Free The Risen by Ron Rash Page A

year. Either way, as soon as I turn eighteen in October I’m a legal adult and I’ll go where I damn well please.”
    â€œTo the commune?”
    â€œNo, Miami. You can make a lot of bread as a cocktail waitress. It’s not like Daytona, where the rednecks tip quarters. But you’ve got to be eighteen to serve booze.” Ligeia paused. “For once in my life I want to have a few things of my own, especially my own pad, maybe even some wheels to go places, and have my kid sister stay with me some during vacations and summer. I’ll take her shopping and to movies and to eat out, make her feel special, because no one at home will. That was something that could be a drag at the commune. They said you were plastic if you were into ‘material’ things, but most of them had parents with money. They never had to give something back at the grocery store wheneverything was rung up. Your mom ever make you have to do that?”
    â€œNo,” I answered.
    â€œWell, it’s a shitty feeling,” Ligeia said. “I never much believed all that jive about peace and flower power either. How I grew up, if you didn’t scratch and kick when someone came at you, real bad things could happen.”
    â€œThen why do you wear a peace sign?”
    â€œA girl at the commune gave it to me. She said just wearing it was good karma. That’s hippie-dippie dope talk. But what the hell, I figure wearing it can’t hurt, right?”
    â€œI guess not.”
    â€œDon’t think I’m putting down the whole commune scene. I want to go back sometime, but to one in San Francisco, where every day is a happening. The guy who rigged up that hip sound system, he says either the Dead or Jefferson Airplane plays a concert every weekend. It’s right on the ocean too. Can life get better than that?”
    â€œIt sounds really neat,” I said.
    â€œAnd drugs, you can get anything out there,” Ligeia said, then smiled. “But hey, what I’m feeling right nowain’t bad. Valium is a good vibe anywhere. At the commune most people smoked pot or dropped acid, but I was into floating on downers. Still am.”
    A white cloud filled the leaf gap, and I imagined the cloud settling beneath me. I wondered if Ligeia had ever seen snow, was about to ask her when she pushed up onto her elbows.
    â€œI need to split soon. Man, I did need a couple of hours away from them. Pretty groovy afternoon for you too, wasn’t it?”
    â€œThe grooviest,” I answered.
    â€œSo we should do this again, right?”
    â€œDamn right,” I said loudly. “Goddamn right.”
    Ligeia laughed.
    â€œYou’re supposed to be the shy brother.”
    â€œI’m not so shy.”
    â€œNo, you’re not,” she said, and placed her hand on my knee, stroked it lightly. “Your brother though, he’s a bit uptight, isn’t he, especially about your grandfather?”
    â€œI guess so,” I said. “Grandfather’s pretty strict.”
    â€œBill says he won’t get me any more Valium.”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œAnd you’re okay with that?” Ligeia asked.
    â€œI guess so.”
    â€œBecause Bill decides things for both of you?”
    â€œHe doesn’t decide anything for me.”
    Ligeia smiled.
    â€œI bet your grandfather has samples galore in his office.”
    â€œHe has a lot,” I admitted.
    â€œHe won’t know and Bill won’t have to know if you get your mermaid something to feel good, right?”
    â€œI guess not,” I said after a few moments.
    â€œYou could try them too,” she said, moving closer, her breath in my ear. “So what do you say, Eugene? You’ll be a real sweetheart if you do.”
    â€œOkay,” I said softly.
    She kissed me on the mouth.
    â€œYou won’t change your mind, will you?”
    â€œNo, but don’t tell Bill.”
    â€œI don’t fink on