Excerpt



Everyone got their eggs? CJ asks. We all nod, pulling eggs out of our jacket pockets. Ready... 3... 2... 1... Throw! Lee yells. It takes an eternity for the first four eggs to smash into the house. One of the eggs hit the garage door, and it was by far the loudest. We take more eggs and hurl them at the house. This round of eggs is much more scattered. The sound of broken glass sounds. As we turn and begin running, the porch light flicks on.

Who hit the wind- Shhh! I interrupt Lee with punch to his forearm. Watch. I point through the branches and toward the front porch. A figure appears.

Someones in the garage. Daryl says. Suddenly, the heavy, white garage door roars open. My heart skips a beat. A short man walks out of the garage wearing red and white pajama pants, and a white tank-top.

Whos out there? he yells with a deep, scruffy voice. He begins walking down the driveway.

Hes coming right toward us! Lee whispers.

He doesnt see us, dont worry. CJ adds. The man reaches the end of his driveway and stops. A few seconds later, he turns around and waddles back into the garage. We can hear him pushing things around. It sounds like cans or tools. His rummaging stops. He returns to the driveway.

Whats he holding? Daryl asks. Its a dark, box-looking thing. Damn kids... he mumbles. He starts fiddling with the bulky contraption. He gives it a hard slap on the side. The box suddenly bursts alive with a powerful beam of light.

Hes got a flashlight! Lee exclaims. He sweeps the light across the front of his house and sees most of the splattered eggs right away.

Aw, dammit! he cries. He walks toward the house to have a closer look, but the flashlight starts to flicker. He slaps the side a few more times, but nothing happens.

Batteries... he mumbles. He begins walking back into the garage.

Run? CJ asks.

Hell yeah! says Daryl. He looks towards Lee and I. We both nod and wait for CJ. He begins, Ready... Steady... Steady... CJ can find an opportunity to be a dumb ass in any situation.

Just go! I yell, bursting past the three of them. I immediately regret this decision. As I get about thirty feet away from the tree, I look back. It is so dark! Caesar and Daryl are right behind me, but I dont see Lee.

Wait, hold up, guys! I say, putting my arms up to stop them. Wheres Lee?

I think he... he fell. CJ sputters. Like... really hard.

Ill go get him... says Daryl. I motion CJ to follow me to a nearby bush. We wait for a few seconds, watching Daryl as he disappears into the darkness between us and the tree. After several long seconds, I see Daryl and Lee heading toward us.

Dude, what happened? Are you alright? I ask Lee.

I twisted my ankle. He sits down and carefully slips his sock off, wincing with pain when it gets to his heel. I pull out my cell phone for light and face it towards Lees foot. Theres a massive bulge on his ankle.

Lee, dont look at it. says Daryl, putting his hand over the lump. Dude, I can handle it. Lee says, pushing Daryls hand aside.

Nah, seriously, dude. Dont look at it. I agree. Lee sighs and loosens the laces on his shoe and gently slides it back on.

Run! Run! CJ comes sprinting towards us. Hes coming! Caesars shadow is cast towards us as the man shines the flashlight on his back. Daryl and I glance at each other and quickly realize we have to carry Lee.

Get his shoulders! I say. Ill get his legs. We hoist Lee up and start moving. We head for a gap between two houses behind us. CJ catches up. The flashlight zips across the backs of our heads.

I see ya! I see ya! the man yells. Hes getting closer.

Keep going! yells CJ, grabbing Lees back to help us move him quicker. We rush between the houses and quickly become hidden in the darkness.

Hold on. CJ says.

But he had to have seen us come in here! I say.

Just wait. he replies. The mans flashlight sweeps the ground at the beginning of the gap between the houses. Hes around the corner of the house, and all we see is the light on the ground. CJ moves to the edge of the house. Just a few more steps, and the man will see Caesar. What is CJ doing?!

The light grows brighter as he walks towards CJ. I can hear his footsteps. Lee, Daryl, and I are trembling with anxiety, waiting for whatever it is that Caesars going to do. The man rounds the corner and I see the flashlight in his hand. CJ suddenly rushes toward him! He kicks the flashlight and it drops to the ground. The light goes out when it strikes the grass. CJ fumbles for the flashlight and tosses it to us. Its pitch black without that thing on. I manage to grab the flashlight, turn it on and shine it towards Caesar and the man. Quickly, CJ takes two steps towards him and leans into a heavy punch, landing squarely on the mans chin. He stumbles backwards from the blow. As he begins to lose his balance, CJ kicks the side of his right knee cap. The mans legs fold and he slams flat on his back with a satisfactory thud.

Seat 11, bitch! CJ yells. The man sluggishly rolls over and starts to stand up. He spits out a mouthful of deep, burgundy blood into the grass.

Lets go! Caesar says. I wipe the flashlight in the wet grass to remove my fingerprints from it, surprised this thought occurred to me. I give it a quick toss and it bounces in the ground next to the man. He fumbles for it immediately. We all lift Lee up and head aimlessly into the darkness, leaving the injured man behind. The light flickers behind us. I glance back at him several times as we move farther and farther away. Holding his chin and limping, the man begins dragging himself back to his house. I dont know where were going.