Read Online Godless by Pete Hautman - Free Book Online

to use it to transport one five-gallon can of unleaded. That’s all. You want to know where I was or not?”
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œI was standing on God’s head.”
    Shin’s jaw drops.
    â€œI climbed the Ten-legged One,” I say, just in case he didn’t get it the first time.
    Shin’s eyes bulge.
    I laugh at his goofy expression. “I climbed up with Henry.”
    Shin is hugging himself and his eyes are full and suddenly I understand that he isn’t clowning, he’s really upset.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” I say.
    â€œYou went without me?”
    â€œNo! I mean, yes, but it wasn’t like that. I just went to meet Henry there. He was gonna show me how he gets up there.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you
call
me?”
    â€œI didn’t … it wasn’t …”
    I am about to lie to my best friend. Because the real reason I didn’t call him was because I knew Henry would act like a jerk around him, and Shin would do his whiny Shin thing, and Henry would laugh at us both and I would never find out how he climbed the water tower. I am going to lie to Shin because I could never tellhim what a pathetic nerd he looks like to a guy like Henry Stagg. Even though he knows. But he will never hear it from me.
    â€œHe made me promise to come alone,” I say.
    Shin is shaking his head.
    â€œI had to swear to go alone,” I say, underscoring the lie. “I didn’t know we were actually going to climb up.”
    Shin blinks and a tear dribbles down his cheek. I want to grab him and slap him and tell him,
Grow up. Don’t be such a baby. If you weren’t such a nerdy, clumsy wuss, you wouldn’t get left out
. At the same time I feel awful for not telling him about Henry sooner. Shin is, after all, Keeper of the Sacred Text. And he’s my friend. And he trusts me.
    â€œLook,” I say, “I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
    He nods, and I am afraid he understands completely, even the part I didn’t say.
    â€œAnyway, I know how we can get up there now.”
    â€œHow?” he asks in a small voice.
    â€œYou climb up one of the legs.”
    â€œHow?”
    â€œThere are some cables to grab onto. It’s not that hard.” As soon as I say that I regret it, because for Shin to climb up that leg … well, I can hardly imagine it. He’s no Spider-Man.
    Shin licks his lips. “I want to go up.”
    â€œActually, it’s not
that
easy.”
    â€œTonight.” He sets his jaw. “Take me up tonight.”
    Resistance is futile.
    â€œOkay,” I say. “Tonight. Wear black.”
    â€œWhat time?” Shin asks.
    â€œI’ll come by at midnight.” I lift the gas can into the wagon. “I gotta go mow some grass.” I grab the wagon handle and start down the driveway. I look back. Shin waves, smiling.
    I decide to wait till later to tell him that Henry is our new High Priest.
    By the time I finish mowing the lawn it is ninety degrees out and I’m sweating buckets. I drag myself into the house and down a carton of orange juice.
    â€œGood lord, Jason,” says my mother.
    I set the empty carton down. “I was thirsty,” I say.
    â€œThat was an entire half gallon of juice.”
    â€œIt was half empty.”
    â€œNevertheless! Are you feeling all right?”
    â€œI’m just hot. It’s hot out there.”
    â€œWe should get you in for a blood test. Your granduncle Herman had diabetes, you know. It’s in our family. How many times have you urinated today?”
    â€œMom! I’m not sick; I’m just hot and thirsty.”
    She shakes her head. “Well, let’s keep an eye on you. Oh, by the way, one of your friends called.”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œI’m sure I don’t remember.” She points at the notepad next to the phone. “I wrote her name and number.”
    Her? I grab the notepad. My mother’s scrawl