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JOURNEY OF FEAR

Nancy Jones

Jamie had been proud and happy the first several days he had
walked to school. As a first grader, he was once again equal to the
neighborhood kids who were already in school.

Now Jamie's school-bound journey was filled with fear. Gary
Taylor had warned Jamie not to pass the Miller Warehouse on the
way to school, but Jamie had no choice. Clyde Holland, Gary's tight-
lipped side kick, had reinforced the threat with foreboding glares.
Jamie knew that he would not survive a battle with two third grade
roughnecks, but did not know where to turn for help. If he told his
parents Gary would surely find out and cause even more trouble. He
could not tell his teacher for she was too busy to be bothered with
what happened out of school. He had to face this thing alone.

The Miller Warehouse was only two blocks away and Jamie still
had not thought of a way of avoiding it. He wondered why the ware-
house was so important to the two big boys. He half wanted to pass
it, in hopes that he would be able to expose some huge crime and
beat those third graders to a pulp. Then he would have his picture
in all the papers and everyone in the whole neighborhood would
look up to him. In an instant those dreams of glory were shattered
by the pounding of his heart. He could not think of what was about
to happen-he could only listen to the piercing click of his feet on
the pavement and try to control his wobbling legs. He imagined he
saw Gary crouching behind a fence, and fear gripped his stomach.
The let-down of realizing it was merely a garbage can made his knees
even more unsteady.

He was getting closer to the warehouse with every step. He knew
he looked afraid; that would never do. He squared his shoulders,
clutched his book satchel, and marched on, believing he was the
picture of school-boy bravery. He had reached the warehouse and.
nothing had happened. He kept going, quickening his step just a
little. Another ten feet and the danger would be over. Right at the
edge of the warehouse Gary and Clyde stepped out and blocked his
way. Jamie wa,s so startled he forgot his pose of calmness and swung
his book satchel in a wide arc, clipping both of the bigger boys on
the sides of the heads. They fell against the solid brick wall. Jamie
took advantage of the opening and ran for all he was worth.

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