Page 76 of Help Me Remember
I smile. “I think you boys have a solid option. Saint will lead you all to victory. I’ll make a break for the drum while you guys do what he says.”
We huddle together and come up with who is going where. My hope is that Spencer will have a little mercy on me, since he’s clearly nine again and wants to win, and he’ll focus on them.
With a plan in place, we bump fists, and they yell, all going in different directions. I rise and beeline toward a drum. We need that map and I will go down swinging. Spencer yells for the girls to take cover, and the boys are launching balloons in every direction, hoping to hit someone in the wood line.
Balloons don’t come at me for a few seconds. Then I hear Spencer shout, “Get her!”
Well, so much for mercy.
I move faster, zig-zagging in odd patterns to avoid getting hit. I reach the drum and drop down, using it for shelter.
Brian calls to me. “I’ll cover you, Brie!”
I nod once and stand, digging as fast and deep as I can for the map. Balloons hit all around me, one splashes on my back, the cold water soaking through. “I’m hit!”
“It’s clear!” Brian calls back.
My fingers brush against the edge of the plastic and grope for it. Once I grab ahold of it, I pull back fast and sink behind the drum.
“I got it, boys!” I let them know.
All but Timmy responds. I hope that means he found Spencer’s hiding spot.
Brian army crawls his way to me. “Where is the flag?”
I look over the map again, tracing where we are and the park. A balloon hits my elbow. “Watch out,” I tell him and he ducks as three balloons fly over our heads in an arch.
Then I see the spot where our flag is. “It’s at the swings.”
We both turn our heads to where it is, we have to run through the open field.
“What about their flag?” he asks.
I read the clues and grin. “It’s in the treehouse behind us. Here’s what we’re going to do. I’ll fill my bag with balloons and run, throwing as many balloons as I can to distract them while you head to the treehouse. That’s where Spencer will be. Once you’re their target, I’ll come back and fill up the other bags. Tell any of the boys if you see them.”
Each of us have a small bag that can fit about ten water balloons. If I can get the second one from our fallen teammate, then I have an advantage.
Brian is smiling broadly as we head off. It’s like a slow-motion scene from a movie as I guard Brian’s mad dash toward the target. Brian is fast and doesn’t get hit a single time.
I spot Darius watching from the sidelines, and I whistle to him. When he looks, I whisper-shout. “Toss me your bag!”
Grinning, he runs over to me and hands it over.
“Thanks.”
He’s retreating when I catch a glimpse of Kendrick hiding behind our other barrel.
“A good teammate never leaves a man behind!” he offers his excuse for hanging back, and I grin.
“Thanks for having my back. We need you to guard our flag, think you’re up to it?”
“You can count on me.” He goes to run and then turns back. “Where is it?”
“It’s on the swings, if you hide on the outer part of the playground, you can guard it without being seen.”
“I’ll protect it,” Kendrick promises.
I gather as many balloons as I can into the bags and then use the bottom of my shirt to hold more.
