Little Weirdos

Chapter Five: The Chase Of Revenge

The field was packed with kids, and even standing in one spot and not moving at all, Benny, Mason, Zoey, and newcomer Luke struggled not to get hit by flying balls. You'd think it'd be common sense to move to a less populated and dangerous place, but these were children with very little common sense at all. Besides, they couldn't think of a better place to meet and discuss things with each other, as it was the first time any of them had found more than one worthwhile friend.

"Guys. This is Luke." Zoey brought a hand in front of Luke, holding her newly-made staff in the other.

"Hi, Luke." Benny shuffled a bit, dodging soccer balls and footballs.

"I'm Mason! That's Benny."

"Dah--" Luke got hit in the side with a wiffleball, which he swiftly tossed back. "Nice to meet you."

"Luke helped me make this. Isn't it cool? It'll help me channel my spells!" Zoey squealed, waving the staff around.

"Really?" Benny looked a bit closer.

"Not really. It's just for show. But that's what I say to get people not to touch it, so hands off!"

"Oh." Benny snapped his hand back, looking back at the forest. "Nobody's back there right now."

"Yeah, it's because I told them I was taking a break today." Zoey shrugged, nudging Luke. "Besides, we've already had a big day."

"Yep!" Luke smiled, sort of seeming to feign excitement. Not that he wouldn't be happy, just that he wasn't used to so many people.

"Hey!"

Benny flinched as he was the first to turn. Then Luke, then Zoey. Mason was looking the wrong way, so Benny tugged at his sleeve, turning him around, while unable to take his eyes away.

And so, all four feasted on the sight that screamed that piercing word.

It was three fifth-graders, trotting up to them. One, the middle one, held a ball under his shoulder.

Their name was Chase, and she was someone you never, ever, ever wanted to tangle with.

Chase was the biggest kid in her grade—possibly the entire school, at that—and everyone was petrified to even look at them. He had a bowl cut, very messily made blue by a giant Sharpie, and yet you could still tell they had dirty blond hair underneath it. His eyes were heterochrome, the left one being green and the right being brown, and her face was dusted with a pound of freckles. With their presence, the two of their lackeys at their side were overlooked.

"Oh, no. It's Chase." Luke whined, ducking behind Zoey.

Chase bent down, looking an indignant Zoey right in the eyes, then shifting her gaze to Benny and Mason. Their voice sounded like how gravel crunched. "You twerps realize that you're standing right in the middle of the field?"

"The field's public." Zoey stamped her foot, perhaps with the same logic that bears used in which they wave their arms to make themselves appear bigger. Or maybe it was the same logic that red pandas use in which they do the same when they're frightened.

"Yeah, public to big kids and ball players, weirdo!" Chase's voice climbed louder. "You and your punk-ass friends should move to your creepy little forest corner before someone gets hurt, and stop getting in the way of our game!"

"We're fine here!" Mason's voice sounded like the comparison between a cat meowing and Chase's lion roar.

"Like hell you are!" Chase pushed Mason, just enough that he wouldn't fall to the ground. "Move!"