Renegade Path

“I don’t punch like a girl, though, do I?” Eraser threatened.

Wiggles grumbled but otherwise stayed quiet.

“Describe the dream home?” Griff asked.

“A log cabin. Lots of trees around us. Tall ones. No neighbors. A place that’s hard to find with a big garage to work on cars.”

“Nice. I’ll be able to find it, right?” Griff teased.

“Fuck, yeah. You, Remy, Molly, and that’s about it,” Eraser chuckled.

“What are you wearing?” Griff prompted.

“Jesus, you serious with this shit?” Wiggles snapped.

“Shut up,” Griff hissed. “If you want this visualization shit to work, you gotta be specific.”

“Flannels,” Eraser answered. “Nice, thick ones. Not those cheap, thin things they sell at the discount store. Not hand-me-downs out of a garbage bag. Like, L.L. Bean or some shit.”

I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing.

“Careful, Roman, or you won’t be gettin’ directions to my secret log cabin in the woods,” Eraser warned.

I laughed even harder. “Sorry. Go on.”

“One nice handmade Italian suit. Because every man needs a tailored suit in his closet. Just in case. And one of those red plaid wool coats for chopping wood in the winter.”

“Also L.L. Bean?” I snarked.

“Your turn, Stonewall,” Eraser ignored my comment.

“I dunno,” Griff drawled. “Eraser’s gonna be such a dapper dresser, I can’t compete with all that wool and flannel you’ll be sportin’.”

“Fuckin’ A,” Eraser agreed. “Women like a well-dressed man.”

Griff cleared his throat. “All right. Seriously. I’m gonna earn enough money to come back and buy this place. Then I’m gonna fire every last one of these fuckers and burn it to the ground.”

“It’s mostly stone. Doesn’t burn well,” Wiggles said.

“Fuck off.”

“Did I ever tell you guys about the time I fucked my girlfriend’s mom?” Wiggles cackled.

“And on the next episode of Things That Never Happened…” Griff announced like a television voice-over in a bad detective show.

“First, we’d have to believe you’ve ever had a girlfriend,” Eraser said.

A rhythmic smacking sound echoed through our small room. Metal squeaking served as background music.

The three of us went silent.

My bed shook.

“What the fuuuck?” I groaned.

“Wiggles, if you’re whacking off again, I swear to fuck—” Griff threatened.

“I’m visualizing a clear picture of what I want,” Wiggles moaned. “I’m feeeeeeling what it would be like to fuck your mom, Griff.”

“Daaamnnn, someone’s mouth is writin’ checks his ass can’t cash.” I whistled. Wiggles must really hate our nightly visualization ritual to go there.

“Motherfucker.” Griff’s bare feet hit the floor with a thud.

“Don’t, bro,” Eraser hooked his arms around Griff’s legs, holding him back.

“It’s a compliment,” Wiggles whined. “Your mom’s hot. Couldn’t stop staring at her titties during visitation today.”

“I’m gonna slit your motherfuckin’ throat!”

More struggling and rustling as Eraser tried to hold Griff back.

I jumped out of my bed, blocking Griff’s way. “Bro, you’re gonna get us all in trouble.”

Faced with a snarling Griff and the possibility of eating his future meals through a straw, Wiggles wisely shut his mouth.

I reached into his bunk and smacked his face. “Apologize.”

“I’m sorry your mom’s so hot.” Wiggles snickered into his pillow.

I grabbed his shirt and yanked him out of the bed. “Apologize, fucker.”

Jerking off must’ve given Wiggles some kind of super-stupid power. Instead of an apology or another snarky comment, he reached past me and shoved Griff. “Why you so twisted about your hot mom?”

Fire exploded in Griff’s eyes. He wouldn’t have beat Wiggles over words but once he touched him, all bets were off. That was our unspoken rule.

I stepped aside. “Have at it, bro.”

Eraser fell back on his bed laughing.

“Wait, what?” Wiggles screamed as Griff tackled him to the floor.

“We tried our best to save you, Wiggles.” I jumped back up onto my bed and watched the scuffle below. “Shoulda kept your mouth shut and your hands down your pants.”

Griff was pissed but controlled in his rage. Wiggles curled into a ball and covered his face.

After a few shots to the gut, Griff shoved Wiggles away and stared down at him. “Jesus Christ, you don’t even fight back?”

Wiggles sniffled. “I can’t.”

“You should probably learn to shut your mouth then,” Eraser said.

“I’m sorry,” Wiggles whined with a lot more sincerity this time.

“Whatever,” Griff growled. He toed Wiggles with his foot. “Get up, you little shithead. Time for bed.”

“Mail call!” Griff threw an envelope on my bed the next afternoon. “And, I have news. I’m finally getting the fuck out.”

“Fuck yeah.” I raised my hand in the air and Griff slapped it. Eraser joined our celebration, hugging Griff tight.

“Gonna miss you, bro,” Eraser said.

“Yeah,” I echoed. “Not gonna be the same.”

“You’ll both be out soon. You’ll be all right, Roman. I got faith in you.” Griff squeezed my shoulder. “Eraser has your back.”

“For real.” Eraser held out his fist and I tapped his knuckles.

“You two need to look out for each other,” Griff reminded us. “Don’t get separated. Try to stay out of the fights.” He turned and squeezed Eraser’s cheeks. “I’m gonna see what I can find out about Ella.”