Chapter I

     So, it was hot and sticky that night, just like the night before and the night before that.  It had been a particularly rough summer in Chicago that year and Kieran was growing tired of the muggy air.  He lay awake, staring at the ceiling and pondering his future.

     How long is this going to last?  How long can I keep this up?

    The bedsheets clung to his skin as he rolled over.  Another week had passed and Kieran had no new progress to show for it.  He had no job and his list of contacts was growing short.  On the desk nearby, a notepad held names and information for prospects and opportunities.  Every single item had been crossed off, each one a dead end.  

    Things were becoming bleak.  Every night, the same thoughts would taunt Kieran.  Most of his former classmates already had jobs.  The smart ones even had employment lined up before they graduated.  The money was flowing for everyone but him, it seemed.  As the wallet strings tightened, Kieran increasingly stayed at home.  Friends were growing distant, whether he liked it or not.

     Thoughts of envy and self pity had been plaguing Kieran for months.  College had been a paradise, a haven for insouciant behavior.  In reality, the first twenty-two years of his life had been a breeze for the most part.  Now he faced reality.  A reality that was kicking him in the ribs as he lie on the ground in the fetal position.  

     I don’t even know where I am, he thought.  Why am I even here?  I’m not an adult.  I don’t belong in the real world.

     This week had Kieran especially anxious.  His parents were travelling to visit him in a few days.  The relationship was tenuous, to say the least.  His stomach turned at the thought of explaining that their one-and-only son was still seeking gainful employment.  What would they think after discovering he hadn’t improved in the slightest, that he hadn’t developed himself whatsoever?

     A bead of sweat grew heavy on Kieran’s temple.  It began to itch as it slowly moved towards the pillow.

     It’s too hot to move.  Takes too much energy.  He did not scratch the itch.  It was a tormenting sensation, but somehow exerting physical effort was still a bit worse.  

     After a small eternity, Kieran fell asleep.  It was a short rest, however.  It’s hard to ignore the sweltering summer air.

* * *

     “Key!  Look at you!” exclaimed Jay, as he entered the kitchen.  He was surprised to see Kieran awake so early in the morning.  “Getting your Wheaties in.  Excellent choice!  You gotta be ready for the day!”  

     Kieran couldn’t muster up a response to Jay’s overzealous sarcasm.  He continued with his breakfast, head-in-hand.

     The sun had technically risen but was still hidden by blocks of tall city buildings.  It was the only time of day you could open the windows in their small apartment.  The kitchen nook was especially nice, due to the meager crosswinds that would blow in through the alley.  Soon it would become a virtual sauna.  The two roommates had one fan between them that was permanently stationed in the TV room.

     “Do you have an interview or something?” Jay asked sincerely.

     “Yeah, I have one this morning.  It’s not going to be pretty, either.”

     Jay chuckled at the thought of Kieran with his disheveled hair, stumbling his way through a serious job interview.  “Don’t worry, man.  It won’t be that bad.  You need a better attitude, though!”

     “Yeh,” Kieran snorted.

     “What’s the job?  Who’s it for?”

     “Does it really matter?  It’s some low-level copywriting gig at a place way out of my league.  So out of my league that they shouldn’t even let me in the building.”  Kieran’s self pity was beginning to spill out into the open.

     Jay shook his head.  “Does this place have a name?  Are you prepared for it at all, man?”

     “Of course I’m prepared!” Kieran snapped.  He was tired and groggy, but not enough to deter his temper.  “The job is with CoreCom Global, a subsidiary of Straub Brothers.  It’d be for a Junior Associate role and I’d get--” Kieran paused mid-explanation.  “Look man, I don’t really feel like going through the whole routine right now but trust me.  I am prepared.  Get on with your breakfast and stop busting my balls.”

     “You got it, dude,” Jay said with a smile.  He poured himself some cereal and joined Kieran at the small table.  “You pumped up for tonight?  Should be pretty fun!”

     “Um, yeah.  What’s tonight again?”

     “It’s Alex’s going away party!  How could you forget that?”

     “Oh yeah, yeah… Alex.  It’s at Roman Candle, right?” Kieran asked, still groggy.  There wasn’t any coffee in the apartment, so the pauper had a hard time rousing himself in the morning.  “I guess I’m going.  I’m sure there’s a cover, right?”

     “Probably.  And we’re also meeting at Sola for dinner beforehand.”

     Shit.  Can’t afford that.  “Oh cool.  I’ll try and be there,” Kieran bluffed.  

     Jay knew the truth, but played along.  He still wanted his roomie to hit the town even if funds were tight.  “Well it’s gonna be pretty awesome, Key.  And you know who else is going?  Molly.  And I’m not talking about ecstasy, I’m talking about the person,” Jay said with a grin.

     “Yeah I know what you’re talking about.”  The Molly that Jay was talking about had been the target of Kieran’s affections for some time.  It made him want to go to dinner even more, but he’d have to save every penny to afford beer later.

     The two young men finished their breakfast and argued about Lebron James’s legacy before parting ways.  Jay left to grab a train that would take him downtown, where he worked at a small investment firm.  Jay always felt a little bad leaving Kieran behind.  He wasn’t used to seeing his friend so isolated.  As all their friends and classmates had matured and grown after school, Kieran appeared stagnant.  He was no longer the loud, rambunctious center of attention.  He was now the quiet, distant outlier.  Oh well, Jay thought to himself.  Maybe today’s the day.

     Kieran retreated to his room and continued his preparations for the interview.

* * *

     Nothing about the interview process is easy, but one of Kieran’s least favorite aspects was the logistics.  Specifically, he dreaded travelling across town using public transportation while in a full suit.  It was a cheap suit, to be sure.  Kieran was not so much worried about it getting dirty as much as he was about the heat.  The fabric was dark and thick.  It was a size too large, so he looked ridiculous.  Kieran preferred baggy clothes to the point of contention.  He thought it was better to be comfortable than good looking.  This notion, a philosophy he developed in high school, still stuck with him into adulthood.  It was not a great philosophy.  There was nothing comfortable about this ride, however.  Kieran’s sweaty hand clung to the rubber handle of the train he was in, which was currently jerking all passengers to one side as it made a sharp left turn.

     God, you smell like shit, Kieran thought, silently accusing a fellow passenger.  He was sandwiched between 5 people and he decided that the short stocky man beside him was responsible for the train’s odor.  Why didn’t you shower today?  What prevented you from washing up?!  The elevated tracks of the Brown Line were really uneven.  The car jostled back and forth, stirring the passengers like a hot stew.  If tracks went out up ahead and this train crashed, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.  I might die, I suppose, but there also might be really good airflow if this car splits in half.  Get a nice little cross breeze going, that’ll be nice.

     Kieran eventually arrived at his stop, happy to walk out of the overheated metal tube that had brought him there.  He stumbled down the platform’s stairs and tried to get his bearings.  Despite living in the city for 5 years, he still had no sense of direction downtown.  He pulled up his crudely drawn map that he crafted before leaving the house.  

     Kieran was ashamed he couldn’t afford a smartphone, but proudly declared to anyone who asked that he didn’t need one.  An old school flip-phone was good enough for him.  Copying maps and directions from the internet was a must if he wanted to try and save face.

     He was five blocks from his destination.  It was a relatively easy trek, all things considered.  The streets were busy like usual, despite the heat.  People going to and fro, dressed in all manners.  There were a lot of high end businesses and corporate offices in this part of Chicago, so Kieran was passing more formally dressed folks than usual.  All of them looked so ... official.  It looked like they had a purpose.  A place to go and people to meet.  Kieran looked out of place, like a sheep in wolf’s clothing.

     The Aon Center shot up into the sky.  Kieran was always intimidated by sky scrapers, having grown up in a rural town.  And to him, the height of the building directly correlated with how much the employers inside were to be feared.  Kieran exhaled deeply before walking into the lobby dramatically.  It starts now!  This is my new beginning!  His mini pump-up speech got him excited, but the feeling ended quickly when he had trouble finding which elevator to take up.  Different elevators for different floors.  Yet another reason to be afraid of tall buildings.  At least the building was air conditioned!

     Kieran found his way to the office of CoreCom Global while relishing the artificial breeze wafting through the hallways.  The office was somewhat hard to miss, as the CoreCom logo seemed to be invading from all directions.  The floor’s centerpiece was a large symbolic “C” that dominated the entrance.  The brunette behind the reception counter greeted him with a smile and a high-pitched, “Welcome!”  She was very attractive and it was oddly distracting.  “How can I help you today?”

     Play it cool, Kieran.  “Hi, I’m Kieran, Kieran Kerr.” he sputtered.  Nice.  A nameplate nearby indicated her name was Becky.

     Becky decided to break the awkward silence that followed.  “Are you here to see somebody?”

     “Uh, yes.  I have an appointment with Mr. Feld.  It’s at 10:30.  I’m a little early.  Always good to be early!”  Why am I brown-nosing her?  She doesn’t care.  

     “Alrighty, I’ll let him know you’re here!  You can have a seat over there until he’s ready for you.”  She pointed to a couple chairs around a small glass coffee table.  There were business magazines strewn about.  Those always made Kieran nervous too; the articles were too complex for him to comprehend.

     “Do you have a bathroom I could use real quick?” Kieran asked.

     “Sure thing.  Right down that hall and to the left.”  Becky smiled again, closing her eyes and being professionally pleasant.  It would have been a beautiful smile if it wasn’t so phony.

     Kieran hurried to the bathroom and into a stall.  He had packed emergency deodorant and cologne, knowing full well that his armpits didn’t stand a chance against the summer heat.  After reapplying each fragrance, he put his suit back on and headed to the sink to wash his face.  He looked up into the mirror, glaring at himself.  Time for one last pep talk.

     You can do this.  You WILL do this.  You got this.  You own this.  It was short and sweet this time.  Kieran looked himself up and down, assessing his value as a human.  You are a good man and you deserve a role at this company.  You have a strong will, and that’s all you need!  Kieran briefly thought of his resume, and his lack of experience, but pushed the nagging ideas out of his mind.  Prove to these people that you belong here.  Act the part.  Be that guy.  He stood up straight and inhaled with pride.  

     Kieran used both hands to slap his face before leaving the bathroom.  He hurried out with his briefcase before his internal speech had a chance to spiral out of control.  Kieran was never great at giving speeches anyway, regardless of if they were in front of other people or simply to himself.  He walked past the reception desk and took a seat in the waiting area.  To keep up appearances, Kieran pretended to read a magazine.

     Time began to crawl again.  He wondered what affected the clock more: waiting for an interview or trying to sleep during a heatwave?  He didn’t bother going over interview strategies in his head; Kieran knew that he was as prepped as he was ever going to be.

     A man in an expensive suit entered the area.  He was holding up a paper and looking quizzically at it.  “Karen?  Karen Kerr?” he asked.

     “Uh, it’s Kieran actually.  That’s me,” replied the nervous young man, as he stood up.  He extended his hand for an introduction.

     “Oh, I thought you were a woman.  I’m Ryan Feld.  Follow me.” said the man, still staring at his sheet of paper.  He missed Kieran’s offer for a handshake and started walking down a long hallway.  Kieran followed, his eyes darting across rows of cubicles and offices.  Lots of busy people.  Lots of busy adults.  Adults with responsibilities.

     “In here.” Ryan motioned.  His voice was deadpan and monotone.  He made no effort to hide how displeased he was to have to give an interview.  The two men walked into a fancy office.  A large window provided a sprawling vista of Lake Michigan’s shoreline.  And so the intimidation grew.

     Jesus, it’s cold in here! Kieran thought to himself as goosebumps took over his skin.  He awkwardly chose a seat and put his briefcase down next to it.  Kieran tried his hand at some small talk to loosen the tension.  “Cubs or Sox?”

     “What?”

     “Are you a Cubs or White Sox fan?”

     “Oh.  No, I don’t watch baseball.”  Swing and a miss!  Ryan was still invested in the piece of paper he had been glaring at, but finally looked up to meet Kieran’s eyes.  “Did you bring your resume?”

     “Ah, yes, right here.”  Kieran’s wrist was quaking as he handed over his credentials.  This was the last major interview he had lined up.  His entire life’s worth of accomplishments (and lack thereof) were on that single sheet of paper.  Kieran now had one final opportunity to convince the man sitting across from him that he’d make a worthy hire, one concluding chance to become a functioning member of society.

     Then, in an instant, Kieran’s optimism was dashed.  Ryan wore his heart on his sleeve.  It was  clear that he didn’t find the resume impressive.  The hiring manager let out an extended sigh before engaging Kieran again.  “So… tell me about yourself.”

     Tell you about myself?  What the hell do you want to know?  

     Open-ended questions were always difficult for Kieran, but this request from Ryan was perhaps the most vague.  Kieran floundered at first before talking about his hobbies and growing up outside of Boston.  He ungracefully transitioned to his college studies, which didn’t seem to fit CoreComm at all (now that Kieran was hearing the words aloud).  After a few minutes of rambling, Ryan interjected, preventing further embarrassment.  

     It’s a general rule of thumb that the longer an interview lasts, the better.  Only 11 minutes had passed before Ryan bluntly stated, “Listen, Kieran…”

     Uh oh.

     “...do you think you’d be right for this role?  Do you think you’d be a good fit for this company?”

     “Well, sir, I wouldn’t have applied if I didn’t think I could do a good job.”

     “I see.  Well let me be honest with you,” Ryan replied.  “Generally, 3-5 years experience is the minimum requirement for entry level positions here.  We’ve turned away people who had stronger resumes and far more industry experience.  You only have one internship, from… 3 years ago?  And it’s totally unrelated to what we do here!  So, I don’t believe you would be a good fit here.  I think you need to aim your sights a little lower, maybe get an apprenticeship at a smaller firm first.  Get a year or two under your belt.”  

     Kieran’s heart was plummeting towards his stomach.  “Um, yes, well, I think you’ll find that if I, ah, am given a chance here that I’d really thrive.  My drive and determination alone will--”

     “That’s quite alright, Mr. Kieran.  Thank you for coming in.”  Ryan offered an empty smile before pointing to the door.

     “But--”

     Ryan’s eyes sharpened to a glare as he cut off Kieran.  “Thank you for coming in.  Becky will validate your parking.”  Since they had met, the first thing Ryan appeared to genuinely care about was getting Kieran to leave.

     As much as he wanted to be out of that office, Kieran couldn’t help but drag his feet and hang his head as he left.  The receptionist, oblivious to his body language, loudly bid farewell. “Thanks for stopping in!  We hope to see you again soon!”  Kieran slinked past her, unable to reciprocate her enthusiasm.

     He exited the building and began to instantly perspire in the heat.  The sun offered him no mercy.  Kieran wandered in the opposite direction of the train stop that would take him home.  He wasn’t sure where he was going quite yet, but he wanted to lose himself.  Minutes and city blocks passed by.  Soon, he was caught up in a lunch rush.  People were flooding the streets for their midday break, and Kieran was soon consumed.  Shoulders crashed into him, but he didn’t seem to notice.

     Thoughts of failure and withered hope flooded Kieran’s mind, which was running at 100 mph.  Suddenly, he lost control of himself.  His fists clenched as he looked to the sky, letting out a long, rageful scream.  People stared, but Kieran didn’t notice.  He couldn’t even hear himself.  His body became still.

     Pathetic.  I am pathetic.

     Some time passed.  Kieran picked up his briefcase and continued to walk.  His aimless trajectory eventually brought him to a train station.  After three connections, he was on his way home.

* * *

     Jay’s presence surprised his roommate, who was just walking through the front door.  “Hey, slugger!  How’d it go?!  Must have gone pretty well, man!  You’ve been gone for all day!”

     Kieran grunted in response.  Jay must have gotten home early.  He had already changed out of his work clothes and was drinking a beer. The television was playing some celebrity trash.

     Shit.  Key bombed again.  “Ah, well, I’m sure it went fine,” Jay assured.

     Kieran shuffled past the couch and headed for his room.  Jay could see the raincloud following his friend.

     “Hey, man, want a beer?” he proposed.

     “Not really, man,” Kieran answered.  The two roommates really liked the word “man.”

     “Don’t forget, we’re getting rowdy tonight!”

     Kieran closed the door to his room and sat on the bed, taking off his shoes and socks.  The air felt great on his feet.  Kieran noticed that, since leaving the Aon Center, he hadn’t once thought about the oppressive heat.

     Maybe I should crash and burn at interviews more often…

     He fell backward onto his bed and tried to relax a little. It wasn’t easy.  He turned and looked at a small cabinet he had on the floor.  It was mostly filled with video games, but there were a couple books strewn about.  One caught his eye, a “Calvin and Hobbes” collection from his childhood.  Kieran grabbed it and thumbed to a random page.

     Minutes turned to hours and the sun fell low in the sky.  Kieran chuckled at himself for spending so much time reading a comic.  Maybe this is why I can’t get a job.  I’ve put too much stock into Calvin.  Nobody wants to hire goddamn Spaceman Spiff.  Kieran tried to imagine an older, mature Calvin applying for jobs, but it was impossible.  Calvin wouldn’t put up with this shit.  He’d be a fuckin’ archaeologist or something.

     Kieran roused himself and decided to put the day behind him.  It was Friday!  (Apparently.)  A day for jovial celebration, even if there was nothing to celebrate.  A good mix of beer and liquor would help him forget … everything.  He threw on his lucky drawers and changed into his “going out” gear, which was awkwardly similar to what he wore to interviews.  Kieran had just doused himself in cologne when he heard Jay yelling from upstairs.

     “Yo Kieran!  Get your ass up here!”  Some guests had arrived.  

     Kieran instantly noticed Molly.  “Oh, hey guys!  What’s up?” Kieran asked.  His crush stood alongside his other friends: Reid, Natasha, and Henry.  They all began the odd greeting ritual that had become standard since everyone graduated; the men would receive handshakes and the women would receive hugs.

     “How’d your interview go today, Key?!” Natasha asked with unwelcomed enthusiasm.

     “Ah, it went alright, I guess.”  Why do I have to hug you?  I see you at least three times a week.  “Cross your fingers for me, okay?”  Kieran finally reached someone he did want to hug.  “Hey Molly, how ya doin’?”

     “Good,” she replied, struggling to get air out.  Kieran was squeezing too hard.  The boy wasn’t exactly subtle.

     “Oops, sorry,” he apologized.  

     Molly shrugged, giggling sympathetically.  “Don’t worry about it.”

     Kieran wanted to bring up a new subject quickly to break what was becoming an awkward silence.  “So, can I grab a beer for someone?  Reid, you look like you’re thirsty.”

     Jay cut in before their often-thirsty friend could accept the offer, “Actually Key, we’re going to Sola a bit early to grab dinner.  We’re going to meet Alex there first for happy hour before everyone else shows up.”

     Shit.  “Oh!  Okay.  Well uh…”  Shit.  Shit, shit, shit.  Kieran racked his brain for an excuse.  There was no way he could afford both dinner and drinks that night, and even if his friends could spot him, there was no way in hell he was accepting charity in front of Molly.  “Actually, I’m going to meet up with you guys later.  I have some stuff to take care of first.”

     Jay knew that Kieran was lying, but he didn’t want to expose his friend.  Reid wasn’t as delicate.

     “Oh, that’s bullshit, dude!  What could you possibly have going on that’s more important than this?!” he asked loudly.  

     “It’s the last time we’ll ever see Alex,” Henry added.  “Don’t you want to say goodbye?”

     “Don’t worry, don’t worry!  I’ll catch up with everyone at Roman Candle.  I promise.”  

     Jay sighed before rallying the troops.  “Okay!  Let’s go.  We need to beat that Michigan Ave rush.  Yuppie assholes.”

     “Jay, you know that we’re probably classified as yuppies, right?” Henry pointed out.

     “Shut up, man.”  Jay was in a hurry.  “Alright Key, we’ll see you later!”

     “Bye, Key!”

     “Holy balls, it’s hot in here.  See ya later, Key!”

     Molly was the last one to leave.  “Bye, Kieran,” she said with a smile.  It was a brief moment.  Too brief.

     “Adios!”  Kieran stood alone in a hot, empty room.  He sighed deeply and his spirit diminished in sync with the exhalation.  

* * *

     “Ally to good!  Nightmare to you!” the television shouted.  Kieran slurped up the remaining Beefaroni dinner he had prepared himself.  Despite being away from his friends, he was quite content eating Chef Boyardee and watching cartoons.  He didn’t get to enjoy them all that often, anymore.  Jay insisted that the dial be tuned to ESPN at all times.

     Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

     Hm?  Who would that be?

     Kieran turned down the TV’s volume and tidied up the coffee table a bit, using his napkin to wipe up some spilled Beefaroni.  He peered through the peephole, curious who had wandered through their less-than-reputable neighborhood at dusk.

     You gotta be kidding me.  Fuckin’ unreal.

     He opened the door, stone faced.  

     “Kieran!” shouted two voices in unison.  

     “Hi, Mom.  Hi, Dad.”  His two parents embraced their son as happiness beamed out of their souls.

     "How is my little baby boy doing?!  We haven’t seen you three years!” exclaimed Nadia.

     Kieran rebutted, “Actually, it’s been four.”

     “Oh, it’s been so long!”  Her grip was ironclad.  

     Patrick could sense his son’s annoyance but didn’t say anything.  Watching his wife hug his son brought him great joy, and watching Kieran squirm was an added bonus.  “Well whaddya say, son?  Want to invite us in?  Give us a tour?  Looks like a… uh, nice place you got here!”

     “Don’t patronize me, Dad.  Why are you guys here?  You said you weren’t coming till next week,” Kieran pointed out.  He was banking on those extra days to mentally prepare for their arrival.  

     “Well, honey, we arrived in town sooner than we thought and couldn’t bear to wait any longer to see you!  Isn’t this exciting?  Oh, Patrick, look how much bigger he is!”

     “I’m the same height as when you last saw me, Ma!”

     “Be nice to your mother.  Now can we come in or not?  We booked a table at a fancy restaurant and we don’t want to be late,” said Patrick.  Not intending to wait for an invitation, he forced his way in.  He surveyed the modest living room, nodding his head in approval.  It had been a long, long time since Patrick had been in a bachelor pad like Kieran’s.  “Not too shabby, Son.  You could probably do a better job cleaning up after yourself, but oh well.  Now let’s go eat.”

     Kieran felt like a teenager again and was starting to sound the part as well.  “Ugh, I just finished dinner.  You could have given me some warning, you know.”

     “Ah, don’t worry about it,” said Nadia.  “We have a surprise to show you anyway, we can skip the meal!”

     Patrick slouched and let out a heavy sigh.  “But I was going to get the filet.  Nadia, you know how excited I was for that filet!”

     “Don’t worry about it, Pop.  Can we get a move on, regardless?  I have plans tonight and I can’t break them.”  Kieran propped open the door and motioned for his parents to leave with him.  “I’ll meet up with my friends after dinner or the surprise or whatever…”

    “Yay!”  Nadia clapped her hands together, overjoyed.  Patrick glared at her as they exited the apartment.  “What?  Oh, it’ll be fine.”

    Kieran locked the apartment and the three headed outside into the blistering city.  

* * *

    “Do you know where you’re going, Ma?” Kieran asked.

    “Of course I do!  I’ve been to Chicago plenty of times,” answered Nadia.  He wasn’t convinced.  They had been walking in a mindless zig zag pattern for about forty minutes.  All their clothes were dark and damp from the profuse sweating.  Kieran had reluctantly caught his parents up with his final years in college and the struggles he faced in the so-called Real World.  It was a painful ordeal for the young man.

    “So the job market is that rough, huh?  Well I’m sorry to hear that, Kieran.  Keep your head up.  I’m sure things will turn around for you soon.”

    “Yeah, sure.”  Kieran’s gaze was fixed on the ground in front of him.  He tried to kick a pebble and missed.     

    “Boy, this is a pretty neighborhood!” Nadia chimed in.  She had intermittently tried to cheer Kieran up as he explained his situation.  The internal strife was obvious.

    Kieran was puzzled by their indifference.  “To be honest, guys?  I thought you’d be a lot more upset.”

    “Upset?  Why would we be upset?  We’re just so happy to see you!”

    “Well yeah, but… you’re not disappointed?  You gave me all this money to get through high school, all this money to get through college, and I am the only bum out of all my friends without a job.  By my count, I’ll be flat broke in three weeks.  How does that not piss you off?”  He couldn’t stomach their lackadaisical attitude.  

    “Of course we’re disappointed,” his father noted, bluntly.

    “Patrick!  Look, Kieran, we wanted you to have a good education because that is important.  Being a ‘productive member of society’ is important too!  But you should make your contribution, your mark on the world... by doing something you love!”

    Kieran wasn’t impressed by the Mickey Mouse talk.  “That’s some real hippie shit, Ma.”

    Nadia laughed.  “What I’m trying to say is: having a job isn’t directly tied to your worth as a person.”

    “It most certainly is.”    

    “Patrick, would you shut up?!  Don’t listen to your father.”

    Kieran cracked a smile.  It was his first involuntary grin of the day.  He had a love/hate relationship with his folks, but their back-and-forth reminded him of the good ol’ days.  His stoic father throwing jabs at his ever optimistic mother.  Kieran didn’t realize until just that moment, but…

    I actually missed them.  Huh.

    By some cruel coincidence, Nadia was leading them past Sola and Kieran’s friends.  He stared as he walked by.  They were all there.  Laughing.  Drinking.  Having the time of their lives.  Not a single one noticed Kieran as he passed the large open window out front.  He gazed at Molly, hoping she’d look up, but she was busy talking to someone.  A guy, to be specific.  Who the fuck is that, Kieran asked himself.  Probably one of those employed douchebags.  Looks like a bum.

    “Don’t you think, Kieran?” Nadia asked, shaking her son from his daze.

    “What?  I wasn’t listening.”

    “Isn’t this such a nice part of the city?”

    Ugh.  “Yeah it is.  Where are we going exactly?”

    Patrick grumbled, “We were going to have dinner near here, but someone just had to fill up on Beefaroni early.”  He tried to inject as much vitriol into his words as possible.

    “You know there was a much more direct route we could have taken to get here from my place.  Why don’t you just tell me where we’re going and I’ll lead the way?”  It was unclear to Kieran why they hadn’t taken a cab but it was far too late for that.  

    Nadia ignored his suggestion.  “I’m sure there was a faster route but I just love walking around big cities like this.  So much life!  So much energy!”  

    What a hippie.

    The trio continue to walk.  Then they walked some more.  Kieran was getting fed up.  Their trek was getting close to the 2-hour mark, and he still had no clue what was going on.  The landscape had suddenly changed.  Restaurants and parks were turning into liquor stores and abandoned factories.  Most first-floor windows within eyeshot had bars protecting them.  It wasn’t exactly a place Kieran found himself very often.

    “If you see a car drive up beside us, hit the deck,” Kieran remarked, only half-joking.  

    “I was planning on using you as a shield.”

    “Patrick!”

    Kieran could feel a (relatively) cool breeze coming in off the lake, and their course had taken them down a small hill, so he figured they must be somewhat close to the water.  An orange glow blanketed the empty street they walked down, not another soul in sight.  Finally, they had arrived at their destination.

    “We’re here!”  Nadia was overcome with glee.

    “Wow.  A giant iron door.  How thrilling.”

    “Just wait a damn second, would ya, Kieran?”

    Kieran was not overly impressed by the big door.  Dirt and sod jutted out from all sides as if it had been pulled into the side of the hill.  It was hard to tell if the door was part of a building that no longer existed or if it was just a seal to an old coal mine.  Either way, it struck Kieran as oddly picturesque… an ugly door in the side of an ugly hill on an ugly industrial street.  It was charming.

    Nadia approached the decayed ring pulls and clasped them with her small hands.  She appeared to be whispering a secret to the old door.  This better be good, Kieran thought.  A large creaking noise pierced the air as his mother pulled open the metal panels, rust flakes falling as the hinges struggled to cooperate.  Several layers of asphalt had been added near the entryway, and they loudly scraped the pavement until Nadia’s arms were spread wide apart.  She slowly walked into the darkness.

    Patrick smiled.  “Well that was plenty dramatic, huh?”  He followed his wife.  It was nearly pitch black inside, save for the light of a streetlamp that snuck in for a few feet.  

    “Damn.  I should have been hanging out in here all summer,” Kieran remarked.  It was cold, almost uncomfortably so, and a damp musty stench filled their nostrils.  Kieran reached for his phone, intending to provide some light, but Patrick grabbed his wrist to stop him.

    “Just wait, son.”  Although his face wasn’t visible in the darkness, it was obvious Patrick was grinning like a monkey.

    Four flames burst into life without warning, causing Kieran to jump.  The flares clung to torches, illuminating what turned out to be a surprisingly large space.  Four stone columns stood in the middle of the room.  After quickly scanning his surrounding, Kieran saw his mother standing between the columns, looking pleased.

    “Pretty impressive, right?” she asked.  

    “How did you do that?!”

    “Oh, your mother has her ways.  She has her ways…”  Nadia was relishing the moment.  She had a bad habit of speaking in the third person when she was feeling cocky.

    “So what did we come here to do?” Kieran asked.  He cocked his head to gaze past Nadia, seeing another, smaller door opposite of the one they had entered.  “What is that?”

    “Well son, that’s a door.  It has a knob, some hinges, and a--”

    “Shut up, Dad,” Kieran interrupted.  “What’s behind that door?  Is it a cold dark room with another door?  And beyond that is another empty room?”

    “No, after this room there’s a gate.”

    “Be nice, Patrick,” chided Nadia.  “Kieran, I know this probably seems like a regular old boring basement.  But...”  She didn’t finish her thought. She didn’t want to spoil the big surprise and lose out on Kieran’s sustained wonderment.

    Nadia was right, though; it was a pretty boring room.  Kieran was inspecting the columns, running his hands over the frigid stone.  He was searching for the switch that his mom must have flipped to turn on the gas for the torches.  Instead, he only found some strange graffiti.  Someone had chiseled symbols into the column.  This must have been one dedicated tagger, he thought.  

    “Okay, I give up, Ma”  Kieran threw his hands in the air.  “What the hell is this place?  Don’t tell me this is where I was conceived or something.  Aw no, don’t subject me to this!  That’s disgusting!”    

    Patrick burst into laughter.  “No, not quite.”

    “And why the zig-zag route to get here?  We could have cut our little hike in half if you had just given me an address.  You guys shaking a tail or something?” Kieran asked, jokingly.  His parents glanced sheepishly, or perhaps nervously, at one another before being interrupted by a brusque voice behind them.

    “Trying to shake a tail,” interjected the strange voice.

    The family’s attention darted to the entrance, where a dark silhouette stood masked by streetlights.  He stepped forward into the room, removing the hood from his bizarre cloak.  The man had a glass eye and what appeared to be severe scarring on the right side of his face.

     Patrick clenched his fists and muttered, “Damn it!”  He began to perspire again, though it was not due to the heat, this time.

     Nadia stepped forward and motioned for Patrick and Kieran to move to the back of the room.  Kieran stood still instead, both intrigued and worried.  

     “State your name,” Nadia commanded.  “Why are you here?”

     “Don’t play coy with me!”  The man spoke with an odd accent, one that Kieran couldn’t quite place.  It reminded him of the old bodega owner down the block from his apartment.  “I know you have the key, and you are going to hand it over.  Then you are going to leave this place and forget this whole encounter.”    

     Nadia rebutted, “Bullshit.  I asked for your name.”

     “You can call me Prosko.  It’s good to finally meet you, Nadia.”  A devilish grin pulled at the interloper’s face.  “This must be your filthy husband.  I can’t say it’s as much of an honor to meet you.”  

     Patrick stood in silence, his jaw clenched shut.  Nadia can handle this, he thought.  She was certainly better equipped than he was.  She stood like a statue with an iron glare, daring the stranger to make a move.

     “Nothing?  You’re not gonna give me anything?  Fine.”  The man shrugged.  He slowly raised his hands before shrieking, “Have it your way!”  He ripped his hands back down to his sides, conjuring flames in each palm.

     Kieran’s eyes widened.  Whoa.  Now that was pretty cool, he thought to himself.  Probably shouldn’t share that with the family.

     “Hmph.”  Nadia was not amused.  “Kieran, stand back.”  She spread her arms wide.  A cool breeze swept through the dark space, which caused the torches to flicker.  The draft rustled everyone’s clothing and shot a shiver up Kieran’s spine.  Out of thin air, small droplets of water appeared above Nadia.  Small beads combined to make larger ones as the liquid gravitated towards five central orbs.  They grew to the size of softballs before stretching out and crystallizing.  Finally, they transformed into jagged, icy daggers that floated gracefully overhead.

     Kieran’s jaw hit the floor.  Well, not literally, but he was flabbergasted.  “What in the fuck is going on here?!” he exclaimed.  His question went unanswered.

     Prosko hurled the fireballs at Nadia in quick succession.  With a subtle flick of the wrist, she intercepted the attack with two of her icicles.  Without taking her gaze off her enemy, she barked orders at the men behind her.  “Kieran, get next to that door in the rear.  Patrick, give the permabuff and start the procedure.”

     “What?!  What procedure?  Is that ice?!”

     Patrick grabbed his son’s arm and dragged him to the back of the room.  “Stay calm, Kieran.  This is going to be a little weird but stand still.”  Shit.  Nadia was supposed to perform this.  I don’t know if I have the capacity for such a heavy task.  Patrick was worried, but knew he had to put on a brave face for his family.  Sweat continued to fall from his temples.  

     “Did Mom just shoot ice at that guy?!”

     “Yes.  Calm down.”  Patrick closed his eyes and raised his palms to face Kieran.  He began to murmur quietly.  Kieran couldn’t hear a word of it and his attention was fixed on his mother-turned-badass.

     Prosko dove to the side, throwing more fireballs as he tumbled.  Each attack missed Nadia; she barely had to move to avoid being hit.  “You don’t have much a shot there, champ,” she taunted.  The errant flames crashed into a column and parts of the ceiling.  Soot rained down above.  With another slight gesture from Nadia, the third ice shard shot towards Prosko.  He couldn’t dodge in time and took a significant hit to his leg.  The icicle did not hit bone, but took a sizable chunk of flesh out of his quadriceps.

     Kieran pumped his fist in approval.  That was awesome, Ma!”  It was legitimately the coolest thing he had ever seen his mother do.  No, scratch that.  It was the coolest thing he had ever seen, period.  Is that really Mom, he asked himself.  Is she really that great?  He couldn’t contain his excitement.  “Fuck yeah!”

     “Kieran!” his father yelled.  “I need you to shut your mouth and stand still!”

     “Why?  Why won’t you just tell me what is happening?”  

     “Look, there is no time to explain.  But I need to concentrate and that means you have to stand still and shut the hell up.  I’m sorry.”  The urgency in his father’s voice was worrisome.

     “Listen to your father, boy!”  Prosko hobbled to gain his balance.  I shouldn’t have revealed myself, he thought.  That was a stupid, stupid mistake.  I should have just cut this bitch’s throat.  He stretched his arms in front of him, as if he was carrying a large invisible object.  He conjured a fireball, nursing it until it grew large.  I am too outclassed here, he admitted to himself.  But I have come too far to fail now.  He leaned back and lobbed the the fireball towards Nadia.  “Take this you stupid axe bitch!”

     Nadia leapt out of the way, the ice shards above following her every movement as if they were extensions of her own body.  The blazing attack missed her, demolishing one of the columns and causing the room to shake.  Prosko struggled to keep his balance.  It was becoming clear he was not going to win this bout.

     Patrick continued with the strange ritual in front of Kieran.  The boy’s muscles began to tingle, as if they had fallen asleep and were jarred back to life.  Despite the foreign sensation, Kieran was more concerned with the battle unfolding before him.  Am I hallucinating? he asked himself.  I am… I can’t believe…  Fuck.  His mind couldn’t string together a coherent thought.  He was witnessing something truly unbelievable.  Suddenly, his stomach turned and nausea overcame him.  His vision became blurred and his knees weakened.  

     “How are you feeling, Kieran?” asked Patrick.  His tone was sympathetic, something Kieran was not used to hearing.  “I’m impressed you’re still standing, good job.”  He turned towards his wife, informing her, “I’ve finished the first step, Dear!”

     “Great, thank you!  Please keep going, I’ll try and finish up with Prokko quickly.”

     “That’s not my name, you fool!” barked Prosko.  He was growing desperate.

     Patrick turned to his son, who was regaining his composure.  “Are you ready for this next part, Kieran  It’s going to hurt a little bit, so please bear with me.”  

     “Huh?  I don’t know,” mumbled Kieran.  He was still a little dizzy.  Patrick clasped his hands together, as if in prayer, and mumbled incoherently under his breath some more.  His voice slowly gained strength.

     Prosko continued to throw fireballs around the room.  One of the launches managed to make contact with Nadia.  It ignited the shoulder of her sweater.  She slipped behind one of the columns to catch her breath and put out the weak flames.  

     I’ve had enough of this!  Nadia could not muster any more compassion for her opponent.  It had been too long since she had been with her son; this was not the time to wait for a peaceful resolution.  She rolled off the post that was hiding her and flung the remaining two ice daggers towards Prosko.  As expected, she did not miss.  Prosko fell to his knees, screaming in agony.  Both icicles had impaled his thighs; he no longer had the strength to stand.

     “Damn you, Nadia…” muttered Prosko.  He pulled the two cold chunks out of his legs and tossed them aside.  Fighting was not his forte.  How did I get myself into this mess?  I cannot fail!  This mission is too important!  “I might not be a warrior, but I will not lose here,” he cried.  I still have a final trick to unveil, you bitch!

     Nadia mentally prepared herself.  Nothing is as dangerous as a man with nothing to lose.  Prosko’s good eye glossed over and turned a milky white.  Nadia tried to warn her husband.  “If you’re not already busting your ass, it’s time to hurry it up now, Patrick!”  

     And busting he was.  A wind wrapped around Patrick as he continued his recital.  Murmurs turned to chants turned to loud shouts.  The words blurred together in Kieran’s mind.  After having stood like a statue while delivering the loud mantra, Patrick abruptly reached his hand back before striking it into Kieran’s chest.  

     The force launched the boy to the back wall, slamming him against the second door.  He would have cried out in pain had the wind not been knocked out of him.  “We’re good, Dear,” Patrick yelled towards his wife.  “Open the door!”

     Nadia turned and rushed towards her son.  “Thanks, Patrick.  Do you have enough in you to throw up a decent barrier?”

     “I’ll do my best.”

     Prosko’s arms began to glow.  They transitioned from a deep fiery red to a blinding white, and soon his entire body shone bright as well.  “You two probably think you’re untouchable!  I’ll just take what I want from you,” he jeered.

     Kieran’s wits finally returned to him.  The daze was warded off by an intense pain that penetrated every fiber of his body.  What the hell is this?!  That guy’s glowing like friggin’ Christmas light!

     Nadia knelt beside her son, resting her hand on the door behind him.  “Hey Kieran, I know you’re probably in a lot of pain right now but it should subside pretty quickly.  Just hang in for a minute or two.”

     He struggled to speak.  Each word felt like lava leaving his lungs and igniting his airways.  “What... the-”

     “Don’t speak, Honey.  We’re getting out of here.”

     Patrick, meanwhile, was trying to brace for the inevitable.  I got nothing left in the tank.  I can barely muster anything, he thought.  Heat was pouring off Prosko and it was no secret what his last ditch effort entailed.  

     Nadia shouted something; it must have been in a foreign language because it was alien to Kieran.  The crusty door at the back of the dingy room flashed brilliantly before disappearing altogether.  Air was sucked out of the room and into the dark tunnel that had just manifested.  Nadia grabbed her son and forcibly lifted him to his feet.  “Alright son, it’s going to feel weird but try and walk through that door.  We’ll come out--”

     “Oh no you don’t!” shrieked Prosko.  Nadia kicked Kieran through the door and immediately spun around, raising her hands against Prosko.

     Time slowed to a crawl for Kieran.  It was a different feeling from when he was lying in bed, though.  There were so many things happening at once, all flooding into Kieran’s mind in an instant.  It wasn’t the dark, stale, loneliness of his bedroom.  It was bright and loud.  And everything had come to a halt, as he flew backwards through the air…

     Kieran himself was horizontal and surrounded by darkness.  His view of the room was framed by the door that he had been launched through.  Prosko exploded.  Flames followed a shockwave that ejected in all directions.  Patrick and Nadia had their hands up, as if they could stop and reason with the violent burst, like a rowdy friend after a long night at the bar.  The flames engulfed his parents.  The deafening pop of the blast had reached Kieran’s ears, it was an oppressive roar.  He didn’t have time to yell.

     Then, darkness.  The door had closed.  Time returned to its normal flow as Kieran crashed to the hard ground.  Ignoring the pain, he jumped to his feet.  He stumbled forward, tripping over the uneven ground.  He came to a wall.  There was no door, just a rocky craggy surface.

     “Mom?  Dad?”

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