Swing State Read Online Free PDF Page B

watches right now. And iPods aren’t as big as they used to be.
    I said fine, pull over.
    He stopped on this stretch of road that was all trees and put his hazards on. I felt like we’d stopped in that exact spot before, maybe a few times.
    I pulled up my shirt and pulled down my bra. He looked at me with these big eyes the way he does. He never comes right out and says it. Always has to bargain. And every time he triesto put his hands on them, and every time I’m like yeah, right, asshole and pull my shirt down. He can look all he wants as long as he pays big, but he can’t touch. I’ll give him another bloody nose.
    I’ll take you back, he said.
    So we drove back and didn’t talk. He pulled around the L’il Bee dumpster and pulled out a wad of bills. He counted out four twenties.
    For the iPod, the watch, and something extra, he said. Always like that: something extra. He said you know you could get more. And I was like do you want me to kick your ass again?
    He said you want those M-80s? I was like sure.
    He got out. I saw the trunk pop open in the rearview. He came back with a brown bag. Maybe Mom made it at the mill.
    He said see if you can get a laptop. Or one of those pad computers.
    I said see ya and got out of the car.
    * * *
    I went to the library again today. Nerd city.
    Anyway, I’m fucked.
    I’ve got eight hundred dollars. Concord is like seven hundred a month. Manchester is about the same. And they need first, last, and security. That’s a ton of money. Then I need to buy food and stuff.
    Unless I get a job I’m stuck, even if I do find a bunch of laptops.
    * * *
    I’m at the development, down in the basement of one of those houses. It’s a few down from where I was last time. This is the first one I could find that was open.
    Cold in here. There’s plastic over where the windows would be. It doesn’t help.
    This is a Silver Salute. After this I only have two left, then the bag of M-80s Ding gave me yesterday.
    I won’t miss this at all. I need money.
    I’m gonna put it on the basement floor. Here goes:
    (sound of explosion)
    That was fucking LOUD.
    Let’s see.
    Nah, the floor still looks the same.
    Okay, now the M-80. Different place this time.
    Here we go!
    (sound of explosion)
    AWESOME.
    I thought maybe there would be a crater. There isn’t, but there’s something. Burn marks.
    * * *
    I wonder what demolition is like. Get a bunch of explosives and figure out which ones would blow shit up the best. That would be a cool job.
    * * *
    I forgot to talk about school.
    I failed another test. Geometry. Maybe I should’ve stuck with nursing. But anatomy is harder than geometry.
    Trombley says it’s early enough in the semester so I can still pass, but I’ll have to apply myself.
    That’s what teachers always say. But no matter what happens, I wind up in the next year. So whatever.
    * * *
    The first place I should go is the L’il Bee. But I don’t want to because of Mom. No way do I wanna work with her. Even if I am getting paid for it.
    Same thing with the mill. So I guess it’s restaurants.
    * * *
    At school today I went outside to the corner where all the voc kids hang out.
    I told all those guys I have M-80s and Silver Salutes. I thought I’d sell them. But no one wanted any.
    One guy was like that’s kid’s stuff. Where were you when I needed you in sixth grade?
    Everyone laughed.
    I almost went to the nerd table inside. But those guys are all afraid of me. I’m surprised no one’s ever ratted me out. If one of those dumb shits lost a finger or an eye because I sold ‘em an M-80 I’d be fucked. So forget it.
    * * *
    I’ll go back to the library tomorrow and find out how to apply for jobs. Then after school I’ll come home and change and go around.

6.
    Z ACHARIAH T IETZ WROTE GAME SHOWS.
    Portions of them, anyway. He’d filled two notebooks with ideas for