The Castle Cross the Magnet Carter by Kia Corthron Page A

Ran ul! Ran ul!” they chant together. They are communicating. Here he’s making fun of B.J., but B.J. seems to be enjoying himself. They both seem to be enjoying themselves, sharing something. I’d like to kill Henry Lee.
    In the midst of the chant, Henry Lee falls out laughing. B.J. also laughs. His laugh is not a hearing laugh. It’s too abrupt and too harsh and too loud.
    Henry Lee suddenly sits up, his smile now a smirk. “It’s all a terrible tragedy,” he says, and spends the next several minutes setting up the doomed teenage lovers in their car. When he turns on the train, B.J. is enchanted again. But as the reality of the approaching catastrophe dawns on him, he is increasingly horrified. At the last possible moment, he puts his hands on the track, stalling the train.
    â€œWhat are you do ing!” Henry Lee slaps B.J.’s hands away. The train makes a few abnormal sounds, then chugs on. Now the engine is so close, there’s only one way to save the lives of the promiscuous dolls: B.J. shoves the engine from the side, the whole train crashing off the track and onto the floor, four feet below. Henry Lee screams.
    â€œWHAT DID YOU DO ?”
    Henry Lee puts the train back on the track, the switch flipped on. The engine hovers in place and does not move. Henry Lee goes on a tirade, screaming and waving his arms. The situation with the train is certainly dire, but even tantrum-prone B.J. is stunned by Henry Lee’s hysterics, as am I. Finally Roger’s mother opens the door above us. “What’s goin on down there?”
    â€œThat dummy ruined my train!” He swerves around to face me. “Don’t you bring him here no more! Don’t you never bring him here no more!”
    â€œOh.” I hear Roger’s mother shut the door to go back to work, as if her question was just idle curiosity.
    â€œSALLY!”
    A few moments later the door opens. “Yes.”
    â€œTHEY RUINED MY TRAIN!”
    â€œHm. Well I guess your mama an daddy’ll have to get it fixed.”
    â€œTHERE’S NO FIXIN IT! THERE’S NO FIXIN IT!” He is stomping up the steps, then turns back to scream at me. “YOU’RE PAYIN FOR IT!”
    As soon as Henry Lee is gone, B.J. turns to the train control box but I quickly jump up to put my hand on his hand, signing, Henry Lee says no. B.J. signs, I want train. I sign, No, Henry Lee says no. B.J. signs, Henry Lee pansy. I giggle. I’m sure he has little idea of what the word means, apparently part of the new vocabulary Deb Ellen imparted to him at the park. Still, I’m pondering Henry Lee’s threat. Where could I get the money to pay for his train? I gaze at my Sopwith miserably.
    Roger comes down the steps with two oatmeal cookies. “My mama said to give these to yaw.” His eyes fall on my plane. “Lemme see it.”
    I hand it to him. He smiles a bit as he delicately touches it, bestowing to me the gratification I didn’t get from Henry Lee. He gives it back. “My mother said I should introduce myself to your brother.”
    I sign to B.J.
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œThe sign language. I said, This is Roger. This is my brother B.J.” Roger nods to B.J. B.J. smiles at Roger. I get my cards.
    â€œTwenty-one?”
    â€œOkay.”
    I indicate for B.J. to join us. The three of us sit on the floor as I shuffle.
    â€œYou can’t take history today. I have a test Wednesday.”
    â€œTakin nothin.” Roger checks out his hand.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œFound this boy. Ninth grader at the white high school, loan me his books for free.”
    I stare at him. “Why would he loan you for free?”
    â€œI don’t know. We’re friends. Hit me.”
    â€œ I’m your friend!” It just popped out. Roger stares. I swallow. I suddenly feel like a heel, selling knowledge and here a better person just offered it, no strings. “You can borrow