January-Surge pt. 1

Surge

Life is never easy when you have always done what you had to, just to get by. No matter what anyone says, the grass is only greener on the other side because it's fertilized with bullshit. Mom has been gone a month now, she was taken too soon by breast cancer. This made her sick for a long time and I guess for having breast cancer she lived for a while. This happening made me learn to care for myself and others at a young age. I started to take care of myself and my sister by the time I was 5. My sister Lisa is two years younger than me. She's hell on wheels and doesn’t listen to anyone. She recently had a baby and that's when we packed up and moved to Fairbanks to live with our Shitsuu, that's Gwitch’in for Grandma. Fairbanks is a big city compared to the small village of Fort Yukon. I gave up life on the river to go make sure the rest of my family doesn’t fall apart. Shitsuu’s house is small, she only has two bedrooms. I sleep on the couch.

There's a quiet knock on the door that stirs me from sleep. I sneak to the door with a baseball bat in hand. I open it and sigh in relief at the sight of my best friend Kyle. “Man, come with me. I have a solution to your couch problem.” I glance back at the clock behind me. “Kyle, it's two in the morning,” he takes a deep breath and makes eye contact. “Just come with me, I’ve got a solution for your money problems too.” Reluctantly I sigh and grab my black hoodie off the hook by the door. Kyle leads the way and climbs into the back of black sedan. Everything in my body ignites setting me on edge. Kyle wouldn’t set me up. I open the door and the smell of marijuana smoke hits me instantly. I smile and climb in. As soon as I’m seated a joint gets handed to me. The smell is earthy, and somewhat fruity. I inhale deeply as Kyle leans towards the two men in the front seat. “This is Surge. If you can trust anyone it’s him.” Eyes lock on me, looking me over. I hand the joint to Kyle as the man in the driver's seat slowly turns around. “I’m Martin, this is my brother Brian. We have a business proposal for you,” I lean forward, “I’m listening.” Martin smiles, “Let's go talk.” The drive takes forever, since it's dark I can’t see where we are. We pull to a gate in the middle of nowhere. Martin rolls down the window and enters a code and the gate swings open. The house is huge. “Shall we?” Brian's voice cuts through the air in the car. Everyone climbs out, we slowly fall into a line with me leading the rear.

“Surge, Kyle here has told us a bit about your situation. We would like to help you,” we walk down a long hallway into a study. Martin points to the couch. Kyle sits and I stand awkwardly off to the side. “Your first task is simple. You’ll drive to Tok, meet up with who we tell you to. Get the supplies from him and drive back here and we will fix your living arrangements.” I shift my weight from one foot to the other, folding my arms across my chest. “What kind of supplies?” Brian laughs, “Come on now Surge, use your brain. We are suppliers. To put it in terms I’m sure you can’t mix up. You will essentially be a mule. We are the suppliers, you will pick it up, bring it back, and maybe we ask you to sell. For profit of course.” This definitely would solve most of my problems. “And if I decline?” Martin pours four tumblers full of whiskey. “Well, of course we’d drop you back off where we found you and move on to the next,” I nod my head slowly in understanding. “I’ll do it. I don’t think my truck will make it to Tok though, she's kind of old.” Brian's eyes light up. “The truck outside, keep it. Consider it a welcome to the business gift.” Martin tosses me the keys. “Go home, go to sleep. You need to leave early to get there on time. Drop him off too, will ya?” I nod my head and Kyle leaps up from the couch and we turn to walk out, “Wait, one last thing.” Brian walks over to a safe on the wall. He twists the knob a few times before the door pops open. He pulls out a black glock 9 mm and some cash. “Take this,” he hands me the gun, and three hundred dollars cash. “You never know what you might encounter out there.” Martin chimes in, “There will be more of that for a job well done.” I shove the money into the pocket of my jeans and tuck the gun safely inside the back of my pants hidden under my sweater.

In the car, Kyle kicks his feet up on the dashboard, “Told you I’d make it worth it,” I sigh and look at him. “Kyle how’d you find these people?” he yawns and kicks his seat back a little bit, “The last time I was in FCC a guy in there told me to call these guys and they’d make it worth it.”  As we approach the gate it opens automatically as if someone was watching us leave. Kyle pulls the phone out of his pocket and starts to play a game, “And it totally is,” I tighten my grip on the steering wheel, his ignorance can be a bit much sometimes. “You don’t think they’ll kill you if you fuck them over?” he drops his hands into his lap and looks at me, “You know, probably, but I don’t intend too,” he goes back to his phone like the world around him doesn’t matter. “There's a party at Buddy’s tonight.” I pull onto the curb in front of Kyles house. “Goodnight Kyle,” he shakes his head and climbs out of the truck.

I park the truck in front of the small white house. Snow is piled up leaving a narrow walkway from the driveway to the door. Turning off the ignition I sigh bracing myself for the cold walk to the door. I close the door just as the baby starts to cry, “I’ll get him.” I yell to whoever is listening. Walking over to the crib I scoop out the tiny baby. “ Kal Tsee, shush, I’m here,” bouncing him lightly in one arm, we walk to the kitchen. Kal Tsee coos lightly in my arms, as I make him a bottle. “Let’s change you.” The clock on the wall above the stove chimes making me jump a little. I quickly change the baby, grab his bottle and plop down on the couch. Ezekiel quickly nods off. I place him back in his crib and lay down on the couch. It doesn’t take long for the darkness of sleep to engulf me.

“Inee! Surge wait up.” The darkness of night surrounds us as we run through the trees. “Deetrya,' you’re going to get us arrested. Keep running.” Kyle pulled on the sleeve of my hoodie pulling me back. Just then a light flashes on us. “Kyle you idiot move.” “Nanh! Inee, I said you, stop!” Just then a man the size of a bear tackles us both into the snow. The Village Public Safety Officer binds my wrists with zip ties before leaving me face down in the snow to get Kyle. He rips us up from the ground and walks us towards the VPSO building. Kyle starts babbling like an idiot next to me, “I’m sorry, we didn’t mean it. Please don’t call my dad,” I kick his chair, “shut up.” Kyle sniffles back another sob. I’m the first to be searched. Officer Philips pulls a leather-men, seven mini shooter bottles, a lighter, and a pipe.

A bright light and baby screams pull me out of a dream, “Hello?” I stand up and stretch looking into the baby crib. “Lisa?” She pops out of her room with a screaming baby in her arms, “What? I’m a little busy?” I throw arms up and walk towards the kitchen. The clock on the wall says it's 8am. Pulling the SUV keys out of my pocket I hit the auto start. I should probably hit the road.  I grab an apple and head towards the door. Shitsuu and Kyle walk in startling me. “Shigii, Nijin gwats'a'inhaa?” I smile as Kyle helps her out of her coat, “Kyle and I are going to Tok, we have to pick up a friend,” she kisses me on the cheek and places her hands on my shoulders, “you two be safe,” she looks into my eyes as if she can see that we are up to no good. She looks at Kyle and back at me before walking into the kitchen.  I tie my bandana around my head before opening the door.

The car ride takes five and half hours, Kyle slept most of the way. Sitting at the diner with my head in my hand while my fingers trace the Initials carved onto the tabletop, memories flash through my mind. “I love you, Surge. We could have forever.” I shake my head softly pushing the tears back, “No we can’t. You don’t understand Rachel, we are two different people, this won't work,” tears spill from the corner of her eyes, my heart breaks watching her. But I am no good for anyone. I pull my hands out of hers and leave her sitting at the table.

“You Surge?” a deep voice snaps me back. “Yeah man,” a smile grows across his face. “Follow me.” I stand up, waiting for Kyle to finish shoving the last few bites of his cheeseburger into his mouth. He grabs a handful of fries and joins me. The big burly biker looking guy throws a 50 on the table and we all walk out. “Get in your truck and follow me.” We follow the guy down a long dirt road to an uninhabited cabin. Fuck, this is where we die.  The cool metal pressing into my back reminds me that we might have a fighting chance. My heart picks up pace as we climb out of the truck. The air is cold making my first breath sharp. He opens the trunk of both cars and moves four large duffle bags from his truck to mine. “All set.” I nod. Kyle lazily gets back in our truck and throws his feet on the dashboard. “Ok,” that's all I could manage to say before I’m left standing in the middle of an abandoned driveway.  I shake my head and jump back into the truck.

“Well, done.” Brian seems surprised as Martin spins brandy around in a glass. They open one of the large duffle bags. It is full of ziplock baggies full of marijuana, cocaine and random pills. Brian jumps to his feet, “Kyle, walk with me.” Kyle and Brian leave the room. My eyes dart towards the door, “Don’t worry, we just are not offering the same things as you. You have potential, Kyle is lazy.” I nod as Martin walks around the room. “In one duffle bag there is the potential to make a lot of money.” I nod slightly, not sure what he’s aiming at, “We want to give you one, as payment. We also have a cabin for you. It’s a little rough, but live-able. What do you say?” I nod, “I think that would be great, I don’t really have anything,” he smiles and extends his hand, “I see something in you Surge, don’t make us regret it,” I nod and head towards the door. Brian hands me another set of keys at the door and a piece of paper with an address on it. I sling a duffle bag over  my shoulder and head out. Kyle follows me, eyes gawked. “What are you doing with that?” I shrug, “Making money,” I put the bag in the back seat.  “Kyle, just let it go. Aanaii” he mumbles something under his breath as he climbs into the passenger seat. “Have you decided if you are going to Buddy’s tonight?” I take a deep sigh and nod, “Probably, I want to make some money,” he nods in understanding.

I drop Kyle off up the road from Shitsuu’s house at his Sister's house. My truck is gone from the driveway. Inside the house is silent, “Shitsuu, Lisa?” no one answers. I shrug at the oddly empty house and head straight for the shower. I set my gun on the toilet seat and strip down. The hot water works knots out of my neck and upper back. My phone alarm goes off meaning it’s nine pm. I turn off the water and step out. I put on my dirty jeans from yesterday. I need to do laundry tomorrow.  I put the gun in the back of my jeans and walk out to my clothing bag on the side of the couch. I pull a white t-shirt over my head, slip on a silver chain. Throwing some gel in my hair, I spike my Mohawk. I tie a Bandana around my head, grab my dirty laundry bag and head out the door,

Buddy’s cabin sits five miles out of town nestled along the crook of the river. I park my SUV in a hidden driveway and make my way around to the back of the car. Opening the duffle bag I grab a few bags to get me through the night. I grab a quarter ounce of marijuana, fifteen ecstasy pills,  three grams of cocaine, the baggy labeled benzos and a scale. I secure the gun in the back of my jeans before loading my pockets. The cabin is crowded, there's easily 100 people here. Rachel's blue eyes meet mine as pain surges through her. I quickly look away while she wraps herself around the punk Tim. It's been half a year since Rachel and I broke up and sometimes the wound still hurts. I slyly pop an ecstasy pill into my mouth and make my way to the kitchen for some alcohol. “Surge!” A girl name Sarah squeals loudly in my ear drawing the attention from those standing close enough and grips tightly onto my arm. She leans in her lips barely brushing my ear, “Kyle said you have party favors.” Of course he did.  I nod and her as light up as a smile spreads across her face. She leans in close “I don’t have any money but I could pay you in other ways,” she nips on the end of my earlobe and runs her finger down my bicep. “Whatchu want girl?” she grabs my hand and drags me off to the bathroom.

“Kyle says you’re hanging out with the white lady…” her eyes dart around the bathroom. I pull out the baggy of cocaine and her eyes light up.  Pulling the keys out of my pocket I scoop a little onto the end of one of the keys. Sarahs mouth is basically salivating as a wild fire takes over her eyes. She sniffs hard inhaling the cocaine. She tosses her head back and smiles as the drug has instant effects. I slowly reach for another for myself. Her eyes meet mine begging for another. I raise my brow at her and crack a half smile. She drops to her knees quickly. Her fingers tremble as she starts to undo my jeans. I grow hard at the feeling of her fingertips inside the top of my jeans. Her flesh against mine. She takes my head into her mouth making me moan. I start to feel the ecstasy kick in. I toss my head back as she cups my balls. I look down at her and her brown eyes meet mine pleading. Tangling my fingers in her hair I trust myself hard hitting her in the back of the throat which makes her gag in turn only turning me on more. I thrust in and out moaning against her gags. I finally release her head watching myself slip out the corners of her mouth.

We both leave the bathroom with glossy red eyes. My body is alive, I feel as if I slept a fresh eight hours. I make my way to the dance floor and make my way towards a girl standing alone in the corner, “Hey, I’m Surge.” I lean against the wall next to her. She smiles slightly, “I’m Marcella.” I grab her by the hand and lean in close to her ear, “Do you want to have some fun?” she looks me up and down and smiles, “Like what?” I flash the bag of ecstasy pills and she bites her lip, “I just want to dance.” I place a pill softly in her mouth and pull her to the dance floor, while slipping another one into mine. The music bleeds together all I can feel is the beat and her body pressed against mine.

Snow slowly falls from the white-washed sky. I blink trying to remember where I am, and why I’m naked. The warmth of the body next to me makes my blood run cold.  I carefully crawl out of bed without waking the sleeping girl. I slip back into my dirty jeans and pull m hoodie on before making my way out the door. The hallway is littered with cups and the sleeping bodies pour from the living room to the kitchen. I leave Buddy’s cabin unnoticed. I park the SUV at Shit’siis house and move everything into my blue GMC.

J-n-C the cheapest laundromat in town. I’ve got my laundry in a few washers when a blonde walks in. I’ve never seen her before. She has sun kissed skin, piercing blue eyes. Her black fleece jacket clings to her as her hair whips around. She struggles to find a washer nearly being knocked over by her bag. I grin like a fool watching her struggle with a bag. My giggling catches her attention. She whips around and looks at me, “Can I help you?” she flips her hair over her shoulder. I don’t know what it is about her that draws me in. “Oh I wish.” I cross my arms across my chest and watch as she walks away.