Here in this Sorrow, Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Clark didn’t flinch as the maroon Corsica rolled to a stop inches from his legs. As he got in the front seat, he did a double-take. “You’re all decked-out,” he said, buckling his seat-belt.

Christian looked at himself in the rear-view mirror. “Just the eye-liner,” he said, touching the black pools under his eyes. He held out hands clad in fingerless skeleton gloves. “I’ve worn these to school before. I’m putting on zombie make-up before we leave school tonight.” He pointed to Clark’s green hair and said, “You’re talking about getting all decked out for a show? How about you? ‘Oh, I’ve got to look all punk rock!’”

“What?” Clark asked. “I just wanted to do something different. I haven’t been green for a while. I figured, what the hell, right?”

“Sure,” Christian said through a broad smile. “Whatever.”

“Are you going to do that in detention?” Clark asked with a smile.

“Fuck detention. We’re leaving school right after eight period, as soon as I’m done putting on my make-up.” He pulled his long, black bangs down in his face. “I’m wearing my devilock down too.”

“You’re going to look like everyone else at the show.”

“So?” Christian said. “I might never see them again.”

“And what do you mean, ‘fuck detention?’ You’re probably going to be there all day for skipping it last night, along with the classes you missed.” Clark rolled down the window and lit a cigarette. “How do you plan to get out of that one? They’ll pull you out first period.”

Christian’s brow furrowed. “I hadn’t thought of that one.” He shrugged. “I’m a smart guy, I’ll figure it out.” He smiled. “You should set off a smoke alarm to get Shannon and I out tonight.”

Clark scratched his chin. “You want me to risk getting arrested?

“Why not? It’s punk rock!” He drummed the steering wheel. “Come on, Sid Vicious would do it!”

“Yeah?” Clark said. “Look where he is.” He rolled down his window and draped his arm over the door. “So what happened with your dad last night?”

“He told me I had to work tonight, and that I couldn’t go to the show,” Christian said casually.

“Well, I take it you have no intent on obeying.”

“You only live once, and who knows when it’s going to end,” Christian responded with a smile.

Clark nodded. “That’s why I keep telling you to do drugs.”

Shannon was walking down her drive-way as Christian pulled up. Her stride was shortened by the crossed straps of the plaid bondage pants. She slid into the back seat behind Clark.

“I see everyone got dressed for the show but me,” Clark said, leaning around the seat. He extended his hand and she clapped it.

“Oh, you’re so normal-looking,” she said, punching his shoulder. “Besides, I had to go all out, so the boys will notice me when I’m up front.” She pulled the shoulder of her Crass-T-shirt-made-tank-top down over her arm, revealing a black bra-strap and smiled seductively. When Christian looked back in the mirror, she said, “Nice eye-liner, Chris.”

“Thanks,” he said. “I’m wearing zombie make-up and my devilock too.”

“Hey!” Clark said. “What about me? You don’t even notice my hair?”

Shannon laughed and ruffled his hair. “You look beautiful too, darling!” She smiled. “I bet Andy’s wearing khakis and a dress-shirt.” When Christian and Clark chuckled, she laughed and said, “He’s so straight. I can’t believe his psycho-mom even lets him hang out with us.” She laughed. “She probably thinks we’re going to make him kill people.”

Christian glanced up in the mirror.

Clark looked back at her. “Were you there the night she found his ‘American Psycho’ album?”

Shannon shook her head.

Clark cried out and threw his hands in the air. “She threw a fit! ‘Why are you bringing this garbage into my house? Why can’t you be more like normal kids? Why...’”

“‘...Can’t you be more like your brother,’” Shannon finished. “I’ve heard her use that one a thousand times. Jesus, back when she thought I was his girlfriend, she was so funny. She would always make a point to talk about other girls when I was around. Then she would act all weird when I would tell Andy that they would be good for him. She must have been so relieved when she found out we were just friends. I’ll tell you,” she sighed. “Andy doesn’t need us to make him kill people.”

Christian sneered. “It’s always the quiet ones.”

Shannon unzipped her back pack. She pulled out a vial of unopened stage-blood and held it between them. “You guys want to wear blood to school today?”

Christian snorted. “It’s not going to matter much, as the two of us are going to be in detention all day.”

Shannon chuckled. “I forgot about that.”

“I’ll just wait until I put on the rest of my make-up,” Christian said.

Clark took the vial, opened it and squirted it over his throat. It ran down into his shirt. “This isn’t going to turn pink on me, is it?”

Shannon took it out of his hand. “It better not, I paid a lot for it. I got blood capsules too, if anyone would like to spit during the day.”

“Jesus,” Clark said. “You’re doing more than you did on Halloween.”

She splattered blood on her face. “This is more important.”

“Save some for me,” Christian said. He rolled the car to a stop in front of Andy’s house. He beeped the horn twice and turned the stereo up. Blanks 77 blasted out of the open windows.

Andy ran out the front door, frantically motioning to turn it down.

“I told you he’d be dressed like that,” Shannon said, pointing to him as he nervously ran to the car.

“You said a dress-shirt. He’s got a sweater-vest,” Clark replied. He reached over and turned the music down. “It’s going to be funny seeing us in line for the show. We’ll be there looking like a massacre, and Andy looking like he just got out of chess-club.”

Andy sat down next to Shannon. “Well, you’re all a frightful mess,” he said. “I hope my mom didn’t see all of you looking like this.” He pulled a comb out of his bag and ran it through his wet, brown hair. “Nice eye-liner, Chris,” he said with a chuckle.

Christian looked in the mirror and winked.

“What’s with the blood?” Andy asked, touching the splotches on Shannon’s face.

“Want some?” she asked, holding the vial out to him.

He smiled and playfully batted it away.

“Are you going dressed like that?” Clark asked.

Andy looked at his wardrobe. “I’ll probably take the vest off,” he said, looking at it distastefully, “But other than that, yes.” He paused. “Isn’t this whole scene about looking like what you want to? I want to look like this, you shouldn’t judge me for it. Just because I don’t feel the need to dye my hair to impress the band...” He pointed at Christian. “Besides, at least I’m not going to be the guy wearing the shirt of the band he’s going to see.”

“I was talking to Mark Dorals,” Clark said. “He said that at a Misfits show, you’re the guy not wearing one of their shirts.”

Andy shrugged. “I guess I’m just not a crazed fan...” He put his hand on Christian’s shoulder. “...Like some people.” When Christian shrugged his hand away, Andy asked, “So, you going to finish Jim off today?”

Christian chuckled. “Well, I would do it today, but detention is putting a cramp in my schedule. He’s going to have to wait until tomorrow to get a piece of me.”

Andy nodded. “True.” He looked over at Clark. “So, you’re going to test Mr. Henry, then?” He tugged at one of the spikes on Clark’s collar.

“To hell with Mr. Henry,” Clark said. “What’s he going to do, walk me down from my last class? Even Chris is planning on breaking out. I’m not staying after school.”

Christian smiled. “I’m going to be an outlaw today. Be at my car at the end of the day. I’ll be there waiting for you.”

“With make-up on,” Clark interjected.

“With make up,” Christian repeated.