Free The Last Stand of Daronwy by Clint Talbert Page B

shoot!” Simon thrust his hands in the air. It took a moment for the trees to stop spinning, and Simon said again, “Don’t shoot!” Then, taking a look at him, he asked, “Jeremy? Are you okay?”
    Jeremy dropped the gun, realizing he’d never clicked off the safety. He re-clamped his right hand atop his head. “Hey, Sy.” Jeremy tried to smile. “Yeah, I’ll be okay.” The world spun again and he was on his butt in the dirt. How had that happened? Did Sy push him? Simon shouldered his own BB rifle. Jeremy stared at the strap on Simon’s Benjamin. He wished that he had a Benjamin with a strap.
    Simon put both his hands on Jeremy’s left arm. “Get up. Come on. Let’s go to your house.”
    Jeremy wobbled to his feet, leaning against the younger boy.
    â€œWhat happened to you?”
    â€œThis pinecone… I think God asked me a question, and when I didn’t understand it, He threw this pinecone at me. I was just standing under a tree and when I was thinking about the question, He hit me with a pinecone.” Jeremy laughed, raucous and sudden. Simon jumped. “I guess I didn’t answer it right.”
    Jeremy leaned into Simon, pushing him to the left of the trail. Simon pushed back, steering him to the right. “What was the question?”
    Jeremy stopped. His hand had come off his head again. He put it back on, causing a dull pain to throb down into his neck. “Huh?”
    â€œWhat was the question?”
    â€œThat’s the problem. I don’t know.”
    â€œUm… okay. Well, let’s keep walking. Come on.”
    Jeremy started walking again as Simon prodded his arm. They were almost to the Gateway Tree, to the pavement of the street. “Sy?”
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œYou don’t walk very straight.”
    Simon laughed. “Me? You’re all over the place!”
    As they crossed to his house, Jeremy was vaguely aware of shuffling in the field across the way.
    Loren came into view holding a football.
    â€œCan’t play right now, Loren. Sorry.” Jeremy muttered, though he hadn’t been asked.
    â€œI told you to stay away from my new trail, moron.”
    â€œI wasn’t on your trail. God was there, with this pinecone… ”
    Simon spoke up. “Leave him alone. He’s hurt pretty bad.”
    â€œWhat happened?”
    â€œI think a pinecone fell out of a tree and hit him. I don’t know. Help me, Lor.”
    Loren threw the ball to the other players, Jeremy watched the perfect spiral. “You’re going to the NFL, Loren. Straight up!” Jeremy pointed to the sky and fell backwards. Loren caught him. Loren and Simon guided him into his house. His mother was in the kitchen.
    â€œ Quoi sa c’est fou! What happened?”
    Simon was saying something about a pinecone and getting it all wrong.
    â€œIt was God,” Jeremy said, swooning toward the kitchen table. “I got the answer wrong. I just wish I remembered the question.”
    â€œThanks Simon, Loren. I’ll get him from here. Jeremy. Jeremy, pay attention. Can you stand?”
    â€œI’m standing now, Mom.”
    â€œLet’s get you to the bathroom and clean you up. Come on. Put down that gun. Just put it on the table. Come on now.”
    â€œBut my shoes are muddy.”
    â€œWho cares about your shoes? Come on Jeremy! Walk. Now. Douglas!”
    His dad jumped up from his recliner where he’d been half napping. “Shit! What happened?”
    â€œI don’t know. Get Rosalyn, we may have to go to the hospital. Let me get him cleaned up.”
    â€œI don’t want to go to the hospital.” He looked down. “Mom, my shoes are muddy.”

Chapter Seven
    Jeremy walked into the school, head down, wishing no one would look at the stitches. He’d already had to explain them to both Mira and Daniel. He hadn’t even made it to his usual spot to sit along