The Creeps (Sequel to The Weirdos)

5

They came to rest at a motel late that night. Freak had thought to grab the money from Skins' safe. She had told them where it was and how to find the code in case of emergencies. Narcolepse hadn't ever stolen from it, though he'd thought about it before. With Freak's money, they rented a room with two beds and a pullout mattress. Phoenix looked between the three of them and said,

"Well, how should we choose who sleeps where, hm? Should we draw straws?"

Snow shook his head.

"You sleep where you're comfortable. I'll take what's left. Anything is better than the ground."

Phoenix went and flopped onto one of the rickety old beds with floral sheets. Freak flopped onto the one opposite of her and said,

"Can you do the dancing fire trick again?"

"Oh, afraid not. There's smoke detectors in the room. There weren't any in the forest."

"Darn. Will you say prayers with me?"

"Yes."

Phoenix and Freak got down on their knees against his bed with their hands folded together. Freak started the prayer and Phoenix closed her eyes. Narcolepse frowned and looked at Snow. Surprisingly, Snow was smiling. He was buying into this crap? Narcolepse shook his head and went to the couch, taking off the cushions to pull out the mattress. When the prayers were done. Phoenix tucked Freak into bed, then went and got into the other.

"When I was your age, I still liked to hear bedtime stories. Would you like to hear one?"

"Yes, please."

Narcolepse finished putting the bed together with sheets and pillows, then looked at Snow, realizing for the first time that night that they may be sharing unless Narcolepse took up the floor. There was a small wall that separated the bedroom from the living room, but this was still something a little too intimate for other people to be witnessing. He didn't want anyone seeing him and Snow in the same bed. What was he thinking? He was just telling himself not too long ago that him and Snow were done. They weren't meant to be. It was just a small fight, though. Right? Surely it meant nothing. They just weren't seeing eye to eye. Snow would come around. Or would he? Narcolepse swallowed and realized he was squeezing a pillow to his chest. He frowned and set it on the bed, just as Snow turned away from the bedroom and came over to the pullout mattress.

"Are we sharing?"

Snow asked with a raised brow.

"Is that ok?"

Narcolepse responded, biting his lip.

"Depends, really. Are you gonna continue your asshole streak?"
"Snow. Don't start this again. I don't want to fight with you."

"Then don't fight me. Don't fight her. Bite your tongue and don't say anything if you don't have anything good to say."

Narcolepse threw a pillow at Snow.

"I'll sleep on the fucking floor."

Snow threw the pillow back.

"Have fun with that."

Narcolepse made up a space on the floor, the anger fading from his eyes once he'd been laying there a while. For a moment, he was a child again, telling his teacher with tear filled eyes that his dad was mean. He didn't want to go home with him. The woman had touched his shoulder and given him a soft smile. "Nonsense", she said. "You've never had a problem before." She didn't believe him. The same way Snow wasn't believing him now. Phoenix was dangerous. He knew she was. Just how on earth would he convince Snow and Freak to believe the same?