Home Alone 2 by Todd Strasser

the ice, he could hear the bad guys' footsteps coming closer. Finally he reached the bag and grabbed it. He was just turning to run into the park when he felt a hand close around his collar and yank him back.
    The next thing Kevin knew, he was staring at Harry's bruised and swollen face. The smell of varnish and burned kerosene filled his nostrils. An evil grin spread across the bad guy's cracked and blistered lips.
    "Let's go for a stroll, kid." Harry started to drag Kevin into the park. Marv followed behind, keeping an eye out for trouble.
    A few moments later, near the very same rocks where Kevin had hid earlier that night, Harry slammed him to the ground and ripped the backpack out of his hands. He opened the bag and dug out the Polaroids Kevin had taken of them robbing Duncan's Toy Chest.
    "This'Il look nice in the family album," Harry said, slipping the photos into the green gym bag filled with cash. He took out the Talkboy and pressed the "play" button. Marv's voice came out:
    " Tonight we're hittin' Duncan's Toy Chest. Five floors of cash. "
    Harry glared at his partner. "Didn't I tell you to keep your mouth shut?"
    "Hey?" Marv said. "How did I know he was recording me?"
    "Well, it don't matter now," Harry said, taking out the cassette and putting it in his pocket.
    "Yeah," Marv said, looking at Kevin, who was still on the ground. "You may have won the battle, little dude. But you lost the war."
    Harry grabbed Kevin by the neck and yanked him up. "You oughtn't not mess around with us, pal. We can be dangerous."
    Kevin practically choked as Harry kept a tight grip on his throat and lifted him off the ground.
    "Want to burn his hair off?" Harry asked Marv.
    "How about we rip it off?" Marv replied.
    "Or throw him in a basement?" Harry suggested.
    "No," said Marv. "Let's bomb him with a sewer pipe."
    Harry's grip was tightening around Kevin's neck. Kicking his feet helplessly in the air, Kevin tried vainly to pry the bad guy's fingers off. Suddenly he saw something that made him stop struggling. Harry had taken out his gun.
    "I got a better idea," Harry said with a nasty grin.
    The barrel of the gun glinted in the moonlight as Harry raised it toward Kevin. Kevin's heart was pounding a mile a minute and he could hardly breathe. He was so scared he didn't notice that the trees around him were starting to fill up with pigeons.
    But Marv did. "Uh, Harry?"
    "Shut up," Harry snapped. Kevin stared straight down the barrel of the gun.
    "Maybe we better get outa here," Marv said nervously as he stared up at the trees. "Something's strange."
    "I said shut up," Harry snapped. He looked down the gun's sight at Kevin. "I never got past the sixth grade, kid. Looks like you won't either."
    Harry cocked the gun. Kevin closed his eyes and held his breath.
    Suddenly someone said, "Let him go." Kevin felt Harry's grip on his neck loosen. He opened his eyes. The pigeon lady was standing behind the bad guys with a bucket in her hands. Before Harry or Marv could react, she swung the bucket, showering them with birdseed. Most of it stuck to the varnish, making the bad guys look like two giant bird treats.
    The sound of hundreds of flapping wings filled the air as the huge flock of hungry pigeons attacked. Harry and Marv screamed and dove to the ground. In an instant they were covered by an army of pecking pigeons. Now the wailing of sirens joined the screams and flapping wings as police cars with lights flashing poured into the park and screeched to a halt.
    A dozen policemen jumped out and surrounded the two bad guys, who were almost invisible beneath the swirling mound of pigeons feeding on them. One of the cops raised his gun and fired.
    POW! In an instant the startled pigeons were aloft, leaving the two terrified bad guys trembling on the ground. Kevin and the others stared in amazement as Harry and Marv staggered to their feet and put their hands over their heads. They were covered from head to foot with pigeon feathers.
    "Look at this." A