Free Max Baker: Guardian of the Ninth Sector by Matthew Cronan

be worth seeing the famous Evelyn Baker come and pick you up from school.”
    With every word Max grew more furious.
    “How is Evelyn?” Corey asked as spit from his words landed on Max’s ear and neck.  “Is she still locking herself in the bathroom every time she gets sad?”
    Max’s entire body was shaking. He knew that his fight or flight instinct was taking over.  He knew that whatever happened for the remainder of his high school career would be defined by this moment.  This would be the moment where he stood up to the Goliath in front of him.  Corey wrapped his fists around Max’s shirt and pulled him in even closer. 
    Max thought that he saw one of his fists flash blue out of the corner of his eye.  His body was trembling, but he felt strong.  He felt the same energy from the night before surging through him.
    Max thought about the dream and of Gorthon standing over him.  Max had been so frightened.  He had felt so weak.  And although there was a small pit of fear knotted up in Max's stomach, Corey wasn’t nearly as scary as that furry monster he faced off with last night.
    “Is she still suicidal every time she thinks of your dead brother?” the bully whispered into Max’s ear.
    “Corey, why don’t you back off?” Noah asked from behind them.  “You act like Max is the first guy that ever looked at your girlfriend.  She’s a full blown hottie.  Every guy in this school looks at your girl every day.  In fact, your boy Derek is staring at her butt right now.”
    “Shut your mouth, Allman,” Corey said, turning his attention away from Max, “or you’ll be next.”
    “No, why don’t you shut yours,” Max said. Before Corey had time to react, Max pulled his arm back as far as he could and swung hard. The cafeteria had gone silent as everyone watched in amazement.  Even Max watched on as a spectator as the events seemed to unravel in slow motion.  Max’s fist flying through the air.  Corey’s face scrunching up, preparing for impact.  This was Max’s defining moment, and he was watching it in high definition.
    The moment sped back up into real time as the haymaker landed firmly into Corey’s shoulder.  Corey looked at Max’s ill-placed fist and then back to Max who took a step back.
    “That was a mistake,” Corey said.
    Max didn’t have time to respond as Corey threw a quick uppercut into his midsection, knocking all the wind out of him.  Corey quickly threw his arm over Max’s shoulders as he doubled over and fell back toward his seat.  Max tried gasping for air, but was unable to force his organs to cooperate.  He felt the veins popping out of his head as he tried to catch his breath.
    Noah jumped up from his seat and got in Corey’s face.
    “Easy, baby bird,” Corey said to Noah, motioning for him to sit back down. “He had it coming.”
    Max fell to the seat below him, crashing down hard on his rear.  He tried desperately to suck in oxygen.  Excruciating pain shot through his abdomen every time he tried to breathe in.  He sat there, the entire cafeteria looking at him, as he gasped for breath.  Corey bent down so they would be eye to eye.
    “Stay away from Kennedy,” Corey said into Max’s ear.  “Stay away or I’ll wreck your life.  Got it, Baker?”
    Max nodded his head, and Corey headed back toward his friends.  Max scanned the cafeteria, but Kennedy was nowhere to be seen.  He sat there for a moment, coughing and wheezing.  Noah sat down in the seat beside him.
    “What the heck is wrong with you?” Noah asked excitedly.  “You just punched Corey flipping Peterson!”  Noah rocked back and forth in his chair, waiting for Max to respond.  He wore a huge smile on his face.  He looked like a little kid waiting to unwrap presents on Christmas morning.  He looked ecstatic.
    “I don’t know,” Max gasped, continuing to examine the room for Kennedy.  He had to look past all the onlookers staring at him to see the table of jocks and