High Strangeness

Chapter Three

 "What do you know about the hill?" Tyler asked.

"Dad said it's not a hill, it's a burial mound," Isaac said.

Sitting on the roof, they could see fires burning, roaring from a gaping wound in the side of Hausman Hill. The burning hill acted as a lighthouse, signaling the entire town. Clambering up the rusted remains of the old TV antenna, they could ascend to the roof of Tyler's house easy enough. The orange glow illuminated the pouring, billowing mass of smoke.

"I think they punched into Hell," Tyler laughed.

"Great, Mrs. Christian can find her way home then," Isaac said. They stifled their laughter, hoping Tyler's mother wouldn't find them again. When they were ten, they were barred from the roof after the neighbor across the street called the house, letting Tyler's mother know they were fighting with foam swords on the roof of the one-story rental.

"You think I can afford a hospital bill? You think Mr. Dancer is going to spring for a new roof?" she had screamed.

As teenagers, the roof became a sanctuary. Even after ten years in this town, Isaac was the only real friend Tyler had made. He was the only one who knew why they moved to Texas. The only one who knew about their connection to the 726. Tyler's parents worked long hours, sharing a quiet dinner and maybe a TV show before they passed out. He then waited for Isaac's dad to fall asleep in the recliner so his friend could join him.

"You hardly notice the smell," Isaac said. "You get used to that rotten egg potpourri pretty quick, I guess."

"You might be used to it. I'm going to buy a gas mask from the surplus."

"I think it's worse on the old people. My dad barely makes it in the door before he goes to sleep. And...and I saw Mr. Chambers petting and whispering to the grocery store window yesterday. It was uncomfortable."

"I bet we're losing a lot of brain cells," Tyler said. "At least we haven't seen any weird shit."

"Hey, breathing in that shit? I'm surprised that's all they saw."

The roof underneath thumped three times. "Fuck, mom found us." Tyler sighed.

* * *

"I already called your uncle this morning, you and Isaac aren't hanging out anytime soon." Maureen slammed the bag of cereal on the table. "Fourteen years old and still climbing the damn roof."

"Where's dad?" Tyler poured the contents of the plastic bag into a bowl.

"Had to take off early. Apparently, they're going to put out the fire today," she said.

"He's going back there?" Tyler asked.

"I'm not too thrilled either," Maureen said.

"He doing any better?" Tyler asked.

"He's better. He's quiet."

That's better," Tyler mumbled.

"Watch it. I'll drop you off. You'll have to find a ride home, I have work all this week."

"No problem," Tyler said. "Can I grab a bottle for school?"

Maureen opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. After people noticed the odor and flammable gas seeping from the faucets, bottled water became a hot commodity. Now, the company responsible for the blown well distributed it daily to the townspeople, six twenty-ounce bottles per household per day.