Chapter 2 - Renald

Chapter 2

Renald

The sun was blazing down on the carpenter crew. The egg and sausage muffins that Chris brought back had been delicious as usual but the their energy level dropped every morning they ate them. Chris was no exception to the energy drain as he hoisted a pile of eight 2x4 wooden planks onto his shoulder. They fanned out and fell to the ground.

* * *

Ted baked red under the sun as usual, still seemingly nude with his light brown cargo shorts hidden under is beige toolbelt. He grabbed a nail from the front of his belt and pounding it into the inside frame of the wall. Will stood a just a few feet to the left of his brother’s hammering. He dropped a nail on the floor and he bent down to pick it up. Ted pounded another nail two inches directly above Will’s head. Instinctively Will jerked his body out of the way, shocked.

“Awe, just seein’ if you’re awake Boss that’s all.” Ted smiled.

Will slowly stood up, shaking his head and cupped his right ear. “…Yes, I’m awake! Brotha, your clownin’ around almost cost me my hearing. Wish you wouldn’t do that kinda stuff.” He lifted a nail to the wall quickly lining up the nail between his two left fingers, soft sides facing him. He instantly set the nail into place with a quick smack of his silver hammer in his right hand. He moved his left hand out of the way, swung his hammer and gave the nail a lightning quick pound driving it completely into the wood. He looked at the flush nail with intense anger for a moment.

Ted noticed the wave of the anger permeating in his brother. He shook his head, “Lighten up man.”

“Sorry, I can’t screw around and be silly like you all the time. I’m crew leader and things just don’t get done that way Ted.”

“Things don’t get done I don’t. Heck, you gotta have fun with this house, with all the changes and all,”

“How can I have fun when we’re on a two week deadline and the client keeps changing plans?” Said Will.

“…I think the plan’s changing you!” Said Ted with a slightly serious face.

“Is that what you think?” Will replied.

The sound of lumber scattering onto the ground could be heard. Will slowly turned his head Chris’s direction.

* * *

Chris was struggling to get the lumber back onto his shoulder. Will stepped up and stopped for a brief moment. “Um, well what happened here?”

Chris just looked down while stacking the 2x4’s on each other.

“Here Kiss, let me show ya how it’s done” said Will. Stepping besides him instantly scooping up the long square boards of lumber and placing them together almost in one sweeping underarm motion. He glanced back at Chris, “You juss do it, alright?”

When he was just about to turn back Renald approached.

“The owner sends his word!” Said the pale man who donned a pair of shades. He was middle-aged and wore a black shirt, dark blue jeans and had dirty blond hair.

Will sighed and plopped the stack of lumber onto the floor deck, turned, exhaled and put his hands on his hips “Speak of The Devil and he appears, don’t speak of em…well, he appears anyway. By the way, does that word include sorry for making this house a pain in my hinie?”

The Dark Blond put his his hands in his pockets. “You’re all getting paid, appropriately, just think of this as an extension to that pay.”

“Yeah maybe, but I know how far to push my crew and when to just move on to the next job site. He’s changing things a bit too much.”

“Yes well, it’s what the owners want that’s important. Here are the new blueprints…” Renald quickly pulled out a long rolled up piece of paper from behind his back.

“For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents, but Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. Exodus seven-twelve and one of these days you’re gonna show me how you do that trick, but if it ever turns into a snake you better get outta here.” Said Will with his severe lisp making the s’s turn into ‘th’. This also made the quote seem comical in contrast to his finger he pointed at the man.

“Ahh, but if I showed you it wouldn’t be magic.” The man smiled slyly.

“Maybe you practice the devil’s magic brotha.”

The Shaded Man gave a toothy grin, “I’d love to.”

Will picked up a stray 2x4 that Chris dropped, pointed it at the man.

“You tell him we’ll have all the framing done in two weeks.”

Renald smiled, walked a few steps backward, spun around, hands behind his back and walked away.

Will shook his head as he watched the black dressed man walk away. “What a silly little sucker.”