The daredevils, p.5
The Daredevils, page 5
I found Loretta after camp, and we made small talk while waiting for Dad to pick us up.
“How was your day?” my sister asked.
“Good,” I replied. “Yours?”
“Boring.”
We left it at that. It wasn’t hard to keep Loretta from asking questions and wanting more details because something told me she wasn’t telling me everything either—and that was fine. It seemed we had reached a silent agreement to let one another keep camp secrets. However, that agreement didn’t prevent Mom and Dad from asking questions at dinner later that night.
“So how was camp?” Mom asked when we were all seated around the table.
Loretta and I exchanged glances. “Boring,” she answered.
Mom looked at me next.
“Good,” I replied.
The two of us were sticking to our stories.
“Really? That’s it?” Dad said. “Boring and good. That’s all you can say?”
Loretta and I looked at each other and shrugged. “Yeah,” we said.
“I’ll take it!” Dad exclaimed, startling us. “You survived the day without being together, which is exactly what this camp experience is meant to show you. Preparing you for middle school, remember?” He winked at me.
I smiled. I couldn’t help it. Loretta, on the other hand, scowled. If she knew the truth, that camp had been a lot of fun for me, that I’d made a friend and couldn’t wait to go back on Thursday, I imagined her scowl would’ve been even deeper—which was why I wasn’t telling her.
“How was your day, hon?” Mom asked Dad next.
And on that note, the conversation moved on. Dad shared that he had a few job applicants already, which excited my sister and Mom, and Mom told us about two different cats that she’d seen. I liked her dog stories better.
Following dinner, Loretta told me to meet in her bedroom. I guess mine was too messy. My sister wasn’t interested in talking any more about camp; we had far more pressing issues—namely, discussing our sneak-out mission. We agreed that Louie’s mom still needed time, so we decided to dedicate our Wednesday to devising our exact plan—one that had to be carefully thought out and detailed. Thursday would be taken up by camp again, so the decision was made to make Friday the night we put our plan into action.
I had so much to be excited about that it took me extra long to fall asleep that night. Plus, I was also a little nervous about going back to Louie’s house—but I wasn’t about to tell Loretta. Not if I wanted her to see me as able to take care of myself. The only thing I could do was hope the Forest Spirits were with us when it came time.
One advantage to having boomers for parents: they went to bed early. And that was a helpful fact when it came to sneaking out.
Waylon and I were so anxious when Friday night finally arrived that there was no chance either of us was falling asleep. We were about to embark on a dangerous expedition. One that not only involved sneaking out but also rescuing a fellow soldier from captivity—a prison break! Add to that the risk of getting caught by the crazed patrol woman—Louie’s mom—and you had the stuff of a high-adrenaline action movie.
At the stroke of midnight, we put our plan into motion. Not only was midnight when things of this sort always happened in the movies, but we also needed it to be dark, and the later the better because then there was less chance of us being spotted. This was especially important because Waylon and I had made the risky decision to travel by road until we got closer to Louie’s house, and then we’d duck into the woods.
Why take that chance? Because Louie’s bedroom was on the second floor, which meant we had to lug Dad’s ladder with us; otherwise we’d never be able to break him out. Let’s face it, Louie wasn’t the type of kid who’d tie his bedsheets together and climb down. Not happening. Carrying Dad’s ladder wasn’t going to be easy to begin with, but trying to do it through a pitch-black forest would’ve been near impossible. If a car happened to be driving by at that hour, then we’d just have to do our best to hide in the ditch or wherever we could. There was a certain amount of risk one had to take when embarking on a mission of this caliber.
When the time finally came, Waylon and I met outside, both of us dressed in black sweat pants and dark-colored hoodies and two pairs of socks—the extras would be needed soon. We had our survival packs and headlamps, a Christmas gift from last year that seemed silly at the time but were going to be invaluable to us now. First stop: the garage.
We snuck in through the back door, which I’d made sure to unlock earlier in preparation, and gently lifted Dad’s ladder off the wall, one of us at each end. Carefully, very carefully, so as not to make even the slightest sound, we carried it out. One slipup, one bump into anything that made a noise and our mission would’ve been in jeopardy before it even got started.
Once outside, Waylon took the front, and we double-timed it down the road. We were sweating and breathing heavy when we reached the spot where we took cover in the woods, but we got there before any cars drove by, which was good. We weren’t far from Louie’s now.
Having Waylon in the lead was smart and helpful because he was the best at picking a path through the woods—but doing so in the middle of the night was a challenge for even the most-experienced outdoorsman. Our headlamps provided minimal help. We actually benefitted more from the full moon hanging high above. But here was the thing: there’s a reason why a forest is said to come alive under a full moon—because trust me, it was alive! I could hear owls hooting. Frogs croaking. And lots of rustling. The chorus of eerie noises seemed to be coming from everywhere—and closing in! Being quiet was important, but our pace quickened because staying alive was more important. What if the bobcat was stalking us?
Needless to say, my nerves were fried when we finally reached the edge of the forest in back of Louie’s house. Waylon and I crouched behind cover, taking time to check our surroundings and slow our racing hearts. Our breaths danced on the night air as we took off our extra socks and retied our sneakers. One thing about the country, even summer temperatures dropped enough to make it chilly after the sun set.
I surveyed the scene once more. “You better take those two out,” I whispered, pointing to the lights in the trees nearest to the path we’d be taking.
Waylon nodded. He loaded his slingshot and fired one stone and then another. Two shots and two lights knocked out. Told you he had deadly accuracy with that thing. I had been worried about how much noise breaking the glass would cause, but thanks to Waylon’s clean shots it was minimal.
“Nice work,” I said.
“Thanks.”
“You ready?”
“Let’s go,” he replied, grabbing his end of the ladder.
We’d gone over our plan from this point several times so that there’d be no need for talking. Silence was our best weapon when attempting a prison break.
We leaned the ladder against the house directly under Louie’s window. I nodded at Waylon, and he handed me his extra socks. I balled them up, took two steps back, and fired my first sock bullet at Louie’s window. Bull’s-eye.
Waylon retrieved the ammunition after it fell back to the ground, and I prepared a second bullet, using my extra pair of socks this time. Again, I took aim and fired, bouncing another shot off the glass.
Waylon tossed the first bullet back to me, and I chucked it up there again. Louie opened his window and stuck his head out just as my fourth throw went flying. I hit him right between the eyes.
“Sorry,” I mouthed.
“Are you crazy? What’re you doing here?” he whisper-shouted.
I put a finger to my lips to silence him, and Waylon scurried up the ladder to explain. The last thing we wanted was a lengthy back-and-forth conversation.
After hearing what my brother had to say, Louie gawked at me like I really was crazy. I beckoned him with an energetic wave of my arm. His eyes grew wider. Waylon said something else to him and then came back down.
“Well,” I said. “Is he coming?”
Waylon shrugged.
That wasn’t good enough. “This is exactly why you can’t send a boy to do a woman’s job,” I huffed.
I sprinted up the ladder. After what we’d already done for him, I wasn’t letting Louie off the hook. I was prepared to drag him out that window if I had to, but I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. When I got to the top and peered inside, Louie was changing out of his camo pajamas and into his everyday camo attire. The only not-camo on him were his tighty-whities—which I didn’t need to see! I averted my eyes. When I glanced at him again, he was dressed and pulling on his backpack.
Louie waited for me to climb down, then gave a last glance over his shoulder and started his descent. Waylon and I steadied the ladder. As soon as Louie hit the ground, we turned and ran. This was not the time or place for small talk. We left the ladder where it was, knowing we’d need it when we returned. Waylon led us all the way to the Circle of Stones before we finally stopped. I wasn’t about to let him stop before that. There was no way I was giving the bobcat or any animal lurking in the dark the chance to pounce on us!
Louie took a couple of puffs from his inhaler and then began freaking out.
“This is crazy!” he exclaimed. “What’re we even doing here? If my mom—”
“Welcome to the Circle of Stones,” I said, gesturing to the sacred site Loretta and I had resurrected, a total of thirty-seven large rocks surrounding a central firepit. “Tonight we hold our first fire ceremony, to honor the Forest Spirits and this hallowed ground.”
I didn’t know if Loretta had a plan, but I was taking over. This was my area of expertise. I pulled Dad’s newspaper and a lighter from my backpack and knelt next to the pit. Loretta and Louie watched me twist and wad the sheets of newsprint, adding it to the firewood and kindling I’d already assembled.
“When did you build this and get everything ready?” Louie asked.
“We came back and did it after dropping you off at home the last time,” Loretta explained.
I flicked my lighter and touched the flame to the paper. Within seconds, my fire began to grow. I stood and stepped back from it.
“Whoa,” Louie wheezed. “You’re just as good at building fires as you are fortresses.”
I lifted my palms and chin to the sky and spoke. “Forgive me, Forest Spirits. Using a lighter and paper is cheating, but we only have so much time.”
Loretta scoffed. “They forgive you,” she said. “If anything, they’re impressed. Trust me, if they had a lighter back in the day, they would’ve used it.”
“Who’re the Forest Spirits?” Louie asked, confused.
“The brave men and women who explored these woods long before us,” I explained. “Tonight we summon their spirits from the past. We ask them to be with us, protect us, and guide us as we continue our quest.”
“What’s our quest?” Louie asked next.
“We don’t know yet,” I admitted, “but with the help of the Forest Spirits, it will become clear soon enough.”
His questions stopped for the time being, but there’d be more from Loretta and him after I proceeded. That was okay. I dug through my backpack and pulled out the other materials that I’d brought with me: a variety of markers, different colors and styles, some permanent and some washable, a packet of alcohol wipes, and three pieces of paper, each containing a unique and important picture.
“What’s all that for?” Loretta asked.
“There are two main requirements for any fire ceremony,” I explained. “The first involves giving each other tattoos, and the second is a dance.”
“What?!” Louie yelped. “I can’t go home with a tattoo! You’ve lost your mind!”
“We must!” I exclaimed. “A proper fire ceremony is the only way to summon the Forest Spirits. We have to do it, or we risk offending them, which would not be the wise thing to do.”
“Relax, soldier,” Loretta whispered to Louie. “They’re just markers.”
Louie’s whimpers quieted, and I pressed forward. Since Loretta was acting brave, I started with her first. I stepped in front of my sister.
“Please remove your arm from your sleeve,” I instructed.
Using an alcohol wipe, I cleaned the side of her shoulder and bicep, then blew on her skin to help it dry faster. After prepping the site, I taped the picture I had designated for my sister to her arm and began tracing over the lines with my markers. Slowly, the colors bled through the paper and onto her skin. I removed the barrier and filled in the rest of the design.
When my work was complete, I capped the marker and stepped back. “You’ve been given the wolf,” I announced. “This is because you are a fierce protector and leader of your pack.”
Loretta smiled. I knew she’d like the sounds of that.
I moved to Louie next, before he changed his mind. Following the same procedure, I gave him a turtle. “The turtle will keep you protected,” I explained.
Louie sighed in relief. If there was anything he wanted right then, it was to be kept safe. “Thank you,” he said.
I handed Loretta the last picture and pulled off my hoodie. My sister cleaned my shoulder and attached the paper to my skin, same as I’d done to her. Then she took my marker and began tracing the lines.
“Okay, I think I’m done,” she said after a few minutes.
I looked down at my tattoo and nodded. “You’ve given me the bear track.”
“What does that mean?” Louie asked.
“The bear will bring us good luck,” I declared.
Louie grinned. “Oh, that’s a good one.”
Loretta laughed. “What’s next?” she asked.
“We should burn something in the fire, as a gift to the Forest Spirits,” I said. “And then we dance.”
“You aren’t suggesting we burn something alive like they do in the movies, are you?!” she questioned, becoming alarmed for the first time all night.
“No,” I scoffed. “Nothing like that.”
Louie sighed. “Thank goodness,” he mumbled.
“We can throw our scraps and wrappers in,” I said. “That will suffice.”
We tossed our papers into the pit, and the fire sprang to life, excited by the new fuel.
“Now dance,” I encouraged, shuffling and bending my way around the circle to show them what I meant.
Loretta and Louie joined in, slow at first, but soon the Forest Spirits overcame us and we put on a wild and crazy performance. My ponytail whipped back and forth as we bobbed and weaved in the firelight.
Our routine probably looked more like a clown show than a dance, but it was the thought that mattered. We continued moving and laughing until the flames fell low; then we came to a stop. The three of us stood outside the fire, our tattoos and faces highlighted by the glow of burning embers, soaking in the strength and presence of the Forest Spirits.
Louie reached for his inhaler and took a puff.
“You use that a lot,” I pointed out.
“Yeah, more than I should, probably,” he acknowledged. “It’s a nervous habit. I need to get back home now.”
Loretta glanced at me, and I nodded.
“Round up your gear, soldiers,” she commanded, taking charge again. “It’s time to move out.”
I didn’t have a formal plan going to the fortress, so I let Waylon do his fire ceremony. It was fine, maybe even a little fun. I’ll admit, I wasn’t too sure when he started talking about tattoos, but I couldn’t chicken out. That wouldn’t be setting a good example. Besides, maybe giving Waylon the chance to be our leader was another way of preparing him to be on his own—to take care of himself, as Dad would say. Maybe this summer wasn’t just about building muscles but also finding a voice.
Ha! Who was I kidding? The boy needed muscles. At least the dance was physical and had us sweating by the end, so that had to count for something, but I definitely needed to get back to Mr. Miyagi ASAP.
Waylon did a triple check on the fire to make sure it was dead, and then we moved out. I could see how pleased and proud my brother was leaving our camp that night. According to him, the Forest Spirits would be with us from henceforth. I never imagined that there’d come a time when I’d be so thankful for that.
“Okay,” I said, pausing to catch my breath when we reached the edge of the woods behind Louie’s house. “We’ll meet again tomorrow.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it,” Louie confessed. “It’ll depend.”
“Depend on what?” Waylon asked. “If your mom is asleep?”
“Yeah,” Louie mumbled, staring at the ground.
“Why does she sleep during the day?” Waylon asked, eager to know more about the woman we’d seen inside Mimi’s.
“She just does sometimes.”
“What about your dad?” Waylon asked next, not slowing down.
“Look, I’ll be there if I can make it,” Louie snapped, putting an end to the questions.
I’d had enough chats with my father to know a thing or two about evasive answers. Louie wasn’t ready to tell us more—not yet.
“We’ll be waiting for you at the fortress,” I said.
Louie nodded. Then the three of us crept forward, leaving the cover of the forest, and streaked across the backyard up to his house. Waylon and I held Dad’s ladder, and Louie made the climb.
Once he was inside, Waylon and I raced back to the safety of the forest. We brought Dad’s ladder with us this time and stashed it in the underbrush, hoping he wouldn’t go looking for it anytime soon. We couldn’t remember the last time he’d used it, so we were counting on that fact to mean he wouldn’t notice. Also, we’d be needing it again.
