Mason Read Online Free PDF Page A

wrong?”
    â€œYes, Gene. Yes. I didn’t do anything. I didn’t.” But Mason wasn’t sure. Maybe he had done something wrong. He didn’t know what it was. He never knew what might make Gene angry.
    Just don’t, Gene. Please don’t .
    â€œIf you didn’t do anything wrong,” Gene asked, “then why am I here? Don’t you think I’d rather beasleep? Don’t you think there are a hundred other things I’d rather be doing?”
    â€œI s’pose, but I didn’t do anything.” Still, Gene’s logic worked into Mason’s thoughts. His brother wouldn’t just hit him for the sake of hitting him. That made no sense at all. People didn’t do that, especially family. There must be a reason, and if Mason could just remember what he’d done, he could apologize and promise to never do it again.
    â€œI keep trying to teach you,” Gene said, stepping into the room. The lumpy sock swung against his thigh as he walked. “I want you to learn and be a normal person, but you just won’t learn.”
    â€œI will,” Mason said quickly, scooting back on the mattress until his back hit the wall. “I’m sorry, I’ll try.”
    Just don’t, Gene .
    â€œYou always say you’ll try, but here I am, having to teach you all over again.”
    Gene stepped into the moonlight. He didn’t look angry, but then Gene never looked angry. He always looked like he was remembering a joke.
    â€œYou know stealing is wrong,” Gene said. “Stealing is a sin, Mason.”
    â€œI didn’t steal.”
    â€œDidn’t you? Do you know what stealing is?”
    â€œTaking someone else’s things, but I didn’t take anything.”
    â€œAnd yet, something of mine is gone. It’s gone forever. Now, is that fair?”
    Mason didn’t answer. The threads of his thoughts were tangled, and he tried to work his way through them, but having Gene standing near the bed with the sock thumping against his leg, looking like he’d heard a funny joke, just tangled the knots more.
    â€œIs that fair?” Gene repeated.
    â€œNo,” Mason said.
    â€œThat’s right. It’s not fair. And someone’s got to take responsibility. Someone’s got to step up. That’s what normal people do. That’s what good people do.”
    â€œBut…” Mason tried.
    â€œAh-ah,” Gene replied, holding up his hand to interrupt Mason’s protests. “Someone’s got to step up.”
    Terror shot like flashing lights in Mason’s head. Already confused, he was unable to follow the fragments his mind produced: I didn’t steal. Punishment. Don’t, Gene. Please. Didn’t steal. Mama, make him stop. Didn’t. Step up .
    Then his thoughts shut down completely. His body went numb.
    As he’d done too many times to count, Mason slid out of bed and turned. He dropped slowly to the floor and sat cross-legged with his back to Gene. He reached his arms out and laid them on the bed. He lowered hishead, awaiting his punishment.
    The stuffed sock came down hard on his shoulder blades. It felt like two fists punching him, but Mason didn’t make a sound. Another blow rang pain all up and down his back, but Mason didn’t say a word. Eyes closed, he saw nothing but a field of black. Behind him, Gene continued to speak, but in those moments of anguish, the words meant nothing to Mason.
    Dusty. Loser. Skank. Profits. MY money. Dusty .
    Gotta step up.
    Someone has GOT to step up .
    Gene stayed longer than usual. The punishment was so bad that Mason couldn’t keep hiding in his mind. Tears spilled from his eyes, and his lips trembled as he tried to keep from crying out. He thought it would never end—thought he’d done something so wrong Gene would kill him for it.
    Then it stopped. Mason’s back throbbed with a dozen painful hearts, all beating miserably against his skin.