much less know how to use one. He brushed Kipp aside and
suddenly looked determined. Kipp had no choice but to follow the
man in. But he was moving suddenly very quickly, like he was eager
to hunt down the criminals. But when Kipp heard gun fire, he
panicked and rushed the rest of the way through the tunnel, coming
out the other end to find two of the boys holding Jane’s Uncle, who
now wore a gash to the head. The other boy, Trent, had the gun,
which he pointed right at Kipp when he emerged into the chamber.
Jane was lying, tied to the table with rope. She had a cloth in her
mouth that was tied around the back of her neck. She was looking at
Kipp and nodding in his direction, as if to tell him something.
“Are you hurt?” Kipp asked calmly. Jane shook her
head.
“Well, look who we have here. If it isn’t lover boy,”
said Trent. The other two boys just laughed as they held Jane’s
struggling Uncle. Trent came right up to Kipp, who didn’t flinch or
back away. He noted the lantern hanging nearby. It was flickering
like it was running out of fuel. The only other light came from the
torch at his feet, that Jane’s uncle had dropped when he was
ambushed. Kipp slowly reached down to pick it up.
“What are you doing?” Demanded Trent, the gun in his
hand noticeably trembling.
“Easy there boys. I just want to check to see if
Jane is hurt.”
He took the torch with him over to Jane and looked
into her eyes. If ever there was a moment one would want to be able
to have telepathy, it’s now, he thought. Jane, do you know what I
am about to do, he tried to tell her with his mind. As if she
actually heard him, she nodded slowly.
Kipp then turned and pointed the torch at Trent, who
took an involuntary step backwards in response. Jane saw it and
wondered what strange new power she was witnessing. Seizing the
moment and despite the gun pointing at him, Kipp took a step
forward, completely focused and very deliberate.
“What are you doing? Don’t you see I have a gun?”
Said Trent nervously.
Kipp knew nothing for certain. All he knew was that
he heard a gunshot before. That meant the gun was loaded, with at
least that one bullet. What he did know about Jane’s Uncle was that
he was a business man. Careful with his wallet and not given to
spending more than he had to. He noted the gun looked new. He was
making lots of guesses, but he had this one chance. He decided to
call Trent’s bluff.
“You know, my Grandfather gave me my first gun when I
was only eight years old.”
“So what! Not another step.”
Kipp stepped closer.
“He taught me a lot about guns. One of the first
things I remember him telling me was that you never load a gun with
more bullets than you will need.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Kipp thought he saw
Jane’s Uncle shaking his head. But the boys had their arms around
his mouth so Kipp couldn’t hear what he was trying to say.
“What, do you think you’re cleverer than me, is that
it boy?” said Trent sharply. “You think you can outsmart me?”
“No, not at all. I’m just telling you a story, is
all.”
Kipp took another step closer. He now wore a
determined look on his face, only partially disguised by an attempt
at disinterest.
He heard Jane behind him whimpering. Her Uncle was
still trying, but failing to say something through Jake’s sleeve.
There was another noise too. He recognized it as the sound one
makes when you crawl through too narrow a space.
“I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to tell me
the gun’s not loaded.”
“No, now why would I do that. I’m telling a story. If
I wanted to tell you the gun’s not loaded, I would simply say, the
gun’s not loaded. I only want to tell you a story so that you don’t
do something stupid.”
“So now I’m stupid.” He raised the gun up and
straightened, placing one foot back behind the other to steady
himself.
“Did I say
suddenly looked determined. Kipp had no choice but to follow the
man in. But he was moving suddenly very quickly, like he was eager
to hunt down the criminals. But when Kipp heard gun fire, he
panicked and rushed the rest of the way through the tunnel, coming
out the other end to find two of the boys holding Jane’s Uncle, who
now wore a gash to the head. The other boy, Trent, had the gun,
which he pointed right at Kipp when he emerged into the chamber.
Jane was lying, tied to the table with rope. She had a cloth in her
mouth that was tied around the back of her neck. She was looking at
Kipp and nodding in his direction, as if to tell him something.
“Are you hurt?” Kipp asked calmly. Jane shook her
head.
“Well, look who we have here. If it isn’t lover boy,”
said Trent. The other two boys just laughed as they held Jane’s
struggling Uncle. Trent came right up to Kipp, who didn’t flinch or
back away. He noted the lantern hanging nearby. It was flickering
like it was running out of fuel. The only other light came from the
torch at his feet, that Jane’s uncle had dropped when he was
ambushed. Kipp slowly reached down to pick it up.
“What are you doing?” Demanded Trent, the gun in his
hand noticeably trembling.
“Easy there boys. I just want to check to see if
Jane is hurt.”
He took the torch with him over to Jane and looked
into her eyes. If ever there was a moment one would want to be able
to have telepathy, it’s now, he thought. Jane, do you know what I
am about to do, he tried to tell her with his mind. As if she
actually heard him, she nodded slowly.
Kipp then turned and pointed the torch at Trent, who
took an involuntary step backwards in response. Jane saw it and
wondered what strange new power she was witnessing. Seizing the
moment and despite the gun pointing at him, Kipp took a step
forward, completely focused and very deliberate.
“What are you doing? Don’t you see I have a gun?”
Said Trent nervously.
Kipp knew nothing for certain. All he knew was that
he heard a gunshot before. That meant the gun was loaded, with at
least that one bullet. What he did know about Jane’s Uncle was that
he was a business man. Careful with his wallet and not given to
spending more than he had to. He noted the gun looked new. He was
making lots of guesses, but he had this one chance. He decided to
call Trent’s bluff.
“You know, my Grandfather gave me my first gun when I
was only eight years old.”
“So what! Not another step.”
Kipp stepped closer.
“He taught me a lot about guns. One of the first
things I remember him telling me was that you never load a gun with
more bullets than you will need.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Kipp thought he saw
Jane’s Uncle shaking his head. But the boys had their arms around
his mouth so Kipp couldn’t hear what he was trying to say.
“What, do you think you’re cleverer than me, is that
it boy?” said Trent sharply. “You think you can outsmart me?”
“No, not at all. I’m just telling you a story, is
all.”
Kipp took another step closer. He now wore a
determined look on his face, only partially disguised by an attempt
at disinterest.
He heard Jane behind him whimpering. Her Uncle was
still trying, but failing to say something through Jake’s sleeve.
There was another noise too. He recognized it as the sound one
makes when you crawl through too narrow a space.
“I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to tell me
the gun’s not loaded.”
“No, now why would I do that. I’m telling a story. If
I wanted to tell you the gun’s not loaded, I would simply say, the
gun’s not loaded. I only want to tell you a story so that you don’t
do something stupid.”
“So now I’m stupid.” He raised the gun up and
straightened, placing one foot back behind the other to steady
himself.
“Did I say
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