Not Again…
by Katlynn
Disclaimer: The
characters and situations of the TV program "
My
response to a story challenge to write a story using “Not again” as the
beginning of the story.
‘Not again…’ a bewildered, seven-year-old Heath Barkley moaned to himself as he hurried after his brother. He knew he’d, once again, messed somethin’ up, because Nick had made that noise that sounded like a bear, rolled his eyes, and shook his head before he’d stomped off, leavin’ Heath just standin’ there wonderin’ what he’d messed up this time.
As he tried to catch up to his eleven-year-old brother, he thought about what had gone wrong before, hoping it would help him figure out what had gone wrong this time. There’d been the rule about swearin’ that he’d clearly gotten wrong. That was the first time he’d heard that bear noise out of Nick. They’d both been sent to their rooms and when Nick found out, he’d growled somethin’ fierce. By then, his Pa had explained to him that the swearin’ they’d done hadn’t been anythin’ like the swearin’ Mr. Flynn had done when he’d said, “Boy … I swear I don’t know a body who works harder than you do.”
That kinda swearin’, his Pa had told him, was like makin’ a promise or takin’ an oath in court. The kinda swearin’ he and Nick had done was just plain sayin’ words that shouldn’t be said in polite company. He’d asked Nick what other words he shouldn’t never say again but Nick had just shrugged and said he only knew about ‘hell’ and ‘damn’ and that Heath had been a damn fool to say one of ‘em after Nick had gotten in trouble for sayin’ the other.
After that, Heath figured he’d think long and hard about Nick’s rules before he just jumped in and followed along without question … but that still hadn’t stopped him from messin’ up once more. There’d been that time when Gabriel Miller had been teasing Flora Oleson in the schoolyard and made her cry. Gabriel was at least a head taller than Heath but the little blond had stepped right up to him and told him to leave her alone. And then Gabriel had laid into Heath like there was no tomorrow. Nick hadn’t been in school that day … he’d been home sick. But he got better mighty fast when he saw the black eye and torn shirt that Heath brought home from school. That’s when Nick had told him about the rule that he later found out meant that big brothers had a right to get even when their little brother got beat up by someone who was a whole lot bigger than him.
Only that wasn’t exactly what Nick had said when he quoted the rule. Heath HAD been a little confused as he wrote it down in his book but he figured Nick knew what he was talkin’ about. It WAS one of the rules after all … it came right after the one about everythin’ a big brother wants to talk to ya’ about is important. It was rule number 42 … big brothers always know what they’re talking about even if they sound like they don’t. So he hadn’t questioned Nick even though he HAD been a little confused. He just packed his saddlebags with what he thought they’d need and ridden over to the Miller farm with Nick that Saturday to do what they had to do.
Heath barely had the chance to take his hammer out of his saddlebags before Gabriel was chargin’ Nick and the two of ‘em went at it. The little boy stood there with that hammer in his hand, waitin’ for ‘em to come up for air, and wonderin’ what had gotten into ‘em. It was only after Nick had staggered to his feet, leavin’ Gabriel lyin’ in the dirt, and they were on their horses ridin’ home that Heath had said, “Boy howdy, if Gabriel had knowed what we was comin’ there to do, bet he wouldn’ta started that fight so quick!”
“Midget, what’s wrong with you!” Nick had almost exploded. “I did exactly what I went there to do. And if you hadn’t taken that hammer outta your saddlebags, I mighta got the first lick in! What did ya’ think ya’ were gonna do with that hammer?”
“Nick, it’s what ya’ said,” the blond searched his memory for his brother’s exact words. “Ya’ said, ‘when someone a whole lot bigger beats up your little brother, the big brother get’s to fix their wagon’. I figgered ya’ knew what ya’ was talkin’ about ‘cuz it’s a rule. And I figgered if we was gonna fix his wagon, we’d need a hammer,” the little boy explained. “How’d ya’ know his wagon was broke, Nick? And how come, when ya’ was done fightin’, we didn’t stay and fix his wagon?’
It was that bear growl that told him he’d gotten something terribly wrong. And it was only later, when Nick had calmed down, that he’d explained that ‘fixin’ his wagon’ was just another way of sayin’ they were gonna get even and it had nothin’ to do with an actual wagon.
All those thoughts ran through Heath’s mind as he stumbled
up the hill from the duck pond after his brother, who managed to take one step
for every three that Heath had to take.
He was sure he’d gotten the rule right.
Nick had told him about it only last night. Pa was goin’ to
THAT’S IT! Heath suddenly realized. Nick had been right clear about what they had to do … but maybe Heath had just picked the wrong spot.
“Nick, wait!” Heath called as his dark-haired brother crested the hill. “I got it figgered out now! I know what I did wrong!”
Heath breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his brother stop and wait for him. The younger brother didn’t stop ‘til he’d reached Nick’s side. He took in a couple great gulps of air before he was finally able to say, “We can just say I was practicin’ for the real thing. I found out it ain’t all that easy … so practicin’ is good! Right?” he asked hopefully.
“What?!”
“Well … I know what ya’ told me we had to do … but now I’m guessin’ there’s some place else I’m s’pose to do it. Just tell me where the right pond is and I’ll get all them ducks in a row for ya’ in no time at all. I’ve been practicin’ how to do it for ‘bout an hour and I think…”
Nick let out that bear growl, once more, rolling his eyes and shaking his head as he just muttered, “Not again…”
Yep, Heath thought as he saw his brother stompin’ away, he musta got somethin’ wrong again and it must not have anythin’ to do with where the pond was. Maybe there was a trick to workin’ with them ducks that he just didn’t know. Nick didn’t seem to be in the mood to wanna talk about it, though.
But maybe Jarrod could explain to him how ya’ get all them
ducks in a row without one of ‘em wanderin’ off while ya’ was chasin’ after
another one. And maybe he’d be able to
tell him why ya’ even needed to get all them ducks in a row before ya’ could
ask Pa if ya’ could go to
THE END