Read Online Splat! by Eric Walters - Free Book Online

personal responsibility to find out what happened, and more importantly, how to prevent it from happening again.”
    I was working hard at not making eye contact with anybody, but I thought some of the people in the room were looking at me and Keegan.
    â€œBut we need you all to go out there and make sure that everything else runs the way it’s supposed to. Okay?”
    There was a general nodding of heads and voicing of agreement.
    â€œThank you all,” my father said. “Let’s get going.”
    As people started out of the room Keegan and I got up as well, hoping to become lost in the crowd.
    â€œNot you two,” the chief said, and we both sat back down.
    I had to fight the urge not to climb under the chair instead of sitting on it.
    My father closed the door as the last person left. He took a chair, pulled it over until it was right in front of us.
    â€œSo, what happened?” he asked.
    â€œIt’s really hard to say,” I said.
    â€œIt just got so crazy so fast,” Keegan agreed. “It was scary how quickly it spread.”
    â€œYes it was. The big question isn’t how fast it spread, but how it started in the first place. What sparked the fire?”
    Keegan shrugged in response. I stayed quiet.
    â€œThank goodness nobody got hurt,” my father said.
    â€œThere were a few bumps and bruises,” the chief said.
    â€œThe big problem is that it’s a major black eye for the festival and for the whole town,” my father said.
    â€œIt’s embarrassing,” the chief agreed. “And you boys know nothing?”
    I tried to look at him but found myself staring at my shoes.
    â€œMaybe I should resign,” the chief said.
    â€œNo way,” Keegan said. “It wasn’t your fault.”
    â€œMy men couldn’t get control at first,” said the chief.
    â€œBut ultimately, it’s my responsibility,” my father said. “The buck stops at my desk. If anybody resigns it should be me. Somebody has to take responsibility for—”
    â€œIt’s my fault,” Keegan said, cutting him off.
    My father and his father stared at him.
    â€œIt all happened because of me. I’m responsible.”
    â€œ
We’re
responsible,” I added, before I could think to stop myself. “It all started with the tomato toss.”
    My father nodded. “We’d heard that it all started in the vicinity of your event.”
    â€œWe closed it down because of the parade—the way we were supposed to—but there were these guys...we don’t know whothey are. They didn’t want to wait and they started throwing tomatoes at the band.”
    â€œAnd then it just got crazy. We wanted to stop it but we couldn’t,” Keegan said. “But that isn’t an excuse, it’s my fault.”
    â€œ
We’re
responsible,” I said.
    Keegan stood up. “No, not
us
. It was me.
I
threw the first tomato.”
    Neither my father nor his father said a word. They looked shocked. I was shocked.
    â€œIt just happened. One second I’m holding a tomato and then the next I just threw it. I can’t explain it,” Keegan said.
    â€œAnd that’s where it’s my responsibility,” I said, jumping to my feet. “It was my idea to have the tomato toss with people as targets. If I hadn’t done that, none of this would have happened. Not Keegan, not those guys, nothing. If you have to blame somebody, blame me.”
    â€œNo, you can’t blame alex, he’s just trying to defend me. It’s my fault. Everything was under control until I threw the first tomato. It’s all because of—”
    â€œBoth of you, stop!” my father ordered. “We need to discuss this. You two take a seat outside.”
    â€œYes sir,” I said dutifully. We shuffled to the reception area.
    Mrs. Wallace was sitting at her desk watching tv—that was almost reassuring. She was the nerve