When Bruno Dies

When Bruno Dies

“ Come on, Gina. Let’s go to the park.” Kenny rushed across the porch with his little sister at his heels. At the door, he stopped so suddenly Gina bumped into him. She raised her fist to hit him when she heard him whisper, “Jeremy.” They both watched the bully walk down the sidewalk. “Let’s follow him and see what he’s up to.”

Waiting at their gate, they saw Jeremy ducking through a gap in Mrs. Kraft’s hedge. When they reached the hedge, Gina waited as Kenny knelt at the hole. He saw Jeremy push a straightened clothes hanger through an opening in the fence and, using the hooked end, snag a bowl and drag it to him. Then Jeremy poured something from a bottle into the bowl. When Jeremy began pushing the bowl back in its place, Kenny backed away having seen enough. He grabbed Gina’s hand and they rushed back to their yard where he told her, “He’s poisoning Bruno!”

“He’s a mean dog alright, but he don’t need poisoning.” Gina looked up at the kitchen window. “We’ve told on Jeremy before and nobody listened.”

"They’ll believe us this time when Bruno dies.”

Their mom frowned in disapproval. “How could you say such a thing? Jeremy’s such a polite and helpful boy.” She looked at Gina. “Did you see this too?”

Eyes downcast, Gina could only shake her head no. Their father took a deep breath and said, “Kenny, you are going to be punished for lying.”

As they left the kitchen, Gina whispered, “I told you they wouldn’t believe us.”

“They will when Bruno dies.”

The next evening at dinner, Kenny’s dad announced, “Bruno’s dead. He got out of his pen and was hit by a car.” He turned to Kenny. “You know anything about this son?”

Word count 300

Winner 11.27.2010 Daily Flash Fiction Contest