Free Artifacts by Pete Catalano Page B

greenway as a dump for years,” Mouth said. “There’s a ton of junk out there, but every once in a while, there’s that one thing that you want to take home, clean up, and smash your brother in the back of the head with.”
    Tank smiled. “I was thinking the very same thing.”
    “Has anybody been through the forest on the back of the property to see what’s out there?” Korie asked.
    “Are you crazy!” Crunch said abruptly. “I’ve heard that the forest is ginormous and beyond it is death and destruction and devastation, and a bunch of other d words.”
    Mouth put his arm around Crunch’s shoulders. “Crunch, I can tell you where you can see things that are a lot scarier than anything in that forest.”
    “Really?” Crunch gasped. “Where?”
    Mouth waved him closer. “Look in the mirror.”
    “Cut it out!” Crunch yelled, pushing him away.
    Mouth raised his hands. “I just tell the truth.”
    “Oh, yeah.” Crunch looked for something really good to say. “Wait until you need help.”
    “That’s why I let Tank hang out with me,” Mouth said quickly. “Not only do I feel sorry for him for being so Tank-like, but he comes in handy when I need a little extra power.”
    “Here’s a little extra power,” Tank said, punching Mouth in the back as he walked past.
    “See, Crunch,” Mouth squeaked, trying to catch his breath, “now that’s brotherly love.”
    “Can we get going now?” Korie asked. “We’re going to have to be home soon and you can still beat the heck out of each other on the way.”
    Tank jumped on his bike. We scrambled to our bikes and rode right behind him.
    Even though we laughed when Mouth would bust on Tank, we also knew that if we wanted to get in to the forest at the back of Six Mile Creek Greenway and then back out again, Tank had to either be leading us … or following closely behind.

Chapter Twelve
     
     
    Six-Mile Creek Greenway is a path traveling along creek beds and through a densely wooded forest just south of town made of wood and pavement. Advertised as a way to “get back to nature,” we usually went out there to play war or hide-and-go-seek or to hunt down the snakes and coyotes that were supposed to be running wild.
    Riding in a pack, Tank took the lead, as usual. Korie and I were right behind him, with Mouth and Crunch bringing up the rear, swerving from side to side, their conversations and their heads filled with Lost Boys and fairy tales.
    After a couple of blocks, we cut through every side street, back alley, baseball field, strip mall, and park we could find. Finally reaching the dirt road leading to the greenway, we swerved to a stop at the entrance, kicking up enough dust and gravel to make it look like there were a hundred of us.
    “It looks pretty quiet,” Mouth said, watching the path as it disappeared around the first curve. “Crunch, why don’t you ride up ahead and see if you live to tell about it. Scream really loud if it’s an ambush so the rest of us can make sure we can get away and call for help.”
    Crunch glared at Mouth.
    “Idiot,” Korie said to Mouth as she rode her bike past him.
    “What?” Mouth said. “What did I say?”
    Rolling back and forth on my bike, I stared at the greenway as it twisted and turned, winding this way and that until the start of a path appeared that I didn’t remember seeing before. It cut through the woods right before the turn and disappeared.
    “Mouth, I’m sorry to say this, but we’re going to use you as bait.”
    Tank laughed. “I like the sound of that.”
    “I like the sound of when you shut up,” Mouth said.
    I ignored him and continued. “If you ride along the path and around the curve—”
    “Where I’ll probably die,” Mouth added.
    “Where you’ll probably die,” I agreed, not missing a beat. “The rest of us will cut down that path on the right and meet you on the other side. If there’s somebody waiting for you, we’ll be there to help. If there’s not, then