NATALIE entry five of The day we found soda, among other things
The crazy man pulled me to my feet, his callused hand still pressed against my face. I had half a mind to bite his figure off, but there was something about his frantic eyes, his hurried warning not to breath, that gave me pause. Another one came into view just as the first let me up, in his hand he held another one of those masks they wore. He passed it off to the other and he moved his hand away, slamming the thing onto my mouth with unnecessary force.
“I told you to warn her, not strangle her.” The second one said.
“There wasn’t enough time.” Said the first. I watched their exchanged with confusion I’m sure registered on my face. Their voices… they were exactly the same.
“Well you scared her half to death ass-hole, she probably pissed herself.”
“Did not.”
I wasn’t sure why that was the only thing I could think to say. It was enough to halt their bickering a moment, and bring their attention to me. The fist one sighed, which sounded like a machine letting free pressurized air coming out of the mask. He approached with an outstretched hand, the same one he’d clamped around my mouth.
“I apologize for scaring you.” He said kindly. “But the air is toxic here, had I not you would have died.”
“A very horrible, very painful death.” The other added.
“My name is Casper.” Said the first. “You can call me Cass.”
“Or Ass works to.” Spat the other. “My names Everett. You can call me Everett.”
Cass punched Everett’s arm and re-offered his hand. Reluctantly I took it, but otherwise said nothing.
“This would be where you tell use your name and why we shouldn't take that mask and let you die.”
“I would.” I sputtered, holding both arms tight against my stomach. They were right about the air being toxic, my lungs were burning, but that may be from the minutes without breathing a few seconds earlier. “I can’t remember it at the moment.”
“See!” Everett growled. “You done scared her stupid.”
“Did you just say done” Cass asked with a giggle.
“Oh shut up.”
“Natalie.” I said the moment the name returned to my scattered brain. “My name is Natalie, You can um… you can call me Nat if you want.”
“Sounds like a bug.” Cass said, his eyes squinting up. “I’m smiling by the way, you can’t see it but I am.”
“You sound like your five.” Everett grumbled.
“At least I don’t sound like a forty year old living in the deep south.”
“Bite me.”
“Gladly.”
Casper lunged at who I assumed was his brother, and Everett quickly took him to the ground. I stood in mute shock. These kids were f***ing crazy
“I told you to warn her, not strangle her.” The second one said.
“There wasn’t enough time.” Said the first. I watched their exchanged with confusion I’m sure registered on my face. Their voices… they were exactly the same.
“Well you scared her half to death ass-hole, she probably pissed herself.”
“Did not.”
I wasn’t sure why that was the only thing I could think to say. It was enough to halt their bickering a moment, and bring their attention to me. The fist one sighed, which sounded like a machine letting free pressurized air coming out of the mask. He approached with an outstretched hand, the same one he’d clamped around my mouth.
“I apologize for scaring you.” He said kindly. “But the air is toxic here, had I not you would have died.”
“A very horrible, very painful death.” The other added.
“My name is Casper.” Said the first. “You can call me Cass.”
“Or Ass works to.” Spat the other. “My names Everett. You can call me Everett.”
Cass punched Everett’s arm and re-offered his hand. Reluctantly I took it, but otherwise said nothing.
“This would be where you tell use your name and why we shouldn't take that mask and let you die.”
“I would.” I sputtered, holding both arms tight against my stomach. They were right about the air being toxic, my lungs were burning, but that may be from the minutes without breathing a few seconds earlier. “I can’t remember it at the moment.”
“See!” Everett growled. “You done scared her stupid.”
“Did you just say done” Cass asked with a giggle.
“Oh shut up.”
“Natalie.” I said the moment the name returned to my scattered brain. “My name is Natalie, You can um… you can call me Nat if you want.”
“Sounds like a bug.” Cass said, his eyes squinting up. “I’m smiling by the way, you can’t see it but I am.”
“You sound like your five.” Everett grumbled.
“At least I don’t sound like a forty year old living in the deep south.”
“Bite me.”
“Gladly.”
Casper lunged at who I assumed was his brother, and Everett quickly took him to the ground. I stood in mute shock. These kids were f***ing crazy