The Long Fall of Night: The Long Fall of Night Book 1 by AJ Rose

“I don’t know. Depends on if I can reach my parents. Maybe they can tell us something.”
    “Fair enough.” He called to Riley, who slipped into the living room with a wary glance at the kitchen.
    “Is he coming, too?” Riley asked of Russ, who had decided the makings of the last sandwich belonged to him and was chewing with gusto and waxing lyrical on the ingredients that would improve the breakfast tenfold.
    Ash shook his head. “Don’t worry, kid. He looks comfortable where he is.”
    “Good,” Riley said sullenly, punching his hands into the pockets of his jean shorts and hanging his head. “He’s always happy to show me stuff, but whenever he does, I don’t seem to get it completely. Like I’m not doing it how he tries to teach me.”
    Ash stood and ruffled Riley’s hair. “That’s not your fault, kid. A student is only as good as his teachers.” It was bullshit, though, and Ash knew it. The teachers in this Podunk town had never been able to keep up with him, and Ash’s senior year, he’d spent a good chunk of it teaching himself from books the science teacher, Mr. Libby, his favorite of them all, had ordered for him. They’d learned the concepts together, though any practical application of the experiments was out of the question. Ash suspected Mr. Libby had purchased the texts himself, though they were very expensive, but the chemicals for much of the lab work were out of the average teacher’s price range and tightly controlled substances anyway. They’d had to settle for watching YouTube videos of some of the better ones and observing the results visually.
    “I just don’t like not being good enough,” Riley said in a small voice.
    “You are good enough.” Ash looked up from tying his shoe. “That man’s opinion doesn’t matter. Only yours.” He grinned. “And your cool Uncle Ash’s.”
    Riley nodded but gave half an eye roll at the lame humor. “Will you play baseball with me? Mom doesn’t like letting me bat because she has to run after the ball every time.”
    Ash grinned. “We got enough for an infielder and an outfielder if your mom pitches, so bring your best game, big guy. See if you can handle Elliot the Golden Glove over there.”
    Elliot snorted. “I don’t know about that, but I’ll try. What’s your favorite position?”
    “Shortstop,” Riley answered immediately as Ash ducked out the living room to dig up his glove from the top shelf of Riley’s closet and see if he had one for Elliot to use. When he returned, his nephew had gone into a long, rambling story about every play he’d ever made at the position during his spring baseball league, his insecurity seemingly forgotten. “No game today, though. Coach went into the diner last night and told Mom if the power’s not back this morning, the game tonight’s canceled.”
    “We can practice, then,” Ash promised. He backed up a few steps to look into the kitchen. “Ready when you are, Charlotte. Slugger wants to give us a batting demonstration.”
    “Yeah, if he manages to remember what I told him last time about bat speed,” Russ muttered loud enough for them to hear but not Riley.
    Charlotte pointed a finger at him. “Don’t. He tries to follow your advice, but he’s ten. It’ll take some practice.”
    “What?” Russ asked, the picture of manufactured innocence. “I agree he needs practice.”
    “Which is why we’re going to the park,” Charlotte said. Russ moved to stand up. “Except you. Can you take a look at the van? The check engine light came on again.” It was clearly an attempt to distract Russ, but it worked.
    “Good. I was hoping it would throw an error. Something keeps blowing your emissions fuse. I’ll check it out. Have you got any cash?”
    Charlotte raised an eyebrow.
    “Just because with the power out, my debit card won’t work to buy the parts I might need. I have about fifty bucks on me, but that might not be enough,” he said defensively.
    Ash glared at him.