Credence

A… gun?

Is he kidding?

Kaleb stands by his bike, staring at Terrance with his head tilted and his expression calm. A shotgun hangs casually at his side in his hand.

A shotgun.

They’re all out of their minds.

I scramble out of the pond, dripping wet as I grab my backpack and shirt off the ground. But as I dive back down for the rifle, Noah snatches it up and takes my wrist, pulling me after him. I stumble over the rocks.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Terrance whines behind me, and I look back to see him walking out of the water with his arms outstretched at his sides in a challenge to my cousins. “What are you gonna do with that, Kaleb? Huh?”

He grins as Kaleb loads a shell.

Shit.

Noah pulls me to his bike to climb on behind him. “Get on now.”

But Terrance pipes up again, and I hesitate.

“You’re not gonna be able to keep her to yourself,” he tells Kaleb and Noah. “She’s the prettiest thing we’ve all seen in a while, and I’m just trying to get in there before all the dogs start barking at your front door for a piece of that sweet little snatch.”

I cringe and Kaleb cocks his gun.

“Now, Tiernan!” Noah barks.

And I climb on, hugging my backpack and shirt with one hand and holding onto Noah with the other.

Noah starts the bike and turns it around as I hear Terrance’s voice behind me. “See you soon, Tiernan.”

And Noah races off, taking us back down the mountain.

But as we speed away, I look behind me one more time and catch sight of Kaleb still standing in the same spot. Staring at Terrance as he clutches the gun at his side.

Tiernan

We haul ass back to the house, Noah screeching to a halt next to his father’s truck. I crash into him as the rear tire lifts off the ground.

What the hell is the matter with them? As soon as the bike lands again, I jump off and head for the house.

But Noah is quick behind me, grabbing my wrist again.

I jerk away. “Get off.”

“Where were you?” Jake demands, walking over to us.

But I keep walking, slipping the flannel back on to cover myself. “I need a shower.”

I did nothing wrong.

Jake doesn’t let me pass, though. He clutches my upper arm, demanding an answer.

“I need a shower,” I tell him again, slowly twisting out of his hold.

He towers over me, and I look up at him.

“What the hell would’ve happened if we hadn’t found you?” Noah bites out.