Another fire-nail went into my knee and a second one went into my sock. Maybe this was why the other kid that they'd found in here had been as big as a whale, he was swollen up from all the hornet stings!
I dropped my shoulder down and charged at the door with all my might. The door banged against the lock but didn't budge a inch. All that happened was the rag I'd covered the fish heads with came off and I got bounced back and landed square on the floor. I jumped up again. This time when I charged at the door I put my hand out like Paul Robeson running down the football field. This wasn't a real good idea, I forgot all about the fish-head door guards. My fingers went right into the mouth of the biggest one and his little needle teeth cut me like a razor. I pulled my hand back and screamed.
Another hornet buzzed into my ear and it felt like someone had poured hot wax right down into my brain.
The only thing I could think to do was jump on the woodpile and bust the glass out of the window. I grabbed the handles of the window and gave them one more jerk. I guess being scared gives you a lot of strength because this time the window flew open with a loud bang. Three hornets found me at the same time and all four of us fell out of the window.
As soon as we hit the ground I rolled as far away from the shed as I could go. I smacked and whacked the hornets that had taken a ride on me and just laid there until I could catch my breath.
After while the stings and the fish-guard bite quit hurting so much. I started getting madder and madder. I was mad at the Amoses, but most of all I was mad at me for believing there really was a vampire in the shed and for getting trapped like this where there wasn't anybody who cared what happened to me.
I simmered down and started thinking about getting even. I wondered how hard I'd have to pull the trigger (in that double-barrel shotgun for it to go off. I sneaked up the back porch steps to get inside the house. Maybe the vampire bat didn't say it, but the only thought on my mind was.'' Aha. you doggone Amoses, that hurt, but now I get my revenge!"
***
THEY HADN'T LOCKED, the kitchen window. It slid open with just a couple of squeaks, then I was inside the Amos house crouched down like a cat burglar, Quick as a rabbit I looked under the table to see if they'd moved my suitcase. It was still there, I got a whole lot calmer when I picked it up and it was the right weight, I didn't think they'd taken anything out of it. I couldn't be sure until I looked inside but I could do that later.
I took in a deep breath and looked over at the icebox to see if the shotgun was still there. I let all the air out in a big puff when I saw it. Shucks, you'd think that with the Amoses being so doggone mean they'd worry about leaving a big old gun like that out in the open. What if one of their visitors got real mad at them about something? I unlocked the back door and set my suitcase on the first step of the porch, so I could make a quick getaway after I was through paying these Amoses back.
I opened the screen door real quiet and went back into the house. Fair is fair. The Amoses deserved what they were going to get.
I can't all the way blame Todd for giving me trouble, though. If I had a regular home with a mother and father I wouldn't be too happy about other kids living in my house either.
Being unhappy about it is one thing, but torturing the kids who are there even though they don't want to be is another. It was my job to make sure other kids who didn't know where their mothers and fathers were didn't have to put up with Todd.
My heart started jumping around in my stomach as soon as I reached out for the shotgun.
It was a lot longer and heavier than I thought it would be.
I lifted it and felt how solid the smooth brown wood was against my shoulder. With it up close to my face like this I could smell the gray metal of the barrel and the gun oil Mr. Amos used on it. I aimed the gun at the stove and pretended I was shooting at a elephant or a dragon or a tiger, or best of all, Todd!
I imagined how it would feel to creep up to his bed while he was sleeping and put the shotgun barrel right in his nose.
After that I'd have to do some quick moving to get the grown-up Amoses. Unless they were real sound sleepers the shotgun going off in Todd's room would give them a clue that something was going on.
I lowered the gun. These things were just too dangerous to play with or to take chances with, that's why the first part of my revenge plan was to get this gun out of the way.
If something went wrong and the Amoses woke up I didn't want them rushing down to the kitchen to get the gun. I knew they'd shoot me in a flash and tell the Home it was an accident.
I took the gun outside and put it on the back porch in a corner where they wouldn't be able to see it until daytime. I felt a lot better when it was out of my hands.
When I was back in the kitchen I started opening cupboards looking for the drinking glasses. The first one I opened had the jelly jar they'd given me to drink out of at suppertime.
I walked over to the sink and turned on one of the spigots. These Amoses had hot water running right into the house! I let it run for a second to warm up and put a dishrag in the bottom of the sink so the splashing wasn't too loud.
When the water was good and hot I stuck the jelly jar underneath until it was filled to the brim.
I started down the hall. Todd's door came open easy as anything.
I tiptoed over to his bed. He was deep asleep and his hands were crossed on his chest like he was ready for the graveyard.
I dipped my middle finger in the water. It felt like the perfect temperature.