Rot

          Charlie had been living with Ret and Cypher for about a week now but the house began to smell rotten. He couldn't figure out why and he often would sneak outside to sleep. What he did figure out was that the smell was coming from the room he was told to stay away from. While Ret was gone he would try to look under the door but he was never able to see much. He hadn't gotten the courage to actually open the door. The fear of the big man seeing him sneaking around scared him enough. The smell of something rotting oddly didn't seem to bother the other two but it was really bothering him. So instead he decided to go to Mama for help.

          One morning he went to Mama, who was just playing catch with some little kids. "Hey! Uh Mama Williams!" He yelled to get her attention and she looked up. "Hi Charlie" she smiled and tossed the ball to a little girl then walked to him. "Need something?" She asked and he hesitantly nodded. "Well did anything Um happen recently to Cypher and-" he froze trying to remember the other person's name. "Ret?" She told him and he nodded. "Yep! Ret- cause they both seem really short tempered and there's a rotting smell in the house-" he explained and her smiled faded into a look of horror. "Is uh- everything ok ma'am?-" he asked and Mama quickly nodded and put on a fake smile. "All good!- just stay out of the house for the day please" she patted his shoulder and rushed away. "Uh- sounds good?" He stood there confused then shrugged and started playing ball with the kids.

       Mama rushed to Ret and Cypher's house. She just walked in. "Cypher! Ret!" She roamed the house trying to find one of them. She held her nose and knocked on Cypher's door. When there was no answer she poked her head in and saw she was gone. She quickly went to Ret's door and knocked when there was no answer once again she poked her head in and saw him sitting on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands. She rushed to him and nudged him. He slowly looked up at her. "Come with me outside" she tugged his sleeve and he sighed and slowly got up. They walked to the back porch and Mama took a few deep breaths of fresh air. Then she turned to him. "Ret.." she started and gently put her arm around him. "I'm sorry but you can't keep his body in there..." she sighed and he remained silent. He just blankly looked at the ground. "You three are going to get sick..." she warned but he just shrugged a little. No emotion was shown from him but she felt herself close to tears.

          "Hey..I'll help you bury him ok?..I'm sorry but we have to clean up.." she gently hugged Ret but he didn't move or really seem to notice. "Ret..talk to me hun.." she coaxed but he just silently sat down on the back porch. She sat next to him. Ret had never been very talkative. Having conversations with him had always been a struggle so Mama realized that him shutting down made things even harder. "Ret.." she gently put her hand on one of his but he didn't say a word. All he did was let out a soft sigh. After numerous attempts of trying to coax him into talking she gave up. "Where's Cypher?.." she asked and finally got some what of an answer. All he did was shrug. "Come on..talk to me Ret" she held his hand and looked at him. For a little while he didn't move or say a word.

        After a while of waiting she was giving up and started to stand but he gripped her hand. He didn't hurt her but didn't want her to leave either. "I don't know what to do..." he finally mumbled and Mama slowly sat back down. "Well...first we have to move him. Keeping his body in that room will get you all sick.." she gently patted his back. He slowly nodded and looked up. The sky was starting to turn from blue to purple and orange. He watched the sun slowly set behind the mountains. "I'll help you ok?.." Mama coaxed and he finally nodded and got up. They both went inside and to Jet's room. They slowly opened the door and Ret went inside first. "You're gonna have to carry him ok?.." she told him and he nodded again. He wrapped his twin in the blanket and carefully picked him up. He followed Mama out of the house. It was dark now and they walked to the small area that the town used as a graveyard. Mama had already grabbed 2 shovels from the house and took them with her.

           They dug a couple yards away from most of the graves. Ret had to stop a few times to process what had happened again and again. They dug in the dark for what felt like forever and Ret finally was able to put Jet in. Once he did he sat there for a moment. He didn't cry, he didn't look angry, he just sat there and stared blankly at the hole. "Ret?..." Mama put the shovel down and went to him. She kneeled in front of him but he didn't seem to notice. He just stared blankly at the hole. Mama gently cupped his face with her hands and made him look at her. "Hey...we're almost done ok?..." she gently stroked his cheek with her thumb. He slowly nodded and started to get up again. She helped him up and they both filled the hole with dirt.

         Once they were done they went back to Cypher and Ret's house. Cypher had shown up again and she was sitting at the kitchen table. Charlie was curled up asleep on the couch. Ret immediately went to his room but Mama went to Cypher. She saw her with her head down and a bottle by her. Mama went and picked up the bottle. There was no label so she smelled it instead. It was some sort of strong whiskey she guessed and put it back down. The bottle was completely empty. Mama then looked down at Cypher and rubbed her back to get her attention. When Cypher didn't move Mama guessed that she had drank too much and passed out. "Oh baby..." she mumbled and rubbed her head. Mama had to leave her there cause she couldn't carry her and she walked back out to the living room to check on Charlie.  He was out cold so she gently pulled his blanket over his shoulder then patted his head.

        She decided to let Ret know that she had to go so she went and knocked on his door. She heard him faintly mumble for her to come in and she slowly opened the door. "Hey.. I gotta head out ok?..." she went and hugged him. He nodded slowly but stayed silent. "Oh um...Cypher is passed out at the table" she told him. "I know..." he muttered and looked at her. "She is every night now..." he sighed. "Ok..." Mama hugged him again. "I'll swing by in the morning ok?..to help clean up his room" she told him and Ret nodded. She walked out, poked her head in the kitchen one more time. Cypher was still passed out and she decided to leave her be. Tomorrow she planned to have a little talk with Cypher but tonight she'd let her sleep. She then patted Charlie's head one more time then left to go home.