of agitation - his temper was always quelled in the presence of his cute younger brother. The only thing that could be relied upon more than the sun rising and setting each day was Tony’s protective nature towards his young sibling - whether that be from perceived external threats or the more intemperate aspects of his own nature.

Yeah! Tony’s taking me bodyboarding today. He’s awesome at it!” The boy’s smile was broad and lit up his freckled face. He pushed a stray dark red curl from his eyes and looked up at his handsome older brother like he was the greatest man in the world. “What are you doing? Do you wanna come with us? Taki can come with us can’t he Tony?”

Tony stumbled and stuttered and was about to let slip a non-committal ‘sure’ when Takeru intervened.

I can’t today buddy. I’m going to meet a friend. Maybe another time though huh?”

Tony drew Takeru a glance that the boy on the bike couldn’t decipher before nodding and putting his hand on his little brother’s shoulder: “Yeah. Taki can come next time.”

Ryan smiled at his brothers touch and with the straw back between his puffy pink lips - took a long pull of the purple smoothie in his hands.

I should be going but it was cool seeing you again Ryan.” Takeru smiled at the boy who grinned warmly back at him. How could this great kid and this complete asshole be related, Takeru thought to himself.

I’ll see you around Taki.” Tony started to walk away pulling Ryan in the same direction. “Ask Hinata to give me a call when he gets back. Please?”

Bye Taki. See you later.” Ryan waved and then turned back to his brother - talking excitedly and offering him a sip of his smoothie. “Are you and Hinata gonna get back to being boyfriends again Tony?” Ryan asked as they walked away. “I liked Hinata. He was really cool.”

Takeru waved and watched the two boys walk down the esplanade. They shared good looks and strong looking physiques but the family similarities stopped there. He wondered if the mask that Tony wore in Ryan’s presence ever slipped... but he doubted it considering how in awe of his older brother the younger boy was. He watched as Ryan, finishing his smoothie, threw the plastic cup into a nearby trash can - but blew the straw at Tony’s face before taking off in a run. Tony darted and quickly caught up with the boy - grabbed him around the waist and spun him in circles - Ryan's legs kicking up at the air. The twelve-year-olds giggles and threats of: “Stop it Tony! I’m gonna hurl!” echoed down the otherwise quiet street.

Takeru put his foot back on the pedal and pushed off - leaving the brothers Irving behind him as he rode toward the centre of town.

He passed Pappa John’s wife, Mrs Kirk, opening up the store and offered a wave that was greeted warmly and returned. He passed Jermaine - again delivering papers - the Sunday route was always later and longer - another wave and another thought that he should stop and talk to him that he didn’t act upon.

Takeru reached the Weeping Willow tree and the meadow of golden Feathered Reed grass an hour and a half earlier than the time he had agreed to meet Toby. He leant the bike against the trunk and walked over to the painted railing at the side of the road - sitting on the pavement and looking at his watch.

Considering how quickly he had retrieved the bike from the back of the garage and then the easy cycle through the town, Takeru wondered at why he had allowed himself so much time. He smiled when he thought of Toby - the odd looking and oddly attractive boy he had met only a few days earlier. The boy who who had secretly watched him masturbate in the meadow to his back. The boy who had climbed in through the open window of his bedroom and stolen his t-shirt. Why aren’t I pissed with him? Takeru asked himself. Because he’s cute, Takeru smiled broadly to himself, in a strange sort of way. Because he’s sweet and weird and as horny all the time as I am… and he’s got a crazy huge cock! Takeru laughed at himself. Wait til Hinata meets him!

The hour and half passed by lazily with Takeru occasionally playing Supermarket Smash on his cell phone. He’d lay back and wait and looking up at the cloud mottled sky he planned all the things he wanted to do with Toby with what was left of the Summer Break. He thought about taking him to the skate park and the beach and, using an old board, teaching Toby to surf - he thought about the boy’s reaction to E.T and maybe getting him to watch The Goonies and Monster Squad. He suddenly thought about Doyler Hayes and the moments that they had shared, the arrangements that they hadn’t solidified… I can still hang out with Doyler, he reasoned. Just maybe not do the things I had in mind a couple of days ago. Fuck I’m fickle!

One o’clock came and went and as the shadows of the Black Forest shortened their reach over the meadow Takeru grew concerned that Toby hadn’t arrived. By two o’clock he began pacing the road - checking his the clock on his cell phone five minutes and throwing his gaze towards the tree line - waiting to see Toby stroll out with that endearing lopsided smile on his face. By three he was in the meadow itself - walking the length of the forests lip. By four he was about to give up - frustration gave way to concern - despite the relative short time that he had known the boy he could think of no reasonable cause that Toby would be three hours late for their proposed meeting.

At five he felt the first shiver of the summer as a cool wet breeze blew up from the ocean. Above him the clouds themselves had turned the sky to an iron gray and threatened to open. Takeru checked the time on his cell phone again - returned to Hinata’s bike and rode home.

Sitting on the couch he played The Lurking Terror - but as his character was consumed by another player’s black hole for the third time in a row - his avatar screaming and struggling as it was sucked into a swirling purple and black vortex - he accepted that his mind was elsewhere. He thought about Toby not having access to a phone - he thought about the near five hour walk from Hammerhead Cove to Halpin Hope - he thought about the school that Toby had described to him and wondered if the reason that he didn’t come to the meadow as they had agreed was because he was being punished for staying out the night before. As his character on screen re-spawned he sat and watched the unmoving figure - when another player sidled up beside him and shot him in the head with a shotgun before tea-bagging his corpse - Takeru turned off the console and stood up.

He moved quietly into the kitchen - poured himself a glass of apple juice and stood staring at the splashes of rain on the kitchen window. It was the first rain of summer - and though it fell in relatively warm weather it fell hard - each violent splatter of water against the glass was a loud and hollow mocking joke.

In bed - Takeru dreamed that night: Once again he floated atop the golden grass of the meadow upon a makeshift raft held together by tattered pieces of rope. The soft currents of the grass gently swayed the vessel as he lay flat on the wooden boards - his right leg dangling over the edge. The reflection of the blanket of stars above him witnessed by the tips of the grass. Looking forward he could see in the distance the silhouette of a figure in a lifeboat. Tall and slim with a long oar in his hands - the figure paddled the boat towards Takeru.

Takeru stood up on the raft and with both arms waved - he called out but only the sound of waves lapping against some unseen shore could be heard - the silhouette waved back and Takeru knew that it was Toby - the long arms and legs - the lean body. He smiled with joy and sat down on the raft - throwing his hands into the grass and pushing against the current to draw closer to his friend.

Beneath him a shadow moved. He pulled his wet hands from the dry grass and gripped the ropes that held the raft together. At the movement of the large dark contour beneath the meadow - his raft shifted and shook. A moment of deja vu - and even in his dream he knew that he had been here before - had felt that same wild beating of his heart in his chest. With a deft speed he wouldn’t have believed that something that size could possess, the cetaceans shadow passed beneath him as it furrowed a direct course for Toby in the life boat. Takeru tried to scream - tried to call out to his friend who was still standing and waving at him - unaware of the giant travelling in his direction - but nothing but a dry painful croak escaped his throat. Within moments the beast in the meadow was at the bow of the lifeboat. Toby didn’t seem to notice. An ethereal pulsed whale call - a thousand times louder and a thousand times more alien - echoed in Takeru’s ears. It was then that Takeru saw the beast emerge from the meadow. Toby continued to wave unaware - standing with hand raised and now clearly a distant and oblivious lopsided smile. The beasts sheer size filled his field of vision - black and slick like oily rubber. The one giant milky eye that Takeru could see was trained on him and with a colossal open maw lined with row upon row of razor sharp teeth it swallowed Toby and his lifeboat whole.

Takeru sat bolt upright - his naked body caked in sweat - soaking the sheets around him. He tossed his blanket aside and threw his legs over the side of the bed. The rain had stopped. Just a passing spell, he thought. He reached for the glass of water by his side and took a small sip before gulping mouthful after mouthful - letting the cool liquid quench his parched throat.

The clock on his bedside table read two a.m. - but he didn’t want to return to sleep - too frightened of going back to that version of the meadow that his dreams had wrought. Instead he trudged down to the kitchen with little enthusiasm and made a pot of coffee. He flicked through the channels on the television until he settled on a rerun of Knight Rider and he planned and he schemed. I’ll go again tomorrow, he thought, and if Toby’s still not there I’ll just have to go to Hammerhead Cove and find him. Those were his last thoughts - of the new boy in his life - the weird looking kid from Hammerhead Cove and what he would find in that town - before he fell asleep - as Michael Knight, to the sounds of synth music, rode his black Pontiac Trans Am into the shimmering orange sunset.

***

It was his father who woke him the next morning. Dr Ichihara Yuya’s hand shook his son’s bare shoulder and whispered that the boy should get up and put some clothes on.

Opening his eyes Takeru realised that he had not put on any underwear when he came down the stairs and was sitting nude on the couch.

You’re mother and I have to use that couch too you know!”

Takeru looked up at his smiling father and covered his exposed privates: “Shit! Sorry Dad. I couldn’t sleep so I came downstairs. Then I must’ve actually fallen asleep. I’ll go put some pants on. What’s the time?”

Dr Yuya looked at his watch: “A little after ten.”

He stood with his hands cupping his cock and balls and made his way as far as the door before turning back to his father: “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”

It was too overcast to get any new images last night. I wanted to come home and see you anyway. Maybe not as much of you as I’ve just seen but still…”

Takeru smiled. “You figure out what it is yet?”

The not-black-hole?”

Yeah?”

No. Not yet. Gotta admit kid. I’m kinda stumped so far.”

You’ll figure it out.”

You know it!” Dr Yuya clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and pointed finger guns at his son. “You’re old man’s got the goods kiddo.”

Takeru laughed: “Not a single thing in the wide empty vastness of space that Dr. Yuya Ichihara couldn’t catalogue.” He smiled and ran bare-assed up to his bedroom.

Throwing on a pair of gray basketball shorts and a bright plain white t-shirt he went into the closet and pulled out a dark blue hoodie and ran back down the stairs. His father was in the process of spreading butter on slices of toast in the kitchen when Takeru grabbed an apple and poured some coffee into a mug.

I might be staying at a friends tonight.”

What friend?” asked his father as he dipped the knife into a jar of Raspberry jelly.

Toby’s” Takeru added enough milk and honey to his coffee to remove any trace of the beverages original flavour.

Who’s Toby? Do I know him?”

No. You’ve not met him.”

Should I call his parents or something? Your mother usually deals with that sort of thing. Does she usually call the parents?”

Takeru laughed and downed the coffee before stealing a slice of his father’s toast and taking a bite. With mouth full of toasted bread and jelly, Takeru answered: “Not since I was like eleven or something like that.”

Well your mother and Hinata are due back tomorrow. Make sure that you’re back here for dinner in the evening.”

As he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge Takeru thought about his father’s cooking and hoped that he’d just be doing toast: “Yeah, will do. I gotta run and head to work. See you tomorrow.” He dropped the bottle into the loose pocket of his basketball shorts and popped the apple into the other.

Before he could turn around Takeru felt his father’s hands grab his son’s shoulders and pull him into a hug. With the slice of toast in hand - Takeru reached his arms around his father’s torso being careful not to cover the back of his father’s powder blue shirt in sticky red jelly.

His father dropped his head and kissed his son on the top of his crown.

I’m only going away for one night you know. I’ll be back.”

Dr Yuya laughed and squeezed his son tight: “The forecast has an unseasonable cold front heading this way. A little more rain this afternoon and evening too and chances of a storm. You might want to consider packing some warmer clothes.”

Takeru looked up at his father: “If I need to I’ll borrow something of Toby’s.”

The two Yuya men released each other from their paternal embrace.

Have fun. Don’t cause too much trouble. And if your friends parents need to call me I’ll be here at the house.”

No worries. Have a fun day off.” Takeru jogged from the kitchen to the front door, grabbed his bag and skateboard and jumped on Hinata’s bike. He waved at his father as he saw him smiling from the living room window and rode off down the street toward town.

He played the snatches of last night’s dream that he could remember in his mind - mostly Toby’s face - smiling and unaware that he was being swallowed by some giant sea monster. Takeru shivered at the image his mind had conjured.

Reaching the meadow - the boy checked the time on his cell and placed his brothers bike on the grass by the Weeping Willow tree. He climbed the pale gray branches and sat - dangling his feet over the edge before taking a bite of the apple that he had squirrelled away in the pocket of his shorts.

It was little after mid day and for the next couple of hours Takeru kept his eyes focused on the tree line of the black forest that ran along the meadow. He waited patiently - hoping that he would see Toby’s slender frame step from the darkness into the golden grass.

He checked clock on his cell again, a little gone a quarter to two, and sighed - knowing that Toby would not arrive. He wondered if he had imagined the connection that he had thought they had shared. No, he thought to himself. There was something there - something akin to friendship - akin to attraction - something that he hadn’t imagined and that would not keep Toby away from meeting with him.

Takeru descended the tree and climbed on to his brother’s bike - with his feet on the pedals he turned the bike back towards the town.

Skirting the houses on the town’s north side, Takeru followed the streets that connected to the Riddermeyer Road and led West toward Fort Howard. The old British Fort had been built during the 1600’s to defend the trade routes along the Pacific leading from the East Indies to the Americas but it’s fate since the arrival of Halpin Hope had seen it become a tourist destination. It’s history was bloody and visitors to the island delighted in the tales of the Pirate attacks it had endured and the cannon smoke filled battles between Spanish and British Galleons it had witnessed. Takeru smiled briefly when seeing a sign for the Fort - remembering how he and Hinata used to love to visit and raid the gift shop for plastic cutlasses and cap guns that looked like flintlock pistols. But rather than heading for the old fort Takeru turned north - traversing the stone bridge that crossed a narrow stream of crystal water. The road that linked Hammerhead Cove and Halpin Hope only saw traffic in the summer months when the islands visitors would use it to reach Portman’s Lagoon - beyond that the asphalt turned to dirt and often people would forget that the two towns were even connected.

He pulled the bike to a screeching halt when he saw Pappa John sitting on the bonnet of his truck by the turn off to Portman’s Lagoon. John turned his head on hearing the break rubber shriek against the aluminium rim.

Hey John!” Takeru was sweating and his breath a little ragged but he still offered the old man a smile.

Takeru?” Pappa John lowered a half eaten sandwich onto a sheet of crumpled tinfoil. “What are you doing out this far?”

The boy watched the old man’s face. The frivolity that was usually there had been replaced with something else: Concern? Agitation? He couldn’t tell.

Just taking the bike out for a ride.” Takeru felt strangely anxious. Pappa John’s face hadn’t softened and as he pulled his glasses from his nose Takeru knew that the man doubted him. “Still trying to pretend I’m in gainful employment huh…”

Pappa John reached across to the tartan patterned Thermos to his left and poured what looked like milky tea into a plastic cup. He took a sip and eye-balled the boy once more: “You sure that you’re not going to visit that new friend of yours? The tall skinny kid?”

Toby?”

You making any more friends from Hammerhead Cove?” The question was as stern and loaded as John’s gaze.

For a moment something in the pit of Takeru’s stomach clenched and for the first time in his life something about Pappa John frightened him. The muscles in his thighs and shoulders tightened. “No it’s… just…”

It’s OK!” John’s face suddenly tempered and he brought the glasses back onto the bridge of his thick nose. “I’m just messing with you…”

The boy’s stomach loosened and his muscles relaxed.

Just bird watching myself…” He waved the small black binoculars that hung around his neck. “Not having much luck today so I thought I’d stop for lunch. You want half my sandwich?”

No thanks… I’m just gonna keep going for a bit.” Takeru straightened the bike and prepared to push forward.

Don’t stay on this road too far Taki, it’s dangerous!”

Huh?”

Pappa John pointed up to the graying sky. “It’s gonna turn into quite a downpour in a couple of hours and this road isn’t well looked after. Make sure you’re on safer ground by the time the sky opens. If you come by the shop I’ll treat you to a shake of your choice.”

Thanks John… I’ll er… I might just be by a little later…” Takeru thought that the old man was acting peculiar and waved as he pushed off.

He’d cycled forward near a hundred metres before he turned his head back to see Pappa John still sitting on the bonnet of his truck - staring forward and chewing on the other half of his sandwich. He raised a hand and waved to the boy. Takeru waved back again and turned back to the road

With the Black Forest to his right and the tree lined fields of Ward Arthur’s Mango farm on his left Takeru cycled the road to Hammerhead Cove beneath a gray cloud strewn sky. He zipped around puddles left from the previous night’s downpour and watched for potholes and bumps in the roads uneven surface - all the while giving thought to how he was going to find Toby. Takeru knew that he was at a school for kids without parents and considered that enough to make a start with. Although he’d never actually been to the Islands other town before he knew that it was smaller than Halpin Hope and if his town only had the one High School: How many could Hammerhead Cove have?

It well was into the second hour of riding his brothers bike that Takeru found himself climbing a steep hill - dropping gears one at a time in an effort to make the climb easier he found his thighs burning with every push - he eventually gave up on the ascent and got off of the bike - pushing it on foot up the remaining two hundred or so metres until he stood at it’s peak.

The sight that greeted him was like nothing he had expected considering the time he had spent on the island. As the hill sloped downward the trees of the Black Forest receded from the east to nothing in a sharp curve - the charred and blackened stumps of the forest’s former, natural, position stretching for miles. In it’s place fields and fields of barley seemed to grow wild and untended. As they stretched onwards both east and west of the dirt road Takeru was suddenly put in mind of his dreams - of the golden meadow that hid a monster. He could see, a few miles down the road, another field of juniper bushes to the east - just as wild and unkempt as those of barley. Beyond that lay the broken skeletal form of Hammerhead Cove. He reached into his backpack and pulled out the bottle of water - he sipped at the refreshing, if now slightly warm, liquid and didn’t take his eyes from the town ahead of him.

The buildings were all old - he could tell that much from where he stood - but the distance and the dark clouds that now hung in the sky above him made it difficult to tell. At least the mosaic map of the Island in the centre of Halpin Hope was right. The tombola that the remains of Hammerhead Cove sat on was a jagged spit of land in a restless ocean. The town stretched inwards from there into a sharp semicircle that spread further in land - giving Takeru the impression, from his viewpoint on the hilltop, of a scythe dangling above the thin neck of the dirt road. He could see the ragged and broken rocks on either side of the tombola - rocks he had guessed correctly to be the remnants of the land the town had once sat on before the two separate earthquakes, sixty years apart, had sent hundreds of people to their watery deaths. About a mile out to sea from the tombola stood a small island of rock - above it gulls circled in quantities he had never seen before - turning that space in the sky into a swirling black mass that put him in mind of the black holes sorcerer characters conjured in The Lurking Terror.

Takeru - sat astride the bike and with a certain amount of trepidation set himself off down the hill towards Hammerhead Cove.



To be Continued