We made it to Cleveland without incident. Cleveland seemed barely one step ahead of Detroit, at least in the neighborhood we quickly found ourselves in. My stomach tied up into so many knots it would take an entire team of Boy Scouts to untie them all. The engine roared as my belly gurgled. My face was against Benny’s back, my mind as far away from that city as I could get it. I thought of my parents in happier times. I found it more and more difficult to conjure up the memories. I thought of my fingers up Chuck’s ass. That seemed to help, however temporarily.
The bike stopped. We were in front of a rundown apartment building. The sky was grey. I felt like the sky. Benny hopped off the bike, and I made to follow.
“Um, I’m already coming unannounced,” he said. “Guests are never a good ide
