Strange Robby by Selina Rosen

into the bathroom.
     
    Carrie rushed over to the kitchen sink and washed her face to calm herself down. What do I say? I should say something. There should be something I can say to help her. How long has she been carrying that around? Is it a story she tells everyone who gets close to her—or just me, now? Is she even close to anyone else? What about Tommy . . . no she did the same thing to Tommy that she did to her brother; she didn't tell him. She doesn't tell anyone. That was what she was saying . Carrie dried her face on a paper towel and noticed that she took off half her makeup.
     
    "Damn!" She washed her face and dried it again. She had just finished when Spider walked back in the room.
     
    "I'm sorry. I don't know what the hell got into me. No one wants to hear that kind of shit." Spider started putting the groceries away again.
     
    "You're wrong. I want to hear. I want to know everything about you, Spider, good and bad—all of it. You . . . we, have nothing to be ashamed of. There's nothing wrong with us. Hell! We're wonderful. Don't let the way a fistful of uptight bigots look at you make you afraid to be yourself. You have lived an exemplary life, and you have nothing to be ashamed of."
     
    No one had ever said that to her before. No one had ever given Spider permission to be herself. You wouldn't think it would be necessary, but for Spider it was.
     
    That night she had the dream again, but this time the woman had a face and it was Carrie's. Then she saw Robby, and he was calling to her, begging her to join him in his fight.
     
    Spider woke with a start; she knew what the dream meant. For her everything was coming together—and coming apart.
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter Six
 
"Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; to
draw near to hearken is better than the sacrifice of
fools: For they consider not that they do evil."
Ecclesiastes 4:17
     
    Robby had been working on the damned stove all day, and he was no closer to fixing it. It needed parts, parts that he didn't have and couldn't make. At five o'clock he gave up and went to start dinner. It was Evan's turn to help, but he wasn't home yet, even though the bus had arrived an hour ago.
     
    "Where's Evan?" Robby demanded.
     
    "I'll help," Donna offered.
     
    "Where's Evan?" Robby asked again with even less patience.
     
    All the kids were real quiet. They could tell when Robby was mad.
     
    "Where is he?"
     
    "He's been hanging out with some bad boys," Janice said.
     
    Robby looked at Donna. "What's she mean?"
     
    "A gang, Robby." Donna started to cry. "Evan joined a gang."
     
    "We'll see about that."
     
    They made dinner, ate, watched TV, and did their homework. All the kids were in their beds before Evan got home. Robby could smell the pot on him, and see the darkness licking at his heals. He looked at the clock; it was midnight.
     
    Evan turned on the light and saw Robby sitting there. He wanted to look tough, but as he saw the anger in his brother's eyes, all he could do was start crying.
     
    "Where the hell were you?" Robby asked in a low, throaty growl. "Donna said you haven't been in school for two days. That you think you've joined a gang."
     
    "I . . . I don't have to answer to you," Evan spat through his tears. "You . . . you're just my brother. You ain't my daddy, and you ain't God."
     
    "You worthless piece of shit." Robby didn't raise his voice as he hoisted himself from his chair. Without using his hands he popped his brother against the wall and held him there with the strength of his will. "Can't you feel it? The darkness is oozing up around your soul trying to claim you. Can you look me in the eye and tell me that's a good feeling?"
     
    Evan felt the force shove him hard against the wall again and was terrified into silence.
     
    "Answer me!" Robby screamed. He took his hand and ripped the dew rag from his brother's head.
     
    "No!" Evan cried as he wet himself.
     
    "You think you want to be a part