BORA

Chapter 4 | Down Boy

The greenbelt to school is a direct shot from home. I stroll in my well insulated floral blue coat and oven mitts as the bedew air bites my nose. The pathway has a fairytale atmosphere with its tree-covered underpass. It has the scent of pine trees and stale, short green tunnels.

I skipped along the pavement, purposely landing on the cracks in the ground as I hummed a melody. Step on a crack, and you break a witch's back. I passed by houses behind a midsize rustic, dingy wooden fence that is slightly leaning forward. Someone is lacking yard work. My dad must have a double life. Undone yard work seems like him. An elderly man with silver hair paces and whistles, attracting attention in the yard.

"Bonjo, come here, boy." He signaled for his dog. "Gawd, damn it!" He blunted out in frustration. My eyes widened, hearing his foul language. My mom told me only morons say awful words, but my dad curses. I guess my dad is a moron, too. The guy brightened in my direction, scratching his head.

"Sorry." He retracted his eyes in shame. I pace faster toward the school.

"No talking to strangers."

"Keep your eyes peeled!" The old dude shouted for me to hear.

Be careful. Of what? I gazed around but saw nothing. I hunched my shoulders and kept walking. The pom-poms flop on my boots as I come upon a hopscotch game. Gwen said no lollygagging, but one game couldn't hurt. I dropped my rucksack on the ground and bounced on the board drawn out with pale green chalk on the concrete. Right foot, right foot, both feet, left. Ugh. I screwed up the game. Right foot, right- I heard tussling in the evergreen shrubs that caught my attention. I stare at the ruined brush, picking up my backpack.

Veering around to storm toward the school, a full-grown Rottweiler blocked my path, growling. I froze as my chest tightened in fear. I take a few steps back, searching for an escape route while I keep the dog in view. What to do? My eyes water. I wish my brother were here. He isn't scared of anything.

The name Bonjo is written on his collar. The man who advised me to keep my eyes peeled said his name. Maybe he is irritable due to fear, but harmless. It is okay. I am friendly. I reached out to him, but he snapped at me, snarling.

Maybe not the brightest approach. I need something to block the Rottweiler's mouth when he tries to bite me. My backpack! I shield my body, hoping it will leave me alone.

"Hey boy, go back home, okay? And I will go to school." I took one step back.

The dog launched forward, getting a good grip of my strap to shake it out of my hands. The canine strength knocked me to the ground. I shrieked as tears ran over my cheeks, keeping the bag in between the dog and me, wishing a body part intend not to slip into its bite. A second growl mixed with the beast, scaring me more. I don't want to die.

"Help!" I screamed.

Bonjo's weight is lifted off my body, watching him tumble to the side, no longer posing a threat to me. To my surprise, I glanced around to see who had the nuts to defend me.

"Are you okay?" A young boy asked as I searched for him in the chaos. There, he stares with his marble tangerine eyes, warm beige skin, and skinny legs, with a head full of jet-black barrel curls. I get up on my feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine." A snarl snapped that made us focus on the canine. The boy growled back in a stalking position, repeating its mannerism. What an odd way to respond.

"Maybe we shouldn't upset it more." I tried to get the boy to follow me. But the hound launched towards him. And he tucked and rolled on his side, grabbing a stick.

He scrambled off the ground to run in the opposite direction but skidded mid-run on the icy grass, landing on his palms. The boy kicked back up, gaining ground, but the dog was on his heel, not giving him any chance to maneuver. The dog mounted the boy, but it ceased in its tracks with a stick, keeping it in its mouth to stop it from biting.

"Oh- my God!" I squealed at the sight covering my face.

"Run now," the boy's rough tone lost traction hearing the struggle, which made me uncover my eyes.

"I will not leave you," my stomach tangled in a curled mess. I have to help, I mumbled, picking up a rock instead of standing around scared. If he can, I can too.

"Get help," I paused at his aggression, still hearing the struggle in his voice. Is he crazy? Leaving will be criminal, even so. Regardless, I'm useless here. I have to leave, but if this kid dies because of me. I turned away with tears forming in my eyes, sprinting the trail. The universe will know I couldn't live with myself. I reached the school and picked up speed toward the cafeteria door from the outside, entering.

"A kid is under attack by a dog," I clamored to alarm the entire student and teacher's body as soon as I flew inside the cafeteria. Mrs. Kelly ran up to me, clenching my shoulders.

"What happened?" She gives me panicking eyes.

"He is on the Greenbelt, and the dog is ripping him apart," I snorted up my words. Coach Willis grabbed a bat from the supply closet in the cafeteria, and my art teacher, Mr. Harp, headed out the double doors, running toward the trail. Mrs. Kelly hugged me around my head, holding me up against her stomach and rubbing my hair.

"I think you did the right thing." Mrs. Kelly let go, guiding me into the line.

What a load of crap. News reports on dog attacks are always brutal. I hug myself as I follow the rest of the students. I kept looking back at the double doors, hoping the coaches and the boy appear, letting me know everything was okay before exiting the cafeteria. But no luck.

I hope he is alright. It is my fault. Missing the bus caused this. That dog is massive compared to his skinny legs. He could not have escaped. I wipe my eyes, hang my head low, anticipating the worst.