Sweat dripped down Maddox’s face as he lay beneath the shrubs. His eyes fixed on the road as heat waves shimmered above the pavement. A fly buzzed near his ear. He couldn’t move, not until Uncle Ben got here. Then, Maddox would take careful aim and drench his uncle with the fully loaded Super Soaker. It would be epic. Uncle Ben would scream and run for the house, but Maddox would keep firing until he used up every drop of water.

Then Mom would say, “You can’t come in here all wet, Benjamin!” By then, Maddox would have reloaded, and as long as he guarded the hose, Uncle Ben would be toast.

Maddox had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. A car approached. It was Mrs. Bowman. He always helped her carry her groceries inside, but today it would mean abandoning his hiding spot. She parked, got out, and glanced around. Maddox closed his eyes, but it didn’t help. He scrambled out from under the shrubs, their branches scratching him as he pulled free. His flip-flops slapped against his feet as he jogged across the street.

 Mrs. Bowman smiled. “I didn’t think you were home.”

He grabbed the bags of groceries and a sack of cat food. “I was waiting for my uncle so I could get him with my new Super Soaker.” 

“Oh, is that him?” She gestured at the silver SUV pulling up.

Maddox sighed.

Mrs. Bowman winked. “I’ll distract him while you get my hose!”

Word: pavement | Action: shimmering