In Their Eyes

-34-

   Back on the Taggart Farm, Jacky has gone back out to examine where little brother disappeared.

    A breeze bows the corn stalks around Jacky and Butch.

   In the long drag trail of broken stalks the teen, shotgun tucked under his arm, pushes husks around with the toe of his boot.

    Then Butch whimpers at something. The dog sniffs at something hidden under the trampled leaves.

   Jacky on hands and knees, stare down at something.

    Jack is sitting in the living room. He sits in an old overstuffed chair.
    Hes so frozen, he looks like a still life. He stares off into the shadows.
     Shades drawn. He has been there for hours, sitting in the dark.

    Butch's barks can be heard right outside. He barks wildly. Then Jacky burst through the kitchen door.

    Jacky rushes into the living room. Hes halted by how dark it is.

    Jacky moves forward. He offers his discovery in his open balms. Jack doesnt move.

    "Look, pops.", Jacky says but Jack doesnt. He doesnt even blink. That stare so dead.

    "It was out in the corn.", Jacky says. Jack finally looks at his son's open palm. He stares for a moment at the object.

    He looks up to his boy as he slowly takes it in his own fingers.

   A smooth, star shaped piece of metal. Strikingly similar to the thing the bus driver pulled out of the bus tire.
    Back at the bus, boys trek out the stranded bus into the expansive field.
    The bus itself is littered with half naked bodies angled all along the roof. Scott and his cronies have laid out up there.

    Jake, Dante, Jonny, and others. Eyes closed. Basking in the late day sun.

    "What the hell time is it?", Dante asks. "Half-past a monkey's ass. A quarter to his balls.", Jonny says.

    "That sun's getting pretty low.", Dante says. "What're you worried about?", Scott asks.

   "Someone doesnt show up soon, we're gonna be sitting out here tonight instead of Jenny Carlutti's party.", Dante says.

    "What he means is, as returning champions, the odds of us getting lucky at that party for any of us-"

   "Is about a million to one.", Scott says, cutting Jake off.
    Jake turns his head towards Scott and squints at him.
   "Whats your glitch, bitch?", Jake asks. Scott looks around to make sure hes not gonna be heard.

   "Those Black boys at Cooper handed you your ass today. With a silver bow around it.", Scott says.

    Dante sits up. "Hey, were you at the same game we were? 'Cause we won.", Dante says.

    "Big fucking landslide.", Scott says. "Big enough, why dont you pull your pud out of the mud?", Dante says.

   "Why dont you lay the fuck down. Youre blocking my sun.", Jake says in Dante's shadow.

    Betty at the two-way radio beside her seat.

   "Say again. This is 226. Anyone read me? We are disabled out on east 9. Somewhere in the middle of Kissel County. Come back.", Betty says.

    She's getting nothing. Says so in a look to coach Hanna having no luck on his cellphone.
    Betty hangs up the radio. "We gotta be in some kind a sun spot or something.", Betty says.
    "Well thats great 'cause no one's even gonna miss us till after dark.", Coach Hanna says.