Nightwitch by Ken Douglas Page B

alone. Even if the bullies would never hurt a girl, he couldn’t leave her. He quivered, but he stood his ground. They might tease him, but they would never thump him right in front of the school. That was too close to trouble, even for Brad.
    “ First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Arty pushing a baby carriage.”
    “ Funny, Brad, real funny,” Arty said. Arty hated to be embarrassed and embarrassing him was something Brad was good at, just like his father. He wished he knew how to fight. Sometimes he would stretch out in bed and dream that he was slim, tough and not afraid of anyone.
    “ Got a girlfriend, Arty?” Ray came down the steps with Steve following behind. Both boys cast long early morning shadows and the sun reflecting off their pale white faces gave them a ghostly pallor. Steve cracked a knuckle and Ray farted.
    “ Yeah, got a girlfriend?” Steve echoed. The bullies laughed.
    But Arty wasn’t laughing. He wanted to clench his fists against his fear, but was afraid the bullies would take that as a sign of aggression. “I’m not hearing anything funny. Sorry guys.” He tried to sound calm, but couldn’t quite pull it off. He could never fool his bully of a father either.
    “ He’s not hearing anything funny, guys,” Brad said through a false smile and hooded eyes. He was wearing his camouflaged duck hunting cap and he tilted it up.
    Ray moved behind him, but Arty didn’t want to take his eyes off Brad. He reminded him of a zoo snake stuck in a glass cage.
    “ Shoot any furry little animals lately, Brad?” Carolina said. Brad went hunting with his father every weekend.
    “ What’s it to ya,” Brad said.
    “ Must make you feel like a big man,” Carolina said.
    “ We don’t just do it for fun. We eat what we kill,” Brad said, defending himself.
    “ Most people buy their meat at the store,” she said.
    “ Yeah, and most people eat meat.”
    “ I don’t eat it because I like animals,” she said.
    “ Yeah, and me and my dad go hunting because we like animals, too. We like to eat ’em. So there.”
    Ray got down on his hands and knees behind Arty. Arty suspected something was wrong, because Brad’s fake smile turned into a real one and he seemed to be looking beyond them, but before he could turn his head to find out what was going on, Brad let out a loud laugh and said, “Hey, Arty guess what?”
    “ What?” Arty answered without thinking.
    “ This!” Brad planted a hand on Arty’s chest and shoved him backward. Arty’s knees met something and buckled. He screamed as he fell over the boy on his hands and knees behind him, throwing his arms up and sending Carolina’s books flying.
    “ That’s not funny, Brad,” Carolina said. Her face went red, but she was wise enough to say no more.
    “ Yes it is,” Brad laughed. “It’s as funny as you not eating meat.” He pretended to brush some lint off his leather jacket, turned and said, “Come on, guys.” Ray got up off the ground, also laughing and, along with Steve Kerr, followed Brad up the steps and into the school, leaving Arty humiliated among a throng of smiling and snickering students.
    “ Let me help you up,” Carolina said.
    “ I can do it.” He rolled from his back onto his stomach, pushed himself up into a crouch, then stood and brushed himself off as Carolina was picking up the books.
    “ Are you okay?” Arty saw real concern in her eyes and appreciated it.
    “ Boy, I hate them.” He reached into his hip pocket, took out a plastic comb and ran it through his hair with two quick strokes, then put it back.
    “ Me, too.” She tucked her books under her arm.
    “ Let’s go.” He led off, with her following, up the steps and down the hall, toward their classroom.
    “ I’m gonna start taking karate lessons,” he said, turning toward her.
    “ What? Where?”
    “ Parks and Recreation are starting karate lessons in Tampico. Four o’clock on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.”
    “ How are you