Nick stood up, hearing the crack of a second shot. This one caught him square in the chest, but since he was ready, he didn’t let it throw him off balance. This time he could hear where the shot had come from. Up high. There was a rifle barrel poking out of the ship’s hatch, taking aim for a third shot. Nick waited until the fabric of his tie healed closed before he spoke.

“If you’re going to shoot at me,” Nick shouted, “at least have the guts to come out where I can see you!”

No response but the barking of the dog. Nick strode forward with Johnnie-O right behind, clenching his fists, ready to pound their assailant into pork and beans. A third shot rang out, but missed both of them. Clearly the shooter was losing focus—maybe getting worried that they might reach the scaffold and climb up—which is exactly what Nick planned to do.

Finally a voice called down to them—the voice of a kid—their age, maybe younger.

“Get outta here! Go on! Nobody wants you here!”

“Nobody?” said Nick. “You mean you’re not alone?”

“They’s a whole buncha us up here. Yeah! A dozen at least. So go on, get lost a’fore we come down and make ya sorry y’got yerselfs kilt in the first place!”

“Prove it,” said Nick. “If it’s more than just you, let’s hear from one of the others.”

The kid was quiet for a moment, then said, “I don’t gotta prove nuthin’! I gots the gun and you don’t!”

He shot again, and the bullet caught Johnnie-O in the shoulder. Quickly, Johnnie-O reached in and pulled out the bullet before the wound zipped closed, then, holding the bullet between his fingers, yelled up at the unseen sniper. “When I get up there, I’m gonna make you eat this!”

“Yeah? Well I’m gonna make Kudzu eat you! Go on, Kudzu. Eat ’em up an’ spit their chewed-up pieces down there where the sun don’t shine ’cept on Sunday.”

The second they reached the deadspot beneath the hanging ship, however, the wild Pomerrott pooch whimpered and retreated as far as its chain would allow. So much for Kudzu. Nick grabbed the scaffold and shook it. It rattled like it might fall apart at any second. The thing was made mostly of chair legs, bicycle tires, and balcony railings— basically anything this kid could tie together with bits of string.