The Whole Sky Full of Stars by Rene Saldana Jr

Author:Rene Saldana, Jr. [Saldaña, Renè]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-54928-0
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2007-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Thirteen

That night, Barry sat in the living room watching the news. Momma was at work. He'd fixed himself some leftovers and was about done when he heard Alby at the front door.

“Hey, Bare.”

“Come in. Just watching the weather.”

The screen door squeaked open and shut. “I got something for you. Three things, actually. One's to sign. Insurance papers. A sort of just-in-case. Routine; every-body's got to be on file.” He handed Barry the paper.

Barry took it. He hadn't thought he could get seriously hurt. He'd read on a Web site at school today about a guy winning a similar fight in England, and a day or two later he was dead. But the doctors couldn't be sure if it had to do with the fighting. And besides, that other event was more slike street fighting, no-holds-barred. The Man o’ Might was boxing. The fine print on the flyer said headgear mandatory, and they'd be using fourteen-ounce gloves. That meant padding.

“Just routine,” Alby said.

Barry read it over, noticed all kinds of misspelled words, and grammar and punctuation errors. Will this even hold up in court? he wondered. But he'd sign it anyhow. Really, what can go wrong? A couple bruised ribs? A black eye? He'd been hurt more playing tackle football in the neighborhood. Worst maybe a broken nose? “Sure, hoops we got to jump through,” he said, and went for a pen in the kitchen drawer.

Good, thought Alby. “Besides, all the others better sign that form in triplicate before they get in the ring with you. Does it say anything on there about what ER they'll be taken to after?” He laughed.

Barry came back into the living room, where Alby was eating the last of the potato chips on Barry's plate. “You said you have three things to show me?”

“Oh, this,” Alby said, and handed Barry a box tied with colored string. “You got some soda to wash this down?”

“In the fridge. What's this?”

“Open it. Find out.”

“Sure, and since you're up, get me a soda too.”

“Heh. Listen to you. The big shot now that you're in the fights. Sign on a couple of dotted lines, and you're ordering everybody around like you're the king of the ring. Well, I'll tell you what,” Alby said, looking serious, his lip quivering just a tiny bit. He'd have to work on that more. “As your manager, tell me this one thing: ice or no ice?” He left for the kitchen.

As soon as Alby was gone, Barry undid the string, opened the box, and pulled out a silver pen. It was inscribed “Champ.” “Thanks.”

“Don't sweat it; it's from your fridge.”

“No, I mean the pen. What's it for?”

“Oh, yeah. You like it? Mom drove me to the mall for it. Happy belated birthday. You didn't think I forgot, did you?” It had cost him twenty bucks, but it had been worth it, even if it had come out of his stash; so had the registration fee.

“Nope.” They were quiet, then Barry said, “So, are we set, then?”

“Pretty much.

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