第7部分 (第4/8页)

yta　was　two

minutes　late　ing　home　for　dinner；　my　mother

would　messenger　me　down　to　Skyler's　house　to　drag　her　home。　It　might　have　been

embarrassing　for　Lyta；　but　it　was　worse　for　me。　I　was　still　in

elementary　school；　and　the　Mystery　Pisser　guys　were　in　high　school。　They　were　ripe　and

ragged；　raging　power　chords　through　the　neighborhood；

while　I　looked　like　I'd　just　gotten　back　from　Sunday　school。

I'd　get　so　nervous　going　down　there　that　my　voice　would　squeak　when　I'd　tell　Lyta　it　was

time　for　dinner。　It　literally　squeaked。　But　after　a　while

the　band　dropped　Mystery　from　their　name；　and　Pisser　and　its　entourage　got　used　to　me

showing　up。　And　instead　of　glaring　at　me；　they　started

saying　stuff　like；　“Hey；　baby　brother；　e　on　in！”　“Hey；　Brycie　boy；　wanna　jam？”

This；　then；　is　how　I　wound　up　in　Skyler　Brown's　garage；　surrounded　by　high　school　kids；

watching　a　boa　constrictor　swallow　eggs。　Since　I'd

already　seen　it　down　a　rat　in　the　Baker　brothers'　bedroom；　Pisser　had　lost　at　least　some　of

the　element　of　surprise。　Plus；　I　picked　up　on　the　fact　that

they'd　been　saving　this　little　show　to　freak　me　out；　and　I　really　didn't　want　to　give　them　the

satisfaction。

This　wasn't　easy；　though；　because　watching　a　snake　swallow　an　egg　is　actually　much

creepier　than　you　might　think。　The　boa　opened　its　mouth　to

an　enormous　size；　then　just　took　the　egg　in　and　glu