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Turns out I wasn’t in Hailey’s school class. I was in the other class. I was kinda glad because Mom stayed and talked until the bell rang, then waved at all my new classmates. At least the kids from the neighborhood hadn’t seen that part.
Mrs. Woolsey, the teacher, seemed nice and pointed to an empty desk for me to sit at near the back. I sat as she started writing something about today’s schedule on the whiteboard. Thankfully, the kids seemed to pay attention to the teacher and mostly ignored me. One girl looked back and gave a half smile. I glanced down at my desk, then pretended to watch the whiteboard.
After a minute, I looked out the classroom windows. Across the grassy sports field I could see a thick forest and realized it was probably the back side of the Shaggy Creek Woods. They didn’t seem nearly as threatening, clear across the big schoolyard and behind a chain-link fence.
At lunch, I dumped my tray and took my bowl of cafeteria macaroni outside, sitting on the cement curb by the sports field. I took a big bite and chewed. I guess school lunches taste the same wherever you live.
Lots of kids I didn’t know were eating or hanging out together around the school yard. I noticed Hailey, Zach, and the other kids sitting out on the grass near some old bleachers that faced the field. They were all laughing and enjoying the sack lunches they brought with them. I made a mental note to pack my own lunch tomorrow.
That’s when Hailey noticed me and gave a big wave.
“Hey, Scott!”
The other kids watched as she stood up with her lunch and walked over to where I was sitting.
“Hi,” she said, sitting on the curb beside me.
“Hey,” I replied, taking another bite of macaroni. The other kids went back to their lunches and own conversations. Hailey was wearing jeans and a black tee-shirt with a band logo.
“What’s Metallica?” I asked.
“An old band,” she replied. “So I guess we’re not in the same class. That’s a bummer.”
I absently nodded, not sure how to reply.
Hailey pulled her phone out and held it at arm’s length. “Say cheese!”
“Huh?” I asked dumbly. She snapped a photo of us.
She looked at it and said, “Ha! Your face is great.
What’s your phone number?”
“What?”
“Your phone number.”
“Oh...” and I told her.
She dialed it before putting her phone back in her pocket. My flip phone buzzed. “There,” she said, “now you have mine.” Then she took a bite of her sandwich and asked, “How do you like Mrs. Woolsey?”
I shrugged. “She’s fine, I guess. We did a lot of English writing. Looks like they started a research report two weeks ago and I’m behind, of course.”
Hailey laughed.
I smiled.
I watched the other neighborhood kids, still eating and looking like they were having a good time— mostly on their phones. I saw dark-haired Emily glance over at me and give a half wave, then she turned to Zach and said something. Zach just nodded, busy on his phone.
Looking out toward the woods surrounding the schoolyard I asked, “So where is our neighborhood from here?”
Hailey pointed straight ahead. I followed her finger to where the trees backed right up to the fence.
“Your house is that way,” she said grimly. “Straight through there.”
That’s when I noticed Zach with his mop of hair was now looking at us. He held his hands out as if he were expecting something. Hailey shook her head and motioned for him to come over. Zach gave Brent a jab in the shoulder. Brent looked up from his phone, then nodded and put it away. They all stood up and walked over to us.
“Hey Scotty,” said Emily with a sneer. “How was your first night in the new house? Hope you slept okay.”
“It was fine,” I answered, taking another bite of my lunch.
“Isn’t the mac and cheese gross?” said Brent.
I nodded in agreement.
“So,” said Zach with a smile, “how was last night?”
He paused and glanced at the other kids. “Did you hear anything?”
I lowered my fork.
“Yeah,” I finally said, “but I think it was probably just a dog.”
“A dog, huh?” said Zach nodding. “Are you sure that’s what you heard? Sure it wasn’t the Wildman?”
“Pretty sure,” I replied, but didn’t sound sure.
He and Brent both snickered.
“Well, keep telling yourself that,” said Zach. “Because you’ll probably hear it again. Very soon.”
“Yeah,” laughed Emily, leaning in toward me with mean eyes. “Keep telling yourself it’s just a dog.”
Hailey stuffed her empty sandwich bag into her brown lunch sack and stood up. “Stop trying to scare him,” she said, looking at them annoyed. “He gets the point.”
The other kids glanced at each other and snickered.
“I hope so,” said Zach looking at me, “For your sake.” He laughed out loud, like he’d just told a funny joke.
Just then the lunch warning bell rang loudly behind us.
“Gotta go!” said Emily, and she led the way. Zach and Brent followed, laughing to each other as they went. Other kids around the school yard were filing toward the doors.
Brent glanced back at me and Hailey.
Then he yelled a warning. “Remember Scott, whatever you do—don’t go into the woods!”
