|
|
|
|
|
|
|
years they put on a roof and sides and curtained windows, brought up an air mattress, some toys, including Daisy Too, a big stuffed cat in gray corduroy that his grandmother had made. Ordinarily he would have headed up there, stretched out, read his muscle magazines, looked for raccoons and possums, played with Daisy if she happened by. (His dad had constructed a pulley basket for bringing her up.) Not today. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No. Today his blood was humming again. It had happened twice before. But never with such intensity. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
He wondered if maybe this was part of the changes his mother had said all boys went through"the onslaught of puberty," she had called it. He didn't understand and was a little scared, but he liked the changes. He felt stronger, more alive. Ready to bust out. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It began in his fingersa funny, hot, fluidy sensation that spread up his arms and into his neck and down his loins. Like a transfusion of hot blood. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
He broke into a run. It felt wonderfulhis legs moving him along as if any second he would take flight. He cut south away from TopTree, half giddy with the desire to take off his clothes, to go naked through the trees, to jump over the bushes and fallen limbs, to feel the cool, dirty squish between his toes. To shimmy up the bark of a high oak. With antelope strides he cleared hummocks and fallen trunks fueled by the strange music ringing in his veins. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The voice stopped him cold. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ahead, three figures emerged from the shadow of a huge boulder known as Druid Rock. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bobby Gorawlski, Michael Rizzo and Jackie Stoneburner. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bobby grinned at him like a malevolent Cheshire cat. The others snickered, then Jackie began the familiar chant. "Mat and Gina sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Junior in a baby carriage. Mat and Gina sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G . . ." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bobby took over. "Mat and Gina sitting in a tree, P-I-S-S-I-N-G." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
They dissolved in laughter. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bobby G. was also in the sixth grade but had twenty-five pounds and four inches on Matty. "You some kind of asshole, or something?" he said. |
|
|
|
|
|