Fun with Frank

A running, first draft only, write-yourself-into-and-out-of-a-corner kind of serial story.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

45...

As Frank was clenching his jaw, he was also slowly clenching the fist in his free hand. He had never really punched somebody, and he was quickly trying to focus his need and desire to land one square in this Tommy guy’s nose.
Tommy’s Frisbee partner began slowly walking towards them. Frank could feel fear foaming over like a head on a beer, scrambling around his brain like a platoon of fire ants. He certainly wasn’t positive he could do anything to Tommy, the kid was athletic and tall, wore an invisible banner that read, “I will never be hurt by anything in this life”. Frank was pretty damn positive he didn’t stand a chance against two.
There was something about the older guy’s walk that made Frank choke a little on his drying spit. The guy walked with a purpose, and Frank could smell all kinds of bad things wafting off of that purpose.
Frank looked back at Tommy, at that predatory smile, and tried to hide the fact that his fist was cocking back for swing. He knew his only chance was to take his best shot at Tommy before his back up got here.
Smiling even wider, Tommy suddenly had a look of recognition on his face.
“Didn’t I see you at Evelyn’s party the other night?”
He was unprepared for this question. The seemingly random nature of the question was enough to stop him short, like a screw driver jammed into the wires of a machine. Frank slumped a little bit in Tommy’s grip and screwed up his face into a mass of confusion.
“Wha?” He asked, unintelligibly.
“Yeah, weren’t you at Evelyn’s party out on Fulton Street last weekend?”
“Evelyn?” Frank asked, still a little bewildered. “Yeah, I was there.”
“Yeah,” Tommy laughed and slowly let go of Frank’s arm. “I totally remember seeing you now.”
“You’re a friend of Evelyn’s?”
“Friend of a friend.”
Tommy’s game partner was standing behind Tommy’s shoulder and looking at Frank with rather placid eyes, eyes that were difficult to read.
“Cool,” Frank tried his best ‘sounding relaxed’ voice. “Maybe I’ll see you around sometime.”
Tommy smiled.
“Probably,” he put out his hand. “My name’s Tommy.”
“Frank,” Frank said, giving his hand and walking away quickly; but trying not to look like he was quickly walking away.
Tommy turned back towards his friend, playfully smacking the Frisbee against the guy’s chest. Frank could feel those stranger’s eyes piercing into him as he walked away. He slowly turned his head back to take a surreptitious look and was almost positive that the guy once again quickly looked away.