Junk

Chapter Two

Scott Sawyer lived about a mile down the road from the Millers farm. Had the boys been friends they might have walked together, spending that half an hour laughing and talking. Perhaps they would have done their homework at Jacks house and had sleepovers.

Instead, the walk home was just another opportunity for torment. Scott always seemed to get out of school before Jack and would, inevitably, be waiting by the oak tree that marked the halfway point between the school and the Millers farm. This was far enough away to effectively prevent any interference from either teachers or parents.

Today was no different. Scott was leaning against the broad trunk of the tree with his backpack slung over one shoulder. The sidewalk ended at the far end of the cemetery and the rest of the way was a dirt trail worn into the grass by the passage of a hundred children's feet.

When he saw Jack coming Scott strode out to stand in the middle of the path blocking the way.

"Nice b-b-b-book report Jack-ass!" Scott bellowed.

Not many kids went this way, most lived in the small suburban neighbourhoods to the south of Warden Elementary. Only farm kids like Scott and Jack headed north. This being the case Scott's audience was small but Jack heard a few distant laughs from behind. He did not look up at Scott or back toward the laughter, that would be inviting more trouble.

Some days Jack made a run for it. He was fast and could usually loop around Scott out on the two-lane highway to get by. Today, however, was the thirty-first of the month which meant trucks. Trucks from all of the working farms, including the big Henshaw super farm were bringing everything from corn and apples to chickens and pigs to the huge distribution centre in the city. They thundered by just ten feet to his right filling the air with a constant stream of sound, wind, and grit. All of this meant there would be no skirting around Scott, and that was bad.

Jack slowed his pace and did glance back over his shoulder. In a reversal, the distant red block that was the school now held the promise of safety within its walls while the open farmland all around was where the danger truly lay.

"Hey, I'm talking to you J-J-J-Jack-ass!" Scott jeered. The big boy stood with his arms crossed over his barrel chest grinning menacingly at Jack.

Two girls, the Crenshaw twins with their red hair in pigtails, passed Jack as he stopped ten feet from Scott. If not for Jack they would surely have been the ones who got teased but his stutter easily trumped their carrot tops and freckles. Their arms were linked and they giggled and whispered to each other glancing at Jack as they went by. Their green eyes were filled with a mixture of mirth and... was that guilt... or regret? Cindy Crenshaw looked back at him over her shoulder and mouthed the word 'Sorry' before hustling away.

Jack watched in awe as the girls passed Scott unmolested. Had he actually seen that? Was Cindy actually on his side? Suddenly he wished that he could switch places with them. They seemed to move through their lives so easily.

"W-W-W-What ya waiting for Jack-ass? A written invitation? Come on, I ain't gonna h-h-h-hurt you!" This was an obvious lie and Scott laughed heartily at his own joke.

Jack considered his options, which were none, and began to walk slowly forward angling as far away from Scott towards the fence to his left as possible. He could jump that fence, he supposed, but that would put him in the Johnsons field with the Johnsons cows and knowing his luck the Johnsons bull. Scott was bad but a bull would be worse.

As if on cue there was a loud mooing bellow from beyond the fence and the herd of black and white jerseys began to move en masse in their direction.

Scott turned his head to look at them and Jack saw his chance. He broke into a run, pistoning his legs as hard as he could and for a moment he was sure he was going to make it past. Scott was big but slow and Jack had caught him off guard.