“Nooo!” The scream rang out again.
Sydney gasped.
It’s Emma! she realized.
With a cry, Sydney spun around.
Ignoring her pounding heart and rubbery legs, she tore down the path.
Batting dripping branches out of her way, Sydney raced back toward the willow tree.
When it finally came into view, she stumbled to a stop. And gasped.
Emma and Jason struggled under the canopy of willow branches. They both gripped the shovel between them. Wrestling, pulling, shoving each other.
“I should have known better!” Emma cried.
“Too bad!” Jason snarled, trying to pull the shovel from Emma’s grasp.
“Too bad for you!” Emma screamed.
She yanked on the shovel.
Jason stumbled but didn’t fall.
“Give it up, Emma!” Jason’s school ring gleamed in the shadows as he pulled hard again.
Emma stumbled toward him. Then she suddenly let go of the shovel.
Jason staggered backwards.
The shovel fell from his grip.
Emma dove for it.
Both of them shouted.
No words. Just shouts of hatred.
Sydney finally found her voice. “Stop it!” she shrieked. “Stop it!”
Emma scrambled up, dragging the shovel with her. As Jason turned toward the sound of Sydney’s voice, Emma gripped the shovel like a baseball bat …
… And swung it as hard as she could.
The blade made a whining sound as it sliced through the air.
Sydney screamed again as the blade hit Jason in the back of the head.
The sickening clang echoed through the trees.
Then the only sound was the dripping rain.
Jason stood frozen for a few seconds. A raindrop rolled from his hair, down his nose, and into his open mouth.
His lips moved. He groaned softly.
Then his knees buckled.
His eyes rolled back into their sockets.
Sydney watched in horror as Jason sank to his knees. Groaned again. Then pitched face-forward onto the muddy ground.