The Mender

Tall Man

Esri and Ada stood in the upstairs hallway of the high school waiting outside of Luka's last class of the day. City funding cuts meant that their local library branch closed down, so when the three had no after school activities, they usually went to Clea's for an hour or so to study around her large kitchen table. Esri and Ada held Luka to the same strict regimen that they had at the library: "we're here to study, not talk."  

Esri looked out the window at the students milling around outside the school. She gasped. Could it be? The Tall Man from the donut shop and the Reference Library? Talking to a couple of students? A Disruptor? What was he doing?

"What's the matter?" said Ada.

"That guy there. Do you know him? I've seen him around some. He's so creepy."

"The tall man talking to Brad the loudmouth in my English class? No, I don't know him, but so what? I don't think he's that creepy looking. Maybe he's Brad's dad or something," Ada sighed. "Brad is such a jerk. It wouldn't surprise me if his dad was a jerk."

"Does Brad bother you?"

"Sometimes, but I ignore him."

"Hey lovely, luminous ladies! You here to carry me off to the study torture chamber?" Luka came bursting out of the classroom.

Esri laughed, "Right, some torture chamber. Homemade muffins, cozy kitchen, garden view, cute cat."

Though it made her nervous, Esri wanted to verify if the man talking to Brad was indeed a Disruptor and hurried Luka and Ada along.

By the time they got downstairs and outside the school, the man was gone, but Brad and his friends were still standing around.

"Esri, don't go over there. I don't want to walk by Brad," said Ada.

"You and Luka go that way, I want to check something out. I'll catch up with you," said Esri.

"Why?"

"Just go. It'll only take me a sec."

Luka and Ada circled away from Brad and his friends and didn't question Esri any further. Over the last year or so, Esri sometimes did odd things, with little explanation.

Esri walked right in front of Brad. He said, "You almost smacked me with your pack. Watch where you're going." Esri kept walking. It was faint, but whiffs of the dead mouse smell still hung in the air. She looked around. The Tall Man was nowhere in sight. She ran and caught up with Luka and Ada.

At least neither Brad nor any of the kids around him were Disruptors. The dead mouse smell would have been stronger. Esri wanted to ask Brad what the Tall Man said but knew that would go nowhere. It made her uneasy.

When they opened Clea's front door, they were greeted by the smell of fresh-baked banana-bread.

"Clea, I want to marry you and we'll live happily ever after," Luka called out. He usually proposed marriage as soon as they walked in the door. Clea laughed. She enjoyed having the three friends and the excuse to do some baking. She made extra for them to take home. Once they were settled in, she and Thomas left them alone and sat in the living room reading, talking, and listening to music.

As the three friends were leaving Clea's, Esri said, "Go on ahead . . ."

Luka cut in, "I know. You'll catch up in a sec – you always have these little secrets to tell Clea. Someday Ada and I will stay and listen."

When Ada and Luka were out of earshot, Esri said, "Clea, I saw the Tall Man, the Disruptor from the Reference Library, outside the school today talking to some kids."