4 JUST A DROP OF WATER That’s all Kirk needs to hear He pulls away from the group and speeds toward us faster than a blitzkrieg attack The air’s so humid I feel like I’m in a foggy bath room I breathe in deep Sam’s usually ahead of me by now but our wrestling match gave us an even start at the edge of the woods There are no more holes No roots No branches This is the part I’m good at I pump my ar(cid:85)s harder and e(cid:96)tend (cid:85)(cid:97) le(cid:79)s co(cid:85)pletel(cid:97) (cid:49) a(cid:85) (cid:198)(cid:97)in(cid:79) (cid:42)(cid:93)t so is (cid:51)ir(cid:83) Steps (cid:78)ro(cid:85) the finish line he and (cid:49) are tied so I stretch my neck out hoping the inches are enough to beat him but they’re not Kirk’s legs are longer He’s like a machine like someone clicks an autopilot button and he just goes Kirk wins (cid:49) finall(cid:97) beat Sa(cid:85) (cid:78)or the first ti(cid:85)e since (cid:95)e(cid:188)(cid:94)e been running cross country only to end up in sec ond place anyway Crazy I have to give Kirk props though he totally killed that Sam and I are going to have to train harder we can’t let the new kid show us up I lace my hands on top of my head and pace Sam’s hunched over trying to catch his breath but Kirk’s barely winded One of the seventh graders says That was awe some It looked like you guys were running from a gator or something
KERRY O’MALLEY CERRA 5 Sam and I crack up When we were six he and I saw a baby gator on the bank of the canal down the street from our houses I wasn’t supposed to go there I wasn’t even supposed to leave my fenced-in backyard but Sam and I snuck out because we were sure there were subma rine spies in that water The little gator was just lying in the sun Then all of a sudden a momma gator shot out of the water and hissed at us We took off I’d never been so scared in my life I’m pretty sure if we’d been chased by a gator today Sam and I would have beaten Kirk Coach Rehart clicks the stop-watch as the last kid comes in He scribbles some stuff on his clipboard Jake that was one of your better runs Great job S(cid:93)(cid:85)(cid:85)er trainin(cid:79) paid o(cid:78)(cid:78) Sa(cid:85) (cid:79)i(cid:94)es (cid:85)e a hi(cid:79)h fi(cid:94)e (cid:43)oach (cid:198)ips a paper o(cid:94)er then loo(cid:83)s at Sa(cid:85) (cid:185)Sa(cid:85)eed(cid:39) Care to explain The only time anyone calls Sam Sameed is on the first da(cid:97) o(cid:78) school (cid:95)hen teachers don(cid:188)t (cid:97)et (cid:83)no(cid:95) he(cid:188)s just Sam Or when his Dad’s mad at him Sam shrugs I tripped in the woods and lost time Good thing he’s a quick thinker Coach sighs Then he turns and pats Kirk’s shoul der Good time kid A little over the numbers that your old coach sent me but you’re probably still adjusting to our humidity Kirk nods
6 JUST A DROP OF WATER Seriously He usually runs faster than we’ve seen this last week He is a machine I guess that’s not a bad thing I mean we’re sure to go undefeated this year with Kirk Sa(cid:85) and (cid:85)e (cid:49)t(cid:188)ll be (cid:79)reat to finall(cid:97) beat (cid:56)al(cid:85)etto (cid:58)id(cid:79)e a k a Palmetto Bugs or just Bugs as Sam calls them They run dirty In the thick woods when no one’s watch ing they trip kids or push them into the bushes Tyler Montgomery’s the leader of the Bugs Last year he pantsed me as he ran by I tripped on my shorts and must’ve yelled out before my face hit the ground Sam who was in front of me doubled back to help I scrambled to my feet and pulled my shorts back up We tried to catch Tyler but I was down for too long We lost the meet too A lump rises in my throat remembering it Tyler’s the Bugs best runner and next year we’ll all be in high school together But I’ve decided that I’ll never let him beat me again This year he and his team are going down Yeah it’s good to have Kirk with us I stick out my fist and he b(cid:93)(cid:85)ps it Huddle around boys Coach adjusts his sunglasses Next week on Tuesday uh that should be the eleventh we get our shot at Palmetto Ridge (cid:53)(cid:97) sto(cid:85)ach (cid:198)ips (cid:95)ith both e(cid:96)cite(cid:85)ent and (cid:78)ear Sam’s got a smile as wide as that momma gator’s mouth (cid:51)ir(cid:83) (cid:79)lances aro(cid:93)nd li(cid:83)e he(cid:188)s tr(cid:97)in(cid:79) to fi(cid:79)(cid:93)re o(cid:93)t (cid:95)hat the big deal is
KERRY O’MALLEY CERRA 7 (cid:49) (cid:95)hisper to hi(cid:85) (cid:185)(cid:49)(cid:188)ll fill (cid:97)o(cid:93) in later (cid:186) (cid:53)a(cid:97)be (cid:49)(cid:188)ll invite him to run with Sam and me this weekend Coach waves us off Remember practice Monday We’ll be taking our team picture so wear your jerseys to school He fumbles with the stopwatch in his hand Oh I almost forgot Our team captains My heart buzzes Sam and I have been planning this since sixth grade train hard keep Coach happy and lead the team our eighth-grade year Coach looks at me and his face tightens He’s get ting ready to call my name I can feel it Kirk you’ve been great with helping out the younger teammates since you got here That’s good leadership Going by that plus the fastest times the captains this season will be Sam and Kirk Kirk Seriously The seventh graders stare at me Sam grabs my arm pulling me away before I can tell Coach how messed up that is I wrench myself from Sam’s grip I practiced all summer for nothing Sam shoves me toward the school Go get your stuff I’ll talk to Coach for you I don’t want you saying something dumb and getting kicked off the team (cid:185)(cid:49) ne(cid:94)er (cid:95)anted to be on the tea(cid:85) in the first place(cid:9) I hate cross country
