were gathered around the flagpole just a few yards south of the clock tower. It was Taylor and his Scavage friends, along with a handful of Year Ones. Bailey wasnât a bit surprised.
âCome on,â Bailey whispered to Hal. They moved closer, and hid behind a bush just across the yard from the clock tower, so they could see what was happening.
âOkay, Fresh Meat, watch this!â Taylor said, and pointed upward, to the face of the clock. Bailey felt his heart speed up.
The center of the clock opened inward, and a number of bats flew from their home behind the gold-painted face. Hal closed his eyes. Bailey knew that Hal was trying to feel his way into the batâs bodies, to hear and see what they did.
One of the older boys stepped through the opening onto a narrow stone ledge and Baileyâs mouth went dry. The ledge had to be fifty feet above the ground.
He shot a nervous look over at Hal. âWhatâs happening?â he asked.
Halâs forehead furrowed. âI donât know  â¦Â â He shook his head. The bats resettled in a nearby tree, and Hal looked troubled. He rubbed his forehead. âI canât get anything clear.â
The boy waved at his audience. Then, without hesitation, he jumped.
Baileyâs heart stopped. The boy was plummeting toward the ground. Faster  â¦Â closer  â¦Â
Then he reached out toward the flagpole and grabbed the rope that dangled down from the top. In a split second, he went from falling to swinging.
Cheers and laughter erupted from the older boys. Bailey had unconsciously climbed to his feet. He felt exhilarated. The jumper landed safely among his friends, who clapped and patted him on the back.
âThat was
crazy
,â Hal exclaimed. âWho would
do
that?â
âI would,â said Bailey.
âYou wouldnât!â
âIn a minute,â said Bailey, and it was true. If jumping from a clock tower would prove that he wasnât some kind of weaselly freak, then Bailey would jump. âIâve
got
to do it, Hal,â he said.
âYou donât have to prove anything to them,â Hal said to Bailey. But Bailey knew he was wrong. Of course he did; he had everything to prove.
The older boys were now herding the Year Ones into the tower, through a plain wooden door set at ground level. The younger boys all looked frightened, even panicked. As they began filing into the tower, three of them broke loose from the ranks and ran back in the direction of the dorms.
âAnimae Chicken!â Taylor shouted after them. His friends began cawing and clucking.
âThatâs three downâhow many to go?â one of the Scavage players boasted.
Bailey placed a hand on Halâs shoulder.
âWait here,â he said.
He jogged toward the clock tower. The laughter of the Scavage players died down. Taylor glared at him. Maybe he hadnât expected Bailey to show.
âIâm here to jump,â Bailey said loudly.
Taylor smirked and narrowed his eyes. âYou sure about that, Walker? Itâs a long way down.â
âIâm sure,â Bailey said. But even as he spoke, he felt as if heâd swallowed a bag of sand. He knew it was too late to turn back now, though.
The inside of the clock tower smelled like dust and old moisture. The spiraling stone stairs seemed to go on forever. Bailey steeled his nerves and began to climb. He could hear the laughter of the older boys outside, muffled through the stone, along with the ominous
ticktock
that echoed within the tower. As Bailey climbed higher, panting, he could hear too, the voices of the kids at the top, daring one another to make the jump.
âNo way!â one boy said.
âThey
canât
be serious?â said another.
âItâs suicide!â another one whispered.
At last, Bailey reached the landing. There were three Year Ones standing at the top of the stairs. Bailey recognized one from his
âCome on,â Bailey whispered to Hal. They moved closer, and hid behind a bush just across the yard from the clock tower, so they could see what was happening.
âOkay, Fresh Meat, watch this!â Taylor said, and pointed upward, to the face of the clock. Bailey felt his heart speed up.
The center of the clock opened inward, and a number of bats flew from their home behind the gold-painted face. Hal closed his eyes. Bailey knew that Hal was trying to feel his way into the batâs bodies, to hear and see what they did.
One of the older boys stepped through the opening onto a narrow stone ledge and Baileyâs mouth went dry. The ledge had to be fifty feet above the ground.
He shot a nervous look over at Hal. âWhatâs happening?â he asked.
Halâs forehead furrowed. âI donât know  â¦Â â He shook his head. The bats resettled in a nearby tree, and Hal looked troubled. He rubbed his forehead. âI canât get anything clear.â
The boy waved at his audience. Then, without hesitation, he jumped.
Baileyâs heart stopped. The boy was plummeting toward the ground. Faster  â¦Â closer  â¦Â
Then he reached out toward the flagpole and grabbed the rope that dangled down from the top. In a split second, he went from falling to swinging.
Cheers and laughter erupted from the older boys. Bailey had unconsciously climbed to his feet. He felt exhilarated. The jumper landed safely among his friends, who clapped and patted him on the back.
âThat was
crazy
,â Hal exclaimed. âWho would
do
that?â
âI would,â said Bailey.
âYou wouldnât!â
âIn a minute,â said Bailey, and it was true. If jumping from a clock tower would prove that he wasnât some kind of weaselly freak, then Bailey would jump. âIâve
got
to do it, Hal,â he said.
âYou donât have to prove anything to them,â Hal said to Bailey. But Bailey knew he was wrong. Of course he did; he had everything to prove.
The older boys were now herding the Year Ones into the tower, through a plain wooden door set at ground level. The younger boys all looked frightened, even panicked. As they began filing into the tower, three of them broke loose from the ranks and ran back in the direction of the dorms.
âAnimae Chicken!â Taylor shouted after them. His friends began cawing and clucking.
âThatâs three downâhow many to go?â one of the Scavage players boasted.
Bailey placed a hand on Halâs shoulder.
âWait here,â he said.
He jogged toward the clock tower. The laughter of the Scavage players died down. Taylor glared at him. Maybe he hadnât expected Bailey to show.
âIâm here to jump,â Bailey said loudly.
Taylor smirked and narrowed his eyes. âYou sure about that, Walker? Itâs a long way down.â
âIâm sure,â Bailey said. But even as he spoke, he felt as if heâd swallowed a bag of sand. He knew it was too late to turn back now, though.
The inside of the clock tower smelled like dust and old moisture. The spiraling stone stairs seemed to go on forever. Bailey steeled his nerves and began to climb. He could hear the laughter of the older boys outside, muffled through the stone, along with the ominous
ticktock
that echoed within the tower. As Bailey climbed higher, panting, he could hear too, the voices of the kids at the top, daring one another to make the jump.
âNo way!â one boy said.
âThey
canât
be serious?â said another.
âItâs suicide!â another one whispered.
At last, Bailey reached the landing. There were three Year Ones standing at the top of the stairs. Bailey recognized one from his
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