Free Wolf Stalker by Gloria Skurzynski

fingers through his hair, dividing it into dark strings. “The day he left they were fighting about that jacket. My mom told him he had no right blowing $400 on a jacket like that, and he told her he needed something to protect his back ’cause she was always all over him, weighing him down so bad he could hardly move. So my mom said, ‘If that’s how you feel about Troy and me, why don’t you just back yourself right out the door?’ And he said, ‘I’m out of here. But I’m taking the kid.’”
    It seemed to Jack as if even the wind got quiet. “So what happened?” he asked.
    Troy stared into the fire. “My mom pulled out a kitchen knife. She told him that if he wanted me, he’d have to get by her first. She said nothing in the whole world was as important to her as I was. So he left. I’ve never seen him since.”
    â€œHow old were you?” It was Ashley, her voice only a murmur.
    â€œMe? I don’t know.” He counted back, a faraway look in his eyes.
    â€œI guess I was sev—no, almost eight.”
    Jack’s thoughts recoiled at the image of a seven-year-old boy watching his mom threaten his dad with a knife. He’d never experienced anything remotely like what Troy had just described. Ashley shouldn’t be hearing stories like these—she didn’t need to have her mind rubbed into that kind of ugliness. It was time to close her off from Troy.
    â€œHey, guys, it’s getting late.” Jack rubbed the back of his neck, hardly feeling the sensation because he’d grown so cold. “Ashley, you need to go to sleep. If searchers don’t find us tonight, we’ll have to get up at dawn and start down the hill.”
    He sounded bossy even to himself, but for some reason Jack couldn’t shut it off. “Try to get your feet next to the flames so they won’t freeze, but not so close that you might roll in. And pull the string of your hood as tight as it will go.”
    Troy hunkered himself up. The light caught on the zippers of the bomber jacket and made them shine with a diamond hardness. Narrowing his eyes, he said, “Wait a minute. I was talkin’ here. You know, your sister’s right, man—you’re a real dictator. What gives you the right?”
    The question took Jack by surprise; he felt the heat rise to his cheeks as he stumbled for an answer. “Because—I’m…older.”
    Ashley was staring at him, he could feel it, but he didn’t pull his eyes off Troy’s.
    â€œNot older than me. I’ve got a whole year on you that says Ashley can stay up as long as she wants.”
    Jack swallowed. “No, she can’t. I’m in charge. Not you.”
    â€œYou’re—in—charge?” Troy drew out the words. “Why? Just ’cause you don’t like me and you don’t like hearing about my life? I saw the way your face got all twisted when I was talking about my dad. You think I’m stupid?”
    â€œYou really want me to answer that?” It was a risky thing to say, but Jack was sick of Troy’s tough attitude.
    Rising to his feet, Troy took a step. “Oh, so you think you’re better than me, right? You think since you got two parents and a house—you can get over on me ’cause you think me and my mom are just trailer trash. Is that it?”
    â€œGive me a break,” Jack said hotly. “If I don’t like you it’s because you’re a jerk. You blow off me and Ashley—in fact, my whole family! You do whatever you want even if it’s wrong—”
    â€œWrong? I’ve been wrong?” Troy’s voice shot up.
    â€œYeah.” Now Jack jumped to his feet and stood, poker straight. “you take off after a wolf and get us all in trouble.”
    â€œJack—” Ashley tried to break in, but he waved her off. The battle was between him and Troy. “My parents are probably