Page 2 of Code Violation

While Raven lingered, gathering her thoughts, a large, black vehicle turned onto the street. It drove slowly as if, perhaps, the driver was lost. When the car pulled to a stop almost directly across from Raven’s perch, she made a snap decision.

The driver was looking at something.

Someone needed to find the Package Man.

Acting much faster than the forest would want—perhaps even impetuously—Raven darted out from the trees and directly into the side of the vehicle.

The resounding thump of her body had the driver glancing out the window. Righting herself, Raven tottered away like a bird drunk on fall blackberries and toward where the kind man lay, then flew up onto a nearby limb. Behind her, she heard the car door open and footsteps on the pavement. She looked down at the Package Man.

Moments later, the driver exclaimed, “Oh my god.”

TWO

Nero – Age 14

“Check this out,” Donny said, tossing his board down onto the sidewalk. He flipped it back up with his foot and caught it one-handed.

Nero Vik and his cousin—who was also his best friend—had met up at the almost empty park and ride on the north side of town. This one was hardly ever used because most people took the bus to and from the mall a few blocks away.

Their only companions were the crows hanging around patiently to see if they had any snacks to share. Nero liked feeding the birds, especially the albino one. The first time he’d seen it, Nero thought it was covered with flour or something but, no, the crow was actually an odd light gray, not black like the rest of its family.

“Oh man, that’s so cool!” Nero held his hand out and Donny slapped it hard, grinning like he always did, making Nero feel like he was really being seen.

Donny was one of those people who navigated life effortlessly, unlike Nero, who was a permanent nerd. It seemed like Donny always knew what to say or do. He had a great smile and perfect hair, not having inherited the mop of curls that was Nero’s curse. More often than not, Nero was awkward and flailing. Always the odd person out, last to be picked for the PE teams while his cousin was among the first.

Nerd.

According to Donny, the park and ride had the best practice-skate course around town, and neither of them had the money to bus to the real skate park at the college. Or for knee pads. Who cared about a skinned knee or elbow anyway? Since Donny was the one with the board, Nero was content with hanging out wherever his cousin wanted.

“Who do you have for homeroom?” Donny asked Nero as he caught the board again.

The list had been sent home a couple of days ago. Nero and Donny were close enough in age that they were at the same high school and in the same grade.

“Uh.” Nero pretended to think, shrugging to adjust his backpack on his shoulder, as if he hadn’t been obsessing about starting high school since school got out in spring. “Ms. Harmon, I think. What about you?”

“Mr. Bernstadt.”

His stomach sank. Nero had hoped that Donny would have the same homeroom.

“Dang.”

“I’d rather be in Ms. Harmon’s with you. Mr. Bernstadt had all my brothers, I’m pretty sure.” Donny looked thoughtful. “Maybe not John.”

As an only child, Nero was also jealous of his cousin’s big family. Five older brothers meant Donny’s house was loud and full of laughter twenty-four seven. Nero’s apartment was always quiet, and he had to be careful not to walk too loudly and annoy the old man who lived below them. His mom worked nights at the hospital, so he had to be quiet while she slept too.

The constant silence was oppressive, and sometimes Nero could hardly stop himself from running around yelling at the top of his lungs. Stomping too. But he never would because his mom was always telling him how lucky they were to have a place she could afford.

Donny continued dropping, flipping, and catching the skateboard while Nero looked on. The crashing sound echoed across the hot concrete parking lot and the crows on the telephone wire continued to stare down at them. One cawed and fluttered away, tired of the wait. Nero was about to ask if Donny would show him how to toss the board when the sound of tires on the pavement reached his ears.

Looking over his shoulder, he watched a van turn into the lot. It was an entirely unremarkable van. White was all he would remember about it later. It parked away from them, on the other side of the park and ride. Harmless.

“Okay,” Donny said, letting the skateboard fall to the ground again. “Let’s have some fun!”

This time Donny didn’t flip the board back up; instead, he set his right foot on it and pushed off with his left, rolling away from Nero. Just ahead of them was a covered rider waiting area. Beside it were concrete stairs leading up to the street and next to them was a ramp for wheelchair users and other folks—and, of course, skateboards and bikes. There was an old pay phone there too, the receiver hanging down uselessly. They’d checked for forgotten change first thing, but no luck.

Nero jogged after Donny, his pack bouncing against his back. At the stairs, Nero took off his backpack and set it on the ground next to the shirt Donny had taken off.

“It’s freaking hot out,” Donny explained. “Plus, I gotta get some rays on this bod.”

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