The Crush Collision

Chapter One & Only

            “Hey, wait for me!” Janie shouted as she stumbled and fumbled her way up the rocky incline in pursuit of her brother and his friends.

            “Oh, is the hill too steep for you, little girl? Come on, if you want to come with us then you have to keep up.” her older brother Todd replied with smug satisfaction.

            She reached the top of the hill and shot him a fierce glare as she walked past the waiting company. “All right I’m up, let’s go.” Her brother rolled his eyes and she stuck her tongue out when she thought no one was looking.

            “Where are we going, Todd?” asked Robert as they plodded along.

            “Yeah, Todd,” agreed the other boy. “You still ain’t told us, and we’ve been walkin’ fer an awful long while now. If ya don’t get it out with soon I’m bailin’. My mum’s got some sweet things all made up at home and I’m not about to miss ‘em fer somethin’ dumb.”

            “Oh, go on and run home to yer mum, see if I care! I told you it was a surprise and I don’t mean to spoil it all now just ‘cause you get a little antsy, Henry.”

            “Look here, Todd, he didn’t mean any harm, we’d all like to know where you’re taking us, I’m sure,” soothed Robert, always the peacekeeper. “But he’ll wait a while longer before turning back, right old chap?”

            Henry looked at his feet and kicked up the dust for a few seconds before agreeing to go a little ways farther, and the not-so-merry band continued along their way to a destination known only to Todd. Janie lagged behind. She was tired, sweaty, dusty, and thirsty, but she wouldn’t tell the boys that she wanted to stop and rest. Todd might send her home, and the rest would laugh. Besides, they were already quite a ways from home and she wasn’t sure she knew the way back well enough to risk it.

            Just then, Robert looked back and saw her struggling to keep up. He made sure that the other two weren’t looking and dropped behind to walk next to Janie. “I’m sure we’re almost there,” he encouraged. “Just a little ways further, you’ll see. Here, I’ve got a canteen you can drink from.”

            “Oh, I’m very grateful, Robert, thank you!” Janie gasped between swallows.

            “Don’t mention it, kid,” he said, embarrassed, and hurried to catch up to his pals. Janie frowned at the use of the word ‘kid’. Ever since Todd and his friends had their tenth birthday they acted as if they were grown up, while she, being eight, was just a kid, and worse, she was a girl. She hated that she was a girl. If only she were a boy! It didn’t seem to matter if she could climb or run or skip rocks, she was a little kid and a girl and that made her angry. Even Robert treated her differently now, and that broke her little girl heart, for children’s hearts at that age can still easily form innocent bonds of trust, affection and friendship that, when severed too many times, make adults out of them.

            Suddenly she heard: Hisssssssssssssssssssssssshkushkushkushukshkushkushkushk…

            Janie froze and turned around slowly. There on the path behind her was the most hugest rattlesnake she had ever seen in her entire life!  “Todd? Robert?” she called as loud as she dared.

            “Oh, what now, Janie!” huffed Todd. He kept walking.

            Robert turned around quickly, hearing the rising panic in her voice. Immediately he saw the snake and became motionless. “No one move.”