The Only Ones by Aaron Starmer

Author:Aaron Starmer [Starmer, Aaron]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 978-0-375-89919-5
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2011-09-12T16:00:00+00:00

—— 23 ——

The Rifle

In the largest room of Felix’s house, Martin and Darla were confronted with the following scene:

Fire, slowly eating up the thousands of Internet strings as if they were dynamite wicks.

Henry, hanging upside down in a snare, a handful of paper in one fist, his rifle in the other.

Felix, back pressed to the wall, legs spread, standing on two blocks of wood mounted about six feet above the floor.

And the tiger, roaring and jumping and snapping at Felix’s feet.

“Shoot again! Shoot again!” Felix screamed.

Henry lifted the rifle with one arm, but being upside down and rocking back and forth made it impossible for him to aim. “I can’t risk it. I might hit ya!” Henry responded.

“Drop the papers, you moron!” Felix pleaded. “This is serious business!”

The fire on the tiger’s tail had gone out, but the flames were quickly moving through the room, traveling from the strings to the blocks. Henry tossed the papers to the side and got two hands on the rifle. Now Martin could see exactly what Henry had been holding.

It was his book. And it was on fire.

Bam!

The rifle went off and the tiger withdrew. Plaster exploded and left a hole in the wall between Felix’s legs.

“Jiminy Christmas!” Felix howled.

“I told you!” Henry screamed back.

At that moment, Martin didn’t care about Felix or Henry or anything other than the book. As he raced over to grab it, he heard Darla yelp, “Gimme it,” but he paid her no mind. It was as if the chaos around him had melted away.

Pages from the book burned quickly, one after another taking to the air like black and red butterflies. Martin lifted his foot to kick the fire out and end the destruction. Before he could stomp, something walloped his shoe.

Bam! Bam!

Searing pain coursed through Martin’s foot as he fell to the ground. Had he been shot? He lifted his leg to see. His shoe had been torn open and blood was bubbling up through the holes. Only they didn’t look like bullet holes. They were long and thin, like claw marks.

Hot stale breath caressed his nose. Turning over, Martin was now face to face with the tiger. Its tongue was leaking from its mouth, but the beast was lying on its side, and nothing else in its body was moving, not even its eyes.

Bam! Bam!

Darla emptied the rifle into the tiger’s head as she straddled it. Blood splattered upon her blue tights and into Martin’s face.

“You got it!” Felix screamed gleefully.

Darla set the rifle down and paced over to Henry. “What are you doing here?”

“Just get me down!” Henry pleaded. “This place is burnin’ like crazy.”

It was true. The fire was spreading. Nearly every block in the house was now burning and the walls were starting to catch.

Felix jumped from his perch and offered Martin a hand. There was no hope left for the book. It was fully consumed. So he accepted Felix’s help. Hobbling his way onto one foot, Martin wiped the tiger blood from his face.

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