The Wild Kid Read Online Free PDF Page A

talk. If he said a word, he was dead. Kevin didn’t let Sammy out of his sight, even when Sammy had to go to the bathroom. “Over there, and cover it up. Go on! Kick some leaves over it.”
    Later, before Kevin went out, he tied Sammy up again. He didn’t tell him where he was going or when he was coming back.
    He didn’t untie Sammy until the next morning. His wrists hurt all day. He was hungry and dirty. His shirt was torn, and his pants were filthy. His mouth felt funny. He asked Kevin for a toothbrush.
    Kevin dragged him off to the little pool of water nearby and pushed his face in. “There’s your toothbrush.”
    Sammy was crying. He tried not to cry, even when his hands and feet hurt from the ropes. “I’m not crying,” he said.
    *  *  *
    That night, when Kevin went to tie him up, Sammy said, “Don’t. I’ll be good. I won’t run away.”
    The wild kid hunkered in front of him, his hair tangled in his face. “Okay, what happens if I don’t tie you up? And you go? The mosquitoes’ll eat you up. Then you’ll get lost. That’ll be good. Solve all my problems. Get yourself lost out there, and when they find your skeleton, they can’t blame it on me.”
    â€œI won’t run away. I don’t like the dark. I’ll stay right here. I promise.”
    â€œHmmmm. Hmmmm.” The wild kid stared at him. Then he nodded. “Okay. We’re going to give it a try.” He threw a blanket at Sammy, then blew out the candle and left.
    The moon shone through the window. Sammy went out to look. The moon was so bright, he could see the trees and the shape of rocks and bushes. He started walking home. It was wonderful to be free, to be moving. You promised Kevin not to run away.
    He hesitated. A promise is a promise. What would his mother say? “Come home, Sammy.” He took another step, and a mosquito found him. It bit him on the neck. Then a bunch of mosquitoes bit him all over his face. He ran back, slapping at his head and arms.
    He dove into the cave and wrapped himself in the blanket. He pulled it over his head and stayed that way, afraid to open it even a crack.

11

    Kevin was sitting on a rock, eating fries from a paper bag. They were the fat fries that Sammy loved. “Can I have some?” he asked. He was hungry all over. Even his legs felt hungry.
    Kevin popped a fry in his mouth.
    Sammy checked his watch. “It’s time for me to eat lunch. It’s twelve o’clock. Can I go home now?”
    â€œClimb a tree,” Kevin said. “I didn’t invite you here. I don’t have to feed you.”
    â€œI’m hungry. I’m very, very hungry.”
    â€œGo chase your tail.”
    The squirrels were busy in the trees. Nuts and leaves fell around Sammy. He picked up a nut and cracked it between his teeth, then tasted it. It was bitter. He took one step and then another. He made-believe this was the way home. He had to be careful not to get lost. Inside himself, there was a tight, scared feeling.
    But he wanted to go home. He was going to eat and eat and eat. He was going to see his mother and his sister and be in his house, where he could open the door and go inside, and shut the door and lock it.
    Ping! Something hit him on the cheek. Ping!
    Kevin was above him, flipping pebbles at him. “You’re going to leave without saying good-bye?”
    â€œCan I go home now? I want to go home. Will you take me home now?”
    â€œShut up! You talk too loud.” He pushed Sammy back into the cave.
    Sammy sat down. “Can I talk now? First thing I want to say is, I’m hungry. The second thing is, I wish you had a TV.” On weekends, when his mother slept late, he would watch TV until she woke up and made breakfast.
    â€œEverything on TV is a lie,” Kevin said. “It’s all lies for boneheads like you.”
    â€œMy mother says TV is good. She says you can