came eye to eye with me, “then you better listen to the man, or you’ll find yourself in more trouble than you are right now.”
I was in pain and really pissed-off. “Amazing how it takes four of you goons to restrain one mortal kid like me. You guys must not have been too tough when you were live outlaws tearing up the town. I’ll bet they had a wanted poster made just for you guys that said, dead or alive, they’re still wimps.”
Axel swung me out by the arms then slammed me back against the solid tree trunk. My head smacked it with a thud. I guess I’d pushed my luck with that last remark. “I don’t know what a wimp is but it doesn’t sound like no compliment.”
Every inch of me hurt, and I could no longer feel my hands or feet. I wondered momentarily if it was possible to get frostbite from a ghost. “Look, I think we’re even now. I sprayed you with the fire extinguisher, and you’ve burned down my dad’s garage and beat the crap out of me. We’re square, as far as I can tell. Now, if you’re done with me, I’ve got to get to work.”
“Release him before he starts to cry,” Steamer said. “We don’t want to be responsible for making a Crush weep. Don’t want to anger the boss.”
“Yeah, like the boss didn’t set you up to this,” I muttered under my breath. That jerk really took jealousy to a whole new level. My hands came down first. They felt like noodles until I rubbed some life back into them. I stomped my feet up and down to warm them up. My ribs ached and my head throbbed.
An unnatural wind rustled a group of trees behind Steamer’s head.
“That’s probably your leader right now to see if you’ve finished me off for good.”
Steamer twirled around so fast some of his vapor trailed behind him leaving a distorted image of him lingering in the air. Then he vanished along with the others.
I was standing alone in the middle of the path with my feet and hands just now regaining normal feeling. The trees moved again. “Oh come on, Gramps. Your goons already did a number on me. Hell, for the crap I just took from them I should have at least kissed her, but I didn’t.” I added quickly. My mouth was starting to outpace my body. In fact lifting lumber sounded really hellish at this point. “All we did was pick wildflowers. That’s all. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to walk down this mountain, hit the main road, and go to work.” I walked a few paces and stopped. “And stay away from my family or should I say your family. You boob.” The last part I said to myself deciding I didn’t want to be a tree ornament again. I walked down the hill.
Chapter 16
Now that people had seen me for several days, the staring and mumbling behind hands had stopped. Although I could have also sworn most of the kids were walking a wide berth around me as if to avoid me completely. Tina and I had not even crossed paths, thankfully. No doubt this all had something to do with Zedekiah’s unseemly appearance in the cafeteria. The down side was that I’d spoken to no one all day. Nick, my one true friend, had not attended math. I hadn’t seen him once.
At the end of the day, I walked out of the school building, chiding myself for being incredibly disappointed in not seeing Nick all day. But before I reached the sidewalk, he caught up with me.
He looked slightly hunched forward like his stomach pained him. “Hey, Jessie, haven’t seen you all day.”
“I didn’t see you in math.”
“Yeah, I wasn’t feeling too great so I slept late. Then my dad stripped me of my covers and told me to get to school.”
“Are you hurt? You look like you’re in some pain.”
He shook his head. “It’s nothing. Anyhow, I’ll be ready for the dance tomorrow night,” he paused, “that is if you still want to go.”
“I do.” Last night, I‘d gone to bed
I was in pain and really pissed-off. “Amazing how it takes four of you goons to restrain one mortal kid like me. You guys must not have been too tough when you were live outlaws tearing up the town. I’ll bet they had a wanted poster made just for you guys that said, dead or alive, they’re still wimps.”
Axel swung me out by the arms then slammed me back against the solid tree trunk. My head smacked it with a thud. I guess I’d pushed my luck with that last remark. “I don’t know what a wimp is but it doesn’t sound like no compliment.”
Every inch of me hurt, and I could no longer feel my hands or feet. I wondered momentarily if it was possible to get frostbite from a ghost. “Look, I think we’re even now. I sprayed you with the fire extinguisher, and you’ve burned down my dad’s garage and beat the crap out of me. We’re square, as far as I can tell. Now, if you’re done with me, I’ve got to get to work.”
“Release him before he starts to cry,” Steamer said. “We don’t want to be responsible for making a Crush weep. Don’t want to anger the boss.”
“Yeah, like the boss didn’t set you up to this,” I muttered under my breath. That jerk really took jealousy to a whole new level. My hands came down first. They felt like noodles until I rubbed some life back into them. I stomped my feet up and down to warm them up. My ribs ached and my head throbbed.
An unnatural wind rustled a group of trees behind Steamer’s head.
“That’s probably your leader right now to see if you’ve finished me off for good.”
Steamer twirled around so fast some of his vapor trailed behind him leaving a distorted image of him lingering in the air. Then he vanished along with the others.
I was standing alone in the middle of the path with my feet and hands just now regaining normal feeling. The trees moved again. “Oh come on, Gramps. Your goons already did a number on me. Hell, for the crap I just took from them I should have at least kissed her, but I didn’t.” I added quickly. My mouth was starting to outpace my body. In fact lifting lumber sounded really hellish at this point. “All we did was pick wildflowers. That’s all. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to walk down this mountain, hit the main road, and go to work.” I walked a few paces and stopped. “And stay away from my family or should I say your family. You boob.” The last part I said to myself deciding I didn’t want to be a tree ornament again. I walked down the hill.
Chapter 16
Now that people had seen me for several days, the staring and mumbling behind hands had stopped. Although I could have also sworn most of the kids were walking a wide berth around me as if to avoid me completely. Tina and I had not even crossed paths, thankfully. No doubt this all had something to do with Zedekiah’s unseemly appearance in the cafeteria. The down side was that I’d spoken to no one all day. Nick, my one true friend, had not attended math. I hadn’t seen him once.
At the end of the day, I walked out of the school building, chiding myself for being incredibly disappointed in not seeing Nick all day. But before I reached the sidewalk, he caught up with me.
He looked slightly hunched forward like his stomach pained him. “Hey, Jessie, haven’t seen you all day.”
“I didn’t see you in math.”
“Yeah, I wasn’t feeling too great so I slept late. Then my dad stripped me of my covers and told me to get to school.”
“Are you hurt? You look like you’re in some pain.”
He shook his head. “It’s nothing. Anyhow, I’ll be ready for the dance tomorrow night,” he paused, “that is if you still want to go.”
“I do.” Last night, I‘d gone to bed
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