The car wildly veered off the road and into the woods. I could not believe that the car had entered the path used to cross the creek, so no trees were there for us to smash into. However, there was the creek to consider, and the small car went over the edge and landed in the water with the sound of twisting metal and screams from the three of us as we came to a grinding stop.

“Shit!” Hank yelled as he slammed his hands on the steering wheel. Tragically, he hadn’t gone through the windshield. “You okay, Rand?”

“We need to get out of here,” Rand yelled as he swung the door open with a kick to scramble away from the car. Hank followed behind Rand, leaving me alone in the car. I took the hint to get out and run in the opposite direction. Rand looked back at me but shook his head and continued climbing up the other side of the creek. They clawed their way up the dirt, sliding just a bit and it looked like Hank was going to kick Rand in the face in a madcap way. They darted out of the woods, and I wondered what would happen to them. Hank would most likely blame me for what happened to his car. I wasn’t sure how but he would but I knew it was coming, somehow.

I ran through the creek and climbed up a few feet from the path they used, grabbing onto small branches of trees and digging into the ground until I reached the top myself. I expected to see Hank and Rand ready to throw me to the ground. However, instead I saw Hank and Rand sitting on the curb with their hands over their heads. My parents were there, along with the Prats, Colleen included. Two police officers stood between our families. My mom saw me and ran across the street to me.

“Jeffrey, are you alright?!”

“I’m okay, mom,” I replied as she hugged me. My eyes were on Colleen, as she was crying.

We walked back over to my dad as the Prats moved away from us at the behest of one of the police officers. Colleen kept looking at me and as much as I wanted to hate her, I didn’t have it in me to give her the evil eye.

The police went into the woods, most likely to look at the car in creek.

An ambulance arrived shortly after, and the paramedics asked if I was okay and one of them asked Hank and Rand if they were alright. Hank mentioned something about his neck, and they quickly had him on a stretcher and rolled him over to the ambulance. Mrs. Prat followed them as

Mr. Prat continued talking with the officer. Colleen stood alone.

An officer came over to us and asked me what had happened. I looked at the ambulance, to Rand, Colleen, my parents and to the creek again as I saw the Joels step out and walk towards us. Rand turned his head away. Mr. Prat noticed them and his face flashed through every shade of red.

“Them! They are the reason this happened?” Mr, Prat spat out, literally spitting, as his body shook in a rage.

The Joels quietly walked across the street with Mr. Joel leading the family.

“You caused my son’s car to crash!”

Mr. Joel turned to my dad. “Nice to see you again, Gregory.”

“Mr. Joel, ma’am,” dad replied as Miss Joel stood next to her husband with Anna standing between her and Wendy. I was sure I caught eye contact between Anna and my dad.

“Mr. Prat, let us discuss subterfuge.”

“Subter-what?” Mr. Prat asked as he looked back to his wife at the ambulance.

“Subterfuge. Deceit. I really wish young Miss Stephenson were here for this lesson. I suppose you can aid us, young Miss Prat?” Mr. Joel looked in Colleen’s direction.

“It was Hank and Megan’s idea!” Colleen blurted out.

“Colleen!” Mr. Prat blasted at her. You could almost see her hair move from the sound waves.

“Shame on you, Mr. Prat. Your girl had nothing to do with it,” Miss Joel replied.

“Who are you?” A police officer finally asked Mr. Joel.

“Damien Joel, my good man,” Mr Joel replied as he shook the police officer’s hand. “This is my beloved, Mary Anne. My children, Anna and Wendy.”

“Miss, Joel,” the officer noted with a delay as his eyes darted back and forth between them.

“It is a pleasure,” Miss Joel a nod.

“Mr. Joel, did you see what occurred?”

“Young Jeffrey was locked in the trunk of a car, driven about town and then to the other side of the woods.”

The officer scrawled in his notebook as Mr. Prat seethed.

“They let him out of the trunk. I conveyed my disappointment in his life choices up to that point. Alas, the young Prat could not help himself but to be vindictive against my daughter’s friend.”

“Your daughter…uh, Wendy?”

“Yes, Wendy Jean,” Miss Joel replied as Wendy waved to him.

“She’s been a menace to this neighborhood,” Mr. Prat said. “Ask anyone else!”

“Jolly good idea, Benjamin,” Mr. Joel said as he waved his hand to someone behind us.

Everyone turned to see the Stephenson, Pounders and Bremerton families walking down the street to our location. I wondered what had taken them so long to arrive. Megan stood behind her parents in a vain attempt to hide. Mrs. Prat came back to the group with her hands to her face, crying. An ambulance took Hank away.

“It’s about time the police got involved with you people,” Miss Stephenson said, and her husband’s facial expression melted into sheet embarrassment.

“Officer, please ask Miss Megan Stephenson when she decided to lock young Jeffrey in the trunk of a car.”

Megan’s face matched her father’s as the officer turned to her.

“Our daughter did not do anything. And you, you, Mr. Joel, it’s your children that have bullied my Megan and Hank.”

“Is that why they locked Jeff in a car?” Wendy asked.

“She did nothing of the sort.”

“As angelic as you wish to visualize your daughter, it would be prudent to know that man do terrible things each another,” Miss Joel said.

“Quite correct, my dear.”

“Megan hasn’t been anywhere today. She’s been at home with her friends.” Shonda and Amanda’s faces looked like they wanted to be anywhere but there. “They’ll tell you.”

“You’re talking with the tongue out of your shoe,” Anna muttered.

Megan looked at Shonda and Amanda and the three of them looked at Colleen.

“Megan helped Hank and Rand by getting us to bring Jeff to my house.”

Rand looked at up at the mention of his name. He was still on the curb until an officer stood him up and lead Rand to another patrol car.

“Why?” My dad asked. “Why do that to my son?”

Megan didn’t look at my dad, but to her own parents.

“I don’t like bullies,” Anna said as she took a step forward, “and you fit the bill.”

“Don’t talk about my daughter like that!” Mrs. Stephen shrieked.

“It hurts to know the truth, doesn’t it?” Wendy asked.

One of the police officers shook his head and then put his hand up to his head. He showed he was annoyed with the situation.

“I need to ask your daughter a few questions…Mrs.-”

“Stephenson. Thank you. And Mr. Prat, your son will be evaluated at the hospital and if he checks out, he will be sent to the station.”

“Will my son be sent to jail?” Mrs. Pratt started as she started crying again.

“Do you want to press charges?” The officer asked my dad.

Dad looked at me and to the Joels. “I do. I don’t like bullies either.”

I could see Anna smile for a second.

Mr. Prat looked like he wanted to kill all of use.

“Let’s get to the hospital!” Mr. Prat yelled. “We’re not though with this this, Joel! Colleen, come on.”

“No,” Colleen whispered.

“No?” Her father asked as he stomped over and grabbed her arm. He stopped short of dragging her due to all of the eyes on him.

“I don’t want to go.”

My dad and Mr. Joel took a step towards to them, causing Mr. Prat to release his grip, allowing Colleen to run to my mon and me. He trudged
back home with his wife.

“Bless his heart,” Miss Joel said, and Mr. Joel patted her arm.