Young Adult Fiction
"No. It's not okay. You're not going." He used the voice.
"Excuse me?" "You can't tell me what to do!"
"Oh yes I can—I'm your father!"
"Since when?"
I hit something.
I have no idea what it is. All I know is that my bike slams to such a sudden stop that my butt comes off the seat and my feet leave the pedals. But I continue to grip the handlebars because I have the crazy idea that if I just hang on, everything will be okay.
My face is wet from the rain, but the water trickling across my lips tastes of salt, and I realize I am crying. I shift forward slightly and open my fingers on the reins, letting Keltie increase her pace as we disappear into the trees. The sodden leaves muffle the sound of her hooves. Out here in the woods, I feel safe.
And then we watch helplessly as the jeep burns. Flames leap from the driver's window and lick at the door frame, red tongues reaching into the black smoke. A wall of heat pushes toward us.
"First dead person, kid?" John says as he pulls the ambulance into traffic.
I decide not to answer him, because I don’t want to get into it. I eye Holly, but she's not answering for me. How much does she know?
