Souls in Peril (37 page)

“Like how to survive when your soul
’
s been ripped from your body? Or maybe how to keep breathing when it
’
s the last thing you want to do?” She wiped the tears from her cheek.

Max stared at her, shocked. This was not his Em. His Em never gave up on
anything
. She did math problems for fun, the more complex the better.

“Sometimes . . .” She dropped her gaze to the grass, pulling on a few blades as she spoke. “The night of the accident,
I was at Max
’
s and
left early. He said
his family would be going out for
frozen yogurt, which as you know isn
’
t exactly my favorite. But I went home instead.” She lifted her head and stared directly into Max
’
s eyes. “Sometimes I wish I
’
d stayed and not gone home early that night.”

Max studied her face for a moment.
She couldn
’
t possibly mean
. . . “Do you wish you
’
d been in the car with them during the accident?” He swallowed the lump in his throat as she nodded. First Izzy and JD, now Em?
“Emma, no! That
’
s just grief talking. Max wouldn
’
t have wanted that.” Max
didn
’
t
want that!

Another
tear tumbled down her cheek. “I really miss him. There
’
s a real, physical pain inside my chest. It
’
s
overwhelming sometimes.” She got to her feet. “I can
’
t sleep. I
’
ve lost weight. I got a C on a math test. JD, I
’
m an A student in math, always have been.”

“Em.” He walked over to her. “You need time. It will get better. One day you
’
ll wake up and
it won
’
t
hurt so much. Every day it will get a little easier,” he promised. “Just hang on.”

“For how long?” The torment on her face about killed him. He pulled her into his arms, and she cried. Long, hard sobs rocked her small frame. Max held her for a good long while
before
she stopped.

“Sorry.” She stepped back. She reached into her pocket, pulling out a tissue to wipe her nose. “
A
whole lot of fun
I
am
today
.
Come on, let
’
s get going.”

“Em,” he gently took her arm. “It
will
get easier.”

She smiled and nodded. The smile didn
’
t come close to her eyes. They rode back to Port Fare. When they got to Applegate Park they switched bikes. She giggled again as Max climbed back on the pink bike.

“Max
’
s bike is at my house. He left it there after we biked to
my
brother
’
s track meet a week before the accident. You
’
re welcome to borrow it. It
’
s way too big for me.”

“Thanks. I think I might take you up on that.” Max rode home quickly. If anyone needed a reason to beat JD up, not that anyone seemed to need
one
, but if they did, a pink bike just might do it.

Monday morning
,
Max woke to rain. A hard, drenching rain. He didn
’
t dare hope Emma
’
d be waiting for him again, but she was. She handed him a bag with his favorite bagel again.

“Thanks. You know you don
’
t have to buy me a bagel every day.” He sank his teeth into the still warm treat.

“I know. Today this is an apology bagel.”

“Whaf?” he mumbled through his too-full mouth.

“For ruining your day yesterday. I was having a bad day and said all that stupid, silly nonsense. I
’
m sorry about that. I
’
m much better today. See?” She pointed to her big, cheesy smile.

Max laughed. “I
’
m glad. And I stand by what I said
. I
t will get better.”

Em nodded confidently at him. She chattered away about the
semi-final
game
later in the
week and about how excited everyone seemed to be. When they separated for classes, Max
’
s angst from yesterday had completely faded away.

The school newspaper was
the
topic of the day. Emma
’
s
Rats in the Cafeteria
story tor
e
thru the school like a tornado
riding a triple latte.
In every class, in the halls between classes, and all through lunch Max overheard snippets of conversations regarding her report.

“Yeah, like I
’
m ever eating anything from the cafeteria again.”

“Sick. I knew there was something wrong with the hot dogs.”

“I think the lunch lady eats them raw.”

“Can you believe all the excitement?” Em said as she followed Max to his locker after school.
He
seldom used his locker during the day
,
now
preferring to carry a full backpack around as a work out tool. JD
’
s arms and shoulders were finally taking shape, though only a little, it was a start.

“You should use your real name and get some recognition, Em. You worked hard.”

“Thanks. I
’
ll think about it,” she agreed. “Everyone seems to have skipped the last paragraph about the health department giving the school a clean bill of health since the whole rat problem. Looks like I
’
ll have to do a follow up story.”

“I don
’
t know if that will help.” Max set the books he didn
’
t need inside and
stroll
ed with Em to her locker.

“JD, will you help me carry this s
tuff over to the practice field?
” Her locker was crammed full of pompoms.

“What are these all for?” She piled Max
’
s arms ful
l of the gold and blue st
r
eamers
before taking several herself.

“We wanted to look our best for the championship game
,
so several of us ordered new pompoms. Needless to say, my dad thought it ridiculous. I had to pay for mine myself.” Max could see her father
’
s point, but being a smart guy, he kept his mouth shut. He carried them over to the benches near the other cheerleaders
who were
already there. To his surprise, six of his teammates stood next to them.

“Is there a ball practice too?”

“No. And you can
’
t know why they
’
re here
,
so don
’
t ask,” she responded cryptically. “Thanks, JD, you
’
re a lifesaver.” She gave him a quick hug. “You want to come over tonight? Noah
’
s been begging for a rematch.”

“Basketball? He must be desperate to play if he
’
s willing to go against me again,” Max laughed.

“Come on, Em. We need to get started,” Elise, one of the other cheerleaders, said.

“Got to go. I
’
ll pick you up at seven.”

Max raced to the bus, hoping he hadn
’
t missed it.
H
e did. JD tensed. “We
’
ll go by the library first. Stay calm.” Max headed for the library. As he walked, JD
’
s nightmare played out in his head again. He
hoped
to end the dreams, but kept forgetting to give Tim his stupid pen. He came to the wide open field two blocks from the house before realizing he
’
d forgotten to turn right several blocks back.
T
he sickening squeal of tires told him he
’
d been spotted. Spotted much too late to make it to the dumpster in time.

Chapter
21

JD gave Max
no choice
but to
bolt for the strip mall, running faster than
Max thought him possible
. Desperation clawed at him. He had to get there before Nate. He had to hide or…

He wheeled around to the backside of the buildings and bee-lined it for the dumpster. He tossed
up
the lid and
leapt
in as Nate plowed down the alley. He didn
’
t make it. Nate saw him. Heart pounding, Max tried to push himself in deeper.

The c
ar skidded to a stop. “No freakin
’
way. Lumpy Larry
’
s been hiding in the dumpster all this time.” Nate
’
s voice cut
through
Max. He felt sick, and the horrible smells surrounding him didn
’
t help.

The lid flew open, flooding the makeshift tomb with light. “Get out,” Nate demanded. Max didn
’
t move. He didn
’
t even
glance
up. Instead he cowered in the garbage like a discarded rag.

Nate reached in and grabbed a handful of Max
’
s hair, dragging him out, and shoving him to the ground.

“Where
’
s the rest of
The Ten
?
You know, the
one,
because clearly, you
’
re the zero. The big, fat, round zero.”  Nate kicked him. “I should
’
ve pushed those bleachers over on you when I had the chance, you worthless lump.”

Two guys Max didn
’
t recognize stepped out of the car, looking just as mean as Nate.
Not good.
Max didn
’
t know if JD would survive a beating from these three. Not to mention the pain that was coming.

JD, let me control the body. We need to keep your arms around your head, and tighten your stomach muscles. It will help.
But in truth, Max knew nothing would help, not with three brutes against one guy.

The blows came hard, but not fast. Savoring the beating, each took a turn striking him in the stomach, and stepping back to laugh at the reaction. Max stayed bent over as much as he could to protect himself. A few fists snaked through his arms, landing on his mouth and right eye.
They forced him up on his feet.
One punch landed dead center in his chest, sending him backwards against the metal bin, taking his breath away. He struck his ribs on the bin as he landed half in, half out, before sliding to the ground. Nate stepped over and kicked him in the thigh. Max twisted to his side. Nate went to kick him again when a back door leading to the mall popped open. Jeff stepped out, wearing a black
Pet City
apron and
carrying a
clear garbage bag in his hand. He stopped dead, surveying the situation.

“What
’
s the deal, Stackman?
Did
JD steal your rubber ducky?”

“Mind your business,
Morgan
, or you
’
ll be next,” Nate sneered.

“I like a fight as much as the next guy, but seriously, three to one? And the one is Lumpy Larry, for crying out loud.” Jeff laughed.

“Butt out. Unless you want to end up six feet under like old Max.” Nate stepped toward Jeff. He dropped the bag of trash and backed up.

“No problem. Ah, toss this in the dumpster when you
’
re done. Okay? I just started this job and I don
’
t want to get fired my first day.” Max watched in horror as his one and only hope turned and ran back into the store.

Nate and the two other guys threw their heads back and laughed. “Stupid jock,” muttered one.

Max propped himself on his knees.
With his eyes, he scoured
up and down the alley, hoping someone else would come out. He thought about screaming for help, but figured Nate would shut him down before anyone heard him.

Nate circled Max a couple of times
,
lac
ing
his fingers, popping his knuckles. Max heard a siren in the distance and with everything he had, prayed they
were
com
ing
his way.