Log In
Or create an account ->
Imperial Library
Home
About
News
Upload
Forum
Help
Login/SignUp
Index
COVER
TITLE PAGE
WELCOME
DEDICATION
IT’S THE NIGHT WE’RE GOING TO GET MURDERED SO WE’RE SLEEPING ON THE LIVING ROOM FLOOR.
WE’RE NOT DEAD.
I GET THE BIGGEST PIECE.
FRONT DOOR LOCKED, KITCHEN DOOR LOCKED, KITCHEN WINDOW CLOSED, BASEMENT DOOR CLOSED.
I DIDN’T SLEEP LAST NIGHT, NOT EVEN FOR ONE MINUTE.
POLLY’S PINCHING UP SPRINKLES AND SUCKING THEM OFF HER FINGERS.
FRONT DOOR LOCKED, KITCHEN DOOR LOCKED.
I’M HOLDING THE FLASHLIGHT AND POLLY’S HOLDING ME.
I CAN’T EVEN FIND ARKANSAS ON THAT THING.
“A BABY!” POLLY SHOUTS THE TINY WAY SHE SHOUTS.
ALL THE DOORS AND WINDOWS ARE LOCKED.
“SO?” TANA SAYS WHEN I SAY GORDY MORGAN KNOWS WE HEARD HIM CRYING.
GORDY MORGAN’S SITTING ON TOP OF THE TILE WALL WHEN TANA AND I GET TO SCHOOL.
“NOTHING,” I SAY WHEN KELSEY SAYS, “WHAT’S WRONG?”
WE WAIT UNTIL MOM’S IN THE BATHROOM TO LOOK AT THE NEWSPAPER.
IT’S SATURDAY TOMORROW AND DAD’S TAKING US TO THE BEACH TO LOOK FOR DRIFTWOOD.
WE’RE OUTSIDE EARLY BECAUSE TANA COULDN’T SLEEP.
WE STRETCH OUT OUR SEAT BELTS AS FAR AS THEY’LL GO.
IT’S FREEZING OUT HERE!
FRONT DOOR LOCKED, KITCHEN DOOR LOCKED.
MOM PUTS ONE OF HER OLD COATS AND TWO OF DAD’S OLD COATS IN A SHOPPING BAG FOR TANA TO TAKE TO HER FRIEND HARPER’S CHURCH.
AFTER TANA GETS HOME FROM CHURCH WE ALL GO OVER TO GRANDMA’S HOUSE.
MOM’S SITTING ON POLLY’S BED, TALKING TO HER ABOUT THE MANATEES, TELLING HER THE MANATEES ARE GOING TO BE OKAY.
THE GIRL NEXT TO ME, THIS GIRL LEXI, JUST THREW A NOTE ON MY DESK.
“DID YOU SEE KELSEY’S EYE SHADOW?”
TANA SAYS SHE’LL BE RAY SCOTT.
I FOUND A WAY TO GET TO THE END OF THE BRANCH.
“HE KILLS THEM! MR. GULLICK KILLS THE RABBITS!”
SOMETHING WOKE ME UP.
“WHAT ARE YOU SAYING ONE TWO ONE TWO FOR?”
MAYBE NOW.
I’M ONLY ON 28 SECONDS WHEN MOM PULLS INTO THE PARKING LOT.
I GOT DAD A PIECE OF WOOD TO CARVE AND TANA GOT HIM A BIBLE TO SAVE HIS SOUL.
FRONT DOOR LOCKED, KITCHEN DOOR LOCKED.
I PICK THE BLACK MARKER, THE ONE THAT SMELLS LIKE LICORICE.
ON FRIDAY WE HAVE TO ACT OUT A PLAY.
CYNTHIA WANTS TO KNOW WHY I’M WALKING AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE COURTYARD.
MAYBE I’M WEIRD TOO.
IF THAT GIRL LEXI PASSED A NOTE ABOUT ME, IT WOULD PROBABLY GO LIKE THIS.
AFTER SCHOOL POLLY WANTS TO PLAY PROTECTORS OF THE UNIVERSE.
BUT SHE DOESN’T ALWAYS ACT THAT WAY.
ALL OF A SUDDEN TANA WANTS TO GO FOR A WALK.
DO YOU THINK GORDY MORGAN WOULD REALLY SHOOT US?
I THOUGHT DAD WAS AT WORK BUT HE WAS IN IDAHO.
“DO YOU LIKE MY BUTTON?”
KELSEY SAID HI TO ME IN THE HALL BUT NOW SHE’S EATING LUNCH WITH THOSE OTHER GIRLS AGAIN.
TOMORROW WE HAVE TO ACT OUT OUR PLAY.
I JUST SAW GORDY MORGAN GO INTO THE LIBRARY.
I WISH I HAD HAILEY IN MY GROUP. I WISH I DIDN’T HAVE GORDY IN MY GROUP.
MAYA DOESN’T HAVE ANY FRIENDS EXCEPT FOR POLLY.
FRONT DOOR LOCKED, KITCHEN DOOR LOCKED.
THIS TIME WHEN GORDY WAKES UP HE DOESN’T GO INSIDE HIS HOUSE.
MOM SAYS SHE MIGHT.
“IF HE LOVES US SO MUCH, WHY DOESN’T HE EAT DINNER WITH US ANYMORE?”
THE THING IS,
RABBITS ARE BORN WITH THEIR EYES CLOSED.
CYNTHIA JUST SAT DOWN AT OUR LUNCH TABLE.
GORDY’S TALKING ABOUT HIS DEER AGAIN.
ALL OF A SUDDEN TANA DOESN’T LIKE CLOSET MEETINGS.
MR. GULLICK’S KILLING THE RABBITS IN TWO DAYS! GORDY GETS HIS GUN IN THREE DAYS!
THERE’S A LADY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHAIN-LINK FENCE.
AFTER SCHOOL ALL THE GIRLS ARE WHISPERING THEIR OH MY GODS ABOUT GORDY’S MOM.
I TURN ON THE FAUCET SO EVERYONE WILL THINK I’M JUST BRUSHING MY TEETH.
“ARE YOU FEELING OKAY?” MOM SAYS.
FRONT DOOR LOCKED, KITCHEN DOOR LOCKED.
AFTER EVERYONE’S ASLEEP I SNEAK BACK DOWNSTAIRS.
MOM!
IT RAINED LAST NIGHT, MY SHOES ARE SOAKED, THE TREE IS WET AND COLD.
FIRST MY ARMS BREAK.
IT WAS THE CRACK THAT WOKE UP GORDY.
I DON’T REALLY CARE THAT KELSEY DIDN’T CALL.
WE MAKE OUR LEGS INTO FENCES.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
COPYRIGHT
← Prev
Back
Next →
← Prev
Back
Next →