Zenith Rising (5 page)

“I should go,” Erica said suddenly, their
expressions prodding her to get out of there. They were both
staring at her with visible distaste, and a weird gleam in their
eyes.

“So you’re that bitch who helped Joelle ditch
Rob, right?”

She tried to pass around Kenny without
answering him. Kenny was drunk. There was no mistaking the rank
smell of alcohol on him, which nearly burned her nostrils.

That quickly, Mitch grabbed her arm as she
passed him. She had never been grabbed or held against her will
before by any man; and was startled at how quickly it happened. In
no time at all, she was under the man’s control.

“Yeah, you are. You’re that pussy doctor that
Joelle ran off to live with.”

She bristled.
Pussy doctor?
God,
didn’t they even know how to read or write? She didn’t answer.
Silence seemed much better.

“If it weren’t for you, Joelle wouldna left
Rob. Way I see it, if Rob didn’t get jilted by that bitch, Spike
never woulda broken up the group, and thrown Rob’s ass in rehab.
That’s the way I see it,” Kenny slurred behind Erica.

Erica tugged her arm. Mitch was like a rock,
but he let go. They blamed Spencer for
Zenith
’s break-up as
well as their lack of jobs. Their anger at Spencer was evident in
their voices.

“Are you why we don’t have a band
anymore?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. And
neither do you,” Erica said, the disdain oozing in her voice. They
didn’t like her tone, and scowled at her. Then, without warning,
Kenny’s arms came forward and he pushed her. Erica fell down with a
rather unladylike drop, and her glasses were knocked off by the
sheer force of her near faceplant. Pain shot up from her arm at
having the wind knocked out of her. She stayed there a moment,
surprised, and shocked that she was on the ground. She couldn’t
believe that a grown man actually pushed her down to the ground. He
dared push her to
the ground!

She sat up, groping around for her glasses,
but couldn’t find them. Through her blurry vision, she saw a figure
bending over and picking them up before throwing them outside into
the front yard. Erica stood up. Why did Mitch do that? She was
almost legally blind without her glasses. She had to have them;
otherwise, she was helpless. Instantly, she felt as feeble as a
newborn kitten.

She backed up, following the wall with her
hands, then, as fast as she could, she stumbled out the front door,
onto the grass and began looking for her precious glasses. Looking
hard. She felt very intimidated. Seriously intimidated now. They
were watching her through the open front door. She could hear them
laughing as she scrambled around the front yard on her hands and
knees. She felt all around, pleading with God to let her please
stumble over them. She needed them so desperately, or she would be
stuck there, and at their mercy.

“What in the hell are you two laughing
at?”

Erica heard the voice and looked towards the
front door. Still, she couldn’t see exactly who it was.

“Where is she?” Rob’s voice followed closely
afterwards.

“Pussy doc’s out there. Crawling around on
her hands and knees, like she oughta be for messin’ up our band.”
Four blurry figures now stood in the doorway. Her humiliation was
instantaneous and real, making her almost glad she couldn’t see
them watching her.

“What the hell?”

Spencer’s voice sounded closer before he was
sprinting across the lawn, just then seeming to realize she was
really out there. He was immediately next to her, and squatting
down. She felt his hands on her shoulders as he pulled her up with
him. Gently. Carefully. His arms held her shoulders. She could feel
the strength of his grip, and the flexing of his arm muscles.

“What’s going on?”

“They threw my glasses out here. I can’t see
a thing without them,” she said, as if to excuse why she would
crawl around his front yard like a crazed woman.

“They what?”

“They threw my glasses out here.”

“How did they get them?”

“Kenny pushed me down in the house.”

“Pushed you down? As in, on purpose?”

“Yes.”

Spencer let her go, spewing a string of
curses that left Erica’s ears burning. Then he spun around and came
back a few seconds later, holding her glasses. “Stupid, little
prick broke them.”

Erica took them. They were demolished and her
heart sank.

Spencer, however, wasn’t finished. He ran
across the yard in three seconds. “What the hell is the matter with
you two? Five minutes alone and you throw her to the ground? Why?
Why would you do anything at all to her? Even talk to her?” Rob
came out and Erica stayed back.

“Bitch had it coming. Calm down, Spike, man.
We just brought her down a notch. Rich bitch gave Joelle money to
get out of here, and ditch Rob. Ditch
Zenith
. She had it
coming! She’s the reason why I don’t have a job,” Kenny said as he
stepped out.

Erica wanted to slither away. No, evaporate.
She didn’t know what to do, what to say, or where to look.
Spencer’s posture was rigid, jerky in movement and his unrepressed
anger seemed to radiate off him. In the next moment, Spencer had
Kenny’s shirt in his hands, as he nearly body-slammed him against
the house, and held him there. Kenny was fat and much smaller. He
squirmed and squealed against Spencer’s grasp.

“How many times have I told you to quit
calling me Spike? And to quit coming around here drunk? Stay away
from Rob, and me, and this house! Get it? And if you want to live
to see another day, you slimy little dipshit, don’t ever even look
at Joelle or Dr. Heathersby again! I’ll kill you if you do. I swear
to God, I will.”

“Sorry, man, I didn’t know. Thought the
stuck-up bitch was, you know, causing trouble. Let go, Spence. I
won’t do nothin’ again. I swear.”

Spencer only pushed harder, until Kenny’s
eyes popped. Mitch came out of the house and Erica’s heart
plummeted. Oh God, what now? What was that steroid giant planning
to do? Spencer was taller, but no one could even remotely contend
with Mitch’s bulging muscles. Then again, Spencer’s violent rage
was terrifying all on its own. Erica was speechless at the
swiftness and the depth of the almost uncontrollable fury lying
inside him.

Rob came up behind Spencer, and waved Mitch
back. “Get out of here, Mitch, and take the little piece of shit
with you before Spencer kills him.”

“What does that mean? You do this, kick us
out now, and the band’s done. For good. We won’t be back. We ain’t
waitin’ around anymore for your stupid shit to get worked out.”

“Are you seriously asking if I’d take Spence
over you two? The band, as far as you two are concerned, is done.
Zenith
, though, lives on as me and Spencer. Always.”

“Get the fuck off my lawn you stupid pieces
of shit,” Spencer said as he pushed Kenny harder towards Mitch.
They sneered and grumbled. Erica deftly moved out of their lines of
vision. She was scared of what she witnessed, but mostly afraid of
Spencer’s unbridled wrath. She was shocked how quickly the violence
erupted from him. Spencer was breathing very hard, almost furiously
so, even now. He pushed at Rob suddenly.

“That is exactly what I kept telling you
about those two. They were only too happy to see you drive Joelle
away from here. They were only too happy to see our lives become
cesspools, and yet, you insist on bringing them back here? I told
you we were done with them. I meant it. I’ve put up with a lot of
crap from you for the last few years, but this crosses the line.
Maybe this is all okay with you, but it’s not with me.”

Rob shook his head. “It’s not okay with me.
Jesus, Spence, you know that. I hang out with them off and on. I
wasn’t even thinking about
Zenith
. I didn’t expect any
trouble.”

“That’s the point. They always bring trouble,
expected or not.”

Rob turned towards Erica, who was trying to
make herself as small as possible.

“Doc, I’m sorry. Genuinely, sorry. I didn’t
think they’d do anything, especially not like that.”

“I believe you. I mean, it surprised me
too.”

Spencer glared at Rob, then walked around
him. He put his hand on Erica’s wrist, his large hand now gentle,
and surprisingly soft when compared to the angry expression on his
face. “Come on. I’ll get you home, and out of this stinking
neighborhood. It’s not like you can drive now. Turns out that
giving me a lift, and trying to be nice, was a total mistake and a
waste of everyone’s time.”

Chapter Four

Erica followed Spencer’s long-legged gait
across his yard. The world was fuzzy and unclear to her eyes,
despite wearing the shattered glasses. Spencer’s anger followed him
to the car. He opened her car door, and waited for her to get in
before slamming the door and getting into the driver’s side. He
shifted and squealed out of the driveway, spinning her tires. Erica
gripped the door handle, and took her glasses off as they made her
feel seasick.

After a moment, Spencer asked, “Did you get
hurt?”

“No. I’m fine.”

Spencer glanced at her and she saw his head
move, but had no clue of his expression. “I doubt you’re fine. You
were just attacked, and in my house, no less.”

“Not attacked, so much as annoyed. I’m okay
though. Really, Spencer.”

“I’m sorry. For them. And that. I should
never have left the room. I should have sent you home, then and
there. I knew the undertones. Rob didn’t like you being there and
Kenny and Mitch are stupid pigs, but managed to pick up on that.
And I should never have left you with such morons.”

“It’s certainly not your fault, or even
Rob’s. He seemed genuinely shocked at their behavior. And
sorry.”

“Yeah, Rob’s a champ at being sorry. He
should try not screwing around so much and maybe he wouldn’t have
to be so sorry.”

Erica was quiet. She was unsure of Spencer’s
mood or how much anger he harbored towards the friend he so loved.
She’d never been bullied before and it shook her up. A lot. It
happened so fast, so easily. She became a victim in the blink of an
eye.

“I’ll replace your glasses.”

“No. You won’t. You didn’t do anything. Kenny
did. And Mitch did. Not your fault. I’m not stupid, Spencer, I know
the difference. I see how different you are from them.”

“Different? How’s that possible?”

“Because you are.”

“I was them. I was Spike. I was everything
you saw.”

“But you’re not now. I mean, even Rob’s not.
I can see that. Even his ex-wife could see that about him and
you.”

“Thank you. And thanks for being so gracious
about it. Not a surprise, though; look at everything you’ve done
for Joelle.”

He slowly and expertly turned into the
parking garage of her building, sliding her car into a spot with
startling grace and ease. He again came around and opened her door
before she got out.

“You can’t even see your own feet without
your glasses, can you?”

“Unfortunately, no.”

“Carry a spare pair from now on. It’s not
safe, and puts you at the mercy of others. Don’t do that. Don’t
ever put yourself at the mercy of others. No matter what.”

Undertones again. God, what could have
happened to Spencer? Why did he so distrust people in general? Even
himself, it seemed.

They waited for the elevator, standing apart
with a good two feet between them. They rode in silence. Erica took
the key chain he handed her when they got to her front door. She
squinted, but finally managed to insert the key, and open the
door.

She turned the lights on, placing her stuff
by the front door. Then she rummaged around her desk until she
found her spare pair of glasses. She nearly sighed with pleasure
when the world came back into perfectly clear focus.

Spencer stood in the doorway, waiting, and
looking around her living room.

“Better?”

“Than being blind? Yes.”

“Again, I’m sorry they went after you. It was
about me. I really didn’t think they’d bother you.”

“What about you? What are they so angry
about?”

“They didn’t like Spike disappearing and they
don’t like Rob being sober, but they really don’t like me keeping
Rob sober. Because I won’t let them or Rob do anything. Nothing in
the house, or together. I’ve been Rob’s jailer for the past two
years. Rob thinks I saved his life. They think I ruined it, as well
as theirs. That’s what you saw. That’s what you were being
victimized over tonight.
Zenith
. Another victim of
Zenith
.”

“It almost sounds like you hate
Zenith
.”

He looked her in the eye. “I wish we’d never
created
Zenith
. I wish we’d never ruined our lives over such
a stupid dream. So yeah, that is why I sound like I dislike the one
thing that almost destroyed the few people I actually care
about.”

Erica was startled by the vehemence in his
tone. So far, he showed only two emotions: anger and hatred. He was
a startling man to behold. Intense. Unsmiling. Yet, also compelling
and somehow, deep.

And sad. Extremely sad. She was sure he would
cringe if he knew that’s what she was thinking about him. He was
sad and troubled, not only for things in his present life, but also
for things in his past. For
Zenith
. But Erica didn’t believe
he hated
Zenith
. How could he hate his God-given talent? He
was an incredible musician. She preferred to believe that someday,
he’d want to play again. Try again. Dream again.

He turned, and started out her door to
leave.

“Spencer?”

He looked back to acknowledge her.

“How will you get home?”

“Bus.”