Read Online The Wayward Gifted - Broken Point by Mike Hopper, Donna Childree - Free Book Online

be put in front of a firing squad.”
    Steuart looked off in the distance.
    “Steuart, do you always have to put a
damper on everything I try to do? Why did I invite you to come with me?”
    “Because deep down you know that
someone needs to keep you out of trouble.”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “Yes you do, and you know it. You may
be the older sibling, but I’m the one who’s more responsible.”
    “I do a lot of things for you
Steuart—all the time. I should have just come over here by myself. I
should have let you miss this entire adventure. I should have let you stay on
your side of the tracks with your baby chicken behavior and attitude.”
    “Stop calling me names. Grandmother
straightened things out for you last time. She isn’t here for this.”
    “If only you didn’t make such a big
deal about things. I could be home with my leaf now. I could be sitting down
enjoying my newest color. Steuart, you are destroying my happy autumn moment.”
    “Ruining this? I’m trying to keep both
of us from getting into trouble.”
    “Besides, if you remember what
happened, you’ll also remember that nobody called the police last time.”
    “Are you trying to say that makes it
okay? Hey, I read every day,” Steuart threw his index finger against his chest
and puffed up.
    “Old novels, yes, I know.”
    “So what? I know that things happen all
around the world. You can learn a lot from a good book. There are always
consequences to your actions. That’s one of the most important things you’ll
learn.”
    Sam sighed, “Are you done yet?”
    “No, I’m not. Sam, we could have been
hurt. Since you know everything, tell me what either of us could have done
about that? Do you remember?” Steuart tried to whisper and raise his voice at
the same time. “Sam, look at this place. These people probably have a security
guard. They may have an entire security force. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re
on camera now. Go ahead, wave and smile for the camera.” Steuart paused to wave
and smile. “The juvenile detention officers are on their way. Let’s make it
easy for them to identify us.” He looked into the trees and waved, “Hi, hello,
my sister and I don’t want to cause trouble. We’re trespassing because she
would like to take one of your leaves. Please don’t kill us.” He put his hand
down and turned to look at Sam, “We’re just minutes from becoming infamous. We’ll
be locked up with a steady diet of dirty drinking water, cold beans and white
bread.”
    Sam rolled her eyes. “I doubt the
water’s dirty.”
    “What’s your point? We won’t be able to
see each other, or anyone else. Mother will sign a release for money, sell our
souls to the media and write a book called Kids
Caught in the Act, followed by a second one titled, How My Children Embarrassed Me and Why I Can Never Forgive them.”
    Sam shook her head and laughed.
    “You think that’s funny? That won’t be the
end of things. She’ll keep going with appearances and speaking engagements
until she finishes up with her third blockbuster, Adoption: I Did, You Shouldn’t. Please Let Me Tell You Why.”
    “You’ve definitely been reading those
novels. I can always tell.”
    Steuart reached down, picked up two
yellow leaves and held them over his eyes. “We’ll never be able to show our
faces in public again. I’ll never see my children because I’ll never have a
relationship outside of prison. I’ll never have a family unless I hook up with
some crazy woman who falls in love with bad men—a nightmare existence.
    “Enough. I’m getting tired. Cut the
comedy routine. You’re being childish.”
    Steuart shook his head and dropped the
leaves. “Maybe, I am. I’m only ten, but I know about these things. Sam, you may
be destroying my entire life and your entire life at the same time—wrong
place, right time, who knows what might happen?”
    “What?”
    “You’ll never enter politics.”
    Sam cringed and then laughed.