Valley of Death

Chapter 4

   The clear blue water of the lake was still and the sun cast a fiery image as it crept above the horizon. A small forest creature clambers out of the woods, crosses the cool pavement of the street, slips into the lake disturbing the water and creates ripples as it swims. The serene silence is broken by the sound of a red drop top convertible that races along that backwoods road. A thin, black hair, smiling teenager, wearing a stylish pair of sunglasses is behind the wheel. Sean sits shotgun and Tom lounges in the back, his feet up across the seat. The wind rushes through their hair.

   Sean exasperates. "I'm telling you Mike, the little shit cursed right in front of old man Haskins."

   "No kidding?" Mike guides the shifter into a higher gear, the engine responds and the cars pace quickens. "I bet he blew his top."

Sean chuckles. "Dragged him right off to Dean Barnes."

   "I can't believe your little brother stood up to Marshall." Mike took the sharp turn easily and the suspension of the car responds masterfully.

   "My dad was furious he yelled at me for like a half hour." Sean's statement made Tom smile.

   Mike looks in his rear view mirror at Tom. "Get your feet off the leather." Mike playfully swats at Tom's legs. "He's got a pair alright."

"Yea. Well let's see for how long." Sean smirks.

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

   The school was mostly empty, Sean, Mike and Tom walk purposefully along the hallway towards Marshall, their footsteps echo. He stands chatting with a couple of schoolmates by the lockers pretending not to notice the approaching boys.

Sean walks up to Marshall. "I wanna have a word with you."

   Marshall leans nonchalantly against one of the red lockers. He ignores Sean and instead verbally lays into Tom. "Did they make you clean up that mess you made?" He smirks and Tom was furious but Sean held him back.

"That was hilarious." One of Marshall's friends remarks.

Mike slaps him in the back of the head. "Shut up Lawrence."

    "So what did you want Harper?" Marshall turns his attention to Sean and folds his arms across his chest.

He grabs Marshall aggressively by his shirt at the shoulders. "He's my little brother."

The two other boys start to protest and try to intercede but Mike holds them off.

   Sean bodies Marshall against the locker pinning him. "I don't wanna hear about you picking on him again or we'll have a problem."

Marshall puts his hands up non confrontational. "Yea, sure Sean."

Sean emphasizes. "Say it."

Marshall squirms. "I won't pick on him."

   "Good." Sean lets Marshall loose, he straightens his shirt sarcastically. Sean, Mike and Tom walk away.

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

   Tom is alone in Penbrook's courtyard after school. He sits on the stairs with his bookbag between his legs looking up at the sky. Tom watches the clouds pass by. One looks like a stallion and another like an apple. In fact the cloud looks like an apple so much that Tom could almost smell its scent as if it was real. A hand touches his shoulder startling him. He turns to see Gwen standing besides him. Tom notices her hair wasn't tied back into a pony tail like in class. It is long and fell past her shoulders just above the small of her back.

   She sits down on the steps next to him and places her bookbag besides her. "Sorry if I scared you?"

Tom's heart races and he wasn't sure if it is from the surprise or how close she sits by him.

"You waiting to be picked up?" Gwen asks.

Tom nods his head.

   Gwen's mood changes, she seems apprehensive. "It sucks what happened to you yesterday in the cafeteria."

"Yea." Tom looks at the pavement as he mutters.

She looks to him. "You wanna talk about it?"

"Nah." Tom tries to avoid eye contact.

She chuckles. "Are all your answers one word?"

He blushes. "No."

   Gwen reaches into her bookbag and Tom peeks at her while she's not looking. She pulls out a piece of paper that was folded in half. He looks down again as she turns to him. "My mom's church is having a picnic tomorrow and I was wondering if you wanted to go?"

Tom looks at her, "Sure." he blurts out.

   She hands him the piece of paper. "Here's the info." A nice looking SUV pulls up to the curb and honks it's horn. Gwen got up. "I gotta go, see you there." She smiles at him and turns to run for the car, before she got in she waves at him and closes the door.

Tom waves back.