"Ay Red, Magnet. Time to get up. Warden's on her way." The two of us looked up at Squid, the other's beside him, including Zigzag. I looked away, the two of us standing up and beginning to make our way out of the hole. I felt someone's eyes on me, but ignored it since, since the incident all of them have been looking at me. I started lining up with the others. Standing off to the side of the others. Zigzag being right next to me followed by Squid and Armpit the other two standing beside them. Caveman and Zero stood in front of the water truck side by side, us facing them and them facing outwards. The Warden soon parked, Mr Sir in the passenger seat. They got out and the Warden stood before us, looking between everyone.
"Well?" She demands, waiting for someone to speak. "Basically Zero almost killed Ricky." Mom explains, missing much detail. I side glanced the others beside me, Zigzag standing with his arms folded before him, a shovel leaning against his shoulder and Squid standing cross armed. The rest standing straight waiting for the Warden's reaction. "Basically?" She asked. Armpit takes small step forward. "Uh, uh. Ziggy was beating up the Caveman, right? And then Zero started choking Zigzag. I had to pull Zero off of him. " He explains.. Poorly. "Yeah, I mean, you know Zig just got a little hot. Out in the sun all day the blood starts to boil." I gave a quiet scoff at X-Ray's excuse, Zigzag turning to me before his attention was brought back to the Warden. "Is that what happened, Zigzag?" I saw Zero make a face as he disagreed, it was clear the Warden was gonna buy the excuse. "Yep. Like X-Ray said, you know, working all day out in the hot sun, you know. While Caveman sits around all day and does nothing." "Excuse me? Caveman digs his hole just like everyone else." "Sometimes." "Excuse me?" "Ma'am, Zero's been digging a part of Caveman's hole every day." Squid says this time. The adults suddenly all turn at Caveman, wondering why he hasn't been digging. "You're not diggin' holes no more? Huh" Mr Sir asks getting in his face. Caveman stammered for a second trying to find the right words. "I.. I'm teaching him how to reach." "What?" Mr Sir asks dumbfounded. "He's a smart kid." Caveman defends. "Smart!? Oh yeah? Hey, Zero what does c-a-t spell?" Mom suddenly asks, the mock evident in his voice. I huffed under my breath, rolling my head. Zero stared at him, saying nothing. "Yeah, he's a real genius. He's so stupid, he's doesn't even know he's stupid." The Warden cuts in trying to get mom to stop mocking the poor boy, though sympathy wasn't there at all. "Okay, from now on, I don't want anyone digging anyone else's hole. Is that clear?.. And no more reading lessons." She demands, asks and then states all in one go, getting up close to Caveman. "Why? I mean, if the hole gets dug, who cares who's digging it, right?" "You know why you're digging holes?! 'Cause it's good for you. It teaches ya a lesson." Mr Sir yells. "If Zero digs your hole for you, you're not learning your lesson, are you?" "Well why can't I still just dig my hole and teach him how to read?" Caveman ask, not wanting to give up on the kid. "'Cause I said so." "We know you mean well, Stanley. But the mental stress just causes his brain too much of a challenge. That's what made his blood boil, not the sun." Mom once again mocks the boy. "I'm not digging anymore holes." Zero suddenly says. I feel like he's talking about more than just helping Caveman with his, at this point.. "Good." The Warden says as mom walks up to us, ripping the shovel off on Zigzag's shoulder. I take a step forward out of reaction.
"I mean, you might as well teach this shovel to read. Go ahead, Zero. Take it." Mom tosses the shovel to Zero who looks down at it, before his eyes looks back up at mom as he drops his water bottle on the ground beside him.
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