Hair Trigger 2.0 Issue Two

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56 Hair Trigger 2.0 front of the building, he realized he had a lot more thinking to do. Michael stared out at the small parking lot, noticing the way the land sloped down to the road in front and how the beach was just beyond the strip of grass. Thunder cracked in the distance, promising rain. The clouds were moving in, but the moon was still bright enough for him to see past the empty road to the high waves rising off the ocean. Tony, the curly-haired, cocky college kid who shared the graveyard shift protecting the Robusutā Corporation, was sitting behind the reception desk. His waifish frame was stretched like taffy as he leaned back in the brown leather chair, his large Doc Martens crossed at the ankles and propped on the lower half of the gigantic desk. Somehow, he made the gray uniforms they wore look cool. Michael’s always looked wrinkled and faded. He was watching the three monitors concealed just beneath the top portion of the desk and looked up smiling as Michael strolled through the front door. “Diggin’ the ringtone, man! I never figured you for a B-52 fan. Retro, truly retro.” Michael eyed him suspiciously as he came around the desk. “What’re you talkin’ about?” Tony held up a phone in a blue case with a beach scene. “‘Rock Lobster,’ man! Someone keeps callin’.” His pale, freckled lips quirked into a half smile. “Good thing I like that song ‘cause hearing the chorus fifteen times might drive someone else to smash your phone, dude.” Michael shoved Tony’s boots, making him almost fall out of the chair, and sat on the edge of the desk. He held up his hand and popped out a finger for each point he made, starting with his thumb. “One, I don’t have ‘Rock Lobster’ as my ringtone. Two, do I look like the kind of guy who would have a beach cover for my phone? Three, not my phone. It was sitting on the desk when I got here. Four, you know the rules, when you’re running late, you owe me a coffee. And five, you’re sitting in my chair.” He leaned forward with his open palm and patted Tony on the cheek until the kid got out of his chair. Shrugging, Tony set the phone on the desk as he stood up. “So just black coffee, huh?” Taking his seat, Michael nodded. He leaned back and closed his eyes. Tony sighed. “I kinda liked the irony of it all.” Michael cracked his left eye partially open. “What irony?” Tony stared off into space, pulling at the thin goatee he had recently started sprouting. “I guess irony’s not the right word. Synchronicity? My boyfriend would
know, he’s like an English major. But, you know, since this building is like the lobster building?” Michael closed his eye again and settled back into his seat. “Yeah, I really don’t know what you’re talking about.” Tony snorted. “Robusutā, it means lobster in Japanese. Huh, can’t believe you didn’t know that, dude! It’s like, in the brochure.” He laughed, shaking his head as he walked to the door. It took a few minutes for Tony’s words to sink into his brain. Once they did, Michael sat up straight and stared at the phone. He’d never been one for signs or omens, but all these references to lobsters were just too weird. The phone rang, “Aaaaah-ahhhh-aaaah-ah! Rock Lobster!” Without even thinking about what he was doing, Michael answered the phone. “Hello?” “D-D-Daddy? Is that you?” Michael almost dropped the phone. “D-Daddy! I-I-I’mmmmmm ssssssscared! Ca-Ca-Clara wasn’t there and Mmmmmmama said the lobsters get eated. She’s not here and they’re mad at me!” “Where are you, Charlotta? Who’s mad at you?” “I’m with m-m-my lobster f-f-friends.” “What? What do you mean?” He heard a blub-blub sound like someone trying to breathe underwater. Michael inhaled sharply and tossed the phone. It skittered across the floor, spinning until it hit the side of a red wedge heel. His eyes rode up the smooth, mocha leg attached to the boot, taking in a sequined red dress and angular, sweet face behind some of the biggest red sunglasses he’d ever seen. “My phone!” The woman had a high-pitched voice. She clasped her manicured red-painted fingernails at her chest, leaned over slowly, and picked up her phone. “It slipped out of my hand.” Michael didn’t know why he said that. In her squeak of a voice, she giggled. “Oh, I know that, silly!” She flashed a brilliant smile. “You were just keeping it safe ‘cause you found it on the desk and you knew it would belong to someone special. Then it slipped out of your hands and....” Her voice dropped. “Dude.” Her voice got deeper. “Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude!” Then deeper. “Hey man, wake up!” Michael turned his gaze to see Tony setting a styrofoam cup in front of him. 57 Jeanine Marie Vaughn
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Author
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Editor-in-Chief T. Daniel Frost Man
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Tina L. Jens Newsflash! Frog and To
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Newsflash! Frog and Toad: Gay Lover
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Page 49 and 50: assist Paul Chambers. Yet he was as
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Page 53 and 54: As Coltrane said of his experience
Page 55 and 56: The Tale of Poor Ol’, Good Ol’
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Page 59 and 60: studied him. Because ol’ Chuckie
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Page 69 and 70: care that this is being recorded. I
Page 71: “Thank you, Charlotta!” The cho
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Page 80 and 81: survived a strangling and the dorm
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Page 92: 84 Hair Trigger 2.0 to others. I do
Page 95: Chelsea Harris has appeared in Smok
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Hair Trigger 2.0 Issue Two

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