I spent the rest of my day, well, from after dinner, which I admit I wasn’t really hungry but decided to eat anyway, to looking out my bedroom window in the direction of Wendy’s house. The tress were too thick but I swear I could see the roof in the distance. I wanted to go back to her house, but I’d have to have to have a reason to come at a late hour, and where we lived, eight o’clock was late, even if the summer sun was just setting in the sky.

I thought about telling my parents about Wendy and her family. Maybe we could all go over there and have a grand introduction. I wasn’t sure if my parents would have anything in common with them, but it was something I was thinking about. Maybe we could have a dinner and our parents would just talk all night allowing us to run all over the upstairs and avoid having Anna having to trail us. For a moment, I was sad that I didn’t have an old brother who could, maybe take her attention.
I could have sworn I saw a light flash from behind the tree line.

In the morning, I ran out of the house and straight up to the park up the road. I knew I’d have only a few seconds before one of the M.A.C.S. would sound the alarm and all of them would be on me. Maybe they were already there, just hiding out in the tire fort or just beyond the brushed that formed the northern border of the playground area. They would step out from the foliage with bloodshed on their minds. I would be dead meat if Wendy wasn’t there.

“Jeff! You made it.” Wendy yelled from the sandbox. She was standing next to a giant sandcastle. The castle was as tall as she was, with a large front door which. I had to wonder how it was staying together,
“This took a little of time. What do you think?”
“It’s amazing,” I replied as she motioned for me to follow her inside the castle.
I ducked down past the arch and into the middle of the structure. I stood up so I could look out the side but then realized I couldn’t see out; the wall was too tall.
“I never got to build these when I was younger. Never had enough sand.”
“How is it taller on the inside?” I asked.
“Would you accept magic?”
“Yeah,” I replied with a smile, “I think I would.”
“Hey! Who’s shabby castle is this?” The telltale voice of Megan boomed through the walls. “Too bad we’re going to have to tear it down.”
“Stay in here,” Wendy said as she held up a finger, “I’ll be right back.”
“There’s four of them, and they’re going to knock the walls in on us.”
“Nope,” Wendy said as she ducked out of the castle.
I could see the legs of Megan and Colleen. I assumed and Shonda and Amanda were on one of the side walls.
“So, it’s new girl.”
“So it is,” Wendy replied as she brushed off her legs.
“What are you doing in our park again?”
“Oh, ‘pu-leaze’,” Wendy countered in a heavy southern accent. “You four think you can call dibs on whatever chu’ want. Let’s do this again. The first one to step across this line gets to take one for the team.” She draped her shoeless foot across the sand and made an arc in front of the castle.
“What is that supposed be?” Megan asked.
“It’s either a moat or just the result of my foot drawing in the sand. Either way, it means to back off, Megan.”
“How do you know my name.”
“Got my sources.”
“Jeffrey must have told her,” Amanda said from the other side of the wall I was next to.
“Got yourself a little love nest there, little girl? I’ll explain some things to you about Jeffery.”
“I know all I need to know, Megan. So, if the four of you don’t mind, I’m going back inside this castle, and you can either hush up and leave or come in and play with us.”
“So, Jeff’s in there. Got a little girlfriend now, little Jeff?”
“Whatcha doing in there, Jeff?” Colleen asked in a sing-song voice. As much as I knew what she wanted to think and that she wanted me to reply so she could just say something else to make me other angry or afraid I stayed quiet.
“Jeff and I were just about to play a game of kings and queens. Where the queen comes out and defends the king from four witches.”
“Did you just call me a witch?” Megan asked.
“If the boot fits, you just go and lace it up, Kay?”
I heard feet moving in the sand and then saw Shonda’s face hit the sand twice in less than a day.
I could see the started look in her eye as Wendy stepped way from her.
“Who are you?” Megan asked.
“I’m the girl you don’t want to mess with. I’ve seen more than you’l ever dream about, girlie.”
“Grab her!”
The other two ran toward Wendy and the next thing they knew they too were lying in the sand.
“How did you do that, you little freak. I’m telling my dad.”
“Great idea. My papa would love to meet him.”
“My Dad is an attorney. He will sue you.”
“My papa was a fighter pilot who fears nothing, and my mama makes a great ‘bless your heart’ casserole. They can’t wait to meet you.”
I stepped moved close to the entrance of the castle as Shonda, Colleen and Amanda stood back up.
“You’re a freak,” Megan spat out with maybe a bit of something that sounded like fear and anger.
“Been called worse, how about you? Come on, Meg, it’s your turn to step across the line.”
“No, I’m telling my dad. We’re all telling our parents and the police.”
“If that’ll make you happy, you go on and to it,” Wendy replied as she stepped back into the castle.
I moved to the entrance to see the four of them run to Megan’s house.
“We’re going to get in trouble.”
“Yeah, they’re going to demand to speak to Mama and Papa. And I’m all for it. They’ll be as Happy as a dead pig in the sunshine.”
I had no idea what she said but judging from the grin on her face I assumed it was a good thing,
“Now, this castle needs two thrones. What do you say?”
“Yeah,” I replied as I grabbed a handful of sand and moved it to the far side.