The sky exploded with a burst of white that glittered as the firework lit up the night. Mandie swatted at a mosquito feasting on her leg and scratched the welt the bite left behind. Uncle Lou passed her the bug spray, and she covered herself in it — again. Another shower of color, this one in blue, looked like a bright chrysanthemum. A bottle rocket screeched to life, its burning end red before it popped. The boys whooped with joy…
Davey stared out his bedroom window; a sheer curtain was the only thing protecting him from prying eyes. His older brother, Kenny, was shuffling to the mailbox, the odd way he moved since the accident. The one that Mom and Dad still fight about long into the night when they think Davey’s asleep. Neither of them knows the whole truth — the dare Kenny’s dumb friend Scott goaded him into, which led to the motorcycle crash. Or how Scott freaked…
Casper shot from the cabin heading for the lake, its surface a mirror under the midday sun. He hesitated long enough to discard his flip-flops and towel, then jumped in, enjoying the refreshing coolness against his sweaty skin. By the time he bobbed back up, Darla and Kit had arrived. He floated onto his back as they peeled off their shoes and debated the temperature of the water. “It’s perfect,” he said. Okay, fine. The water was chilly, but wasn’t…
Gary rocked back on his heels, groaning. After searching for the car keys for a half hour, he was ready to give up. Might have, too, but he had tickets for the footy game. He glanced around the open living space, eyes scanning clean surfaces, hoping to catch a glint of silver. No luck. “Charlie,” he said, hauling himself up off the floor. Cheeks flushed from exertion, his seven-year-old son rushed inside, blond hair sticking up at odd angles, a…