Static Reflections: Book 1 of The M... - Chapter 13: Chapter 13

That night, Boris and Tyler arrived at the Lowball, a large building with a huge blinking yellow neon sign in cursive lettering beside the magic eight ball synonymous with the bar. The otter didn't know much about the establishment, having never been a social animal. His parents also wouldn't have approved of him partying with common-class folk. Going to school? Fine. The park? Sure. But full-on parties where they could risk slandering the Downing Family name? It was treason.
Nonetheless, Molly and Leah still snuck out to parties whenever they pleased. Leah more than Molly. And the one time Boris did it—Well, it didn't end well. That was when he had slain Travis.
"Sheesh!" Tyler lauded. "Look at that line!"
Boris turned the steering wheel slowly in the parking lot, searching for an open spot. "Looks like we have a wait, then."
"The closer we get to you killing this guy, the more nervous I am," Tyler said. "So a wait's nice."
Boris found a spot and rolled the car into the small space, putting it into park and pulling the brake. "You know, it would be nice if I could just skip forward in time, past all this."
Tyler, looking out the window at the string of animals wrapping around the building, sighed. "I've been thinking."
"Is that so?"
"This is horrible." He rolled down the window and took out a box of cigarettes from his shorts. He pulled a stick out as well as a lighter.
"Do you and Nick really have to?" Boris frowned, never the one to be a fan of their smoking habits.
"And it sucks," Tyler continued, lighting the end of the cigarette.
Boris pressed the button on the side of his door, and the window lowered with a hum. "This isn't a new development, Tyler."
The German shepherd inhaled a puff of smoke, then blew it out the window, coughing gently. Boris just sat and watched him smoke the entire thing. After he was finished, Tyler chucked it to the asphalt below. "Now!" The German shepherd said, pulling off his shirt and exposing his built chest, as well as his small muscles and bruises.
The otter looked at each one for a moment. "Wh-what are you doing?"
"I'm gonna have fun before it turns into a maelstrom in there," Tyler said. "You're gonna be seeing weirder stuff than this inside." Boris didn't respond, turning off the car and unbuckling his seatbelt, putting his keys in the pocket of his ridiculous shorts, and opening the door. Tyler did the same, and they convened at the car's back, strolling toward the line. Boris had the small portable mirror in his other pocket, knowing that he would need it to retrieve his weapon when it was time.
The closer they got to the building, the louder the electronic music became. The glowing light from the sign illuminated the pair's faces as the sun had just finished setting, the sky awash with dark blues and purples.
Walking around the left-hand side of the building, Boris and Tyler found their place in line, right behind two animals who were already inebriated, laughing about something one of their friends did recently. The outfits they wore were similar to that of the rest of the animals in line, with many colors and cosmic patterns. Some of the colors were so bright that they were almost blinding. Boris stood, looking down at his feet, which still had the flip-flops. He still hated the way they looked, along with the rest of his body, but it's what he had to do. This much fur shouldn't be exposed, he thought to himself.
"So, what's the plan?" Tyler asked. "You gonna charge in there and just take him out?"
"No," Boris said. "And keep your voice down! I'll need to blend in first and find him. I suggest we do magnet protocol."
"Protocol? What is this, some kind of military operation?"
"Not really, but it is an . . . operation of sorts. Anyway, you should always stay the opposite of me, no matter where I move."
"Don't magnets attract?" Tyler asked, tail swaying behind him.
"Yes, but they repel when they've flipped around," Boris explained. "It's basic science, Tyler."
"I knew that," the dog said. "I'll make the most of the time, then."
"And don't go off with anyone or leave," Boris said. "I don't want to lose you."
"I won't go off with some guy, don't worry." Tyler rolled his eyes and turned around as they stepped up.
Boris got a good look at the purple spots dotting his back, and he felt a weight in his chest. ". . . You're okay with people seeing that?"
Tyler looked back. "What?"
"Your . . . bruises . . ."
"Yeah. I am," Tyler said, crossing his arms. "Unlike you rich animals that cover their scars with makeup and fancy clothes, I'm not afraid to show my damage."
Boris looked up at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. To be honest, I . . . don't like all of my fur being out like this."
"Why not?"
"It feels cold and strange . . . Wrong . . . like everyone is seeing me."
"You have a nice fur color," Tyler stated. "Kinda sucks you can only see yourself covered in blood in the mirror."
"Wearing clothes I'd never wear," Boris chuckled.
"Yeah, haha. As a stereotypical gay guy, I know fashion, and at least I can say black looks good on you."
"Hooray for that," Boris smiled. "You . . . came around quickly. How?" They stepped up again.
"Boris, I have nowhere else to go," Tyler admitted. "You . . . did what you did at my house . . . How can I honestly go back? Once the . . . you know . . . is gone and shit . . . what do I do? Pay for it myself? With no job? The band in shambles after the concert? Any idea how to actually take care of myself? No."
"I can't do anything like that. So I was stuck here, for one. And like I told you, you can't do this alone. So we're gonna get through this roadblock and then fucking figure something out after it's over. Okay?"
"Yes . . . " Boris had destroyed this animal's life. The weight in his chest grew heavier as he looked back at the ground, nodding slowly. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Huh?"
Boris swallowed, keeping his eyes glued to the asphalt below. "Your grandfather. None of us had any idea . . . ."
"He was a shitty guardian. What is there to talk about?"
"But I don't understand," Boris stated. "He was willing to hurt you right in front of me. Wasn't he worried that as a Downing, I could get him acquitted or something? Unless he planned on killing me."
"He did grab a gun," the dog reminded. "And he was drunk off his ass. I don't know."
"Why didn't you tell us that that was happening to you?" Boris questioned. "You always seemed so energetic at practice."
"Yeah, well. A shirt hides scars. So does a mask. I didn't want to think about it when I was with you guys. It was like an escape for me. "
"But you said you weren't afraid to show your damage . . ."
"To them."
"Then, did you think he would hurt you badly if you told us?"
Tyler clenched his fist, looking at the brick wall to the side, which had some scratch marks from the claw of a larger animal—perhaps a bear. "I don't know, Boris. Can we not talk about this right now?"
The otter sighed. "Just tell me one thing."
"Yeah?"
"How long?"
"Since my grandma died. I'm sure losing her after losing my parents--my mom--took a real toll on him."
"That's no excuse for him to treat you the way he did," Boris almost growled.
Tyler brushed his hands on his shorts and swallowed heavily. "Have I . . . ever really told you about what happened to my parents?"
Boris looked up. "You don't have to."
"I was pretty happy growing up," Tyler said. "I mean, we didn't have a mansion or anything, but I didn't really know about all that financial stuff, so I thought we were well off. I mean, pups don't know that moving around a lot means you're poor. So, I guess we were poor for a while. And then I don't know what happened. Mom came home really happy one day, and then dad was really happy, but they wouldn't tell me why. We moved pretty soon after into a two-story house. It was the first time I had ever lived in a house with stairs. I thought it was awesome."
Boris listened, remaining quite polite as Tyler spun his yarn. "We even had better food." Tyler's lips grew into a smile. "It was the best. But then . . ." His eyes descended. "One night, they took me out to the movies—a pretty normal evening. I forgot what movie it was. Mom and I were singing along to this cheesy pop song. We were driving down the road, and there was a car speeding in our direction. My dad commented on how stupid it was to drive that fast. I remember my mom reached back and grabbed my knee. Last time she touched me."
The weight grew once more. "And then?" Boris asked.
"The car switched lanes," Tyler said. "And the headlights got brighter. That must have been their high beams. Before my dad could even react, there was a scream from my mom, and then the car crashed right into us, shattering the windshield."
"Oh my god . . . ." Boris put his hand over his mouth.
"And you'd think it would stop there. I remember all the scraping and loud breathing. The car didn't stop, though. It kept driving into us, pushing our car backward, like it was trying to take us somewhere. And then, all at once, it just stopped." Tyler wiped his eyes. "Everything was blurry from that point on. My parents were quiet, and I was calling out to them. There were blue and red lights, and then I woke up in the hospital, my parents were gone, and my grandfather was sitting right next to me and smoking a cigarette."
Boris' eyes were wide. "Wow..." He saw the entire scene in his head, like a moving painting.
"I know."
"That's completely awful..." Boris stepped forward and put his hands on the shepherd's fuzzy chest.
"And they were clearly attacked, which makes it a whole mystery I don't even know I'll solve."
Boris realized he was breathing rather quickly at this point. "That's insane..."
"It really is."
"They . . . You said they switched lanes. And they kept driving into your car? Wouldn't that put them at risk as well?"
"No clue what they were thinking but probably . . ."
"Just wow . . ." Boris said, clutching his fur. Then, when he realized his place, moved back. "Look," he pointed. "There are three groups left in line."
Tyler pursed his lips. "Okay." And he was left to stew in the memory of that horrible night and the feeling that he may never know the answer to his questions about it.