Two hands struck out and grabbed her. Screaming, AJ was pulled into the bush. The burs and sharp braches snagged her clothing and further scratched her hands and face. When the hands finally let go, AJ found herself staring in shock at a boy around her age with hair so blonde it was almost white.  After staring for a moment, AJ’s temper got the best of her and she exploded, “WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!?”

The boy looked slightly taken aback at AJ’s raised voice but did not seem intimated in the slightest when he screamed back, “I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM! WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?”

AJ glared at the nameless stranger and fumed, “YOU THINK I HAVE A PROBLEM?! IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT!  YOU GRABBED ME, PULLED ME INTO A BUSH, AND NOW I’M ALL CUT UP!”

AJ was too angry to see the mischievous glint in the boy’s eyes. She stood there glaring at him when she heard her mamma calling her name. Unlike her earlier calls, she sounded genuinely angry. AJ quickly decided it was time to go. Giving the boy a final glare, she carefully climbed her way through the bushes. Once free she took off in a dead sprint towards the back kitchen door.

She made it to the wide wooden steps in record time. Only slightly out of breath, she slowly climbed delaying the moments until her punishment by running her hands over the familiar notches in the railing. When she reached the top step her breathing was back to normal, but she was sick to her stomach with guilt. AJ gathered her courage and quickly stepped up from the top step and made it to the door, but couldn’t make herself turn the knob. She stood there, hand out, eyes closed, fearing the wrath of her mamma.

Don’t be stupid Anna Jayne. You are no coward, she told herself and with her eyes still tightly closed turned the knob and rushed inside.