It was 2 o'clock in the morning, and Taylor was staying the night at Ashley's house. 13-year-old Ashley looked at him dully. She was interested in the movie they had rented, so she didn't really care.
"Why don't you go to sleep then?" she asked.
"I don't want to," he said.
"Then be quiet," she said. It was quiet...for about 2 minutes.
"Asshhhhleeeeey, let's do something," he groaned. He stood up and pulled on her arm. "Stop the movie and come back to it in a little while. Let's do something," he said.
"Like what?" she asked, getting to her feet. Taylor looked confused. "Uh...uh..."
"Exactly," Ashley said. "There is nothing to do at this hour." She sat back down. A second later Taylor reached over, grabbed the remote and turned off the movie.
"TAYLOR!" Ashley shouted. "What did you do that for?"
"I've got an idea!" Taylor said excitedly.
"Okay, genius, what?" Ashley retorted, unimpressed.
"Let's steal the car," Taylor said in a low, whispery voice.
"NO!" Ashley said, shaking her head. "Absolutely not. NO WAY. UH-UH. NEVER."
Five minutes later, Ashley found herself climbing into the passenger seat of her parent's old, beat-up Ford pick-up. It had been her dad's in high school. Taylor got in on the driver's side, and cranked the engine. It was loud, and Ashley prayed to God that her parents didn't wake up. They'd KILL them. They slowly backed out of the driveway. Taylor then got out onto the street and began to drive.
After going around the block about 3 or 4 times, they tired of the sport and headed back to Ashley's. Taylor first tried to get Ashley to drive, but she refused. He was just pulling into the driveway when out of nowhere Jeeterz, the duck, suddenly came running out of the garage and right under the wheel of the truck. Talor braked and Ashley yelped. She jumped out of the car and went to check on her beloved duck.
He was dead as a doornail, squooshed underneath the front, right tire. Ashley began to cry. Taylor got out and knelt down beside her.
"Oh, man, Ash, I'm sorry," he said, wrapping an arm around her. She continued to cry.
"Do you want to have a funeral?" he asked. She just cried harder. Taylor got up and helped her inside. Then he pulled the truck into the garage and parked it. He put the keys back in the kitchen, and then went back to Ashley.
"C'mon, we're going to bury the duck," he said, coaxing her off of the couch. Sobbing, she followed him back out the door. Taylor picked up the duck with a shovel and dropped him into a garbage bag. Then, shovel in hand, they headed off down the street - ON FOOT - until they got down to the open field. They tromped through the high, dew-covered grass until they got to the slightly wooded area that a creek ran through. They took turns shoveling, and when they got down deep enough, placed Jeeterz in the hole. Then they covered him up. Both of them sniffling now, they headed back to Ashley's house.
It was about 6 when they got home, and Ashley's parents were both awake. "Ashley, Taylor, where have you two been?" Mrs. Phillips asked as soon as they stepped into the door. Taylor and Ashley stood, shocked.
"Yes, that's what I'd like to know," her father said, stepping up behind her.
"We've been worried to death," Ashley's mother said. "I woke up to go to the bathroom and when I came in to check on you, you were both gone!"
"We just...we just went for a walk," Taylor said.
"You didn't...make out or anything?" Mr. Phillips asked.
"NOOOOO!" they both shrieked simultaneously, looking disgustedly at each other.
"Good," Mrs. Phillips sighed. Both parents looked at each other worriedly. "But I think it would be best if, from now on, you two didn't spend the night with each other. 13 is a little old for co-ed sleepovers..."
"And that was that. No more sleepovers with Taylor," Ashley said.
"Oh," Martha said. "What a strange story..."
"I have disclosed to you before that we were STRANGE KIDS right, Martha?" Ashley asked.
"Yes, yes," the woman agreed. "Did your parents ever wonder what happened to the duck?"
"Actually, they did. I told them I guess he just ran away," Ashley said. "Nothing ever contradicted my opinion except for a small incriminating blood spot on the driveway that eventually washed away..."
