s　flushed　with　wind。　With　joy。　With

magic。

“Don't　cry；　Julianna。　I　want　it　to　help　you；　not　hurt　you。”　I　wiped　the　tears　from　my　cheeks　and

gave　a　mighty　sniff。　“Thank　you；　Daddy；”　I　choked　out。

“Thank　you。”

I　hung　the　painting　across　the　room　from　my　bed。　It's　the　first　thing　I　see　every　morning　and

the　last　thing　I　see　every　night。　And　now　that　I　can　look

at　it　without　crying；　I　see　more　than　the　tree　and　what　being　up　in　its　branches　meant　to　me。

I　see　the　day　that　my　view　of　things　around　me　started　changing。

Brawk…Brawk…Brawk！

Eggs　scare　me。　Chickens；　too。　And　buddy；　you　can　laugh　at　that　all　you　want；　but　I'm　being

dead　serious　here。

It　started　in　the　sixth　grade　with　eggs。

And　a　snake。

And　the　Baker　brothers。

The　Baker　brothers'　names　are　Matt　and　Mike；　but　even　now　I　can't　tell　you　which　one's

which。　You　never　see　one　without　the　other。　And　even

though　they're　not　twins；　they　do　look　and　sound　pretty　much　the　same；　and　they're　both　in

Lyta's　class；　so　maybe　one　of　them　got　held　back。

………　Page　21………

Although　I　can't　exactly　see　a　teacher　voluntarily　having　either　of　those　maniacs　two　years　in

a　row。

Regardless；　Matt　and　Mike　are　the　ones　who　taught　me　that　snakes　eat　eggs。　And　when　I

say　they　eat　eggs；　I'm　talking　they　eat　them　raw　and

shell…on　whole。

I　probably　would've　gone　my　entire　life　without　this　little　bit　of　reptilian　trivia　if　it　hadn't　been

for　Lyta。　Lyta　had　this　major…league　thing　for

Skyler　Brown；　who　lives　about　three　blocks　down；　and　every　chance　she　got；　she　went　down

there　to　hang　out　while　he　practiced　the　drums。　Well；

boom…boom…whap；　what　did　I