Social Themes
Warren stands tall and proud, still gorgeous despite his forced swim. He nods. "I’d like to thank you all for being so gullible, making it so easy for me to steal your beads."
An empty beer can is tossed at Warren's head, and then another.
"Back in the pond," Jerod orders.
"All I'm saying is that if you took it down a notch or two, you'd make the jumps and save the injuries."
"I always makes the jumps," I argued.
"What are you talking about?"
"I make the jumps. It's the landings that I'm having trouble with."
I was going to die in the parking lot of Bartell Drugs, wearing that stupid red vest and with short hair. Mom would hate burying me without my long hair.
What a waste, I thought, seeing my body on the pavement. My first bee sting, and it's fatal. It was almost as stupid as Logan getting in that car.
"Anyway, why does that part of your body have to be treated like a wild animal that should be caged and controlled? Why can't it be about decency and honor, and what's true and good? And wise," I added defiantly, crossing my arms over my chest.
"So, what do you say?" said Peter. "You guys ready to put a stop to it?"
"Put a stop to it?" said Whisper. "Are you kidding? You've been watching too many Bruce Willis videos, man. What can the four of us do?"
"They must be punished," said Birgit quietly. "And it will be a warning to others. Word will get around. It will no longer be the law of the jungle. It will be law and order, decency and dignity."
"You're out of your mind," said Whisper.
"No, I'm not. I know I'm right."
"So we're to be, what? A high school SWAT team? A hit squad?"
I was turning the corner to my street when I spotted the key. Because of the way the sun was shining, it glistened. Someone had left it right in the lock of their front door.
The house was a small red brick cottage that looked a lot like ours. I walked up the front stairs and raised my finger to the doorbell. My plan was to let whoever lived there know they'd forgotten the key.
I didn't ring the doorbell. I turned the doorknob and let myself in.
