The Girl at the Center of the World by Austin Aslan

Author:Austin Aslan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2015-08-03T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

The brown paint of Two Dog’s door becomes a cluster of silver dents. I jolt in surprise at the boom of Hank’s shotgun, catch myself before I slide. Shouting erupts. Two Dog returns fire. A barrage of gunfire fills the air.

Uncle Hank! He’s crouched behind his door, tucked into a ball, reloading his shotgun.

Grandpa races into view from the garage, clutching a rifle.

“No!” My voice catches in my throat.

Two Dog releases several rounds, only half aiming from behind his door.

“Get back!” I yell at Grandpa. He glances up, retreats behind the red truck.

“Lei, quiet!” Aukina says.

Two Dog spots us on the roof. He fires.

A bullet zings off the roofing inches away. I yelp. Dad, Grandpa, and Hank race as a pack at Two Dog. A second shot ricochets off the aluminum. I jerk back, lose my footing, and slide down the roof.

“Lei!”

I slip toward the edge. I spread out my limbs, steady myself. But I can’t brake. The edge draws nearer. I’m on my back, feet-first; hands and heels scrape against the smooth metal. With a yell, I dig in my heels as hard as I can, begin to slow. Vertigo swells as the long drop to the ground is unveiled by the advancing edge of the roof. I dig in harder. My bare heels slip over the edge—and catch on the gutter. My slippahs fall away. Several more shots fill the air. The gutter budges, snaps. But I’m stopped.

Aukina shimmies down to within arm’s length, and I grab his waiting hand, slip, catch. I crawl backward just enough to plant my bare feet and then begin to scoot higher with Aukina’s help. His combat boots grip the surface of the roof.

Shouting. I look toward the trucks as I climb.

Who got hit?

There are no more antibiotics. Even a glancing gunshot wound…I begin to panic.

A body is sprawled on the ground, my view half blocked by the brown truck. Three men stand over it. I think they’re my men, but I can’t be certain.

“Lei, come on.” Aukina is urging me toward the ladder.

Dad, Grandpa, and Uncle Hank all turn toward me. They look okay. I’m shaking, still trying to reach the ladder to Dad’s window. Aukina and I help each other onto the kitchen roof and back through my parents’ bedroom window. Dad meets me with a tight embrace.

“Are you hit anywhere?” I ask.

“No. You?”

“No.”

“We’re all fine, honey. The attacker’s dead. We don’t know if more are coming. Stay up here with your brother until we give the all clear.”

“Where’s Mom?”

“She was washing clothes in the ravine. I’m sure she’s on her way.”

“I’ll go find her,” Aukina tells Dad.

“Thank you.”

Aukina races away with a quick backward glance at me. I turn to Dad. “I knew him. That’s Two Dog. He saw Grandpa at the market. How did he know where we lived?”

Dad shakes his head. “He didn’t know. We caught him off guard. He was…searching? Doesn’t matter. He’s gone.”

“Dad! What about our dogs?”

He’s silent. “Stay here. Keep your brother safe.”

“I want to go with you.

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