Bridge-to-Terabithia

11KATHERINEPATERSON:BridgetoTerabithiaONE-JesseOliverAarons,Jr.Ba-room,ba-room,ba-room,baripity,baripity,baripity,baripity.Good.Hisdadhadthepickupgoing.Hecouldgetupnow.Jessslidoutofbedandintohisoveralls.Hedidn'tworryaboutashirtbecauseoncehebeganrunninghewouldbehotaspoppinggreaseevenifthemorningairwaschill,orshoesbecausethebottomsofhisfeetwerebynowastoughashisworn-outsneakers.Whereyougoing,Jess?MayBelleliftedherselfupsleepilyfromthedoublebedwheresheandJoyceAnnslept.Sh.Hewarned.Thewallswerethin.MommawouldhemadasfliesinafruitjariftheywokeherupthistimeofdayHepattedMayBelle'shairandyankedthetwistedsheetuptohersmallchin.Justoverthecowfield,hewhispered.MayBellesmiledandsnuggleddownunderthesheet.Gonnarun?Maybe.Ofcoursehewasgoingtorun.Hehadgottenupearlyeverydayallsummertorun.Hefiguredifheworkedatit-andLord,hadheworked-hecouldbethefastestrunnerinthefifthgradewhenschoolopenedup.Hehadtobethefastest-notoneofthefastestornexttothefastest,butthefastest.Theverybest.Hetiptoedoutofthehouse.Theplacewassorattythatitscreechedwheneveryouputyourfootdown,butJesshadfoundthatifyoutiptoed,itgaveonlyalowmoan,andhecouldusuallygetoutdoorswithoutwakingMommaorEllieorBrendaorJoyceAnn.MayBellewasanothermatter.Shewasgoingonseven,andsheworshipedhim,whichwasOKsometimes.Whenyouweretheonlyboysmashedbetweenfoursisters,andtheoldertwohaddespisedyoueversinceyoustoppedlettingthemdressyouupandwheelyouaroundintheirrustyolddollcarriage,andthelittlestonecriedifyoulookedathercross-eyed,itwasnicetohavesomebodywhoworshipedyou.Evenifitgotunhandysometimes.Hebegantotrotacrosstheyard.Hisbreathwascomingoutinlittlepuffs-coldforAugust.Butitwasearlyyet.Bynoontimewhenhismomwouldhavehimoutworking,itwouldbehotenough.MissBessiestaredathimsleepilyasheclimbedacrossthescrapheap,overthefence,andintothecowfield.Moo,shesaid,lookingforalltheworldlikeanotherMayBellewithherbig,browndroopyeyes.Hey,MissBessie,Jesssaidsoothingly.Justgoonbacktosleep.MissBessiestrolledovertoagreenishpatch-mostofthefieldwasbrownanddry-andyankedupamouthful.That'agirl.Justeatyourbreakfast.Don'tpaymenomind.22Healwaysstartedatthenorthwestcornerofthefield,crouchedoverliketherunnershehadseenonWideWorldofSports.Bang,hesaid,andtookoffflyingaroundthecowfield.MissBessiestrolledtowardthecenter,stillfollowinghimwithherdroopyeyes,chewingslowly.Shedidn'tlookverysmart,evenforacow,butshewasplentybrightenoughtogetoutofJess'sway.Hisstraw-coloredhairflappedhardagainsthisforehead,andhisarmsandlegsflewouteverywhichway.Hehadneverlearnedtorunproperly,buthewaslong-leggedforaten-year-old,andnoonehadmoregritthanhe.LarkCreekElementarywasshortoneverything,especiallyathleticequipment,soalltheballswenttotheuppergradesatrecesstimeafterlunch.Evenifafifthgraderstartedouttheperiodwithaball,itwassuretobeinthehandsofasixthorseventhgraderbeforethehourwashalfover.Theolderboysalwaystookthedrycenteroftheupperfieldfortheirballgames,whilethegirlsclaimedthesmalltopsectionforhopscotchandjumpropeandhangingaroundtalking.Sothelower-gradeboyshadstartedthisrunningthing.Theywouldalllineuponthefarsideofthelowerfield,whereitwaseithermuddyordeepcrustyruts.EarleWatsonwhowasnogoodatrunning,buthadabigmouth,wouldyellBang!andthey'dracetoalinethey'dtoedacrossattheotherend.OnetimelastyearJessehadwon.Notjustthefirstheatbutthewholeshebang.Onlyonce.Butithadputintohismouthatasteforwinning.Eversincehe'dbeeninfirstgradehe'dbeenthatcrazylittlekidthatdrawsallthetime.Butoneday-Aprilthetwenty-second,adrizzlyMonday,ithadbeen-heranaheadofthemall,theredmudslooshingupthroughtheholesinthebottomofhissneakers.Fortherestofthatday,anduntilafterlunchonthenext,hehadbeenthefastestkidinthethird,fourth,andfifthgrades,aridheonlyafourthgrader.OnTuesday,WaynePettishadwonagainasusual.ButthisyearWaynePettiswouldbeinthesixthgrade.He'dplayfootballuntilChristmasandbaseballuntilJunewiththerestofthebigguys.Anybodyhadachancetobethefastestrunner,andbyMissBessie,thisyearitwasgoingtobeJesseOliverAarons,Jr.Jesspumpedhisarmsharderandbenthisheadforthedistantfence.Hecouldhearthethird-gradeboysscreaminghimon.Theywouldfollowhimaroundlikeacountry-musicstar.AndMayBellewouldpopherbuttons.Herbrotherwasthefastest,thebest.Thatoughttogivetherestofthefirstgradesomethingtochewtheircudson.Evenhisdadwouldbeproud.Jessroundedthecorner.Hecouldn'tkeepgoingquitesofast,buthecontinuedrunningforawhile-itwouldbuildhimup.MayBellewouldtellDaddy,soitwouldn'tlookasthoughhe,Jess,wasabragger.MaybeDadwouldbesoproudhe'dforgetallabouthowtiredhewasfromthelongdrivebackandforthtoWashingtonandthediggingandhaulingallday.Hewouldgetrightdownonthefloorandwrestle,thewaytheyusedto.OldDadwouldbesurprisedathowstronghe'dgotteninthelastcoupleofyears.33Hisbodywasbegginghimtoquit,butJesspushediton.Hehadtoletthatpunychestofhisknowwhowasboss.Jess.ItwasMayBelleyellingfromtheothersideofthescrapheap.Mommasaysyougottacomeinandeatnow.Leavethemilkingtillater.Oh,crud.He'druntoolong.Noweveryonewouldknowhe'dbeenoutandstartinonhim.Yeah,OK.Heturned,stillrunning,andheadedforthescrapheap.Withoutbreakinghisrhythm,heclimbedoverthefence,scrambledacrossthescrapheap,