✓ | 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐘 ☁︎ 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒏𝒚 𝑹𝒐𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒛

Five

Benny and Ham were quick to catch her when she swung herself over the tall fence.
They noticed her jeans had a big damn blood spot. The two pulled up her loose jeans to see that thick blood was rushing down to her ankle.

As the three had left Mr. Mertle's backyard, Jordan went home with tears and an injury that would take a long time to heal.

♢

S H O R T Y

    The story itself was a basic one, but it really did leave some obvious trauma with Jordan.
For the short story to be so bland, it was a tale that everyone seemed to be so desired to know.
The boys honestly were satisfied with the story. They thought it was awesome how they had their friend handedly escaped the Beast's clutches and had a 'battle scar' to prove it.

Scotty's questions of why she was so timid on the outfield were answered. A good reasonable answer, like that. From what a small glance he had of the Beast, he saw Jordan as some kind of hero.

"Show them the scar!" Bertram shouts.

This caused all the boys to start chanting and clamoring about showing the scar to them.

"All right! Fine, fine, fine!" She gave in, despite herself not wanting to.

Rolling up her sweatpants, to show the bite mark, the boys all gasps at the Beast's huge scar on the girl's right calf. The oval shape that was covering most of her lower leg, as it was merely skin now.

Benny did remember that day, he was practically scared to death for her.
He remembered that painting fear and panic she had on her face when jumping out of the fence, he also remembered the constant humorous panic attacks and comments Ham had in the background.

"Nuh-uh," Scotty denied, "No. None of that is true." He turns to Jordan, who was covering the scar back up. "Now that, that is true. But the rest, the story? You guys are just making this up to scare me."

"Oh, yeah?" Squints raised his eyebrows. "Stick your head out that window... and look down."

Small did what Squints told him.
He walked over and stuck his head out the cut-out window, which was right beside the Beast's backyard.

♢

I learned that more than 150 baseballs had gone over that fence... and not one of them was ever seen again.

♢

    Jordan and Benny looked at each other and back at Smalls.
They really did believe an actual Beast was out there, but it was sort of crazy to them was how Scotty didn't. Soon enough, a heavy low faint growl came, with a chain rattling from outside.

♢

Even when some brave kid, like Jordan, worked up enough courage to peek over the fence.
They had to not have luck on their side. I knew it was true because when I looked down in there, I didn't see a single... solitary... one.

♢

    The white boy screams in terror, pulling himself back in the house, now a believer in the stories.