Free Eden by Gregory Hoffman Page A

back inside, I found it strange that she hadn’t arrived home yet. Even if Eden had left school after all the other students, it shouldn’t take this long. Maybe she stopped off somewhere to do some food shopping or something. I wasn’t sure why it concerned me; it was not like she couldn’t handle herself.
    “Did he leave?” my mother asked me as I closed the door.
    “Yeah, he’s gone,” I told her.
    “That’s good,” she said.
    “I’m going out tonight,” I said, realizing that I hadn’t told her yet.
    “You’re going to Eden’s again tonight,” she stated it more like fact rather than a question.
    “No,” I replied, “Actually, I’m going out with Matt and the other guys.” I could see the surprise in her eyes.
    “Where are you going?” she asked.
    “To Pizza Heaven,” I informed her, “so you don’t have to make dinner for me.”
    “Ok,” she agreed, “Let me give you a few dollars for pizza then.”
    She reached into her purse and took out her wallet.
    “Will twenty be enough?” she asked withdrawing a twenty dollar bill.
    “That’s plenty,” I assured her, taking the money and placing it in my pocket.
    I turned and hurried upstairs to do the little homework that I had before I headed over to Kyle’s. If I finished it all maybe I could go back to Kyle’s after Pizza Heaven and play some video games instead of heading to Matt’s and doing homework. The video games would serve as a greater distraction. I was supposed to call Eden tonight after dinner, the later I arrived home tonight, the better my excuse would sound in the morning for not calling.
    It was almost six when I finished all my homework. Quickly grabbing my jacket and heading downstairs, I yelled out a goodbye to my parents. My mother yelled out a response in return, but I was already out the door. I quickly sprinted across the yard and towards Kyle’s house.
    I got to his house in a few minutes, knocking on the door I found that I was the last to arrive; Matt and Drake were already inside playing video games.
    “What took you so long, At-smell?” Matt yelled from the couch, “It’s getting boring kicking Drake’s ass in every game.”
    “Shut up, fat boy,” Drake growled, “we ain’t done yet!”
    “Yes you are,” Kyle said grabbing his jacket, “We’re leaving.”
    Grumbling to himself, he reluctantly grabbed his jacket and joined us at the front door.
    “Winner and still champion,” Matt gloated.
    “I should make you pay for my dinner tonight, loser,” Matt continued.
    “Please,” Drake replied sarcastically, “I’d have to win the lottery if I wanted to afford that.”
    Drake dodged the punch that was flung at him and laughed.
    “Stop playing around, I’m hungry,” Kyle complained, ushering us all outside, “Let’s go.”
    Still laughing, we made our way down the front yard and into the street. We were so preoccupied that none of us noticed the black car parked down the street start up as we crossed the road.
    We started through the large parking lot shared by the nearby local businesses when the car pulled along side us and the driver rolled down his window and shouted over to us. He had on a pair of dark sunglasses and his hair looked greasy, like it was gelled back. He looked mean and something didn’t seem right about him, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what. It seemed like he was ready to burst out of the car, like he had trouble sitting still, like he was being confined in the metal cage.
    “Hey, kid,” he growled to all of us, “Come here.”
    “What do you want?” Matt asked cautiously.
    “I just want to ask you guys some questions,” the man said sounding like something out of a bad gangster movie.
    “What is your question?” Matt asked, but didn’t move any closer to the car.
    “Do any of you know of a new girl in the neighborhood?” he asked, “She’d be about the same age as you guys.”
    I got a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach as I replied,