The backyard

Schools out

 Lincoln shifted his weight from side to side as he waited for the school bus to arrive. He grinned from ear to ear at the thought of no school for three month's. He would get his report card (Straight A's, no doubt), and after school have a graduation party for Lynn transferring from middle school to high school and Leni heading off to college.

The bus pulled up in front of where they were standing. Lincoln, Lynn, Lucy, the twins and Lisa stepped aboard. Lincoln walked down the alley to where Clyde was sitting as the bus jolted forward. He sat down next to Clyde and placed his backpack on the ground.

"Hi Clyde!"

"Hi Lincoln! Ready for summer?"

"Born ready! Next year we'll be seventh graders! That's like a third of middle school already done!"

"Two more years and we'll be eighth graders!"

They talked about their various summer plans until the bus reached the middle school. They got off the bus and walked into the front entrance where Zach, Rusty, Stella and Liam were waiting.

"Hey you guys," Stella said.

"Hey," Lincoln replied. "What're you guys going to be doing for summer?"

"I'm going to be visiting my cousins down in Minnesota," Rusty said.

"I'm going to Camp Mastadon for the summer," Stella said.

"I'm going to be at Mee Maw's farm visiting family," Liam said.

"So we all have plans for a fun summer?" Lincoln asked.

"Not me. I have to take summer school for chemistry," Zack grumbled.

"No worries. I should be around for the most of the time. We'll just do something fun together," Lincoln said. The school bell rang and they walked to the last classes of the school year.

Lincoln took a seat in his homeroom, waiting in the sweltering heat. Mr. Bolfner didn't seem to mind the unconditioned portable and was idly flipping through the report card folders. At least Chandler wasn't kicking the back of his seat. Speaking of which he hadn't seen him for ages, not that of course he was complaining. No one else seemed to know where he had gone.

"Alright you punks, come up here, get your stuff and get out of my sight!"

Lincoln stood up and navigated through the small group of kids to Bolfner's desk. He grabbed the file marked "L. Loud," and peered through the opening. As expected, all straight A's. He grabbed a copy of the yearbook and exited the room, heading towards the school. He pushed open the door and headed for his locker. The school had seemed to have already cleared out, leaving Lincoln alone.

He walked up to the locker and set down his backpack. He heard a door open as he began to turn the lock. Someone grabbed him from behind and rushed him into a cleaning closet before throwing him to the floor. He landed on his face, groaning. He looked back to see Anderson, Pablo and Taylor, who shut the door to the hallway.

"Hey you guys," Lincoln said nervously, moving away while still on his back.

"Hey there Lincoln. Did you think we wouldn't dish out some payback?"

"Come on guys, It's summer, schools over, let's just walk away and forget any of this ever happened," Lincoln stuttered in fear.

"Well that's the thing. We're movin up and we wanted to give you a little goodbye celebration before we left." He kicked Lincoln in the chin and he hit his head against the shelf and saw no more.