Diving

Prologue

They stood around in a circle, the rules being determined. Most of them were being made by the eldest child of the group; she explained to each kid what they should and shouldn't do, aware of their tendencies when they played these sort of games.

"Jamie don't, and I mean don't, try to cheat if you get 'it' and not cover you're eyes all the way," she ordered.

"I only did that once, Kelly, why you always tryin' to call me out for everything-" Jamie's rant was suddenly cut off by Kelly, she moving on to the next child. Jamie huffed and groaned, muttering a few things under his breath.

Kelly was used to those sorts of reactions, so she didn't pay it much mind, and one by one she went around the circle and gave each kid a demand.

"Erica, tie your shoes this time so you don't trip when you're running," Erica nodded her head to Kelly's order.

"Toby, don't get mad if you get 'it,' you look like a big baby when you do that."

"Whatever," Toby responded, rolling his eyes while his arms were crossed.

She quickly informed almost every child of what they had to do. All but one.

"And, Jared . . . all I gotta say to you is . . . you're 'it'!" All of the kids began to giggle, thinking how funny it was to make the smallest, youngest one 'it.'

"Little Jay will never find me," Dante laughed, "this game will go on forever."

Kelly gave Jared a little smile and walked over to him and told him to stand under the big linden tree, their home base, with his back turned toward the tree and his eyes kept shut, "Count to fifty, six-year-olds are able to count that high, right? You can do it?"

Jared hadn't yet known what patronizing meant, but he sure felt it. Of course I can count to fifty, he thought. "Yeah, Kelly,"

"Good," Kelly gave him a thumbs up while he took a few steps toward the linden tree. Jared hesitated before he began to count, beginning to doubt his abilities to find the others, but Kelly wouldn't let him ponder in his uncertainty too long, "Jay! Start counting!"

He began to count to fifty, shouting out each number as loud as he could. "One, two, three, four, . . .!" He heard swift movements from the children, trying their hardest to hide with no way of Jared finding them. Once he inched closer and closer to fifty, however, he barely could hear a sound, excluding the trees being swayed in the wind, and the occasional vrooms of loud cars passing by. It was finally quiet enough for Jared to feel more calm. More confident in himself.

Jared finally yelled out a big, "Ready or not, here I come!" and he began to walk around the massive backyard slowly, looking out for any sign of a child tucked away. There were plenty trees to hide behind, and even a large swing set that could hold at least four of the kids within it, and with his ears wide open, he listened for any noises, as well, but it seemed as though the backyard was completely deserted. He didn't want to give up so easily, because he knew he could find them if he just maybe looked a bit harder, but for some reason, Jared had the desire to stop.

"Kelly! Kelly! I don't want to play anymore," Jared shouted to Kelly. "Kelly!" She didn't respond. "Dante! Toby! Leah!" Still nothing. "Erica! Jamie! Chris!" None of the kids responded, although he did, for a split second, hear a slight sound of what could've been a child wanting to break out of their concealment. "Everybody! Anyone?" No one answered. Everyone was too determined to win the game, which made them not want to give themselves up. They didn't know if this was some sort of slick tactic that Jared was pulling to get them out of their spots so he could catch them-even if that method could definitely be seen as cheating, the kids wouldn't budge.

Jared waited and looked around once more, but after a few minutes of still not finding anyone, he decided that he would rather go ride his bike than waste his time playing a game with a bunch of condescending neighborhood kids that only teased and pushed him around because he was younger.

Once he sneaked out of the backyard, he ran as swiftly as he could to his house to obtain his bike from his garage. Helmet buckled on tight, his elbow and knew pads strapped on, too, he pedaled himself around his cul-de-sac and as far away from his house-and Kelly's, being three doors down-as he was allowed to go.