It's a Wonderful Death - Sarah J. Schmitt Page 0,37

then. I do now.

I try to turn away, but Angelica stops me with a crisp, “Pay attention.”

Taking a breath of resolve, I turn back just as Claudia shows up with a dutiful lackey in tow.

Seeing her tormentor stomping toward her, Abby tries to hide her tears, but it’s no use. The tigress has found her prey weak and vulnerable, and she is ready to pounce.

“What’s the matter, Blabby Abby? Did you skin your wittle knee?”

“Leave her alone,” I say, but Claudia either doesn’t hear me or doesn’t care.

“You know, Jenny,” she says to her follower, “we never really dealt with Blabby Abby after she got us busted for smoking.”

“Nope,” Jenny answers. “We never did.”

“I said leave her alone,” I repeat.

That’s when Claudia notices me. “Shut up.”

I watch the fury rise up inside me and I can see something in me snaps. I start to move toward her, my hands curling up, ready to strike. But Jenny, ever the bodyguard, pushes me to the ground.

“Stay where you belong, wimp,” Claudia says. “Try to get in my way again and I’ll ruin what pathetic reputation you have at your school with one phone call.”

Out of the corner of my eye I see two more figures enter the playground. Ah, there they are. The rest of the entourage.

“Hi, girls,” Claudia calls out. “It looks like we found our narc.”

“Nice,” one of the newcomers says.

“I was grounded the entire week of Christmas because of you,” another girl says, standing inches in front of Abby, whose eyes are trained on the ground. “Did you hear me?” the girl adds before poking Abby hard in the shoulder with her manicured nail.

I try to get up, but Jenny is faster than she looks. “Stay out of it,” she warns, kicking my legs out from under me.

“Now, girls,” Claudia says and three sets of eyes turn toward her, but mine stay trained on Abby who looks like she’s going to pass out. “I think it’s time to show Blabby Abby how we deal with babies who can’t keep their mouths shut.”

I watch, waiting for the punch, but it never comes. Instead, I feel a tug at my belly button. I look down and see a silvery cord. I glance back up in confusion at Angelica a moment before my soul is hurtling toward the scene. I stop for a split second before my seventeen-year-old spirit slams into my eight-year-old self.

Chapter 15

I can’t even begin to describe what it feels like to crash into your own body. I’m not talking about the initial shock. That wears off pretty quickly. I’m talking about the disconnected feeling. All the hours of dance and tumbling for cheerleading are wasted. In this situation my arms and legs refuse to do what I want. I feel like a stranger in my own skin.

I shake my head, trying to dislodge all the information I’m going to need for this test. I don’t know how long I have.

“Did you say something?” Claudia sneers down at me.

I pick myself up off the ground, my still-developing body giving me the balance of a newborn calf. I don’t remember being this short. I step back to take in Claudia and for the life of me I can’t figure out why we were afraid of her. Sure, she’s bigger than us, but only because of her baby fat. Without her friends, Claudia would be a frumpy girl with wild hair and bad breath.

“What’s your problem?” I ask in a squeaky voice. “Why do you have to pick on kids who are littler than you?”

“Oh. Somebody must have found a little courage while she was flapping around on the ground.” Claudia takes a few steps forward, leaning in close, and I turn away. Her breath really is bad. “I warned you about staying out of this, didn’t I?”

One second ticks by and then another. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I want to punch her smug face right in the nose, but given the fact that Claudia is almost a foot taller than I am and has a good twenty pounds on me, it’s probably not the best choice. Plus, I’m outnumbered.

Instead, I push past her and race over to Abby. Her eyes are wide with wonder and fear. “What are you doing?” she whispers when I offer my hand to help her stand.

“What I should have done before,” I answer, before I can stop myself.

Her eyebrows knit together in confusion, but she doesn’t ask any questions as she