by Cheree Alsop
A football flew across the fence and bounced to the bleachers a few feet from me. I walked down and picked it up.
“Our kicker has problems with direction,” Magnum said, rolling his eyes.
“That’s a pretty bad problem,” I said.
I was about to chuck the ball back to him when another person yelled, “Throw it.”
I looked up to see Coach Farston watching me with an expectant expression on his face. I glanced at Magnum; he nodded encouragingly.
I took a deep breath and held the ball the way I had seen Magnum do it, then I pulled my arm back and threw it as hard as I could. The ball flew end over end in the worst duck I had ever seen. It landed about ten feet over the fence. Any hopes I might have harbored about becoming some surprise football star were dashed along with the dust that puffed up at the ball’s rough landing. I fought back a wry smile.
Coach Farston looked from the ball back to me with a mixture of disgust and humor on his face. “Maybe you can be the mascot,” he said.
“WHAT’RE YA DOIN’ ‘ERE?” Jagger demanded from the door of the shack as Magnum’s truck pulled out of the junkyard. “Yur suppose ta be restin’.”
“I can only rest so long before I go crazy. There’s nothing to do at the Ashbys’ and the sheriff warned me against riding. I’m stuck,” I said rougher than I intended. Surprise showed on his face at my tone. I took a calming breath and ran a hand through my hair to push it out of my eyes. “Sorry. It’s been a tough day, but I shouldn’t take it out on you. I just need something to do.”
He stepped down from the low porch and gave me a careful look-over. Mick ran around both of us, but he didn’t bark. I took it as a sign the little dog had accepted that I was a part of his junkyard. The thought warmed me even though I couldn’t explain why.
Jagger shook his head. “Sorry, boy. Ya look like you could use another year a sleep. I hafta send ya home.” He gave me a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. “I’d keep ya if I could, but I promised Lauren and I know better than ta git on her bad side.”
I thought of the scolding Principal Dawson had taken and nodded. “I understand. Thanks, though.”
Mick followed me to the back of the shack. I opened the door to the lean-to and looked at the pair of motorcycles. The headlight was shattered on my Er-6n. I pulled a piece of glass free and let it fall to the ground. I felt as though I had mistreated the bike, especially since I left it in the shed in case the search got a little too close to home.
It was more tempting that I cared to think about to jump on the motorcycle and drive south away from Sparrow, away from the school, the principal, the farm, and away from Madelyn’s house where bad memories warred with the good. For the first time, I understood Madelyn’s wish to be a goose, to fly with the flock and leave my home with the knowledge that there was a more welcoming place on the horizon. I wanted to leave it all behind.
I turned away from the bike and climbed gingerly onto the four-wheeler. I waved at Jagger when I drove past the shack, then took the road toward the Ashby house that I was reluctantly beginning to think of as home. I pulled into the driveway, but couldn’t bring myself to enter the house. Jake ran up and licked my hand welcomingly. I patted his head, then watched him run across the lawn and through a fence in pursuit of some unknown objective.
The sun was setting behind the Ashby home, casting the lawn and fields around me in hues of gold and yellow. I closed my eyes and filled my lungs with the scent of alfalfa and Aunt Lauren’s sunflowers that swayed against the house. I wanted to find peace, but it flitted at the edge of my mind, teasing me but not sinking in to rest my weary soul.
Instead, I was filled with a need to fight, to protect my loved ones, to defend Sparrow; unfortunately, the sheriff’s orders to lie low had stifled my ability to do so. I wanted to hold Madelyn in my arms, but she was gone, and it felt like she took my sanity with her. My hands clenched into fists. I needed to hit something.
I crossed to the side of the house and the hay bales that had served as a hideout for my motorcycle. A pair of Uncle Rick’s thick work gloves sat on the stack. I pulled them on, then punched one of the bales. It stung, but the gloves kept my knuckles from getting torn apart by the dry alfalfa. I gritted my teeth and hit the bale again.
A small smile touched my lips. I faced the bales squarely and punched with a slow rhythm, easing my body into the motion. Left right, left right, left left right, right right left. The rhythm increased as my body warmed up. My side ached, but not enough to slow me down. I breathed with each hit, remembering my training. My muscles loosened. I turned into each punch, causing the hay to flatten under my fists. My shoes turned on the crab grass as I rotated, giving more power into each blow.
By the time I was done, sweat soaked my shirt and my side ached, but a smile crossed my face. I leaned against the hay bale to catch my breath. I hadn’t hit long, but my strength was still lagging. I tipped my head against the bale and felt the cool evening breeze brush past my face.
For a brief moment, I enjoyed the silence that settled through my thoughts. My mind was no longer harried by concern about the FBI searching for the Black Rider and the guilt I felt at avoiding them, or my worry for Madelyn being so far away and the way my heart ached at the distance. For the moment, exhausted, I could finally breathe.
“Finished harrying my hay?” Uncle Rick’s tone was even.
I opened my eyes and looked at him. “It had it coming.”
He nodded. “I’m sure it did.” His eyes creased slightly under his straw cowboy hat. “Lauren wants to talk to you.”
I pulled off the gloves and left them where I had found them. Uncle Rick followed me into the house. We both kicked off our shoes and made a half-hearted attempt to push them under the bench where Aunt Lauren liked them. He hung his hat near the door, then trailed me into the kitchen reluctantly as though he wasn’t happy with the conversation that would follow.
Aunt Lauren’s face lit up when she saw me. Her happy expression chased away my trepidation. “Kelson, I’m so glad you’re here!”
I smiled and took a seat at the table, worried that anything I said would remind them it was me they were talking to, not one of their sons.
“We’re planning a surprise party for Cassidy,” Aunt Lauren continued.
That explained the look on Uncle Rick’s face. He was in denial that his little girl was about to turn sixteen. A party would make it a fact. I fought back a smile. “She’ll be excited.”
Aunt Lauren nodded with all the enthusiasm of a six-year-old girl. “We want to keep it a secret, but I need you to invite all her friends. The problem is her birthday is Wednesday, so it’s short notice and I’m worried about getting invitations to everyone in time.”
Reluctance filled me at the thought of sneaking around delivering invitations to Cassidy’s friends. They were nice girls, but several had made it clear I would be on their hit list as soon as their parents would let them date. Seeking them out definitely wouldn’t be a good idea. A thought occurred to me. “Why don’t we let Sandy text them. You know she’ll keep the secret.” I doubted that last part, but it was definitely better than Aunt Lauren’s idea.
Her smile widened. “That’s a great idea! I’m going to call her mother.” She disappeared into the hallway and I heard her dial.
The silence that filled the kitchen wasn’t as comfortable as it had been outside. I could feel Uncle Rick brooding even without turning around. I tried to think of a subject to get his mind off the impending party. “I’d like to take a turn at the next irrigation shift,” I said, surprising myself.
Uncle Rick grunted. I turned to find him watching me. “You think you can handle it?”
I shrugged. “The way Jaren and Cole grumble, they’ll be glad to have another person step in.”
“Guess you can’t mess it up as much as Cole did last week.” A reluctant smile spread across his face. “You should have seen Monte’s horse when it flooded his corral. By the time we showed up, his pr
ize stallion had rolled so much in the muck, he looked like a dun mule. Monte wasn’t thrilled.”
“You should have made Cole clean the horse.”
Both of us chuckled at the thought of Cole trying to scrub the huge Clydesdale clean. He could barely reach its flank.
“It’s done,” Aunt Lauren said with a huge smile. “Sandy will text all Cassidy’s friends and I don’t even have to make invitations. It’s perfect.”
I took a chance. “Can I invite Madelyn to the party?”
“Of course,” Aunt Lauren replied with a warm smile. She surprised me by pulling me into a hug. “Thanks so much, Kelson!”
She hurried into the next room and left us both staring after her.
“She’s always been prone to greater shows of affection when she’s pregnant,” Uncle Rick said uncomfortably.
I heard Mom’s car pull in. “I’ll go help carry groceries.”
“You’ll do nothing of the sort,” he shot back. When I looked at him, he pointed to the living room. “You better rest that side if you haven’t already torn all the stitches again.”
“I was careful,” I protested.
He shrugged. “Nonetheless, Sarah will tan my hide if she thinks I’m wearin’ you out.” He gave me a shrewd look. “Besides, if I’m not mistaken, it’s time for you to head to that candlelight ceremony.”
I was surprised Uncle Rick knew about it.
He smiled at my look. “Cass is already there. She took Jaren and Cole with her because they wouldn’t stop buggin’ me about it. Lauren and I will be along shortly with your mom.” His voice lowered. “You know you need to be there.”
“Be where?” Mom asked, coming in with a paper bag of groceries in each arm.
“The candlelight ceremony,” Uncle Rick explained.
“Of course you should be there,” Mom said as Uncle Rick took her groceries and set them on the counter.
I stared at her. “You hate the Black Rider.”
She shook her head, ruffling my hair on her way back to the car. “You’re the Black Rider, and I love you. I just hate it when being the Black Rider puts you in danger.” She paused at the screen door. “The ceremony won’t put you in danger.”
“That’s what you think,” I said under my breath when the door shut behind her.
“Why is that?”
My heart sank. I had already forgotten Uncle Rick was behind me. I definitely needed some sleep. I debated whether to tell him, but having someone who knew both sides might be helpful. I let out the breath I had been unconsciously holding. “The FBI wants to take the Black Rider in.”
Instead of looking surprised, Uncle Rick nodded. “Jagger mentioned something of the sort. Said he heard it at the bar.”
“So you don’t think I should go?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I think it means more to the people of Sparrow that you’re there.”
“But—”
He cut me off with a raised hand. “And if the FBI shows up, I have a feeling your bike can get out of there a heck of a lot faster than they can. Right?”
His eyes lit up as though he wished he was the one tearing through town on a motorcycle. I couldn’t help but smile. “Right.”
He nodded. “Great. We’ll see you there.”
I SAT ON A low rise overlooking the school. The front of the gymnasium had been turned into a memorial of sorts. The two buildings on either side of the gymnasium stood forward, forming three sides of the square. The fountain made the fourth, boxing in a beautiful place for the ceremony that was completely packed with students and teachers.
Lit candles lined the sidewalks, the fountain, the doorway, and had been set in graceful patterns all the way to the parking lot. Students said words too soft for me to hear, then lit the candle they carried with a bigger one at the front of the fountain. The sight of all the candles along with the reverent students and teachers was breathtaking. My heart hammered in my chest.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. GET DOWN HERE, Magnum’s text demanded.
I was about to put it back in my pocket when it buzzed again. I wished with all my heart it would be from Madelyn. I hadn’t heard from her since her aunt picked her up, and not for the lack of trying. I had called her four times and sent three texts, but hadn’t heard anything back.
A begrudging smile stole across my face when I saw what Magnum wrote. Keldon’s scared of a little ceremony.
I’m stalling, I wrote back.
Put on your helmet and pretend to be a man.
I rolled my eyes and wrote, Thanks for the vote of confidence.
He responded, Do it, Black Rider.
I stared at his text for a minute, then slid the phone in my pocket and climbed on the motorcycle. I didn’t want to destroy the reverence of the scene below, so instead of turning it on, I shifted it to neutral and coasted slowly down the hill.
The glow of the candles reflected gently off the buildings, creating an atmosphere of gold and shadows. The faces that showed within the light looked serene. I tried to place them with the chaos of students who filled the halls every day. The fact that the ceremony was for me made it feel surreal, as though I rode into a dream.
I slowed to a stop on the other side of the fountain. A few seconds later, students began to notice me. Shoulders were nudged and fingers pointed. A quiet stir rushed through the crowd. I saw Magnum near the student building. He and Cassidy stood near each other. My heart lifted at the sight of Mom, Aunt Lauren, and Uncle Rick just beyond.
Aunt Lauren was trying to take a candle from Cole; it looked as if he had already scorched his sleeve. Mom held her candle in both hands; her smile was proud and filled me with warmth when she saw me. Magnum lifted a hand. I nodded at him.
The crowd around him followed his action, raising their candle in the air like a salute. A wave of lifting candles flowed through the students, parents, siblings, teachers, and spouses. Principal Dawson left his place near the fountain and walked toward me, his own candle carried carefully in his palm.
I climbed off the motorcycle to meet him. He held out his hand and I shook it, aware of how differently he regarded me compared to the student in his office who kept missing class.
“Thank you,” he said with a depth of sincerity that shone in his eyes. “It means a lot that you’re here.”
“This,” I gestured to the crowd, “Means the world to me. You didn’t have to do it.”
“The students started it,” he said, then he concluded, “But I supported it completely. You saved lives, many, many lives.” His voice lowered. “And I know you risked a lot coming here tonight.”
“How could I not?”
A camera flashed. We both looked over to see Martin scribbling notes on a pad of paper, his camera hanging around his neck.
Principal Dawson gave me a wry smile. “Guess that’ll be in the papers.”
“Nothing goes unnoticed,” I replied, thinking of the truck driver between me and Magnum on my motorcycle.
He chuckled and I wondered if he thought of the same image. “You’ve done this town and school a great service. At least now you know it’s been appreciated.”
“I was glad to do it.”
He shook my hand again and I climbed back on the motorcycle. I had pushed my luck just appearing; the worst I could do was outstay my welcome and risk the FBI showing up.
I raised a hand to the audience. A cheer went up, a rushing wave that turned into a roar echoing between the buildings. I started the motorcycle and drove off into the night with the sound caught in my helmet and a smile on my face.
EVERYONE WAS STILL AT the ceremony when I reached the Ashbys’. I collapsed exhausted into my cot and texted Madelyn. When she didn’t respond, I tried to call her, but there was no answer. Worry weighed heavily in my chest. She had promised to call, yet I hadn’t heard from her since she drove away with Masey.
I missed her so much, I couldn’t think of anything else. The light from the low fire in the fireplace pounded against my ey
elids. Doubt toyed with the edges of my heart, questioning whether she loved me as much as I did her. If she did, how could she possibly go so long without contacting me?
The rational part of my mind said maybe her phone had died or gotten lost, but surely her aunt would have one she could borrow. I fell asleep with myriad questions flooding through my mind that left my dreams troubled and my heart aching.
THE NEXT DAY, MAGNUM slammed his shoulder into the locker next to mine and leaned over. “You’ve got to get me into Cassidy’s party.”
I stared at him in surprise, then looked up the hall to see if anyone was watching us. “You’re supposed to be a bully, remember?” I said in a low voice.
He stood up and grabbed me by the front of my shirt, then forced me against the locker he had been leaning against. “Give me your lunch money, Keldon.”
I fought back a laugh. “Lunch money? What is this, elementary school?”
He rolled his eyes. “I’ve been out of practice. So get me into the party.”
“You’re two years older than Cassidy. Uncle Rick would kill you, and then kill me for inviting you.”
He shook his head. “Get me in as your friend. I’m sure you’re inviting Madelyn.” When I hesitated, he grinned. “See, it’ll work.”
“I’ll think about it.” I tried to pry my shirt from his fist. “Let me go, Bazooka,” I said loudly, then dropped my voice. “That would be a good sidekick name.”
His expression darkened. “I’m not a sidekick,” he growled. He raised a hand to push me harder against the locker at the same time that my shoe slipped on the linoleum floor. His fist slammed against my nose, forcing my head back against the locker with a loud bang before I fell to a sitting position on the floor.
Magnum stared at me as blood began to run down my face. I held my nose and felt laughter rolling in my chest. Students stopped and stared. A few members of the Bullets who appeared slapped each other high fives and patted Magnum on the back.
“What’s going on here?” a familiar voice asked. Magnum’s eyes widened.