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“I’ve been trying to get the town to do something for years.”
“I know. I also heard you talking to Mayor Kirsch and Captain Strunk.”
“What are you, the town snoop?”
“Dude, you were talking in the yard. My window’s right there.”
“Okay, okay. Point is, the town has to take responsibility for itself. I showed them that it could be done, and I did what I could for a while … but it’s not one man’s job. And it’s not the job of children.”
“Teenagers, thank you very much.”
“Teenagers. Fine. It’s not your job either.”
Benny looked hard
into his brother’s eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not. This is our world too. We’re going to inherit it. What do you want us to do—wait until it gets worse, maybe totally out of control, before we do something about it? How’s that going to help us have a better future?”
Tom stared at him as they walked, and after a dozen steps his frown turned into a small smile. “I keep forgetting how smart you are, kiddo. And how mature.”
“Yeah, well, this last year hasn’t exactly been about kid stuff.”
“No, and I’m sorry about that … but in all seriousness, Benny, this is a conversation we should have had before we left.”
“So … it’s too late to make a difference?” Benny challenged.
Tom shook his head. “It’s not that … it’s just that this isn’t our town anymore. We’re moving on. Others will have to step up to take responsibility for Mountainside.” He pointed down the road. “Your future is somewhere out there, and no doubt there will be plenty of opportunities to make a difference, if that’s what you want to do.”
Benny glanced at him, then back the way they’d come, then up ahead. He sighed.
Tom clapped him on the shoulder, and they kept walking. Eventually Tom pulled ahead, and when Benny looked back, he saw that Nix was now with Lilah and Chong was alone, so he drifted back to walk beside Chong.
As they walked through the tall grass under the burning eye of the sun, Benny kept glancing at Chong. Without turning his head, Chong said, “What? Do I have a booger in my nose?”
“Huh?”
“You keep looking at me. What’s up?”
Benny shrugged.
“Quick! Tell me before I lose interest.” Chong said it with mock excitement.
Benny took a breath. “Nix.”
“What? The fight about science and religion?”
“No … it’s about us. You know … dating and stuff.”
“God!” Chong laughed. “The oath!”
When he and Chong were nine, they had sworn a blood oath that they would never date any of the girls they hung with. Since getting back from rescuing Nix last year, they had been together, and Benny had never asked Chong how he felt about it.
“Yeah … the oath,” Benny said. “I feel kind of bad about breaking it.”
Chong stopped and turned to him, his eyes roving over Benny’s face. “Wait … hold still.”
