Sunlight came in through an open window and into a dark room where a young teen was sleeping soundly. Jeremy grumbled and mumbled incoherently when one of the rays hit him right in the face, waking him up a bit. He yawned and turned his head to the other side to go back to sleep. A few seconds later, he woke up when he felt a weight on him and his face was washed with his tongue. He laughed as he ignored what the stranger was doing. This time, the licks on his face were stronger. When he opened his eyes, he saw that the intruder had brown eyes. His German Shepherd looked back at him with an interested look. "Okay, Shiela, I'm up," he said with a smile as he sat up and the dog jumped off the bed and stretched.
When Jeremy heard a small tapping sound, he also got up and stretched. When he heard the sound again, he looked around his room to try to figure out what it was. Shiela barked, then ran to the window. Jeremy looked in the direction of it just in time to see a small pebble hit the glass. He rolled his eyes and walked over to the window to look down at the teenager waving back at him. When Jeremy got to the living room, he saw that no one was there. But in the kitchen, a plate of waffles was sitting on the table. Made by his mom before she went to work, it's clear. When he opened the door, a skinny boy about his age with blonde hair and bright blue eyes stood there grinning mischievously.
Jeremy crossed his arms and asked, "Really, Kyle?" "Why are you throwing rocks at my window?"
Kyle shrugged and walked in. "Hey, it's the best way to wake up!" He went to the fridge and grabbed an apple, which he munched on. "I guess your mom isn't home," he said after taking a look around. He said, "No," and shook his head. "You really took a big chance. What if you got there just as she was leaving?
Kyle did not answer. He got a thoughtful frown on his face. Since the boys were very young, their mothers have never gotten along and have never wanted them to be close. The story that their fathers died a few months after they were born meant that Kyle and Jeremy never met them. But it was still a mystery to him why their mothers never let them be seen together. Kyle looked at his watch and said, "Bro, you should get ready." "We have about an hour until school starts," said Jeremy. "Okay," he said, "let's go." The boys were out of the house after they took a shower and ate waffles.
Kyle said as they walked down the sidewalk, "Well, it's that time of year again." "I'm going to try out for the football team. Are you going to do the same?"
Jeremy ran his hand through his thick, black hair. His dark blue eyes showed that he wasn't sure what to do. He looked at his skinny body with suspicion. He said, "I don't know, Kyle." "Sports aren't really my thing. I think it's best for me to just watch," he said. "No way, man," Kyle said with a smile. "Don't judge until you've tried it." As they went by an RV, they saw a man get out. No one would have thought he was in his late 70s based on his slightly muscled body. His brown hair was thick and had a little bit of gray on the sides. It was almost long enough to cover his eyes. His grey stubble was all over his well-defined chin. He was holding a rake and was dressed in a grey hoodie and grey shorts.
He yelled, "Hey, boys!" as soon as he saw them. "Headed for school?"
"Hey, Johnny Goofball," Kyle called back. "Yes, we are... wait a minute..." Kyle stopped when he saw the old man had a rake in his hands.
"Crazy Johnny, is that a rake you're carrying?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. Crazy Johnny said, "Yeah," and his blue eyes got big with joy. "Why?"
Jeremy said, "There are no leaves around your RV." Crazy Johnny laughed when he told him, "Don't be silly, Jeremiah." "I will wait for them. I know these winds very well. They are very annoying, and they tend to send annoying things my way.
"But," Kyle said, "..."
Crazy Johnny laughed and told them, "Come on, you little knuckleheads." "Go to school or you'll be late," he said. The two boys shook their heads and walked away. Crazy Johnny's smile went away as soon as they moved away. He looked in the other direction and saw an animal that looked familiar walking toward his RV. He smiled at the German Shepherd sitting in front of him with its tail wagging. "It's been a while," the old man said, and both he and the dog looked off into the distance in the direction the boys had gone. Then, he got a worried look on his face.
He turned toward the dog and said, "Shiela." "You also feel it, right?"
Shiela let out a low growl and her fur stood on end as she turned her head towards the direction of the boys. Johnny Goofball's expression grew serious as he watched the dog's reaction. He knew that Shiela had a keen sense of danger and her instincts were not to be ignored. "What is it, girl?" he asked as he knelt down to pet her. "Something's not right," he muttered under his breath.
He quickly got up and ran towards his RV, with Shiela following closely behind him. As he reached the door, he grabbed a wooden bat that was lying nearby and held it tightly in his hands. He knew that he had to be prepared for anything.
As he stepped inside his RV, he heard a loud noise coming from outside. Shiela started barking fiercely and Johnny knew that something was definitely wrong. He quickly ran to the window and peered outside. His heart sank when he saw a group of teenagers throwing rocks at Jeremy and Kyle.
Without wasting another moment, Johnny rushed outside with the bat in his hand and Shiela by his side. He yelled at the teenagers to stop and they turned to face him with a smirk on their faces. "What are you gonna do about it, old man?" one of them taunted.
Johnny didn't hesitate. He charged towards the group, swinging the bat with all his might. The teenagers scattered, running away in fear. Shiela ran after them, barking loudly to make sure they wouldn't come back.
As the dust settled, Johnny turned to Jeremy and Kyle, who were both looking at him in disbelief. "You boys okay?" he asked, panting heavily.
Jeremy and Kyle nodded, still in shock from what had just happened. "Thank you, Johnny," Jeremy said, his voice shaking.
Johnny just smiled and patted Shiela's head. "You boys be careful," he said, before walking back to his RV. As he entered his home, he let out a sigh of relief. He knew that he had done the right thing, but he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that was still lingering in the air.
Shiela sat down beside him, her eyes fixed on the door. Johnny knew that she was still on guard, watching for any sign of danger. He couldn't help but feel grateful for her unwavering loyalty and protection. "You're a good girl, Shiela," he said, giving her a pat on the head.
As he sat there, watching the sunlight stream in through the window, Johnny knew that he had to stay vigilant. He had to protect his home and those around him, no matter what.