Sudden Independents

“Wonderful.” Hunter ran his arms through the heavy sleeves of his leather jacket and followed after Scout.

• • •

Down on Main Street, Brittany’s crackled like a madhouse on lockdown. The lunchtime crowd barely touched the food on their plates. They were preoccupied with sneaking peeks and chatting with each other about the new arrivals. From across the room, Hunter spotted the visitors sitting with his brother and began mentally labeling them.

The girl was the sparkle, used to distract anyone with half a penis, which meant every boy over the age of eleven in this crowd. The color of her hair reminded Hunter of autumn leaves. She wore her shirt one size too small; the tightness accentuated her natural appeal. Unfortunately, she was probably having a hard time distracting her current group because Mark was basically married, and Hunter didn’t know what his brother was-but Jimmy never got distracted.

The redheaded kid was the muscle and more than likely, dumb as a post. One long furry eyebrow stretched above his dull, pale eyes and across his pronounced forehead like Frankenstein. He sat with his arms bowed-out, trying to look-or feel-big and intimidating. Hunter smiled; one swift kick to the knee would leave “Muscles” rolling helplessly on the ground.

That left the third kid that should have stayed home and taken medicine and vast quantities of vitamin C and chicken noodle soup. The walking infection was obviously the brains. His hair was dark, and his eyes were like thunderclouds that appeared to take in everything at once, including Hunter and Scout as they approached the table through the bedlam.

Hunter noticed the brains catch the redheaded kid’s attention. Muscles actually tried to bow-out more by the time Hunter and Scout reached them.

Scout circled the table to Vanessa where she sat holding hands with Mark, and kissed his sister on the cheek. Hunter stopped beside Jimmy’s chair. Mark glanced up at him with a momentary flash of disgust in his eyes; then he shook his head and looked away.

“Guys,” Jimmy said. “This is my brother, Michael, and Vanessa’s brother, David.”

Hunter understood. Jimmy had the playbook open and nicknames were not being used to set up the offense.

“Chase, Patrick and Kessie just arrived from Iowa.”

Hunter smiled like a buffoon. “Really? Wow, Iowa. How far away is that?”

Chase returned a more sophisticated smile, one side of his mouth turning up higher than the other, as if to say, ‘I know I’m smarter than you.’

“It’s around five-hundred miles away. I didn’t check the odometer when we arrived, but our truck runs about twenty to the gallon. We filled up at a giant truck-stop before we turned south about two hours from here.”

Hunter scratched his head. “Yeah, we’ve gassed up there a couple times when we’ve gone out salvaging. I can’t believe the number of truckers that died sitting in their cabs.”

“I know. I bet it was tough for them to die on the road away from their families, all alone like that.”

Hunter didn’t understand why Chase’s smile grew wider, exposing perfect white teeth. The guy was certainly at the top of the weird and creepy list.

“What’re you guys doing this afternoon?” Jimmy asked.

Scout answered, “First we’re going to eat. Then we might clear that southern field you’ve been bugging us about. Or start on it, anyways.”

Chase fixed his dark gaze on them. “You guys are the cleanest farmers I’ve ever seen.”

“That’s ’cuz we haven’t been to work yet,” Scout said. “We get to sleep in on Saturdays.”

“You guys sleep in every day.” Jimmy waved a hand. “Calling them farmers is like calling an onion, spud. They may grow in the ground, but they don’t exactly taste the same.” He smiled at Vanessa. “Our brothers are a continual work in progress, huh?”

“I don’t know how you can use the word ‘work’ in the same sentence with them,” Vanessa replied.

“Hey!” Hunter said. “You’re being kind of rough on us in front of company, aren’t you?”

“How long are you planning to stay with us?” Scout asked.

Chase spread his hands out on the table. “We’re not sure yet. We’d like to make it back home before a snowstorm breaks out.”

“The way those clouds are moving in that could be anytime,” Hunter said. “We better eat something before we get to work,” he added, poking Jimmy’s shoulder.

“All right, but be careful in that southern field. That’s were Samuel found those rattlesnakes last week.”

“We will.” Hunter looked at Chase who was smiling at him still like he was a plate of food. “Nice meeting you guys. Maybe we’ll see you tonight at supper if you’re still here.”

“Have lots of fun in the field, spuds,” Chase said.

• • •

Back at their house, Hunter straddled his motorbike with a very full stomach. He seriously considered ramming his finger down his throat so he could puke.

“Chase seemed pretty sharp,” Scout said. “He didn’t believe our farmer story.”

Hunter shared the notion. “Why do you think that?”

“Well, we don’t dress like farmers with my camouflage and your leather jacket. He didn’t buy our act for a second.”