‘Jump…!’ I grinned as the sick riff of Welcome to The Jungle blared from Betty’s speakers. The noon sun glared down on us in the backyard, and a slight breeze made the unmowed lawn sway as it tickled at my pant legs. We were kitted out in the gear Dylan had given us and currently, I was shouldering one of the AR-15s, my eye narrowing down at the iron sight. 

“Five bucks says he misses by a foot.” Ricky’s obnoxious voice came from right behind me as he sat on the hood of the car, his hand absentmindedly tearing one of the velcro latches of his plate carriers' mag holsters. Each grating sound threatened to throw me off of focusing on the target, a pumpkin I stole from Easton’s farm earlier in the morning. Hey, the losers left their little Halloween pumpkin patch unmanned and there was no way I was putting my hard-earned cash in the payment jar when some other dork could come around and steal it.

“Five bucks says he hits the picnic table underneath.” Billy chimed in as he shoved a pair of orange-colored earplugs in his ears, his polarized sunglasses obscuring his emerald eyes underneath. Exhaling a short breath I steadied myself one last time like how dad taught me, my finger on the trigger going from relaxed to firm as I squeezed. 

*Bang*

“Oops, looks like both of you boys can suck it because that’s a bullseye!” I laughed at their sour faces, the smoking barrel of the gun pointing in the air as I removed the mag and made sure the chamber was clear. “That also means every gun is officially zeroed in.” 

“…Bastard,” Ricky muttered.

“Tch, typical,” Billy grumbled.

“What, did you guys really think I would somehow miss…?” I gestured to the half dozen other pumpkins littering the yard, their pulpy seed-filled guts strewn about like a brutal murder scene. 

“I know it’s difficult for you two to aim, heh, but you guys did pffft-pretty good hehehe.” I pointed to the still-intact pumpkins with only graze wounds across their orange flesh where the bullets whizzed by. They had gotten better as we progressed but I'm really glad we're just there to act as intimidation instead of actual security. The Fiends don't have to know that Billy and Ricky couldn't hit the broad side of a barn even if they tried because we were a bluff. Dylan was using us to make sure he doesn't get screwed over in negotiations, we were meant to project power.

“Oh shut up, not everyone has an Army man for a Dad!” Ricky grumbled as my laughter morphed into a snorting chortle.

“Your mom literally skeet shoots as a hobby, and Billy your dad has free access to the Shelley County Sheriff's Department shooting range. Both of you are just too lazy and or skittish around guns to practice.” The mental image of Ms. Nash in those tight brown khakis bending over to grab a few more shotgun shells to put in her vest pocket brought a smirk across my lips. She was stupidly hot but the only time any one could ever admire her beauty was when she had her back turned to you. If you gawked at her massive tits in front of her line of sight you had better be ready to face the consequences and young me definitely wasn't ready.

“Hah, as if mom would ever let me touch one of her guns…” Ricky snorted at the thought, his fingers brushing against the gun tucked under his belt in its holster. He had been the hardest one to teach how to use a gun safely and I had a feeling that had I not been there to supervise he would have shot himself by looking down the barrel of his gun to check and see if it was loaded.

There are four basic rules to gun safety and my dad made sure I knew them by heart. 

1. Treat every gun as if it was loaded…ALWAYS
2. NEVER point the gun at anything you aren't willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger OFF the trigger until your sights are on target.
4. Be SURE of your target and what is beyond it.

I had been told these rules the Christmas he bought me a BB gun (another yard sale find). For nine year old me it took all of about five months for me to violate one of those rules. He caught me aiming up at the edge of our porches roof, my sights set on a mud dauber nest that had been spooking Clar every time she saw it. I had been following rules 1-3 but I had failed to observe what was beyond the mud dauber nest (our house) so I was punished. 

He took the plastic and metal gun out of my hand and after telling me to brace my hands against the wall he smacked my ass with it. It hurt, and the punishment wasn't over after that as he bent the barrel over his knee until it was a warped unusable mess. Inside of our shed on the back rack is the gun displayed like some sick trophy to remind me of that moment.

“…Ethan….Ethan!” Billy yelled as he waved his massive hand in front of my face. I kind of just stared at him for a bit more before a really dumb sound leaked from my lips.

“Huh?”

“Are you okay? You were kind of spacing out there.”

“…Yeah, I'm good. Now let’s get this shit packed, we’ve only got a couple of more hours before the party.”

***

(Clara Langston POV): 

“I-Is it always this loud?” Pepper asked as she winced at the sound of gunfire, her hands covering her ears. She was sitting on the couch, Piper sprawled out over her lap not even flinching at the loud bangs filling the air. It would be an embarrassing sight if I didn't already know that the dog was a former K-9 unit. 

“Eh, not really. It’s been ages since he’s shot anything but with the party tonight he’s shaking off the rust.” I looked up from my phone, the string of texts between me and Else turning into a blue and green blur. We were both lamenting that Ethan would be going to a party with Abby and more specifically a party in a titty-bar that would have Ethan harder than a brickbat. She would have free dibs to get frisky with him under the guise of relieving his ‘stress’. 

“…P-party, what party is Ethan going to?” She seemed even more skittish now, her dark brown eyes shifting to avoid making eye contact with me. Hmm, suspicious.

“Oh, it’s the one Dylan Lee’s hosting at Rita’s, apparently he hired Ethan as security.” Her shoulders slumped, her head hanging low as her hands rubbed up under her glasses to get at her tired eyes.

“…figures,” She murmured.

“Your tone makes it sound like it’s a bad thing.” Did she know something about the party that Ethan didn't? Was it a trap?

“It is.” A nervous pit formed in my gut as I leaned up straight from my slouched position on Dad’s recliner.

“Why is it a bad thing?” My fingers sunk into the red velvet fabric and my eyes narrowed into slits.

“I can't say…” She murmured shyly.

“Yes, you can. Why is it a bad thing?” I reiterated and leaned forward with a menacing growl. 

“Because…”She hesitated and I screamed in frustration. 

“Oh, just hurry up!” She jolted at my loud voice, the earlier gunfire making her skittish. 

“Because that’s where I work!” Oh, so it wasn't a conspiracy to entrap my brother? That’s good—

“Wait…are you a stripper?” I didn't want to sound rude asking her that but I really doubt there’s a better way to broach the subject. For a time when Dad’s ‘business’ hit a rough patch with a major drought affecting the valley, Mom had taken it upon herself to make ends meet. She used to come home in high heels and fishnets, her body smelling like sweat, Marlboro Reds, and the cheap perfume she drenched herself in. 

“Shh, don't say it!” Pepper hissed, the way she nearly yelled despite trying to whisper reminded me of how Mom used to talk to Dad. He wasn't happy she was being a whore and no matter how many times she reassured him no one touched her he never believed her. Thin walls make screaming matches easy to hear and hard to sleep to. 

“Does Ethan know?” I asked even though I knew the answer was no. Ethan would definitely say something stupid like ‘Come live with us permanently, and I’ll drop out and work full-time.’  and personally I don't want Pepper here longer than it takes her to save up for her to rent somewhere else.

“No, definitely not, and I don't want him knowing either.” Good, she won't be mooching off of E’s charity. 

“Why, Ethan won't treat you any differently—” Is your refusal out of genuine humbleness or is there something else I can exploit?

“My parents did…a-and in this ‘town’ he’s about the only one who treats me nice.” Ah, this is even better. She’s the perfect candidate to be me and Else’s new ally because she will always feel like she owes us something.

“Who is it?” I asked with the harshest tone I could muster, and had to fight the smile threatening to split my face in two.

“Wha—” 

“Who is treating you badly, tell me so I can kick their ass!” Of course, I wasn't lying when I said I would kick their ass. If me and Elsie were going to win Ethan’s affection we needed to stack the odds in our favor and that meant gaining allies. It would be much better for us to have a dependent ally instead of a potential threat like Abby or Olivia. Rachel and Ms. Anderson were kind of outliers in the whole thing and Veronica was a nonstarter with her bitchy behavior. Becky seemed to lean more toward Abby’s camp and that left us very little in terms of potential allies. 

“Wait, wait, wait this is exactly why I can't tell Ethan! You two fly off the handle at the first sign of opposition and while I appreciate the sentiment, working at Rita’s is all I’ve got right now.” Oh, she’s still playing hard to get.

“I…I get it, me and E aren't the best at regulating our emotions but you can't just say shit like Ethan is the only one nice to you and expect me—us to just drop it.” Come on take the bait, please take the bait.

“…I’m not being harassed if that’s what you think.” She mumbled, and a small smile grew across my lips that I masked as a sympathetic look.

“They ignore you don't they, give you the cold shoulder?” She’s isolated, probably worse than anyone in this town excluding Ethan and me. She didn't grow up here so she didn't have any friends from school and her parents disowned her so she literally has no one she can rely on.

“Yeah…how did you know?” It was practically scribbled on your face, you look miserable. Her hand absentmindedly stroked the head of Piper and the dog nuzzled into her touch. Okay, maybe she wasn't completely alone but in terms of human interaction she’s as isolated as they come.

“It’s how they treat Ethan, to them he’s a nuisance so the adults pretend like he isn't there. The kids though, the kids do harass him and Ethan’s willing to get back at them because of it.” I let my anger show as I clenched my fists, my eyes narrowing into slits. Ethan didn't deserve to be treated like that and those bitches don't deserve him. 

“I see…” She seemed sad to hear it as her head drooped low. It seemed her interactions with him only went as far as seeing him when he worked. She didn't know that when we walk around town we get dirty looks and when we shop in Wollstone security is always tailing us.

“So, what’s it like?” Now for what I really want.

“If you're talking about my job it’s fine I guess, and I make pretty good money.” She rubbed at her bicep as she said that, her words nowhere near confident enough to make me believe she actually liked her job.

“Anything you don't like?” I pressed, my leg crossing over the other as I glanced back at my phone and the quick text I had jotted to Else.

“Creeps, mainly one guy in particular who tries getting handsy when I am his server.” She grumbled as she went back to petting her dog aggressively. It seemed like she was trying to distract herself from the memory of the guy.

“What’s his name?” I asked.

“I don't know, wish I did because I’d like to tell the bastard's wife what the hell he’s up to.” She ground out her words like she was fighting hard not to snarl, a dark gleam covering her eyes.

“Did he have a wedding ring?” Blackmail is a really easy way to get what you want, and for a married man, nothing scares him more than the thought of losing it all in a divorce. If she knew his name we could take him out of the picture quickly.

“No, but most guys don't bring theirs in when coming to a titty bar.” I ignored her snide comment and leaned forward. Had there been a desk I would've steepled my fingers to deliver my next line.

“Hmm, then how about we make a deal?” I whispered with a kind smile on my lips.

“A deal?” She asked as her eyes looked up at me with suspicion. We all knew the score and she seemed to realize that I was one of the crazy ones Ethan had clinging around him. If she was disgusted by my behavior she didn't show it but she definitely was skittish around me. 

“Yep, you make sure Ethan doesn't get close to any of your coworkers and I’ll make sure the guy doesn't mess with you.” Outsourcing my work so I can make sure Ethan spends less alone time with Abby is killing two birds with one stone. 

“Wait, does that mean—?” 

“Yep, me and Else are sneaking in, so are you in?” I didn't reach out my hand for her to shake it but our deal reminded me a lot of those stories about deals with the devil. 

“…Fine, I planned on keeping the girls away from him anyway, an older lady started working there and she seems the type you need to look out for.” 

“Good.” I grinned.