Blackbird, p.16
Blackbird, page 16
Officer Jimenez wrote something down in the notebook. “What time did you last see the game before it was vandalized?”
“Um, well, after closing.” Wait, should I have said that?
“So around 10:00 p.m.?”
He nodded. “Yep, I think so.”
“There were no signs of a break-in, Toby. Did you notice anyone hanging around who wasn’t supposed to be there after closing?”
He blew out a breath, shook his head slowly. “Nope. No one. Same thing I told Dan. I checked the stalls and the play area where kids tend to hide.”
Officer Jimenez looked directly into Toby’s eyes. “Toby, I want you to be completely honest with me.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“Did you vandalize the game Hide-and-Seek?”
“What?”
“I have to ask. You were the last one to see the game. You were working in the restaurant near the time of the crime. Everyone else was in the kitchen. You didn’t sign out at the end of your shift. Maybe you were in a hurry because you’d vandalized the game. Maybe you were upset with your boss or someone. I’ve seen it happen before. And you didn’t want to get in trouble, so you ran. Is that how it happened?”
Toby stepped back. “No, it wasn’t me.” Yes, it was.
“Okay,” he said sternly. “That’s all for now. Let Mr. Harbor know if you remember anything else or if you want to tell him anything else.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Officer Jimenez gave a nod of his head. “Have a good day.”
Toby nodded in return. He closed the door, still tense. He wondered if the officer believed him. It didn’t sound like it. It sounded like he thought Toby did it. He wondered if he was going to get caught.
Toby scrubbed a hand down his face. He had too many things to focus on. He was trying his best to figure out how to be free of the shadow. He also had to worry if he was going to get caught for breaking Hide-and-Seek.
One thing at a time, please.
He walked into the kitchen and threw the half-eaten banana in the garbage, then detoured into the front room. Beside his dad’s recliner was a small tray table with a lighter and an ashtray. He grabbed the lighter and flicked it, but it didn’t light. He shook the lighter and flicked it again. This time, the flame lit.
He bit his bottom lip, staring at the small flame.
Maybe …
He released the igniter, then shook his head, muttering, “No freaking way.” He tossed the lighter back on the tray.
“Was that a cop at the door?”
Toby jumped and whirled toward his dad. “Dad, you scared me! I didn’t know you were home. Where’s your car?”
“Getting a tune-up. I took the day off. Why the cop? What did he want with you?”
Toby cracked his knuckles. “Um, there was a break-in at Freddy’s. Just a routine, questioning the employees who were there that night.”
“Are you sure that’s all it was?”
Toby blinked. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
“You’re not in any kind of trouble with breaking the law?”
“No, Dad.” But he was in trouble.
Dad nodded, sat in his recliner, and turned on the television.
Toby walked away, then turned around to stare at his dad. He wanted to tell him the truth. He wanted to tell him that he cheated the game and destroyed it in anger. That the game had somehow attached to him and followed him home. He wanted to tell him so his dad could help him. So he could do what parents were supposed to do and help their kids when they were in trouble. Not just go through the motions of life like everything was okay when nothing was okay.
Not to pretend as if he never had a wife, and Toby and Connor never had a mom. Not to pretend as if he had two happy sons, who never called each other names or fought with their fists. As if life was all about working for a paycheck and watching sports.
“Dad?”
“Yeah, Tobes?” Dad said, not taking his eyes off the television.
“Why did Mom leave us?”
Dad didn’t move his head from the screen. He didn’t even flinch from the unexpected question. Toby wondered: When was the last time he ever saw his dad express any emotion, other than excitement or disgust from watching sports?
His dad was pretty much the mellow type. Toby had never seen him get seriously angry other than to yell at the refs on television. When he told Connor or Toby something, it was all very calm and rational. Maybe it was a bonus to have a parent who didn’t yell at you or scold you.
A minute passed as he waited for an answer from his dad, then two minutes. After five minutes, he realized he wasn’t going to get an answer. He didn’t know if it was because his dad didn’t have one or if he didn’t feel Toby could handle the truth.
Toby left the room to get ready for work.
* * *
Toby kept up with his regular routine and went in an hour before his shift to play games in the arcade. When he arrived, he noticed the Hide-and-Seek door propped open with a sign that stated, OUT OF ORDER.
Curious about Hide-and-Seek, he slid his hands inside his pockets and walked inside the game room. There was a tall, skinny guy standing by the control box. He had a laptop in his arms and seemed to be rebooting the game. His hair was blond and spiky, and he wore thick-framed glasses.
“Hey,” Toby said to the guy. “How’s it going?”
“All right,” he said, eyeing him. “You know the game’s out of order. You supposed to be in here?”
Toby cleared his throat. “Yeah, well, I work here. Gonna start my shift soon.”
The tech guy seemed to relax a little. “Well, truthfully, then, I’m not doing so good. Hide-and-Seek here won’t reboot. It says it’s rebooting, but once it starts again, it goes back to the previous game every time. Must be some kind of wiring issue.”
“It’s stuck?”
“Yeah, stuck in game mode with the last player … uh, some kid named Toby.”
All the blood seemed to rush out of Toby’s head. He felt faint. “Really? Can’t you just shut it down and restart it?”
“Normally, yeah. But something’s off, I’m telling you. It won’t stop the game. Never seen anything like it. Must be defunct. Dan ain’t going to like to hear that. Not after he found out whoever tore up the game also took the rabbit.”
“What?”
“Bonnie the Rabbit. The character. The black cutout rabbit for the game is gone. Whoever messed up the game took the rabbit right off the wall like some kind of souvenir. I can’t believe it. Probably stuck it in their room or threw darts at it or something. Kids these days. No offense.”
“Yeah. None taken.”
The tech guy shut his laptop. “Well, going to go give Dan more bad news. I advised him to put in a camera from the beginning, but he was already dishing out a boatload for this game. Anyway, I’d stay clear of him today if I were you, kid. Maybe he shouldn’t have ever installed this game.”
“Yeah.”
“Anyway, Dan’s a good guy. He just wanted the best for the business. Give the families some entertainment, a place to have fun. But this is how he’s repaid. Sucks, you know?”
When the tech guy left, Toby quickly strode through the kitchen, smelling pepperoni and melted cheese. He walked to the single employee bathroom and closed and locked the door behind him. He leaned his hands on either side of the pedestal sink, staring into the small mirror on the wall.
He stared into the darkness at his back, with all the anger and frustration he had inside of him. He hadn’t taken the rabbit cutout from the game. No, it had decided all on its own to leave with Toby.
And as Toby stared hard at the shadow, two eyes opened and blinked at him.
Toby lurched back and yelped. His heart pounded like a drum.
He grabbed at the door, trying to open it, but because he was staring at the horror in the mirror, he forgot he’d locked it. He took his eyes off the shadow for a second, unlocked the handle, and whipped open the door. He rushed out and ran into Dan.
Toby stopped short, breathing hard. “Uh, Dan.”
Dan gave him a weird look. “You all right, kid?”
Toby cracked his knuckles, trying not to shake in front of his boss. “Yeah, why?”
“You look nervous about something.”
Toby adjusted his beanie. “Um, no, I’m fine. Really.” His face heated because he was so far from fine.
Dan eyed him some more. “Okay, kid. Whatever you say.” Then he walked into his office.
Toby sagged against the bathroom door. His phone signaled with a new text. It was Tabitha again.
What about an herbalist? They can give you stuff to calm your nerves.
No way.
Well, it was just an idea. I’m here at Freddy’s. Come meet me in the arcade.
Surprised, Toby clicked off his phone as he hurried to the arcade to find Tabitha, who was peering over a kid’s shoulder as he played a game. Reggie was right beside her, eating pink cotton candy on a stick.
Toby stopped at her side, rubbing his damp palms on the shirt. “What are you doing here?” He was already nervous, and it made him even more nervous to have her at the scene of the crime that he had confessed to her. When he’d told her his secrets, she’d been someone separate from his everyday life. She didn’t know much about him or Freddy’s, but now that his separate worlds were colliding, it felt weird and uncomfortable.
Tabitha smiled as she looked around the arcade. “This is a cool place. I’ve never actually been here. My parents aren’t into places like these.”
“It’s a family pizza restaurant.”
She shrugged. “They’re vegans.” She looked back to Toby, her smile dropping away. “Hey, are you okay?”
“Yeah, fine.”
“Who’s your friend, Toby?” Reggie butted in. “Hey, I’m Reggie.”
Tabitha glanced at Reggie. “Tabitha.”
Reggie looked at Toby and lifted his eyebrows a couple of times in an annoying way. “You come here often?” he asked her.
“No, first time.”
Toby frowned at Reggie. He knew Tabitha wasn’t a regular. What was up with him? He took Tabitha by the elbow and guided her away. Over her shoulder, he watched Reggie keep pointing to Toby, then to his own back. Then he made a big gesture like he was huge, then a scary face. Then he mouthed very slowly, Shadow. Bigger.
Toby rolled his eyes, then asked Tabitha, “What are you doing here?”
“I want to see the game.”
Toby shook his head. “No way. Can’t. It’s out of order. No one is supposed to be in there.”
“Can I at least see the outside of it? Please, I’m curious.”
Toby sighed. He didn’t think it was such a good idea, but he felt if he didn’t let her see it, she’d just keep on about it until she got her way.
“Fine, but then you better go.”
“Okay.”
“And look, I trusted you with this. Don’t make me regret it.”
“You won’t. I promise.” She crossed her heart with her finger.
Toby led her out of the arcade and to the door of Hide-and-Seek. He crossed his arms as she studied the shadowed rabbit and the logo.
“Seems so innocent, but then you know it’s something dark and scary to a friend.” She looked at Toby. “How do you feel?”
“Like it’s always there and I’m never going to get rid of it.” Toby shifted uncomfortably. Why was he always telling her stuff like that?
“You’ll beat this, Toby. I’m making a list of ideas, like the ones I’ve been texting you about. I’m going to help you figure out how to solve this. We’re going to get you in a better place.”
Toby just stared at her, not knowing what to say. Other than why? Why did she want to help him? Why did she even care? He wasn’t sure he wanted her help, anyway. He wasn’t sure he could totally trust someone in that way. It had been so long since he trusted anyone … he’d learned being let down pretty much sucked.
He adjusted his beanie and sighed. “Whatever you want to do.”
* * *
Toby was running from someone. Or something. He was in a park at night. The pale light of the full moon washed across the scene. Stars twinkled above. Trees and bushes loomed across the area surrounding a small playground. His heartbeats were running a mile a minute. His breaths were coming out of his mouth at a pace he was certain he couldn’t maintain. He hid behind a tree, trying to catch his breath. Something dark and fast torpedoed past him—so fast, Toby’s hair moved as if brushed by the wind.
“Holy cow,” Toby whispered. It was the shadow, but somehow it moved faster than his eyes could follow. How was he going to escape something so quick?
He launched himself off the tree, running by a grocery store and a school. The streets were empty of cars and people. He spotted a police station up ahead. Had to get there and get help.
He shoved through the doors. “Someone help me! There’s something after me! Please!”
But when he looked around, there were no officers.
“Hello? Where is everyone? Come on, I need help here!”
But the place was deserted, as if everyone had just walked away at the same time.
Toby jerked his head toward the doorway. He felt the darkness coming. He wasn’t sure how, but he knew it was getting closer.
He whipped his head to the left and to the right, his nerves scrambling throughout his body. He spotted an empty desk and dove behind it, squatting underneath it, pulling his knees to his chin. He heard the doors to the police station burst open. Toby started at the sound and squeezed his eyes shut.
Please don’t find me. Please don’t find me.
The shadow raced past the desk. Toby heard the clank of the jail cell doors. Finding it empty, the darkness roared at him with the timbre of a thousand angry beasts. Monstrous. Terrifying. Toby bit his bottom lip in order not to scream himself. His entire body started to shake.
The shadow rushed by the desk again, and Toby sat for a moment, waiting to get some distance between him and the shadow. He licked his dry lips. I think it’s gone.
He slowly crawled out from his hiding place, but when he stood, he froze in horror.
The shadow reared itself before him, its darkness crackling with energy. The shadow’s narrowed eyes peered down at Toby.
Toby stepped back, and the shadow moved closer.
“Stay away from me!” Toby shouted.
But the shadow continued to lurch closer. The nearer it got, the bigger it became, until it loomed over Toby like a mountain of unforgiving darkness. The shadow’s power had created a vortex of energy that blew through the room. Toby’s hair flew back, and his clothes flattened against his body.
Toby threw his hands over his head as the darkness crashed down, swallowing and surrounding him. Anger, despair, fear seemed to fill him up. He swung out with fists in terror and rage, trying to fight it, but his arms just swung through air.
The shadow devoured him: It leached into his eyes and through his nostrils. Toby shrieked—swallowing the darkness down his throat.
Toby woke up screaming. “No!”
He jumped out of bed, fell to the floor. Darkness was all around him. He launched himself backward, his entire body shaking. He hit a cold wall, and he realized he was home in his room. It wasn’t real. Just a nightmare. But it had seemed so real.
It was one of the worst nightmares of his life.
His eyes stung, and he started to cry, his shoulders shaking. Because if he’d learned one thing from the nightmare, it was that the shadow was so much stronger than him. And that it wanted to win at all costs.
He wiped at his leaky nose and howled in frustration. He hated this. He hated the shadow. He wanted it gone. He reached for his back, clawed at it. “Get. Off. Of. Me.” He scratched. He scraped. “Leave me alone!”
He tore off his shirt and dug into his skin as if he could tear the shadow away. He clawed and slashed with his own hands. Digging into his skin. “I want you gone!”
He felt the burn of the scratches, the drips of blood.
“Just leave me alone!” he screamed, and cried some more, curling into a ball on the floor.
But he knew the shadow was still there. That it wouldn’t leave.
He could sense it as if it were a part of him now.
* * *
“Dude, Tobes, what is up with you lately?” Connor asked when Toby walked into the kitchen. Connor stood at the kitchen counter, eating two breakfast sandwiches. He looked at Toby with wide eyes as if seeing him in a way he’d never seen him before. “Are you still sick? Maybe we should get Dad to take you to the doctor or something.”
“Just leave me alone, Connor.” There was no way Connor could handle what was really wrong with him.
“Tobes, I’m serious. You need help. I can tell something’s wrong with you. You walk around like a freaking zombie. You’re barely eating, and you’re not your whiny self. It’s weird, and you’re already weird. So, that makes you weirder than usual.”
“Shut up.” Toby made a face and shook his head. “Don’t act like you care.”
Connor beat his chest with his sandwich. “What? What do you mean? I care.”
“Whatever. You only care about yourself and how you think you’re the best at everything.”
“That’s not true. And just because I’m good at stuff, a lot of stuff, you don’t have to get all bent about it.”
Toby gave a small laugh. “Every day of your life, you tell me how you’re the best and I’m nothing. That I’m a loser.”
Connor didn’t have much to say to that, so he just said, “Okay, well, I’m pretty close to being the best.”
Toby’s eyes widened. “No, you’re not, Connor. You’re not the best, and I’m not the best. You only think you are because, for some reason, you and Dad think you’re so great. So pathetic, is more like it.”
Connor rolled his eyes. “This is about Dad, isn’t it? You’re jealous.”
Toby jerked back. “What?”
“You’re jealous because Dad and I spend a lot of time watching sports. Dad always invites you to watch with us, you know that. Why don’t you hang out with us instead of barricading yourself in your room?”
