Page 46 of Now and Then

“There’s someone over there,” Navy whisper-yells.

Sutton appears on the edge of the walkway wrapped in a blanket. Doesn’t matter how long I’ve known this woman, she takes my breath away every time.

I step out from my hiding spot, wanting nothing more than to go to her. But when I get to the back bumper, Navy spots me. I freeze.

“Who are you?!” she shouts in my direction. Navy now has Greer’s arm in a vice grip and pulls her backward until they bump right into Sutton.

“Navy,” Sutton says, “have you lost your mind? Who are you shouting at?”

Navy points to where I’m standing. “That asshole in the clown mask right there.”

Now that Navy’s called me out, there’s no going back. I may as well embrace this prank. I hang my arms limp by my side and tilt my head to the right at an awkward angle. I take a slow step toward the girls.

Luke steps into my peripheral vision, now standing in the middle of the road. He copies my stance, and we both take deliberate steps forward.

“Okay,” Greer says, “this isn’t funny.”

Sutton hasn’t taken her eyes off me. She matches my posture and tilts her head to the right. “Hunter?”

I don’t answer.

Luke takes another two steps closer to the house. Navy immediately hides behind Sutton, her arms locked across Sutton’s middle.

Greer steps to the edge of the walkway. I can feel the heat from her glare all the way from here.

“Luke Bradley.” She enunciates each letter of his name. “This is not funny at all.”

I take a step toward the right, one step closer to the girls. Greer catches my movement and does a double-take when she realizes that Luke and I have them cornered. She pulls Sutton’s arm around her body, causing Sutton’s blanket to fall from her shoulder.

“That can’t be Luke,” Navy says. “His truck isn’t even there!”

That part had been my idea. There’d be no way they’d fall for our prank if our trucks were still in Luke’s driveway, so after we set up the skeleton, we parked around the block.

“What the—” Sutton cuts off when Greer backs into her, forcing her and Navy backward toward the front door.

When I step onto the sidewalk, Navy shouts, “Screw this!” She releases her grip on Sutton and runs inside. When Luke reaches the first block of her walkway, Greer lets out a squeaking noise and dashes inside.

“Sutton!” Navy yells from behind the safety of the door. “Get in here!”

Sutton looks back and forth between us. I tilt my head to the left and take another step forward onto the edge of the driveway.

“Knock it off, you guys,” Sutton says.

I take another step forward up the walkway.

Sutton backs up.

Luke and I simultaneously take another step.

Sutton, now close to the front door, almost loses her footing when Greer and Navy grab her arms and yank her inside. They slam the door and throw the lock into place. The interior lights wink out, plunging the house into total darkness.

“They’re going to head toward the guest room,” I tell Luke. “It’s got the best vantage point.”

He makes a run for the front windows. I sprint to the backyard, knowing Greer’s probably left her curtains on the back door open. My foot hits a slick patch of grass, and I go down in a heap. Moisture seeps through the thick cotton of my coveralls, but I ignore it. I pop up quickly, knowing I’ve got seconds to be in position.

I’m coming around the corner when I hear a screech from inside and Duke barking his head off. I freeze in place and try to contain my laughter. The three women are huddled at the end of the hallway, Duke growling and barking at the masked man at the front window.

They’re shouting something, but I can’t make it out from where I’m at. Greer disappears down the hallway, Sutton and Navy right on her heels.