A break in the deal

With my recent computer problems, limited writing time, and a new-found desire to finish a book I’m working on, I’m suspending the 52 Cards project.  I plan on finishing it eventually, and to that end I’ll list the remaining cards, as they appeared in the shuffled deck back in January (I haven’t looked ahead until tonight).  Some of them might get skipped to if I feel like writing something off my regularly scheduled beaten path.

Remaining cards:

Six of Hearts (I know that it was last week’s, but I don’t want to let it go)

King of Spades (this week’s)

King of Diamonds

Seven of Clubs

King of Hearts

Three of Spades

Six of Spades (part 2 of Inside-Outside Straight)

Eight of Diamonds

Eight of Spades (part 3 of Inside-Outside Straight)

Five of Clubs

Ten of Diamonds

Ten of Hearts

Seven of Hearts

Two of Spades (part 3 of  Two-Island Lake)

Two of Clubs (part 4 of Two-Island Lake)

Nine of Diamonds

Queen of Diamonds

Eight of Hearts

Nine of Spades (part 4 of Inside-Outside Straight)

Ten of Spades (conclusion of Inside-Outside Straight)

Queen of Hearts

Two of Diamonds

Two Island Lake: Part 2 of 4 (Part 1)

“Here’s your order, hot and fresh!”  Dez Diamond forced a big smile as she haned the bag of tacos to the man in the car.  The man flashed a quick smile and drove away.  Dez kept smiling as the car drove away.  Once the car was back on the street, her smile vanished.  “You’re lucky I don’t believe in spitting in the food here” she mumbled to herself.

“What’s that?” Dez put her smile back on as her eyes met Scott’s eyes.  Scott was almost thirty, and had spent the better part of his post high school life working his way up to night manager at Taco John’s.  He was starting to push 300 pounds, and his hairline was in full retreat.

“Just happy to serve supper to our glorious principal.”

“Heh” Scott said.  “I never top off his potato oles.  I can’t believe he still has that job.  He was old when I graduated.”

“He’s only older and crankier.  I’m glad you’re understanding about detention.”

“Hey, as long as you don’t pass me on the all time list.”  Scott tore open a new bag of oles while Dez looked at the entrance, just in time to see Corey and Hannah walk in.

“Welcome to Taco Johns bitches!”  Dez said in an excited voice.

“Slow night?” Hannah said as she looked around at the empty tables.

“Slow enough.  Where have you two been?”

“I finally got to visit one of the islands on Two Island Lake, thanks to Corey and his dad’s boat.”

“Eh, it was nothing” Corey said while he read over the menu again.  He was finally starting to put the weird feeling the North island had given him.

“So, what can I get you two, or did you just come in to chat?”

“Taco salad” Corey said.

“I’m buying.  Just give me the super burrito combo.”  Hannah said.

“You’re positively glowing” Dez remarked as she started pressing the buttons on the cash register.  “That good of an island huh?”  Dez’s wicked grin caught Hannah’s eye, and Hannah’s hat caught Dez in the face.

“It was, but not like that you perv!  Scott, you need to have a word with your staff.”

“Hey, if she shows up, I’m happy.”

“Here’s your hat” Dez said as the threw it back.  “Next time I’ll fill it with nacho cheese.  You total is seven-thirty-nine.”

“It was a really peaceful island.  It might be a good spot for one of our last Friday nights.”

“Really?  What about police and game wardens?”

“The lake is only accessible by gravel roads.  Plus, my dad’s been taking me fishing there since I was a little girl, most of the time without a license.  Nobody ever checks on that lake.”

“Yeah, because you never catch anything” Corey chimed in from a corner booth.  Without looking, Hannah threw her red hat in his direction.  It bounced off a window and fell to the ground.  “Your aim isn’t much better.”

“How about tomorrow?  I think I can talk to my supplier…” Dez raised her voice near the end of her statement, and she glanced back at Scott, who was nodding.

“Corey, how about it?  Can  you get the boat for a Friday night?”

Corey’s face froze for a moment.  He knew his parents were going out of town tomorrow, but the feeling of dread from the other island was suddenly vivid in his mind again.  “Uh…maybe?  Why do we have to go back?  There were a few farms around.  Maybe they’d see us and call somebody?”

“Yeah right” Dez said as she slid a tray towards Hannah.  “I say we go tomorrow.  I’ll call Seth.  We only have a few more of these before graduation.  Corey, make it happen!”

“Okay okay” Corey said.  “I can get the boat.  Just no exploring the North island.”

“Friday nights aren’t for exploring silly” Hannah said as she wrapped her lips around the straw of her soda and took a long drink.

“We’ll see what the night brings in that regard” Corey said as he picked up Hannahs’ cap.

***

*RING*

“Spade residence” Seth said.  He took a deep breath and braced for the questions that he had few answers for.

“Seth?”

“Dez!” Seth exhaled in a sigh of brief happiness and relief.  “It’s good to hear your voice.  It’s been a long day.”

“Final paper getting you down?”

“Yeah…” Seth glanced at his backpack.  His final paper was sitting on the table by it, ready to be turned in two weeks early.

“I thought you had a good start on that?”

“Writers block…what’s up?  Is this about Friday?”

“Indeed it is!  Hannah found a great place to have a good ol’ fashioned beerfest.  Small island in the middle of some lake nobody cares about.  Full moon and everything, so no worries about lights.  Just you, me, Hannah and Corey.”

“That’s it?”

“The big party is next week.  We need to prepare before graduation.  Are you in?”

“I think so.  I can find a good story to get out of the house.”

“Great.  We’re leaving around eight or so.  You can fill us in at school tomorrow.”

“Actually…I don’t know if I’ll be in.  I…have an appointment.”

“Dentist?”

“Sure” Seth was nodding vigorously before he realized he was on the phone.

“Well, I work after school at TJ’s until seven, so that’s where you can find me.  Gotta go!”  Dez’s voice was suddenly gone, and Seth calmly hung up the phone.  He walked out of the dining room, and he started walking up the stairs of his parent’s house.  The stairway had picture frame fragments and broken glass peppering the carpet.  He slowly pushed open the door of his parent’s room.  His mom was still crying as she threw clothes into a suitcase.

***

Scott walked into Taco Johns on Friday night as casually as ever.  Nikki and Steve were hard at work, and Dez was waiting patiently.  “Did you already clock out?” Scott asked.

“I came in a little early.  You can check if you want.”

“Nah.  Good enough.”

“Oh, here’s my note about not working tomorrow.  Doctor stuff.”  She handed him a folded piece of paper, with money folded inside of it.

“Good enough.  Have a nice night.”

“You too” Dez said as she grabbed her cup.  She casually walked out and to the back of the Taco Johns.  She casually opened the trunk of Scott’s car, and she quickly moved the case of beer and bottles over to her trunk.  She looked around as she closed her trunk, and satisfied that no one was watching she got into her car.  She flipped open her cell and called Hannah.  “Pick up already” Dez said before Hannah’s phone even rang.

“Hey you” Hannah said.  “We’re all at Corey’s.”

“Really?  I tried to call Seth all day.  Is he there?”

“Yeah, he walked over.  He’s kinda quiet today.”

“How can you tell?  Listen, we’re good to go.  I’ll be there soon, then it’s off to our island getaway.”

***

Corey chugged the rest of his energy drink.  Seth was just sitting on the couch.  “The TV works you know.  How about some Wii Bowling?”

“Nah, that’s okay.  I’m cool.  Just ready to get drunk.”

“Rough day at the dentist?”

“Wha?”

“The dentist” Corey said.  “Dez said you were at the dentist or something today.”

“Oh…that went fine.  Just thought I’d milk it and not show up today.”

“You didn’t miss much.  You dad have a dentist appointment too?  He wasn’t in today either.”  Seth just stared at the TV’s blank screen.  “Seth?”

“Sorry…he…I…we…mom…and dad are out this weekend.  Something came up.”

“Came up?”  Corey wasn’t buying it, but something told him not to pry.

“Family…crap…I told them I had to finish my paper.”

“Good enough.  I wonder why we’re going out to this damn island.  I mean, my parents are gone…your parents are gone…Dez’s parents are barely around…and yet we’re going to some lake?”

“Beats me.  If it’s just the four of us, why is Hannah doing her make-up?”  Seth still didn’t make eye contact with Corey.

“That’s Hannah.  I think we should talk her into staying in town.”

“Why are you so against this island?”  Seth finally looked at Corey, but Corey then looked away.

“No reason” Corey mumbled as he walked back to the kitchen.  He crumpled the empty energy drink can in his hand as he walked.

***

“Finally!”  Dez was the last out of the truck.  She had already drank two beers during the ride to Two Island Lake.  Hannah and Corey were easing the boat into the water, while Seth was holding the beer case and shopping bag.  Dez threw her arm around Seth, and Seth jumped a bit.  The glass in the shopping bag clinked slightly.  “You okay?”

“Just…stuff and stuff.  Nothing I want to talk about.”

“Seth…c’mon.  We’ve all been friends since grade school.  You can tell me.  Is it girl trouble.”

“I wish” Seth said.  “It’s nothing.  Let’s just get on the boat and get drunk.”

“I’m two beers ahead of ya” Dez said.  She looked over towards the boat.  “What’s with the fog?”  A low, thick fog was now blanketing the countryside and the lake.  It was the first fog Dez had seen so far tonight.

“Must be the air.  It is a bit humid.  All aboard!”  Hannah was already on the boat, and Corey, Seth and Dez soon followed.

Two of Hearts

Two Island Lake: Part One of Four

“Don’t forget to look before you cast.”  Hannah didn’t want to let her father down, so she looked all around.  Other than her father, there was no one around.  She flung her arm forward as hard as she could.  She saw the red daredevil fly into the lake, and disappear with a slight splash that she could hear just above the wind.  She started reeling in her cast, but once it was back she was empty handed.  “Don’t give up.  You never catch anything with the first cast of the day.”

“I know daddy” she said.  “One day I will.”  She looked out into the lake as she flung the lure back into the waters.  “Are we ever bringing the boat here?”

“Probably not.  The boat landing here isn’t in very good shape.  That and I hate hauling the trailer on these gravel roads.  We can do all our boat fishing on Roy Lake.  Two Island Lake is traditionally a casting lake.”

“What’s on the islands daddy?”  Hannah asked.  Her father didn’t answer right away.  He just shrugged.  “You don’t know?”

“I don’t know anyone who’s bothered to check.  There are all kinds of small islands on lakes.  This is just a small lake that has two small islands.  Unusual, but I’m more interested in fish than exploring some islands no bigger than the Super Valu, if that.”

“Someday I’ll find out” Hannah said.  She flung her daredevil back into the lake.  From her point of view on the shoreline, it landed between the two islands.

***

“Miss Heart, you have a few late books.”  The librarian sternly looked at Hannah, who kept a smile on her face as she dug in her purse.

“Sorry Maxine.  It won’t happen again.”  She pulled a few dollars out of her purse and smiled at Maxine.  She didn’t offer a grandiose smile, but one that tried to convey innocence and a twinge of regret.  Maxine shook her head and plucked one of the dollar bills away from Hannah.

“Close enough.  Don’t let it happen again.”  Hannah nodded and was soon out the door.  It was a beautiful late April afternoon in Sisseton.  She was walking towards her car when a black Oldsmobile shot in front of her.  She had time to check her reflection in the window tint.  Her red hair was still snugly pulled back, and her white t-shirt and pink sweater were free from cat hair, at least until she got home.  She put a hand on her hip as the window rolled down.

“Corey Club, what are you doing here?  Does the coach know you’re skipping practice?”

“What he doesn’t know, won’t hurt him.  He’s the one who took off on a last minute trip to Watertown.  Besides, I have some great news.”

“You’re over your fear of flying so you can take a flying leap?”  Hannah looked around and then back at Corey.  His black hair was messy, and he was still wearing his old summer rec coach t-shirt that he’d been wearing since yesterday.

“If I take a flying leap, you’ll miss on your chance to take my dad’s boat out.”

“Shut up!  Are you serious?”

“Dead serious.  Your boating wish is my command.  I’ve been helping him recondition it, and since I’ve been on my best behaviour he’s willing to let me take it out as long as I’m caught up on school and chores, of which I am at the moment.  But, if you don’t want to go t-”  Corey found himself suddenly face to face with Hannah, who was right in his face to the point she had almost climbed in his car.

“Pick me up in ten minutes.  Don’t be late.”

***

Hannah sat in the front of the boat, and she seemed like a different person.  She even looked different.  She had traded her pretty sweater and skirt for blue jeans and a ratty old denim shirt.  Her red pony tail was spilling out of the back of her red cap, and her sunglasses were rather small and uncool in this day and age.  Corey was wearing what he had on when he had found her at the library roughly an hour ago.  He looked back at the landing, and saw his dad’s shiny black 4 x 4 getting smaller as the outboard pushed them out into Two Island Lake.  “Which one?”  Corey yelled out.

“What do you mean?”  Hannah shouted back.

“We need to pick which one you want to go to.  I only have enough time to spare with the boat to probably hit one of the islands, unless you’re a faster explorer than I’m aware of.”

“The South one” Hannah said, pointing at the island that was dead ahead.  Corey gunned the outboard motor, and in less than a minute they were coasting into the high grass of the island.

“Are you sure this is safe?  Has anyone ever been out here?”

“I’m sure they have, but nobody seems to want to admit it.  I must have checked out every book that even mentioned this lake.  Granted, there weren’t many.”

“What did they say about them?”

“Nothing” Hannah said as she looked back to the spot her dad had taken her fishing at so long ago.  “Other than whoever named this wasn’t very original.”

“I’m sure they just wanted to be specific.  The two islands are a pretty predominant feature of this little lake.”

“They sure are.  Should we claim it for the Redmen?”

“If a good pitcher lives here.  We could use a few more this summer on the Legion team.”  Corey looked all around, and other than the gravel road and a few distant farms they seemed alone in the world.

“I love this island.  I wish we had time to check it out more.  I feel really at peace here.”

Corey shook his head and smiled.  He glanced all around again.  His eyes caught the other island.  Without warning, he felt a cold chill creep up his spine.  For an instant, he could have sworn he was being watched.  No.  He was being stared at, by something on the other island.  He couldn’t move.  The hair on his arms and back was starting to rise.  He felt his stomach knot up and a bit of bile creep into his esophagus.  A presence was nearby.  It was so close it could touch him.  He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he let out a scream that echoed all around.  He looked back at the island he was on, and only Hannah was looking at him.  “Wha…what?”  He stammered as his hand shook slightly.

“Are you okay?  I’ve been all over this island.  There’s nothing here but old bird nests and some washed up beer cans.  What have you been doing?”

“Doing?”

“I’ve been gone for fifteen minutes.  Are you sure you’re okay?  You look really pale.”

“I’m fine.  Just…I got a bad vibe from the other island.  That’s all.”

“That must have been one hell of a bad vibe.  C’mon.  Let’s get going.  I want to hit Taco Johns while Dez is still working.  She upsizes our oles for free.”  Hannah walked past him and started getting the boat turned around in the water.

“Yeah…yeah” Corey said.  He glanced back at the other island, but the feeling had past.  He turned and walked to the boat, all the while trying to ignore the fact he still felt like he was being watched.

[Two Island Lake continues on the next deuce]