Desperado: A Holes Fanfiction

Stanley

It was dinner time that same day when I saw Ty again. I grew anxious, eager to discuss what happened in the wardens cabin just a few hours before. She was surprisingly content, serving the hungry campers both their dinners and a warm smile. "Enjoy," she hummed softly. Her eyes would twinkle as she pulled a sweet smile, sending an involuntary shiver down the spine of her subject. I reveled in anticipation as I slid my tray closer.

"What are you havin', handsome?" she said to me with a smirk.

"The usual," I replied.

"Coming right up," she shifted to the steaming hot pot of beans that sat in front of Squid, a few places in front of me in line. She rolled up her sleeves and heaved the ladle in a circular motion. Mr. Sir, heavily agitated, shoved his way over to her station and grumbled, "Its so thick because you added all them onions."

"They add flavor", she cheered coldly. She spoke to him the way my mom does to my dad when she doesn't want me to know they're fighting. Ignoring her response, Mr. Sir nudged her off to the side as he snatched the ladle from her hand and brought a steaming serving of beans to his lips.

"Woah," said Squid, "What happened to your face?"

In an instant, Mr. Sir had the front of Squids jumpsuit balled into his veiny fists, their faces just inches away. He gnawed on the toothpick that sat in the corner of his mouth, "Somethin wrong with my face?" he barked, "HUH!?" When he rose his voice, the cafeteria fell to silence.

"No, no Mr. Sir," Squid quivered before Mr. Sir launched him backward into the C-Tent dinner table.

"Anybody else see something wrong with my face?!"Mr. Sirs voice echoed across the mess hall.

"No, Mr. Sir," we chanted in unison.

"Clean this up," he mumbled before stealing off to his office.

Hector and I had a reading lesson right after dinner. We started with the basics: Cat, Hat, Dig, etc. Hes quick to pick up on the words, so we moved along pretty quickly.

Hector spelled the word out loud as he took his time scribbling the letters on the blank piece of paper, "M-O-M."

"Very good," I said as I patted him on the back. He sighed and his glossy eyes gazed off into the distance.

"We werent always homeless," he started, "We used to live in a lot of different places. And then we didnt live anywhere. My mom had problems. Our mom. She would leave us places while she had to handle things as she said. Me and Ty waited in Lanny Park on most days."

"Lanny Park?" I repeated, "I used to love that place."

"Yeah? Ty and I used to sleep in the tunnel next to the big slide. That was the last time we saw her," Hector looked down at his feet in shame.

"What happened to her?" I asked.

Hector shrugged, "I dont know. Ty acts like she don't care but, if I had enough money Id hire a private investigator to find her."

As I searched for something to say, we were interrupted by Ty clearing her throat. She leaned against the tent entrance, her arms cross in front of her chest. She blew a pink bubble with her gum, letting it pop over her nose once it got too big. Hey boys, she said. The sun reflected off her wild curls like a spotlight. "Am I interrupting something?" she asked.

Hector shook his head.

Ty flashed a soft smile and said, "Stanley, the Warden asked me to grab a few guys to help wash her car."

"Yeah," I nodded eagerly, "Of course." I grabbed my hat and followed her out of the tent. We took a turn into the space between C-Tent and D-Tent before she turned to me. Her eyes were, once again, soft and kind.