Part 14 (2/2)

He was ready.

The van was still parked in the driveway. Good. That was good. He could hear the chatter of the birds in the garage all the way from the street. Zavion strained his ears to hear.

Go, go, go, go.

Did Zavion really want to go through with this? He could turn around. He could walk back to Skeets house. He could try to forget about the chocolate bars.

But he knew he couldnt forget.

The rows of rooftops sticking out of the water like alligator heads. People stuck, stranded on those monstrous heads. Screaming for help.

Zavion couldnt forget any of it.

A breeze blew in and Zavion glanced at the sky. Please no wind, please no rain. He wasnt sure, but he didnt think he had much time to spare. Diana would come outside soon. He had to walk down the driveway now or never. The breeze got bored and left just as quickly as it came.

A bird squawked louder than the others, from somewhere in the garage.

Go!

”Okay, then,” Zavion said to the birds.

He snuck a look back up at the sky. Did it look a darker shade of blue? A gray shade of blue? If I get to New Orleans, he thought, the words ricocheting against the inside of his skull then the sky will brighten up, it will turn back to blue- A door slammed.

”No! No no no no no-” Zavion spit the pinball words out loud.

He could not get caught.

He could not go back.

Zavion switched gears. He stopped thinking and began to move. Someone had put two birdcages just outside the door to the house and gone back inside.

Zavion ran to the van. He tried the handle. The door slid open. Piles of blankets were on the floor. A cardboard box filled with flashlights sat in one corner. There were feathers everywhere. Zavion buried himself under a green blanket, and slid the door shut.

He poked his head back out. He could feel the static electricity in his hair.

”Not bad. I could pa.s.s for junk,” he said to himself. The same bird from the garage squawked and set off a chorus of beaked chatter. ”The birds agree.”

The door to the house slammed again.

A woman was walking toward his side of the van. Zavion wedged himself between a cage and the sidewall. He breathed in. The banket smelled like a wet dog.

The drivers side door opened, and he heard someone put something on the pa.s.senger seat. Then the door closed again.

Zavion flattened his body against the floor. Something metal was digging into his rib. He reached his hand under the blanket and pulled out an ax. Oh, what was he doing? He took a deep breath and tried to settle himself more comfortably on his side. His nose caught a whiff of something different than the wet dog smell. Chocolate? Caramel? He hoped his stomach wouldnt rumble and give him away. He sneezed.

Oh boy oh boy oh boy- Voices came close and then closer. The back door to the van opened.

Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy- ”Do we have enough cages?”

”Its all we can fit.”

The pinging sound of metal hitting metal rang in Zavions ears. He felt a cage hit the bottom of his sneaker.

”Do you think the guards will let us through the checkpoint this time?”

Oh boy.

They were going to New Orleans. Zavion was going to New Orleans.

Now.

”Probably. And if they dont, I already put the rest of the brownies in the front seat.”

”Good thinking.”

”None of them are getting any home cooking right about now. Come to think of it, I should have made a whole meal.”

”Uh, Ma-your cooking isnt all that good-”

”Oh hush.” And then the door slammed.

Zavions plan was unfolding. The opposite of kneading bread, it was unfolding, turning and unfolding some more. He fought an urge to yank the blanket off his body. He wanted to stack the cages, throw the blanket over them, and sit on the very top. He thought he would be braver about going back to New Orleans if he could travel by mountain, not by van.

The two front doors opened, and the woman and her son got inside.

”We shouldnt wake Dr. Burke?” the son asked.

”No, let her sleep. She was up all night tending to the birds. And sh.e.l.l have more to take care of when we come home.” The woman started the van. ”Are you ready?” she said to her son. The tires crunched down the driveway.

Im ready, thought Zavion.

chapter 28.

HENRY.

”Are you ready?” said Jake.

”Im ready,” Henry said.

But he wasnt so sure.

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