he could. He quickly shoved them in his backpack (Hulk…pack!) as his parents fought their way to the scene. Special Ed felt really lucky because when he had finally opened his dad’s gun safe, he hadn’t found any bullets. Just a lot of drugs that Big Eddie pretended he didn’t do just like Big Betty pretended she didn’t drink too much.
“You see, Eddie,” Bad Cat said. “I told you I would get you some prizes. Now you can protect Christopher from that awful Brady Collins. Listen to Grandma.”
Special Ed smiled at Bad Cat as the robot’s eyes suddenly went dull. Then, he zipped up his Hulk backpack with over two hundred rounds of ammunition.
Chapter 76
Brady,” the voice whispered. “Psst.”
Brady Collins opened his eyes like a little bird and saw his grandmother sitting up in her hospital bed. She had been asleep ever since Christopher had touched her at the Christmas Pageant. The doctors didn’t know if she would ever wake up again.
“Grandma?” he asked.
“Yes, sweetie.”
Her voice was so dry and scratchy, it made his skin itch.
“How are you feeling?”
“Much better. Where is your mother?” she asked.
“Cafeteria,” he said.
“What about your dad?”
“Working, probably.”
“Good. That gives us a chance to talk alone.”
She patted the chair next to her bed. Pat pat. Brady approached slowly and sat down.
“Look how big you are,” she said. “I remember when you were so little, I could fit your whole head in one hand. You had no teeth, like a little old man. And look at you now. Brady, you’re so big. Let me see a muscle.”
Brady flexed his right arm. She felt his biceps with her arthritic fingers.
“Wow,” she whispered. “You’re so strong.”
Brady smiled proudly. The old woman held the little boy’s hand in her bony palm. Their hands began to heat up together like a mug of hot cocoa.
“Your dad is strong, too, Brady. You know, I can remember when he married your mother. I was happy that she was going to have a successful husband. I had an unsuccessful husband. He wasn’t a nice man. Your grandpa was mean to your mom. He made her spend a lot of the winter in the backyard. Did you know that?”
“No.”
“I wanted to stop him, but he was too big. She doesn’t know that. She thinks I didn’t try. It makes me sad. So, I know she is hard on you, but don’t blame her, okay? She got it a lot worse than she gives it.”
Brady was silent.
“You still hate her, though, don’t you, Brady?”
Brady nodded.
“I know. It’s hard. But she’s trying to make you strong. So, try not to hate her too much, okay? Hating is really dangerous. It’s like that boy. What’s his name? The boy you were fighting with at the Christmas Pageant.”
“Special Ed.”
“Yes. He’s a hateful boy, isn’t he?”
Brady nodded. Mrs. Keizer looked into the hallway, and when she knew no one was coming in, she whispered,
“Special Ed’s going to try to kill you. You know that, right?”
“Not if I kill him first,” the little boy said.
“That’s smart, Brady,” she said proudly. “You see, that’s what your mother has done for you. She’s made you very strong and brave. Let him be the hateful one. You be the good one. That goes double for Christopher and his friends.”
Brady smiled. The heat on their hands was warm like a campfire.
“Grandma,” he said. “Do you remember things now?”
“Yes, Brady. I remember everything except my name.”
“What do you mean? You’re Grandma.”
She laughed, revealing her toothless grin.
“I know I’m Grandma to you, but that’s not my name. When I got married, I changed it to Mrs. Joseph Keizer. But I can’t remember what it was before that. Your grandfather stole my real name. He hid it somewhere in the woods. But I’m going to get it back. Will you help me?”
“Of course.”
“Good, Brady. You’re a good, strong boy.”
Brady smiled. The old woman put in her dentures and smiled back.
“We are going to win this war, Brady. Listen to Grandma.”
Chapter 77
Matt, they’re going to kill your brother,” the voice whispered.
Matt opened his eyes. It was right before dawn on Christmas Eve. And his body was shaking. He had been having terrible nightmares recently, but this one was the worst. He didn’t know if he ever wanted to sleep again. Matt started to panic that maybe he was still having the nightmare. He didn’t want those deer to come back.
“Hello?” he said to the darkness. “Mike?”
There was only silence. Matt sat up in bed. He was covered in sweat.