Rascal by Ken Wells

Author:Ken Wells [Wells, Ken; illustrated by Slade, Christian]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-375-89645-3
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2010-09-28T04:00:00+00:00

“Then he tosses me—I’m serious—at that big fool.”

Swamp stops again, like he expects me to say somethin’.

I could catch a blackbird in my mouth, too.

“So there I am, tumblin’ head over heels, and next I know there’s screamin’, and next I know I’m thumpin’ hard into Junior, but not as hard as I might ’cause Junior has pitched hisself backwards, tryin’ to get outta the way. I thump into Junior and then I hit the ground, and, well, I’m a bit dizzy ’cause snakes ain’t used to flyin’. And I see Junior on the ground backin’ away on his hands as fast as a Two-Footer can. He don’t have his boom stick no more—he’d flung it away when he fell. Meanwhile, them other boys have run off hollerin’ and crashin’ through the brush like cows from a swampcat. Then the boy rushes up and gets between me and Junior and says, ‘If I were you, Junior, I wouldn’t hang around. I can tell when snakes are riled up, and this one is plenty riled up. You better get out of these woods.’

“Junior picks hisself up and says, ‘You’re crazy, you know that? I’m gonna get you for this one day.’ And I hear that boy sayin’, ‘Oh yeah? Well, I’ll just get outta the way and let you and this snake work it out.’ He steps aside so it’s just me and Junior eye to eye. I open my mouth wide and cock my fangs and rear back, and, well, the scream that comes out of Junior’s mouth even scares the frogs out of me. He lights out fast as a duck leaves the water and goes crashin’ through the woods stumblin’ and cussin’ all the way. He don’t even stop to grab his gun.”

Swamp stops and swivels his head around again, tongue flickin’ the air, like he’s listenin’ for somethin’. Then he turns back to me.

“So that was your boy. After that Junior character run off, he told me to skeedaddle and I did. Now, I’m not sayin’ I liked bein’ pinned down like that, and I’m not sayin’ I ’preciate him throwin’ me around that way, either. But it’s way better than what them wild boys woulda done to me.”

Swamp stops again and gives me a look I ain’t seen before. “So, here’s the deal. He saved my skin, so I’m gonna hang around and watch him till you get back. Then we’re even and all bets are off. Now, you get outta here and don’t burn yourself out, Rascal, OK? Remember, you’ve got to come all the way back out here.”

If Swamp is lyin’, it’s some lie.

“OK,” I say. “I’m goin’. But, Swamp, listen to me. If you’re tellin’ tales and you hurt my boy or even try to hurt my boy, I’m gonna run these woods till I track you down, I don’t care how long it takes, and I’m gonna break your snake neck. I swear by the bluetick hound in me I will.”

Swamp actually nods at this.

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