We spotted Jeremy as soon as we pulled into the school parking lot.
He disappeared around a corner, and I immediately took off after him.
Lex followed.
We caught up with him a moment later.
Jeremy immediately started ranting again about how “everyone” was responsible, which meant everyone had to pay.
“Hey, don’t lose your mind,” I said irritably.
“Come with me.
You’ll get to see how we break a tradition without killing anyone.”
“Killing?”
Lex looked sharply at me.
“This is Jeremy Creek.
He’s already sent three people to the hospital.
They’re alive for now, but they’re in critical condition.”
Lex frowned.
“What’s going on?”
“I’ll explain later if you’re interested.
Right now…”
I looked toward the school.
“We’re going to the dance.”
The doors to the gymnasium opened, immediately drawing everyone’s attention.
I stood in the doorway.
Bare-chested.
The letter “S” painted across my chest.
My hair was a mess, and in the dim light and flashing colored lights of the gym, I probably looked fairly terrifying.
I didn’t say a word.
I simply walked across the entire gym toward the makeshift stage.
The Prom King and Queen were standing there.
Whitney and Lana.
There wasn’t even any music playing yet.
Apparently, they were just about to give their speeches.
Perfect.
Without saying a word, I climbed onto the stage.
It wasn’t exactly a difficult jump.
The stage wasn’t even three feet high.
I didn’t slow down.
I walked straight up to Whitney and struck him across the nose with the heel of my open palm. Find the original chapter at novelping.com.
I carefully controlled my strength.
The hit was hard enough to bloody his nose and drop him onto his ass, but not hard enough to break the cartilage.
The heel of the palm is actually a surprisingly effective weapon even with ordinary human strength.
Karate and kung fu practitioners use it fairly often, and I’ve heard that the U.S.
Marine Corps adopted similar strikes after Vietnam.
So it wasn’t exactly an unusual move.
Whitney tried to get back up.
I hit him in the nose again.
Same place.
Down he went.
He tried again.
Another hit.
He fell again.
The fourth time, he didn’t even bother getting up.
He stayed sitting on the floor.
Good.
The lesson was getting through.
I raised my hand as if I were going to hit him again.
Whitney immediately scrambled backward on his ass.
Enough.
I turned to Lana, who was still staring at me in complete shock, and took the microphone from her hand.
Then I turned toward the crowd.
“Anyone who hangs the Scarecrow next year is going to get his nose broken by me.
Now go ahead and celebrate.
I’m done.”
I handed the microphone back to Lana and walked away.
Or at least, I thought I was walking away in complete silence.
I was wrong.
Lex had followed me into the gym and was standing near the doors.
Slowly, he began to clap.
Jeremy joined him.
Then someone else.
I think it was Pete, standing somewhere in the opposite corner of the gym.
Then another person.
Apparently, the audience had approved.
I turned around, gave them a little bow, and left.
Lex slipped out after me.
Jeremy followed.
Two police cars were already waiting beside Lex’s car.
I looked at Jeremy.
“Have the courage to take responsibility for what you’ve done.
Don’t become one of those bastards.”
Jeremy lowered his head.
But he didn’t move.
Lex started to reach for him, apparently intending to shove him along.
I stopped him, grabbing his arm and pulling him back.
A split second later, a spark jumped through the exact spot where Lex had been standing.
“Run to the fire hydrant,” I whispered to Lex.
“Turn it on and soak him.”
Then I pushed him farther away.
I turned back to Jeremy.
“So you’re just like them, aren’t you?
Your ‘revenge’ is nothing more than an excuse.”
Jeremy said nothing.
But his eyes flashed with rage.
A bolt of electricity shot toward me.
I ducked behind the nearest car just before it hit.
Another blast.
Then another.
I threw the shirt I was still carrying at Jeremy.
The sheriff shouted something and drew his pistol.
At that exact moment, a powerful stream of water hit Jeremy from the hydrant.
Lex had done it.
Jeremy short-circuited instantly.
His body convulsed violently, then collapsed onto the pavement.
That was it.
I walked over to Lex and gave him a high five.
Then we calmly climbed into his car and drove away from the parking lot.