“Hah, hold on,” Evan said. He reached back into his nightstand. He tossed a bag of cough drops at Jack who shoved three in his mouth. Chris exhaled a lung full into the ceiling, still trapping Devon’s character in the same combo.

“If you keep coughing like that you’ll land on the moon,” he warned cryptically, passing off to Devon.

“Wha-” Talking made it worse.

“The more you cough the higher you get,” Devon said, frustrated as his character slowly died. He held the joint in his mouth while his hands were preoccupied.

“I didn’t feel anything my first time though,” Evan said, sliding over to sit cross-legged.

“That’s true. It took Chris four times. We thought he was immune,” Devon said, giving up. Chris won. “Dick head.” Devon set down the controller to pass back to Evan. Evan leaned forward to meet him halfway.  

His knee bumped Jack’s. Jack flinched. Evan scooted away.

He’s gonna think I’m weirded out by being in his bed. I guess I am. That’s shitty. I’m being a shit head. “Sorry,” Jack said, slouching to cover his face. The embarrassment distracted him from coughing.

“For what?” Evan asked while ashing into a cup on the nightstand, one eyebrow raised.

“Nevermind,” Jack said, his palms sweaty.

“You never have liked being touched,” Devon said. It was more of a voiced observation than a conversation topic. He turned back around to start the next round.

“Kyle did kick his ass again,” Chris said. “I’m surprised you got away.”

“Yea, are you ok? You didn’t really get into what happened,” Evan said between puffs. He passed to Jack who managed not to cough. That was probably thanks to the thick layer of cough drops coating his throat. He handed it off to Chris.

“I’m fine,” he said, proud of his fluent exhale.

“His first day?” Devon asked.

“Yesterday. Kyle chased him and Quinn outside,” Chris said, ratting out Kyle entirely.

A thin haze hugged the ceiling. The windowpane at Jack’s back felt like a sheet of ice.

The fire pit in the middle of the backyard was surrounded by faded plastic lawn chairs. A birdbath had been placed next to a small tool shed near the fence. Little black birds hopped around it. A segment of the fence was broken in at the back, leaving the space open to the woods. Freshly fallen oak leaves painted the grass a violent yellow.

“I think those are crows,” Evan said.

Oh, he’s talking to me. “They’re nice,” Jack said. Nice? They’re nice? Kill me.

“I like the way they hop,” Evan agreed. He had the joint again but Jack couldn’t remember how it had gotten there.

“I used to live in a house with a parrot,” Jack said, remembering his first foster home vividly. “It knew words and stuff. He was an asshole.” Evan laughed.

“What did it say?” he asked, holding out the butt of the joint. One of his orange eyebrows was raised, mimicking his dumb, lopsided, smirk. Jack took the joint and hit it before passing to Chris.

“It’d scream ‘help’ if it didn’t like you. It hated me. I was a little shit though.” His hands were vibrating; like white noise was interrupting the signal for touch. “I’d put sticks in his cage.” Weren’t we talking about Kyle? When did that change? Did I zone out while looking at birds? Why am I talking about that creepy parrot? I guess it’s not the worst place I’ve stayed at. The last house tops that list.

“You good?” Evan asked. 

Jack realized he’d been staring at his hands and laughed dryly. His hands were numb from the white noise. This was a bad idea. I’m a fucking idiot.

“Hey?”

 They know. They want me dead. I shouldn’t have told anyone.

“Hey, Jack?” Devon asked, standing at the edge of the bed. “How ‘you feeling?” Jack had curled up with his knees to his chest.

“Scared,” he blurted. Devon was startled by his honesty.

“Need to step out for a second?” he asked. Jack nodded.

“I can show you where the bathroom is,” Evan offered, getting up. Jack slid his legs off the bed. His body moved without much thought. The beige carpet felt miles away. A fog left with them into the hallway. Evan quickly shut the bedroom door behind them.

“Your dad’s home?” Jack asked, his heart skipping a beat. 

“Don’t worry about it, he doesn’t care,” Evan said, waving away his concern. He glanced at the room at the end of the hall. The door was shut tight.